GENERAL

[Clara White]

LIVE EUROSPORT COVERAGE

CET TIME

Simbata, 16 aprilie - 11.00, 16:45, 20:00
Duminica, 17 aprilie - 20.30
Luni, 18 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 20:15
Marti, 19 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 19:30
Miercuri, 20 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30
Joi, 21 aprilie - 14.00, 19:30
Vineri, 22 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 19:30
Simbata, 23 aprilie - 11.00, 17:00, 20:00
Duminica, 24 aprilie - 17.30, 00:15 (re-live)
Luni, 25 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 19:30
Marti, 26 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 19:30
Miercuri, 27 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 19:30
Joi, 28 aprilie - 15.00, 19:30
Vineri, 29 aprilie - 11.00, 15:30, 20:00
Simbata, 30 aprilie - 11.00, 16:00, 20:00
Duminica, 1 mai - 17.00
Luni, 2 mai - 15.30, 20:00

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Clara White]

"Ăştia" se joaca, aşa, fără jenă, cu nervii oamenilor : i-auziti cind se va comunica anume care oras va fi gazda Mondialului ? "The Indepndent" : The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield seems likely to be granted a stay of execution as the venue for the World Championship, with at least one more tournament being staged beyond this year.World Snooker will clarify the event's future at a press conference on 22 April, a date that falls half-way through this year's tournament.

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Miss Chigwell]

Maguire hoping for Rocket failure
By Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport, 12 aprilie 2005

Scotland's Stephen Maguire insists there is no secret to beating his opening Crucible opponent, world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Maguire twice defeated the 'Rocket' earlier in the season, but he put that down to taking advantage of rare mistakes and his own good form.

"If he misses, you have to take your chance," Maguire told BBC Sport. (really, Stephen!Si pamantul se-nvarte! [color=blue]Si erau unii care credeau ca o sa fii atat de timorat ca abia o sa poti sa te aperi! Termenul-cheie aici e "IF")"
If you give him more than one chance he'll slaughter you. (aici ai dreptate!) When I've played him, I've been on my game."

Maguire's rise up the world rankings has been nothing short of sensational.
The 24-year-old from Milton in Glasgow first made his name in the wider arena when he beat Jimmy White 9-3 to win the European Open title last season.

Maguire began the 2004/2005 campaign as world number 24, but he did not occupy that spot for long.

After losing the final of the British Open to fellow Scot John Higgins, Maguire created a stir by winning the prestigious UK Championship.

However, that victory did not guarantee him a place in the Sheffield end-of-season finale.

The current rule states that anyone outside the top 16 must qualify for the Crucible.

"It would be better if snooker was more like golf where you had a world ranking that came into effect immediately," added Maguire, who beat Ryan 10-5 at Prestatyn to reach the final stages.

He will not have to worry about qualifying for any events next season having risen from 24th to third in the current standings - a position he is likely to finish in this campaign.

Maguire is the cream of a new crop of players making their mark in the game.

And although it may not happen this year, it would take a brave person to bet against Maguire winning the world title at some stage in his career.

[Clara White]

IN AJUN...

* STEPHEN MAGUIRE lanseaza amenintari/provocari : cu niste "brutal tactics" !... Adica, lui RONNIE. Urmeaza exemplul lui STEPHEN HENDRY, care a adoptat o atitudine de condescendenţă faţă de NEIL ROBERTSON. Intimidare ? "You have to stand up to him and show him you're not going to be bullied on a snooker table and I fancy myself as a bit of a bully on the baize so I'll try to bully him. You have to play your own game. You don't have to showboat to bully, but as long as you show you're ready to go shot for shot with him and not be intimidated that shows him he's got a game on."

Stie toata lumea ca e pacat, dar unul dintre ei va pleca acasa repede. "It is a bit of a shame but so long as it's the world number one who leaves and not the world number three then I'll be happy. I lost to him last year, but I wasn't bullied then. I was 3-2 up and in control of the match a wee bit, and then he does what he does best and made four breaks on the spin and I hardly got a shot. He's the best player in the world and he keeps you in your seat and likes to keep you there as long as possible. But Saturday 10am, what a way to start the tournament. Don't miss it."

Maaaai, sa fie !!!...

