Some say darts is a mind game. You can be great one minute, appalling the next and no matter how good you feel sometimes the darts just won't go for you.
I've been having some bad runs of form of late. Losing 4 games then I'd get a win, another run of 4 defeats then a win. As comfortable as I feel when on the oche, I just have no confidence in where the darts will go which is obviously a problem. Seems a far cry from the beginning of the season where I won 3-0 with a 73 average. It got to a stage where I suggested to the captain to drop me for a game. He declined. I won 2-0 that night.
My problem has always been my consistency. 1 match summed it up perfectly; 1 st leg it was 60's, 50's all the way down and took about 7 darts to hit the double. Next leg went 96, 100, 125, 100, 80c/o for a 15 darter.
Last night was just all about the throw. Wasn't bothered about winning or losing, just getting confidence back into my game. 1st 3 legs were fairly scrappy but 4th leg missed D20 for 120 c/o & 15 darter (eventually taking it in 17) What pleased me though was that everytime he hit a big score, I didn't panic and when he didn't I seemed to step in and hit a big score myself.
It was just nice to get a win under my belt but I'm more happy with the that I had some confidence my game. "Take your time, relax and aim about an inch above the treble" was the advice I kept getting and it did work. I am due at a tournament next week but I think I may give it a miss until I feel fully confident in my game again.
Lack of practice has played a major part in my loss of form I think. I'm so busy now that even though I play twice a week, I haven't been practicing that much (certainly nothing like I used to) and you just can't expect to win or even play well without practice. Its probably no co-incidence that between Monday and Thursday I got about 3 hours practice in plus another 2 before the game and the darts were going a lot better.
The team results have probably had an impact on my game aswell. Monday nights we have been suffering some heavy defeats (9-0, 8-1) and this was either side of an 8-1 loss at SuperLeague. Monday nights I do feel under more pressure because I know the team look to me to get some points and regard me as one of the best players. Now there are a couple of good players in our side but only 2 of them are being consistent. Myself and the other are just below par at the moment.
I take the game more seriously than anyone in my team as I have probably mentioned in previous blogs. The pressure of fighting for my place I can handle now but the pressure of the team looking to me for points and the fact the team is losing is getting to me. Probably why I get more rattled on a Monday than a Thursday. It just seems selfish to simply play for myself but maybe that's what I need to do. Play for myself and if the team lose, nothing I can do. Maximum number of points I can get is 2 (1 singles, 1 pairs) but only 1 of those do I have full control over, the pairs are a lottery.
So what does all this actually mean for my game? Well I think its all experience. Anyone can ride a wave of good form and enjoy the game when on that run. But its what you do when its not going so well that counts. For me, I've learnt that no amount of practice can guarantee a good game but no practice will guarantee a poor one. I've also learned that I need to ignore expectation, including my own and just throw the dart. The rest takes care of itself
Friday 3 December 2010
Saturday 13 November 2010
The great conspiracy?
The Grand Slam Of Darts (sponsored by Daily Mirror) kicks off today as 32 players from both the PDC and BDO compete for the title.
Last year the BDO players acquitted themselves very well with Scott Waites making the final, O'Shea only being beaten by Taylor and (if you remove the results of the matches against the women) the BDO winning the battle 10-7 (though it was 10-10 but it depends on which side of the divide you're on) This obviously drags up the usual PDC vs BDO debate but then it doesn't take much.
There are some debutants to this years tournament, most notably Dave Chisnall (BDO World Championship runner-up) but he has a very difficult start against the PDC World Championship runner-up Simon Whitlock. It will be interesting the reaction Chisnall will get from the crowd but as O'Shea showed last year, play it right and you can very quickly get them on your side (take note Mr Hankey - have you learned your lesson from last year?) I'm hoping Mark Hylton has a good tournament but again he has a very difficult start against Gary Anderson. Mark Webster and Wayne Jones also in the group makes it hard but Mark came through the qualifiers so he's shown he can cope. Can he do it on the stage though?
Now, there has been talk about the draw, the high profile games it has thrown up and whether its all been manipulated. Now these comments have mostly come from those who don't usually (if ever) talk about Barry Hearn or the PDC in a positive light in anyway, those who think the PDC can do no right. But lets look at the games it has thrown up for the BDO players and who's ended up in which group:
Hankey vs Taylor - would have been better if Hankey was the reigning BDO World Champion but given the comments of Hankey and everything that happened last year, probably the biggest game of the group stages. Hankey is in a group with the very impressive Wes Newton and the blows-hot-and-cold Michael Van Gerwen. Very difficult for him to get out this group.
Chisnall vs Whitlock - the 2 World Championship runners up. As good a game as any to pit the BDO against the PDC to see who is better. Chisnall has ended up in a group against Colin Osbourne (another player who blows-hot-and-cold) and Robert Thornton. Again, going to be difficult to get out the group but backing Chisnall to beat Thornton and whoever wins between him and Osbourne qualifies.
Tony O'Shea and Justin Pipe: In the same group. Pipe came through the qualifiers so has already played some of the PDC lot. O'Shea is a class act all round. Also in the group is James Wade and Vincent Van de Vort. Wade is in terrific form at the moment so expecting him to qualify top. But Vincent is more than beatable. He can also be a formidable player. Wade and O'Shea to qualify but think Pipe will pick up a win against VdV.
Henderson vs Jenkins: Henderson will fancy his chances here but Jenkins is a very solid player and very experienced. Merv King and Stacy Bromberg make up the group. Henderson stands a decent chance getting out this group as Jenkins can match King. Not expecting much from Stacy unfortunately.
Scott Waites and Martin Phillips: Again in the same group with Adrian Lewis and Co Stompe. This is a really open group. Waites made the semi last year, Phillips made the semi of the BDO World Championships last year, Lewis and Stompe are very solid players. Lewis is favourite to go through, Stompe is very solid but if Waites can beat Stompe then it's anyones.
Darryl Fitton vs Colin Lloyd. Fitton can win this one, no doubts at all. Lloyd is solid but hasn't really found the form when he was the World number 1 for a while. Also in the group is Barney and Tricia Wright. Barney is win the group, Wright to finish bottom so the final qualifier could well be whoever wins this first game.
Ok, those are just my thoughts. Now here's the thing. The only possible "evidence" to say the draw has been manipulated is that Hankey & Taylor got the same group. The other BDO players have got tough groups but so they should. They're now up against some of the best players in the world, you're not going to get that many easy games if any. Chisnall and Hankey could feel a little hard done by but someone had to get Taylor. It just an added kicker that Wes Newton is in the draw but Hankey is a crowd pleaser in terms of he gets them going. Think the longer he stays the better for the tournament. Its not beyond the realms of possibility Chisnall gets out his group as I've illustrated. Great chance for him to show his great performance in the BDO Worlds was no one-off.
The tournament is heavily favored to the PDC but it's a PDC run tournament, you'd expect that. Its not an ideal set up the GSoD in this respect however at least the PDC have done something. Don't see the BDO inviting PDC players to their official tournaments or even setting one up so they can.
