Showing posts with label John Higgins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Higgins. Show all posts

Monday, 4 May 2009

Live-Blogging the snooker

20:05 Ready for a bit of live blogging? Good, so am I. Thanks to Alex C for the idea.
Here we go then, the final of snooker's World Championship. John Higgins vs Shaun Murphy. Higgins odds on favourite to win, and I hope he will - nice chap. I've met him, don't you know?

20:07 Wow, they've shunned the usual entrance and gone for a dramatic entrance down the steps past the crowd. Higgins only needs 2 frames to win, and he's made an encouraging start here - at the table, and breakbuilding. More to follow!

20:11 Michaela Tabb looks gorgeous tonight.

20:12 Former World Champion Peter Ebdon aka the world's most boring snooker player is in the crowd. Boooo! Ah, but there's Ray Reardon - a genius and a nutter.

20:17 Referee Jan Verhaas has just winked at Michaela Tabb's son. The excitement of all this is killing me. Murphy at the table, looking to win the frame from here!

20:18 Murphy misses the black off the spot! C'mon John!

20:21 Higgins has won the frame, and now only needs one more for victory. Murphy needs to win 10 in a row. As much as I want Higgins to win, we could do with a bit of drama, otherwise this final session is as terrible as the O'Sullivan-Dott one was a few years back.

20:22 Some fat lad in the audience wearing a white t-shirt on with "Higgins for Champ 2009" or something similar on it. It literally looks like he's painted it on with blue paint, is laughable.

20:24 A slow-mo of the fat lad bouncing up and down. Not nice.

20:27 I'm desperately hoping someone makes a mistake and the cueball goes into the pocket, so John Virgo can shout "Where's the cueball going? WHERE'S THE CUEBALL GOING?" Nothing yet, but I'll keep you informed.

20:29 DICKIE BIRD IN THE AUDIENCE! What an absolute legend.

20:39 Shaun Murphy won the last frame, but now he's played a terrible shot! Higgins at the table, still 0-0, but you fancy Higgins to make a big break here, balls are nicely placed. And now, tension...

20:43 No! Higgins makes 32 but then misses a black, and Murphy is still in this ball game!

20:44 But Murphy misses a long pot! Ooh, the tension, the tension!

20:45 Could be all over now! Excellent cannon by Higgins into the pack, and he's almost there...almost there...

20:48 It's all over, and Higgins is just strolling round the table, enjoying himself. The tournament is won. Shame there was no real drama, but we'll always have Dennis Taylor and his finger wagging.

20:50 Higgins now with family, and lots of photographers. Probably a good job Murphy didn't win, who would have celebrated with him? If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the tabloids a bit more!

20:51 Here's Ray Stubbs with the interviewing. Stubbsie!

20:54 Stubbs tactfully avoids Murphy's personal problems. Come on Stubbsie! Ask the probing questions!

20:56 Out waddles Sir Rodney Walker, and alongside him bookmaker Fred Done! Fred's also a massive United fan, famously paid out on United to win the title in 1997, before Arsenal stormed back and won it.

20:57 John Higgins looks so much like my Uncle Mike, it's scary.

20:58 Photographers want John's son to turn around and face the cameras, but he won't! Not surprising really, considering he has ginger hair.

21:01 John and his family have left the arena, but the director clearly didn't notice and we had to watch Stubbsie, Parrott and Davis instead. The Director is getting fired right now.

21:02 I'm sad the snooker is over, always enjoy the World Champs. Pleased that Higgins won, mind you. Well, that's pretty much it for tonight's live-blogging, shame it didn't last longer. Join me next time, when I live-blog an episode of "Britain's Got Talent" or something.

Friday, 1 May 2009

Premier League Predictions

Unbelievable. Last week, I was chuffed to get 5 results right, with 3 perfect scores. Mark "Lawro" Lawrenson got 6 results right, with 3 perfect scores. I hate "Lawro" so much right now. He now leads 4-2 overall, and as it's squeaky bum time in the Premier League, I can only hope for a draw. I feel like how Newcastle will feel going to Anfield this weekend - only hope is a scrappy draw. Great. Anyway, let's keep on trying:

Middlesbrough vs Man United - I'm calling it, right here - the comeback against Spurs last weekend won us the title. That was our Sheffield Wednesday game, for those of us old enough to remember back to 1993. Boro are a poor side, with a poor manager. 0-2

Chelsea vs Fulham - Home win all day long. 2-0

Man City vs Blackburn - I suppose it's a local derby, but no interest other than that. 2-1

Portsmouth vs Arsenal - I imagine Arsenal will be resting players in anticipation of the second leg of the CL SF on Tuesday. Portsmouth aren't a brilliant team, but they will be good for a draw here. 1-1

Stoke vs West Ham - No one cares. 1-1

Tottenham vs West Brom - Home win all day long. 3-1

Wigan vs Bolton - I'm struggling to think of a reason to care about this one either. 1-0

Liverpool vs Newcastle - I think the Toon are going down, and they stand no chance here. 3-1

Sunderland vs Everton - Shock result last weekend was Sunderland's mauling at WBA. Everton don't care about this game, they have a Cup final to look forward to. 2-0

Aston Villa vs Hull - A bigger game for Hull than Villa, but I just can't see Hull coming close to winning it. Best hope is a draw, but Villa will win it, 2-1

Mark "Lawro" Lawrenson was talking to BBC Sport's Mike Henson. I spend all day talking to myself.

Bank Holiday weekend now, so I shall leave all you loyal readers alone until Tuesday. Any plans for the weekend? Really? Ooh, that will be nice. For me, it's all about pizza, baseball, pubs and snooker. C'mon John Higgins! (I've met him, you know- nice chap.)

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!