* STEPHEN-cel Mare continua sa-si arate muschii, fiindca ce-a fost a trecut : "Last year I went into the tournament feeling not too happy with my form and although I reached the semi-finals, I didn’t play well at all. The match against Ronnie was a disaster waiting to happen because of how I was playing but I put it out of my mind straight away. It’s different when you’ve played well and lost. If I’d played great and lost 17-16 after missing a chance in the last frame then I’d have been gutted. I feel much happier with my form this season. Losing in China was a disappointment but that won’t have any bearing on how I’ll play at Sheffield." In orice caz, nu va cauta sa revada asemenea meciuri : "I’ve never watched videos of myself. To be honest, I’ve never even considered it. I only really watch snooker when I’m at the venue. I don’t go out of my way to watch the other players. I don’t even own a single video of one of my matches. I’d have to borrow one off my manager."

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Miss Chigwell]

Dott spera sa revina in tromba


"I got to the final last year and I'm a better player this year than I was last year," a spus Dott celor de la BBC Sport.
Graeme a inceput sezonul de pe locul 15, dar accesul in finala Malta Cup si in sferturile UK CH l-a propulsat pe locul 8 in clasamentul provizoriu.
Sigur, amintirile de la Malta sunt dintre cele mai placute pentru Dott.
"Whitewashing Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Malta Cup probably would have been the highlight. I played really well and it's always nice to beat a world champion so convincingly."
La Mondiale, insa, situatia sta cu totul altfel. Iata ce crede Dott despre asta, dandu-i cu sportivitate Cezarului ce-i al Cezarului si deschizand perspectiva unei uriase surprize, pe care fanii lui Ronnie o accepta numai la modul extrem-teoretic.
"I think to be really honest there only really has been Ronnie (this season). You've got him and then you could maybe say Stephen Hendry but he's been a little bit inconsistent so it's a weird kind of championship this year."
"Ronnie's got a hard match in playing Stephen Maguire. If Maguire was to beat Ronnie, the World Championship would be completely open and it could be anybody's championship,".

Si in final, cum se vede Crucible prin ochii unui finalist:
The Crucible puts you under a lot more pressure than any other venue,”. "It's just unique with the atmosphere it generates. You're claustrophobic with how close the crowd is.”

[Miss Chigwell]

Ronnie nu urmareste recordul lui Hendry
BBC Sport.

Conform lui Ray Reardon, Ronnie nu si-a fixat ca obiectiv egalarea sau macar apropierea de performanta monumentala a lui Hendry-7 titluri supreme..
“I don't think he's after records,” ,a spus domnul in varsta de 72 de ani, castigator a 6 coroane mondiale in anii ’70.
“He wants to be the best and he is the best. He'll go on as long as he loves the game. If he loses all that, then he'll walk away from it.”
Apoi the “Guvnor” ne da cateva detalii despre relatia pe care o are cu Ronnie:
“He's a bit special. (Daca zice dl.Reardon, asa o fi!) We get on with one another and we talk the same language.”
“I understand him and understand his game. He's outstanding as a person as well.
We lay down certain rules for one another. I wanted certain things and he wanted certain things.”
Ce diferenta fata de declaratiile belicoase ale lui Maguire! Daca intr-adevar aceasta este pozitia lui Ronnie, sa ascunda ea oare, sub masca decontractarii, precautie si teama? Sau e pur si simplu vorba de perspectiva campionului care sta imperial pe tronu-i si nu se amesteca in treburile lumesti ale curtii?

[Miss Chigwell]

Vreau lupta dreapta, vreau inclestare barbateasca!
In safeties sa ne izbim, in long-potting sa ne lovim sau in centuries sa ne palim?
Vreau sa iasa fum din tacuri, hemoglobina (ok, stiu ca nu e rosie, dar whatever…) din bile si pigmentul din postav.
I want Maguire to play beautifully and my baby Ronnie to play superbly and kick Stephen’s **** all over the baize.
Desi tare ma tem ca o sa am parte de-un meci tactic si chinuit si de breakuletze anemice.
Oricum ar fi, (in soapta, usor…) go, Ronnie!! (ca si daca strig tot nu m-aude!)

[Mrs. Hendry]

[Clara White]

Nu cred ca era vreun pe faţa-i. Stephen nu se joaca nici cu vorbele. A-i urmari pe ceilalti jucatori ar insemna, atentie ! "to go out of [his] way"!... Singuratatea alergatorului de cursa lunga...