Ultimately though, this is about Darts. These guys love the sport no matter where they play. They won't see it as BDO vs PDC. That is all for the fans and the hype. ITV4 have the coverage and they have been excellent the last couple of years. Just glad to see some more darts on the TV.
Best of order please. Game on!!
Last year the BDO players acquitted themselves very well with Scott Waites making the final, O'Shea only being beaten by Taylor and (if you remove the results of the matches against the women) the BDO winning the battle 10-7 (though it was 10-10 but it depends on which side of the divide you're on) This obviously drags up the usual PDC vs BDO debate but then it doesn't take much.
There are some debutants to this years tournament, most notably Dave Chisnall (BDO World Championship runner-up) but he has a very difficult start against the PDC World Championship runner-up Simon Whitlock. It will be interesting the reaction Chisnall will get from the crowd but as O'Shea showed last year, play it right and you can very quickly get them on your side (take note Mr Hankey - have you learned your lesson from last year?) I'm hoping Mark Hylton has a good tournament but again he has a very difficult start against Gary Anderson. Mark Webster and Wayne Jones also in the group makes it hard but Mark came through the qualifiers so he's shown he can cope. Can he do it on the stage though?
Now, there has been talk about the draw, the high profile games it has thrown up and whether its all been manipulated. Now these comments have mostly come from those who don't usually (if ever) talk about Barry Hearn or the PDC in a positive light in anyway, those who think the PDC can do no right. But lets look at the games it has thrown up for the BDO players and who's ended up in which group:
Hankey vs Taylor - would have been better if Hankey was the reigning BDO World Champion but given the comments of Hankey and everything that happened last year, probably the biggest game of the group stages. Hankey is in a group with the very impressive Wes Newton and the blows-hot-and-cold Michael Van Gerwen. Very difficult for him to get out this group.
Chisnall vs Whitlock - the 2 World Championship runners up. As good a game as any to pit the BDO against the PDC to see who is better. Chisnall has ended up in a group against Colin Osbourne (another player who blows-hot-and-cold) and Robert Thornton. Again, going to be difficult to get out the group but backing Chisnall to beat Thornton and whoever wins between him and Osbourne qualifies.
Tony O'Shea and Justin Pipe: In the same group. Pipe came through the qualifiers so has already played some of the PDC lot. O'Shea is a class act all round. Also in the group is James Wade and Vincent Van de Vort. Wade is in terrific form at the moment so expecting him to qualify top. But Vincent is more than beatable. He can also be a formidable player. Wade and O'Shea to qualify but think Pipe will pick up a win against VdV.
Henderson vs Jenkins: Henderson will fancy his chances here but Jenkins is a very solid player and very experienced. Merv King and Stacy Bromberg make up the group. Henderson stands a decent chance getting out this group as Jenkins can match King. Not expecting much from Stacy unfortunately.
Scott Waites and Martin Phillips: Again in the same group with Adrian Lewis and Co Stompe. This is a really open group. Waites made the semi last year, Phillips made the semi of the BDO World Championships last year, Lewis and Stompe are very solid players. Lewis is favourite to go through, Stompe is very solid but if Waites can beat Stompe then it's anyones.
Darryl Fitton vs Colin Lloyd. Fitton can win this one, no doubts at all. Lloyd is solid but hasn't really found the form when he was the World number 1 for a while. Also in the group is Barney and Tricia Wright. Barney is win the group, Wright to finish bottom so the final qualifier could well be whoever wins this first game.
Ok, those are just my thoughts. Now here's the thing. The only possible "evidence" to say the draw has been manipulated is that Hankey & Taylor got the same group. The other BDO players have got tough groups but so they should. They're now up against some of the best players in the world, you're not going to get that many easy games if any. Chisnall and Hankey could feel a little hard done by but someone had to get Taylor. It just an added kicker that Wes Newton is in the draw but Hankey is a crowd pleaser in terms of he gets them going. Think the longer he stays the better for the tournament. Its not beyond the realms of possibility Chisnall gets out his group as I've illustrated. Great chance for him to show his great performance in the BDO Worlds was no one-off.
The tournament is heavily favored to the PDC but it's a PDC run tournament, you'd expect that. Its not an ideal set up the GSoD in this respect however at least the PDC have done something. Don't see the BDO inviting PDC players to their official tournaments or even setting one up so they can.
Ultimately though, this is about Darts. These guys love the sport no matter where they play. They won't see it as BDO vs PDC. That is all for the fans and the hype. ITV4 have the coverage and they have been excellent the last couple of years. Just glad to see some more darts on the TV.
Best of order please. Game on!!
Monday 30 August 2010
Pros and the rest of us
This weekend just gone (28th/29th August) was the Doublefinish.com Open. Not a huge field but alot of quality there; Deta Hedman, Dennis Smith, Steve Bunting, Peter Wright, Kevin Simms to name a few who were in attendance. There were 2 tournaments that weekend and I got tough draws in both; Deta Hedman on the Saturday and Dennis Smith on the Sunday - both first round draws. Lost 4-2 to Deta and 4-1 to Dennis. Felt I played as well as I have done in competition for a while. My finishing against Deta was a particular highlight for me (2 darts, 2 doubles - 80 c/o and 92 c/o and I also hit a 180) It was great playing against players of this caliber and I was just happy not to have disgraced myself.
But this brings up the differing mentality of players and their respective standards. Deta and Dennis, whilst would not have taken the game lightly, would have been thinking they would win. Me, whilst not out to lose, has to have some perspective. I could give them a good game (and I felt I did) but would have had to go some to beat them. Am I beat before I even throw a dart? Definitely not. One thing that got said to me by a player seemed very counter intuitive but does make sense on one level. I'd lost a game but played well and enjoyed it. He asked me if I enjoyed the game, I replied "Yes, despite the fact I lost I enjoyed it" He said to me;
"That's where you're going wrong. You didn't enjoy it despite you lost, you enjoyed it because you lost"
It's taken me a long time to get my head round this and I'm still struggling a little with it. I think it's about just enjoying the game regardless. I have had alot of first round exits recently but I'm enjoying just playing the game. Do I want to get past the first round? Of course I do. Is it getting to me? A little though I've played some excellent players and I feel I'm definitely improving. Whilst I am not there to lose, I'm there to enjoy the game. So how does this differ from the professionals?
I think it boils down to standards and knowledge of those standards. When Dennis and Deta played, they both knew it would be a tough game because they know they other is a very good player and their achievements but they also know how they can play. Despite that though, they both play because they enjoy it. To me, there seems to be a fine line between just playing to enjoy it and going into match thinking you will win. Thinking you will win can add additional pressure. But some will argue semantics. What is the difference between knowledge and belief in this context?
Some would say if I went into the game believing I would win is arrogance and delusion given the opposition but is taken as a standard mentality for pro's or those regarded as top quality. Is this what makes the likes of Taylor, Whitlock, King, Wade so immense? Is it just quality that stops the likes of Bunting, Simms, Wright, et al from pushing into the elite and getting that elusive World Title? How good do you actually have to be before believing you will win is accepted?
But this brings up the differing mentality of players and their respective standards. Deta and Dennis, whilst would not have taken the game lightly, would have been thinking they would win. Me, whilst not out to lose, has to have some perspective. I could give them a good game (and I felt I did) but would have had to go some to beat them. Am I beat before I even throw a dart? Definitely not. One thing that got said to me by a player seemed very counter intuitive but does make sense on one level. I'd lost a game but played well and enjoyed it. He asked me if I enjoyed the game, I replied "Yes, despite the fact I lost I enjoyed it" He said to me;
"That's where you're going wrong. You didn't enjoy it despite you lost, you enjoyed it because you lost"
It's taken me a long time to get my head round this and I'm still struggling a little with it. I think it's about just enjoying the game regardless. I have had alot of first round exits recently but I'm enjoying just playing the game. Do I want to get past the first round? Of course I do. Is it getting to me? A little though I've played some excellent players and I feel I'm definitely improving. Whilst I am not there to lose, I'm there to enjoy the game. So how does this differ from the professionals?
I think it boils down to standards and knowledge of those standards. When Dennis and Deta played, they both knew it would be a tough game because they know they other is a very good player and their achievements but they also know how they can play. Despite that though, they both play because they enjoy it. To me, there seems to be a fine line between just playing to enjoy it and going into match thinking you will win. Thinking you will win can add additional pressure. But some will argue semantics. What is the difference between knowledge and belief in this context?
Some would say if I went into the game believing I would win is arrogance and delusion given the opposition but is taken as a standard mentality for pro's or those regarded as top quality. Is this what makes the likes of Taylor, Whitlock, King, Wade so immense? Is it just quality that stops the likes of Bunting, Simms, Wright, et al from pushing into the elite and getting that elusive World Title? How good do you actually have to be before believing you will win is accepted?
Monday 5 July 2010
Part-y time?
John Part has shown why he is a 3 time world champion and why he infuriates darts fans by winning the North American Darts Championship. To me the guy is quality, steady and when he gets that swagger going, you know he's happy and his darts are devastating. There was a time where he was regarded as the only player to give Taylor a game. He is not a player people relish playing but his consistency has always raised question marks over his standing in the game.
You don't win 3 World Championships by being poor but critics of John will point that 2 of those were virtually handed to him. Beating a handy capped Bobby George in the first tournament after the split then beating Kirk Shephard who must have used every lucky charm in the book to get to the final. The one that cannot be disputed however is his 2003 triumph over Phil Taylor to become only the 2nd player to beat Taylor in a PDC World Final since its inception and ending Taylors 8 year reign as World Champion. Part showed that when he can string performances together, he is a match for anyone and can handle the pressure. He had a 3 set lead over Taylor but Taylor rampaged the next 4 to go from 4-1 down to 5-4 up. Part showed his mental bottle by going 6-5 up and even when Taylor levelled, Part never buckled. Going to 2-0 up in the final set then cooly taking out 77 for the victory.
Part always seems to get bit homesick and frequently travels home to Canada between tournaments. This really doesn't do him any favors and is taking its toll as erratic performances against Mark Webster and Kirk Shephard have recently illustrated. Some will argue that he was able to put in a great performance in the North American Champs as its pretty much on his door step but that doesn't argue against the point that Part is a quality player. Whether he has the drive to re-establish himself in in the top 16 (well 32 for starters) is open for debate however as is whether he can biuld on this recent (and much needed) success.
There is an argument that he has possibly under-achieved in the game but his achivements are on par with Dennis Priestley and there's a man many have huge respect for and wouldn't say he under-achieved. Making 5 finals in 7 years (winning 1) is a great achivement, the PDC was still in its infancy and whilst the quality was higher in terms of them all being former World Champions, it was still a significantly smaller field.
As stated earlier, people question the "validity" of 2 of Parts world titles but you can only beat
what is in front of you and Part has done that on the biggest stage in World Darts 3 times including beating the best player on the planet ever. You cannot take that away from him. As much as I like Part as a player, he won't be ranked up with Lowe, Bristow, Taylor, Anderson et al (no, not Adams) but he definitely be there or there abouts with Priestley.
Form is tempoary, class is permanent - is Part about to show the world his again?
You don't win 3 World Championships by being poor but critics of John will point that 2 of those were virtually handed to him. Beating a handy capped Bobby George in the first tournament after the split then beating Kirk Shephard who must have used every lucky charm in the book to get to the final. The one that cannot be disputed however is his 2003 triumph over Phil Taylor to become only the 2nd player to beat Taylor in a PDC World Final since its inception and ending Taylors 8 year reign as World Champion. Part showed that when he can string performances together, he is a match for anyone and can handle the pressure. He had a 3 set lead over Taylor but Taylor rampaged the next 4 to go from 4-1 down to 5-4 up. Part showed his mental bottle by going 6-5 up and even when Taylor levelled, Part never buckled. Going to 2-0 up in the final set then cooly taking out 77 for the victory.
Part always seems to get bit homesick and frequently travels home to Canada between tournaments. This really doesn't do him any favors and is taking its toll as erratic performances against Mark Webster and Kirk Shephard have recently illustrated. Some will argue that he was able to put in a great performance in the North American Champs as its pretty much on his door step but that doesn't argue against the point that Part is a quality player. Whether he has the drive to re-establish himself in in the top 16 (well 32 for starters) is open for debate however as is whether he can biuld on this recent (and much needed) success.
There is an argument that he has possibly under-achieved in the game but his achivements are on par with Dennis Priestley and there's a man many have huge respect for and wouldn't say he under-achieved. Making 5 finals in 7 years (winning 1) is a great achivement, the PDC was still in its infancy and whilst the quality was higher in terms of them all being former World Champions, it was still a significantly smaller field.
As stated earlier, people question the "validity" of 2 of Parts world titles but you can only beat
what is in front of you and Part has done that on the biggest stage in World Darts 3 times including beating the best player on the planet ever. You cannot take that away from him. As much as I like Part as a player, he won't be ranked up with Lowe, Bristow, Taylor, Anderson et al (no, not Adams) but he definitely be there or there abouts with Priestley.
Form is tempoary, class is permanent - is Part about to show the world his again?
Friday 4 June 2010
Gossip is not just for women
Last night, the story that a player had been arrested at the UK Open spread around multiple darts forums. Users close to people in Bolton confirmed that it was Chris Mason. No reason was given but people were in contact with Lorna (Chris's wife) Those that weren't speculated as to what happened with drugs seeming to be the "popular theory" This has been shown to not be the case but the real reasons remain unknown at this time.