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Clara White]

DECLARATII

ZIUA 1

RONNIE : "It was alright - it was nice to get through, but equally, it would have been OK if I'd have got beat, to be honest. My heart is not really in it. I struggled through the match and I've struggled all season even though I have been winning titles. Don't get me wrong, I would like to win it again. But if I had lost I wouldn't have been too sad. I would have been quite happy to be going home. So, from that point of view I had nothing to lose. The butterflies were going towards the end but I just saw it as a game of snooker and that’s what we do. I didn’t see it as pressure. For the last four or five years I’ve been professional and I’ve got my head down and worked hard. That helps you to find that bit extra when you need it, and tonight I needed it. My game has got to go up a few levels, there are little things I need to improve. I need to be steady and solid, and hope that things begin to flow. If I can do that I’ve got a decent chance, if I can’t I’ve only got an outside chance."

STEPHEN MAGUIRE : "I’m still in shock. I thought I had won the match, it seemed easy. But I had a twitch on the black and when you miss a ball like that it comes back to haunt you. I didn’t get a chance in the last two frames and Ronnie played well. I’ve got to go home now and watch other the first round matches knowing I could still be here. But if you want to win this one you’ve got to beat the top players."

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Mrs. Hendry]

Interesanta declaratzia lui Ronnie. Tzinand cont de ea si de felul in care a jucat astazi nu l-ash vedea invincibil la acest campionat.
Evident, imi pare rau pentru Stephen cel mic. Nu foarte rau, dar nu-s fericita in orice caz. Tipul a luptat si e intotdeauna trist sa-l vezi plecand pe cel care nu zice "Eh, era tot aia si daca ash fi pierdut. Big deal!"
Am senzatzia ca am mai auzit o declaratzie de acest gen intr-o situatzie similara. Sa fi fost tot din gura lui Ronnishor?

_________________
"Luck is an offensive, abhorrent concept. The idea that there is a force in the universe tilting events in your favor or against it is ridiculous." ~ Sherlock Holmes ~ Elementary

[zsolt_tuser]

[Aura]

[Miss Chigwell]

Completare-zic eu, elocventa-la declaratiile lui Ronnie citate anterior:

"At the moment I'm not really interested."

"I don't know what to say, but I'm not going to try and make things up just to sound positive and good. I was suffering out there, but I kept battling and stayed professional..."


Iar? Iar vesnica rutina a declaratiilor apatice si dezinteresate de dupa meci? Cam jignitor la adresa adversarului, a turneului, a sportului in general.
Eternul ghem de contradictii. Duce duelul in decisiv, sare ca un linx din fotoliu dupa ratarea bilei de meci de catre Maguire, desi cu o figura oarecum surprinsa, ca la primirea unui cadou neasteptat (ceea ce a si fost!!), intra-mult prea tarziu!!-in viteza de croaziera, ii ies lovituri fine-ca bila aia neagra stearsa in extremis, dupa ce pierduse pozitia in penultimul frame-, castiga cu 68 si pe urma spune ca basically he doesn't give a ****!!!!
Imaginile spun cu totul altceva. Mai avea un pic si pierdea batalia cu propriul psihic in jocul 17, la 9-7. Parea cuprins de o furie rece. De ce si-o fi minimalizand performanta din ultimele 3 frame-uri, habar n-am.
Maguire a avut mult mai mult bun-simt in declaratii.
Get your act together,man, ca altfel pun in practica amenintarea de acum doua zile!!

[Miss Chigwell]

Acest mesaj trebuie considerat pura fictiune. No snooker player has been actually hurt in the process.

Am vorbit serios cu amenintarea!
Acu'zbor pana la Sheffield, ma transform in Quinten Hann si ii fac lui Ronnie nasul simetric la loc, cu toata provenienta lui din familie de boxeri cu tot!

(gata fictiunea)

Bine ca nu mi-a facut CNA-ul o vizita aseara, in timpul meciului! Ca ar fi auzit ceva de genul NU SE POATE! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! INCREDIBILA LOVITURA MAGUIRE! BEEP SI AZI SI MAINE SI POIMAINE! CE BEEP BEEP BEEP FACE RONNIE ACOLO BEEP! BILA DE MECI STEPHEN, DA, DOM'LE, A JUCAT SUPERB (BEEP!) NU POT SA CRED CA IESE DIN PRIMUL TUR! STAI ASA! YEESSS! etc.

Jos palaria pentru Maguire! Daca nu se speria de bila aia neagra ar fi scris istorie! Si eu il vad "in fruntea bucatelor" peste cativa ani.