Gossiping is human nature, it's partly why forums exist. I blogged a while back on the clamour for news on what sports stars are up to and the incident with Chris just re-inforces it. Is speculation wrong though? People are going to be interested in what's happened and there's going to be rumours but peoples attitudes to it were interesting. Saying "rumor is that is was drugs but this is un-confirmed" is a far cry from saying "it definitely was drugs" Browsing through some of the different forums that were discussing it, all had picked up on the drugs rumor and nearly all had posters highlighting how absurd that was. The over whelming feeling was Chris is not that kind of guy. Some were very passionate in their defense of Chris but unfortunately for Chris, some only see his past and will assume any negative rumor to be true. But it was generating discussion because people are fans of the sport.
I don't believe speculating is wrong but you have to be clear that's what it is. I don't believe you can dampen it but that is the choice of the forum owners. A few mods on a forum were not happy it being discussed but I have nothing against it. Humans love to gossip and it isn't just the women, sports fans are probably just as bad. In this case, a story gets out that a player is arrested the first question is Why? and that leads to discussion/speculation. I've said so many times already and I will say it again - that's the point of a forum (among others)
The main problem people have with speculation is the gullibility of some. They will believe anything they read on the internet and be selective about it aswell. To use my earlier example, what is written is "rumor is that is was drugs but this is un-confirmed", they see "Chris Mason does drugs" and then that gets all over the internet. That's not really the forums fault though but the threat of legal action is always an issue. There's a larger argument over freedom of speech on forums but that's for another time.
If I was Chris Mason I'd look at the amount of support given during the incident but players need to accept that anything that happens may get leaked and will get discussed such is the nature of the internet and forums. They may not like it being discussed but we're not camping outside their home trying to get pictures. It's a small but distinct difference.
Gossiping is human nature, it's partly why forums exist. I blogged a while back on the clamour for news on what sports stars are up to and the incident with Chris just re-inforces it. Is speculation wrong though? People are going to be interested in what's happened and there's going to be rumours but peoples attitudes to it were interesting. Saying "rumor is that is was drugs but this is un-confirmed" is a far cry from saying "it definitely was drugs" Browsing through some of the different forums that were discussing it, all had picked up on the drugs rumor and nearly all had posters highlighting how absurd that was. The over whelming feeling was Chris is not that kind of guy. Some were very passionate in their defense of Chris but unfortunately for Chris, some only see his past and will assume any negative rumor to be true. But it was generating discussion because people are fans of the sport.
I don't believe speculating is wrong but you have to be clear that's what it is. I don't believe you can dampen it but that is the choice of the forum owners. A few mods on a forum were not happy it being discussed but I have nothing against it. Humans love to gossip and it isn't just the women, sports fans are probably just as bad. In this case, a story gets out that a player is arrested the first question is Why? and that leads to discussion/speculation. I've said so many times already and I will say it again - that's the point of a forum (among others)
The main problem people have with speculation is the gullibility of some. They will believe anything they read on the internet and be selective about it aswell. To use my earlier example, what is written is "rumor is that is was drugs but this is un-confirmed", they see "Chris Mason does drugs" and then that gets all over the internet. That's not really the forums fault though but the threat of legal action is always an issue. There's a larger argument over freedom of speech on forums but that's for another time.
If I was Chris Mason I'd look at the amount of support given during the incident but players need to accept that anything that happens may get leaked and will get discussed such is the nature of the internet and forums. They may not like it being discussed but we're not camping outside their home trying to get pictures. It's a small but distinct difference.
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Stay or Go
In case anyone wasn't aware, I won my local pubs darts knockout tournament last night (yes, I'm still chuffed to bits about it) I was runner up last year and this year I went one step further beating the 2 best players in the team along the way. House champion - nice ring to it.
For the last couple of months, I have been the subject of discussion regarding where I will be playing my darts next season. It seems pretty unanimous to the team that I will be leaving and I will playing for The Cross Keys next season. Even the landlady thinks I'm leaving when she said "Oh I thought you were going to the Keys next season"
A couple of things have contributed to the rise of this rumour; I practice in there often, I play with most of their team in the SuperLeague, I'm regarded as 1 of the best players by my team (I still think I'm a little behind a couple) I take the game more seriously than anyone on the team, I openly admit I want to improve my game. Given human nature to gossip, I can see why they seem convinced I'm leaving. I know that it's not just my team who I think I'm leaving based on comments from other people.
The team seem to have been planning life without me next season with a few people rumoured to be joining the team. If I left, there would be no animosity as they know it would be to improve my darts not to go glory hunting. The Keys did win the league last season, runner up this season. But do I want to be fighting for my place all the time? I have to in the SuperLeague and I expect to given the standard of the players. If I did join the Keys, I am good enough to be competitive and give myself a great chance of being picked. I know that I may not get a singles game but I should at least get a game. Having to fight in theory should make you a better player - and I want to be a better player - but there are reasons to stay.
I've enjoyed taking on the captains role. It has added pressure but I think it has focused me a little more. Fighting for your place may improve you but so does playing regularly and I get that where I am. Leaving would only change 2 fixtures as I would be playing the same teams anyway. There's no guarantee the Keys want me. These new players rumoured to come in are very good players so it would strengthen the team and increase competition anyway. Even if they don't join us, the team is still pretty good to be competitive, we lost alot of games 5-4 this season. Can still win the Singles tournament no matter who I play for.
I love the game and there is a risk of increasing the pressure to fight for my place may reduce that. Last year when I was really struggling for form I lost all enjoyment of it and I don't want that to happen again. I like the idea of just turning up knowing I will get a singles game and if I play well, a doubles game aswell and that's even if I wasn't captain. The only pressure comes from what I put on myself. I have tournaments to play in to play better players and get used to the pressure of that. Having 1 aspect where that isn't there could be very important to becoming better - enjoyment will lead to having motivation to practice more.
Next week is the finals of the 5 a side and 7 a side tournaments. We are in both and I'm confident with a full strength side, we will do well especially in the 5's. This is my main focus at the moment, to deliver some silverware for the team. We came runners up in the 7's last year (didn't qualify for the 5's) and I'd love to go 1 better for the team. The Cross Keys will be in the 7's (they won it last year) so something may get said then regarding whether they would like me to sign for them.
So it all boils down to 1 simple question, stay or go?
For the last couple of months, I have been the subject of discussion regarding where I will be playing my darts next season. It seems pretty unanimous to the team that I will be leaving and I will playing for The Cross Keys next season. Even the landlady thinks I'm leaving when she said "Oh I thought you were going to the Keys next season"
A couple of things have contributed to the rise of this rumour; I practice in there often, I play with most of their team in the SuperLeague, I'm regarded as 1 of the best players by my team (I still think I'm a little behind a couple) I take the game more seriously than anyone on the team, I openly admit I want to improve my game. Given human nature to gossip, I can see why they seem convinced I'm leaving. I know that it's not just my team who I think I'm leaving based on comments from other people.
The team seem to have been planning life without me next season with a few people rumoured to be joining the team. If I left, there would be no animosity as they know it would be to improve my darts not to go glory hunting. The Keys did win the league last season, runner up this season. But do I want to be fighting for my place all the time? I have to in the SuperLeague and I expect to given the standard of the players. If I did join the Keys, I am good enough to be competitive and give myself a great chance of being picked. I know that I may not get a singles game but I should at least get a game. Having to fight in theory should make you a better player - and I want to be a better player - but there are reasons to stay.
I've enjoyed taking on the captains role. It has added pressure but I think it has focused me a little more. Fighting for your place may improve you but so does playing regularly and I get that where I am. Leaving would only change 2 fixtures as I would be playing the same teams anyway. There's no guarantee the Keys want me. These new players rumoured to come in are very good players so it would strengthen the team and increase competition anyway. Even if they don't join us, the team is still pretty good to be competitive, we lost alot of games 5-4 this season. Can still win the Singles tournament no matter who I play for.
I love the game and there is a risk of increasing the pressure to fight for my place may reduce that. Last year when I was really struggling for form I lost all enjoyment of it and I don't want that to happen again. I like the idea of just turning up knowing I will get a singles game and if I play well, a doubles game aswell and that's even if I wasn't captain. The only pressure comes from what I put on myself. I have tournaments to play in to play better players and get used to the pressure of that. Having 1 aspect where that isn't there could be very important to becoming better - enjoyment will lead to having motivation to practice more.
Next week is the finals of the 5 a side and 7 a side tournaments. We are in both and I'm confident with a full strength side, we will do well especially in the 5's. This is my main focus at the moment, to deliver some silverware for the team. We came runners up in the 7's last year (didn't qualify for the 5's) and I'd love to go 1 better for the team. The Cross Keys will be in the 7's (they won it last year) so something may get said then regarding whether they would like me to sign for them.
So it all boils down to 1 simple question, stay or go?
Friday 16 April 2010
The Good, the Bad and the Car Park
Been a while since my last blog and whilst there are no major things on at the moment, couple of little things have built up.
Premier League - been a bit dull recently but certainly picked up last night. Top quality darts, come backs, missed doubles - had nearly everything including the villain in the form of Mervyn King. Being on the Pro Tour has helped Whitlock immensely and Baxter is defying all odds at the moment by being right in the hunt for a play off place. Despite losing, Barney showed some great bottle to pull himself back into the match against Whitlock. Lewis is blowing hot and cold but again, pulled himself back from 4-1 down. Wade should have had Taylor but he's not a 15 time world champion without knowing how to dig deep.
UK Open qualifiers - prelims didn't exactly go according to plan as many people qualified for the finals without throwing a dart. I didn't attend despite entering so I can hardly criticise others who did the same. But it seems the draw was done in advance which screwed it all up. Whilst doing the draw in advance works for professional players, they were dealing with pub players. The draw should have been done once it was known how many would be there. Even the PDC have lessons to learn.
Car Park - Doublefinish's Car Park section is reaching legendary status thanks to Andy Fariclough and Dave Whitcomb. The Car Park is where the most controversial topics end up and it seems to be the area Doublefinish is judged on. Whilst it is a darts forum, just about anything gets discussed and the idiocy and sometimes bigoted view points get shown up for what they are and demonstrate that society is not as accepting as people like to make out. You can't allow simply anything but you cannot marginalise sections of society either. Despite the way some of the topics go due to some posters, I wouldn't change it and basically say "Fuck You" to anyone who has a problem with how it operates. Its not always pretty but its never dull.
Private lives of the sports stars - should they be discussed? In a fans forum, possibly but with the clamour/profile of such stars, it will make news.
Deta Hedman - sponsorship deal at last. Hopefully will allow her to get the practice/preparation needed to launch a serious assault on the World Championships and boost her profile. Rumored to be at the Chris Mason charity exhibition so hopefully will get to meet her in person.
My own darts - steady at the moment. Having some poor moments but having some great ones aswell. Had alot of fun last night despite losing the plot a little after going 2-0 up. Not the first time but its all learning and entering competitions is very slowly paying dividends. An ear infection may put me out of one tomorrow (unlikely though) but lots of others to enter
Premier League - been a bit dull recently but certainly picked up last night. Top quality darts, come backs, missed doubles - had nearly everything including the villain in the form of Mervyn King. Being on the Pro Tour has helped Whitlock immensely and Baxter is defying all odds at the moment by being right in the hunt for a play off place. Despite losing, Barney showed some great bottle to pull himself back into the match against Whitlock. Lewis is blowing hot and cold but again, pulled himself back from 4-1 down. Wade should have had Taylor but he's not a 15 time world champion without knowing how to dig deep.
UK Open qualifiers - prelims didn't exactly go according to plan as many people qualified for the finals without throwing a dart. I didn't attend despite entering so I can hardly criticise others who did the same. But it seems the draw was done in advance which screwed it all up. Whilst doing the draw in advance works for professional players, they were dealing with pub players. The draw should have been done once it was known how many would be there. Even the PDC have lessons to learn.
Car Park - Doublefinish's Car Park section is reaching legendary status thanks to Andy Fariclough and Dave Whitcomb. The Car Park is where the most controversial topics end up and it seems to be the area Doublefinish is judged on. Whilst it is a darts forum, just about anything gets discussed and the idiocy and sometimes bigoted view points get shown up for what they are and demonstrate that society is not as accepting as people like to make out. You can't allow simply anything but you cannot marginalise sections of society either. Despite the way some of the topics go due to some posters, I wouldn't change it and basically say "Fuck You" to anyone who has a problem with how it operates. Its not always pretty but its never dull.
Private lives of the sports stars - should they be discussed? In a fans forum, possibly but with the clamour/profile of such stars, it will make news.
Deta Hedman - sponsorship deal at last. Hopefully will allow her to get the practice/preparation needed to launch a serious assault on the World Championships and boost her profile. Rumored to be at the Chris Mason charity exhibition so hopefully will get to meet her in person.
My own darts - steady at the moment. Having some poor moments but having some great ones aswell. Had alot of fun last night despite losing the plot a little after going 2-0 up. Not the first time but its all learning and entering competitions is very slowly paying dividends. An ear infection may put me out of one tomorrow (unlikely though) but lots of others to enter
Tuesday 16 March 2010
For the money and the glory
Since the split in 1993, the PDC have firmly established themselves as the most lucrative body in the world of darts. They have the majority of the best players in the world and in conjunction with Sky, have a very slick presentation package to provide high quality enjoyment for everyone. In the 2009/2010 World Champs, the prize fund reached £1million and looks set to increase further and outside these (and even the majors) the prizes on offer are substantial.
The figures above are stuff the BDO can only dream of. Their mantra has always been about catering for all levels but they cannot match the PDC at the top end, the elite and some argue it's about time the BDO conceded on that front. With the recent announcement of a Youth and Womens World Championships with substantial prize money and offerings of a tour card to the last 4 at the Lakeside, the PDC appear to be targeting the core supports of the BDO. Whether these turn out to be successfull only time will tell but it is still very telling that the PDC are going for it.
With the PDC tourcard coming in to play, the very best will get well rewarded with the aim of forcing the rest to improve to gain a lucrative tour card, a system Hearn seems to be about to implement in Snooker. There are advantages and disadvantages to this system but that is not the point of this blog.
As stated earlier, the BDO cannot compete on the prize fund front and the players who appear happy to be competing for comparitively insignificant sums of money is met with ridicule by some. The opposing argument to this has been "well heaven forbid people play just for the enjoyment" This is pretty much reducing the BDO to an amateur game and the PDC to nothing more than money hungry vultures.
Do people really believe the PDC players are only interested in money?
In todays world, wealth is seen as status. Competing for vasts sums of money seems to add excitement, profile and drama to proceedings and things do seem to get more serious. The PDC ranking system is based on how much money a player has earned. If they didn't love the game, they wouldn't play it. Not everyone is seemingly as robotic as Phil Taylor (and I wouldn't be surprised if it was revealed that he really is a robot) but even he plays because he enjoys the game. So why not compete for large sums of money and get masses of enjoyment out the game? Players do exhibitions but whilst they are being paid, they (usually) put on a very good show and are clearly enjoying themselves.
Steve Beaton commented that his fine run of form in the back end of last year was due to him not playing to win but just playing to enjoy himself. So is the main difference between the BDO and the PDC merely the stakes involved? Despite the difference in stakes, I doubt the BDO players enjoy themselves any more than the PDC players. There are people who are very good at darts who simply do not want to turn it into a living and they should be respected for that. But those who do should be treated with equal respect. That said, if you really believe you are capable of mixing it with the best, you take on the PDC. In the words of Bobby George: "If you want to earn a very good living from darts and think you're good enough, you play in the PDC"
It is possible to have your cake and eat it in this case.
The figures above are stuff the BDO can only dream of. Their mantra has always been about catering for all levels but they cannot match the PDC at the top end, the elite and some argue it's about time the BDO conceded on that front. With the recent announcement of a Youth and Womens World Championships with substantial prize money and offerings of a tour card to the last 4 at the Lakeside, the PDC appear to be targeting the core supports of the BDO. Whether these turn out to be successfull only time will tell but it is still very telling that the PDC are going for it.
With the PDC tourcard coming in to play, the very best will get well rewarded with the aim of forcing the rest to improve to gain a lucrative tour card, a system Hearn seems to be about to implement in Snooker. There are advantages and disadvantages to this system but that is not the point of this blog.
As stated earlier, the BDO cannot compete on the prize fund front and the players who appear happy to be competing for comparitively insignificant sums of money is met with ridicule by some. The opposing argument to this has been "well heaven forbid people play just for the enjoyment" This is pretty much reducing the BDO to an amateur game and the PDC to nothing more than money hungry vultures.
Do people really believe the PDC players are only interested in money?
In todays world, wealth is seen as status. Competing for vasts sums of money seems to add excitement, profile and drama to proceedings and things do seem to get more serious. The PDC ranking system is based on how much money a player has earned. If they didn't love the game, they wouldn't play it. Not everyone is seemingly as robotic as Phil Taylor (and I wouldn't be surprised if it was revealed that he really is a robot) but even he plays because he enjoys the game. So why not compete for large sums of money and get masses of enjoyment out the game? Players do exhibitions but whilst they are being paid, they (usually) put on a very good show and are clearly enjoying themselves.
Steve Beaton commented that his fine run of form in the back end of last year was due to him not playing to win but just playing to enjoy himself. So is the main difference between the BDO and the PDC merely the stakes involved? Despite the difference in stakes, I doubt the BDO players enjoy themselves any more than the PDC players. There are people who are very good at darts who simply do not want to turn it into a living and they should be respected for that. But those who do should be treated with equal respect. That said, if you really believe you are capable of mixing it with the best, you take on the PDC. In the words of Bobby George: "If you want to earn a very good living from darts and think you're good enough, you play in the PDC"
It is possible to have your cake and eat it in this case.
Thursday 11 March 2010
Kings Konquest
Mervyn King's dedication, temperament, attitude and application to the game is possibly second only to Taylor. Add to that his self believe, is it a co-incidence that King is very much on the verge on establishing himself as the "official" #2?
Barney's head is gone (well barney is just gone generally) Wade can't make up his mind what he wants and is massively affected by the crowd, Jenkins seems to be the nearly man. King however, does not let anything get to him on that stage. He has an ego and his A game is now stuff of legendary ridicule. But he makes no excuses and seems to bounce back after a set back. He's on a great run of form at the moment, winning both Swindon Championships and un-beaten in the PL including a 7-7 draw against Taylor.
Another man to put into that bracket could be Simon Whitlock. Typical Aussie determination and extremely talented. Others are upcoming and they all seem to share a trait of professionalism and dedication (Osbourne, Nicholson)
You get what you deserve, put in the effort in an that (name your cliche) but with the money involved in the game now and more people taking up darts as a profession, is this the start of an era where 1 mans domination is at an end?
Barney's head is gone (well barney is just gone generally) Wade can't make up his mind what he wants and is massively affected by the crowd, Jenkins seems to be the nearly man. King however, does not let anything get to him on that stage. He has an ego and his A game is now stuff of legendary ridicule. But he makes no excuses and seems to bounce back after a set back. He's on a great run of form at the moment, winning both Swindon Championships and un-beaten in the PL including a 7-7 draw against Taylor.
Another man to put into that bracket could be Simon Whitlock. Typical Aussie determination and extremely talented. Others are upcoming and they all seem to share a trait of professionalism and dedication (Osbourne, Nicholson)
You get what you deserve, put in the effort in an that (name your cliche) but with the money involved in the game now and more people taking up darts as a profession, is this the start of an era where 1 mans domination is at an end?
Sunday 7 March 2010
Role Models R Us
In the world of modern sports, the competitors are looked upon as celebrities and they are expected to behave impeccably. People clamour for news of the famous and pass judgement on their misdeamenors and hold them to standards far in excess of anything that people expect of themselves. People, especially young people, look for people to aspire to be, to use as a role model. Its widely expected it to be the most professional, the most skilled, most successful and one with no known trouble.
In the world of darts, the most successful is Phil Taylor and he is probably the biggest superstar in the game. Other players like King, Whitlock, Osbourne may be considered as a role model for young players due to their approach to the game. But players are humans which by their very nature are flawed, they make mistakes sometimes they’re big ones. Perhaps the best role models are those who have made a mistake, been punished and are now fully focused on the game and not just from the perspective of “here’s not what to do” Perhaps someone like Chris Mason comes into play here. Now the sheer thought of a convicted criminal being a role model for anything will cause some to scream & shout so let’s have a brief look at his career on and off the oche.
Chris started his career in the BDO but soon switched to the PDC. He switched back and enjoyed a very good spell. 2 consecutive World Champ Semi-Final appearances including an epic match against Ted Hankey where he hit 16 180’s (38 in 9 sets, still a record to this day) Semi-Final of the World Masters. He had an epic encounter the year before with Martin Adams where he fought from 4-1 down to take the match 6-4. He took part in the World Matchplay making the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals (losing to Phil Taylor and Ronnie Baxter respectively) He also hit a 9-darter in the World Masters. Switched back to the PDC where he made the Quarter-Finals losing to eventual champion John Part. Wins in the Irish Masters, Scottish and English Opens added to the list of his achievements. His passion and determination were not something that could be questioned. His temperant however, was another matter.
Personal matters off the board were affecting him on the board. Convictions for assault resulting in various sentences kept him away from tournaments and practice. In 2003, he was convicted of aggrevated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after an argument over a dog. Reports of a hammer being involved in the incident are rife but no evidence to suggest Chris was the one weilding it. He was sentenced to year 3 years in jail but served 1 year. During one match, he had a very public altercation with Phil Taylor on stage resulting in a very angry Taylor threatening to quit the game.
Since returning to the game, he has won the Vauxhall Open, the West Tyrone Open and a UK Open regional. He has done some commentary work for ITV on GsoD but has started getting back into darts seriously and recently made the Semi-Finals of the Swindon Players Championship.
So how is this all adding up to being a role model?
To me its not about not making mistakes, its about how you react to your mistakes and how you learn from them. It’s very easy to point at Chris and say “that’s what you don’t do” but I prefer to look at the way he looks back at it all and what he’s done since. People could put Phil Taylor in a similar vein but Taylor’s misdemeanors didn’t affect his game. Plus he didn’t end up with a custodial sentence. Chris has served his punishment and is focused on getting into the Pro Tour. His Twitter posts and comments on Doublefinish very much give the impression of a focused and committed player. He hasn’t hidden from his past, he’s learnt the lessons of it and seems to be ensuring he uses it as a positive not wallow in self pity. This is a great example to use to those coming into the game. Saying “stay focused and professional and you won’t make mistakes” is useless because they will make mistakes. Saying being focused and professional will help over come the mistakes and help you learn better is a far more realistic expectation.
Determination is a massive factor and a desire to overcome obstacles is not something that can easily be taught. There are people who will want to hold mistakes and misdemeanors against others and this is possibly something Chris and Phil get. I don’t worry what people think about me and I doubt they do either. But because they are in the public eye, it gets brought up repeatedly and unfortunately, they have to deal with it.
I doubt anyone becomes a professional sportsman wanting to be a role model but it’s now part of the territory. Chris doesn’t come across as someone who is proud or boastful of his past which again is another great example, especially in an age where going to prison is almost seen as a status symbol. Mistakes need to be avoided if possible but if you do do something stupid, accept the punishment and work hard to not repeat the mistake and strive to be better than you were before.
Besides, what can you learn from someone who’s never made a mistake?
In the world of darts, the most successful is Phil Taylor and he is probably the biggest superstar in the game. Other players like King, Whitlock, Osbourne may be considered as a role model for young players due to their approach to the game. But players are humans which by their very nature are flawed, they make mistakes sometimes they’re big ones. Perhaps the best role models are those who have made a mistake, been punished and are now fully focused on the game and not just from the perspective of “here’s not what to do” Perhaps someone like Chris Mason comes into play here. Now the sheer thought of a convicted criminal being a role model for anything will cause some to scream & shout so let’s have a brief look at his career on and off the oche.
Chris started his career in the BDO but soon switched to the PDC. He switched back and enjoyed a very good spell. 2 consecutive World Champ Semi-Final appearances including an epic match against Ted Hankey where he hit 16 180’s (38 in 9 sets, still a record to this day) Semi-Final of the World Masters. He had an epic encounter the year before with Martin Adams where he fought from 4-1 down to take the match 6-4. He took part in the World Matchplay making the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals (losing to Phil Taylor and Ronnie Baxter respectively) He also hit a 9-darter in the World Masters. Switched back to the PDC where he made the Quarter-Finals losing to eventual champion John Part. Wins in the Irish Masters, Scottish and English Opens added to the list of his achievements. His passion and determination were not something that could be questioned. His temperant however, was another matter.
Personal matters off the board were affecting him on the board. Convictions for assault resulting in various sentences kept him away from tournaments and practice. In 2003, he was convicted of aggrevated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after an argument over a dog. Reports of a hammer being involved in the incident are rife but no evidence to suggest Chris was the one weilding it. He was sentenced to year 3 years in jail but served 1 year. During one match, he had a very public altercation with Phil Taylor on stage resulting in a very angry Taylor threatening to quit the game.
Since returning to the game, he has won the Vauxhall Open, the West Tyrone Open and a UK Open regional. He has done some commentary work for ITV on GsoD but has started getting back into darts seriously and recently made the Semi-Finals of the Swindon Players Championship.
So how is this all adding up to being a role model?
To me its not about not making mistakes, its about how you react to your mistakes and how you learn from them. It’s very easy to point at Chris and say “that’s what you don’t do” but I prefer to look at the way he looks back at it all and what he’s done since. People could put Phil Taylor in a similar vein but Taylor’s misdemeanors didn’t affect his game. Plus he didn’t end up with a custodial sentence. Chris has served his punishment and is focused on getting into the Pro Tour. His Twitter posts and comments on Doublefinish very much give the impression of a focused and committed player. He hasn’t hidden from his past, he’s learnt the lessons of it and seems to be ensuring he uses it as a positive not wallow in self pity. This is a great example to use to those coming into the game. Saying “stay focused and professional and you won’t make mistakes” is useless because they will make mistakes. Saying being focused and professional will help over come the mistakes and help you learn better is a far more realistic expectation.
Determination is a massive factor and a desire to overcome obstacles is not something that can easily be taught. There are people who will want to hold mistakes and misdemeanors against others and this is possibly something Chris and Phil get. I don’t worry what people think about me and I doubt they do either. But because they are in the public eye, it gets brought up repeatedly and unfortunately, they have to deal with it.
I doubt anyone becomes a professional sportsman wanting to be a role model but it’s now part of the territory. Chris doesn’t come across as someone who is proud or boastful of his past which again is another great example, especially in an age where going to prison is almost seen as a status symbol. Mistakes need to be avoided if possible but if you do do something stupid, accept the punishment and work hard to not repeat the mistake and strive to be better than you were before.
Besides, what can you learn from someone who’s never made a mistake?
Saturday 6 March 2010
Barney to lose more than he realises
Raymond Van Barneveld. 4 times BDO world champion, 2 time BDO masters champion, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world whilst in the BDO. Made an instant impact when he moved to the PDC. UK open Champion 2 years running, Desert Classic Champion and added a 5th World title when he beat Phil Taylor in arguably the best ever World Final. In between he gave Taylor stern tests in a way very few had done before. He was widely regarded as the man who could take Taylor even if Taylor was on form.
But recently he has been struggling for form, diagnosed with diabetes and generally looks dis-interested and deflated. So how can he have gone from one extreme to another?
It all seems to have started when he lost to Phil Taylor in the 2009 World Final. Barney had never come against anything like it. Losing 7-1 despite a 103 average with Taylor setting a new world record. He moved to play Taylor after being told Taylor was the only player better than he was. Thing is with Taylor, he gets beat he makes damn sure whoever beat him doesn't do again. Barney had never came up against anyone with that mentality.
Did Barney get complacent? Did he think because he'd beat Taylor in a final once, he would do it again? Or did Taylor take the game to such a level that Barney believes he will never match it? Has the diabetes complicated things? Is Barney simply weak minded? His tribute to Taylor in the Vegas classic was bordering on a marriage proposal yet Taylor is openly questioning Barneys approach which is probably messing up Barney even more.
Whatever it is, Barney needs to realise that he's not in a unique position. No-one can really match Taylor on form. But Taylor is the least of Barney's problems at the moment. With Barney not entering floor tournaments its giving other players a chance to get experience and money to move up the table and they're taking full advantage of this fact.
King, Whitlock, Osborne, Lewis to name a few all showing signs of them beginning to really come through and push hard. With Wade, Jenkins and Baxter also in the PL Barney is not gaining any advantage there. Van de Voort got his maiden win, Walsh winning last week and even the returning Chris Mason showing great form at the moment. Its small things but over time they add up. Barney is already at risk of dropping down the rankings and missing TV events. This may start irritating sponsors and with other players coming through, the PDC may drop him from future marketing possibly resulting in further loss of earnings. He has ditched his manager but he really needs to get his head and diabetes under control but is it too late?
Form is temporary, class is permanent. Barney is class but he needs to start believing that again.
But recently he has been struggling for form, diagnosed with diabetes and generally looks dis-interested and deflated. So how can he have gone from one extreme to another?
It all seems to have started when he lost to Phil Taylor in the 2009 World Final. Barney had never come against anything like it. Losing 7-1 despite a 103 average with Taylor setting a new world record. He moved to play Taylor after being told Taylor was the only player better than he was. Thing is with Taylor, he gets beat he makes damn sure whoever beat him doesn't do again. Barney had never came up against anyone with that mentality.
Did Barney get complacent? Did he think because he'd beat Taylor in a final once, he would do it again? Or did Taylor take the game to such a level that Barney believes he will never match it? Has the diabetes complicated things? Is Barney simply weak minded? His tribute to Taylor in the Vegas classic was bordering on a marriage proposal yet Taylor is openly questioning Barneys approach which is probably messing up Barney even more.
Whatever it is, Barney needs to realise that he's not in a unique position. No-one can really match Taylor on form. But Taylor is the least of Barney's problems at the moment. With Barney not entering floor tournaments its giving other players a chance to get experience and money to move up the table and they're taking full advantage of this fact.
King, Whitlock, Osborne, Lewis to name a few all showing signs of them beginning to really come through and push hard. With Wade, Jenkins and Baxter also in the PL Barney is not gaining any advantage there. Van de Voort got his maiden win, Walsh winning last week and even the returning Chris Mason showing great form at the moment. Its small things but over time they add up. Barney is already at risk of dropping down the rankings and missing TV events. This may start irritating sponsors and with other players coming through, the PDC may drop him from future marketing possibly resulting in further loss of earnings. He has ditched his manager but he really needs to get his head and diabetes under control but is it too late?
Form is temporary, class is permanent. Barney is class but he needs to start believing that again.
Tuesday 2 March 2010
Game, set and politics!!!!
Last nights game went very well, team won & played well; I won and played well. It was all good..........but there's a slight concern regarding something that has cropped up. Its a concern for me as a captain and as a player.
I was the topic of conversation last night and there was alot of speculation that I may not be playing for the team next season. Apparently it was discussed last week aswell (this was news to me) I am regarded as one of the best players in the team. I do love the sport and take it more seriously than the other members of the team. I practice regularly and enter tournaments and it's all helping me improve. Anyway, this was going on as I was playing. Didn't bother me but I could hear them talking about me (previously this would have put me off so I am improving on that front)
Its almost a unanimous view that I will leave at the end of the season. Their reasoning is that I will want to push on with my game in all levels and that will require me playing with better players. Chatting with some of the guys about it, there doesn't appear to be any ill feeling and they seem to understand why I would move. I admitted (and this may have been a mistake as I'll come on to later) that I didn't know where I was going to play next season and IF I did move, it would purely because I felt it would benefit my darts, not to get glory as one of the players did warn me about. It is true that whilst we can challenge anyone on our day, we're unlikely to win any team events. It would be nice to win trophies with the team but from an individual perspective, I can win the singles tournament no matter where I play. Doubles is more of a lottery but admittedly, playing with a better player increases your chances of winning it.
They all seem to think I'll join The Cross Keys if I leave. Can see why they think this; I play with most of them in SuperLeague, I practice in there a bit, play pool for the pub and generally get on with everyone in that team. Plus I was invited to join them for this season and it has been mentioned to me this season about the possibility of moving for next season. I was also offered a place in another team for next season.
Couple of weeks ago during a game, one of the opposition said to me "Oh I hear you're moving to the Keys next season" I flatly denied it and he wouldn't tell me who told him but add what happened last night, it seems my team are not the only ones who see me moving next season and are not the only ones chatting about it. Maybe this is league politics, human nature to gossip and they would be doing this with anyone but I'm not used to (or entirely comfortable with) people discussing my potential future. The fact my team did it is slightly concerning. On the other hand, it can be taken as a compliment. The team do want me to do well but don't want to lose me. The other league members know who I am and I know they raise they're game against me cos they've all admitted it and what me on their side.
As a captain though, I need to keep the players on track for the last 7 games. As a player I need to focus on my game. We have the top 3 teams one after the other in a couple of weeks time and they will be very tough matches - plus could decide who wins the league its that close at the moment. What does concern me a bit though is that a couple seem convinced I will leave and already resigned themselves to this fact. If I did leave, I would have massive appreication for the team. They treated me well, supported me when I lost all confidence in my game and gave me the chance to play at this level. I do want to step up my game all round but I'm guaranteed a singles game every week, there's no pressure on me to have to fight for my place and whilst we want to win, we have a laugh doing it.
I have some choices that need to be made but they have to wait until the end of the season. But I'm a little worried that this speculation will increase, especially when we play The Keys in 3 weeks time. Could prove an interesting night......
I was the topic of conversation last night and there was alot of speculation that I may not be playing for the team next season. Apparently it was discussed last week aswell (this was news to me) I am regarded as one of the best players in the team. I do love the sport and take it more seriously than the other members of the team. I practice regularly and enter tournaments and it's all helping me improve. Anyway, this was going on as I was playing. Didn't bother me but I could hear them talking about me (previously this would have put me off so I am improving on that front)
Its almost a unanimous view that I will leave at the end of the season. Their reasoning is that I will want to push on with my game in all levels and that will require me playing with better players. Chatting with some of the guys about it, there doesn't appear to be any ill feeling and they seem to understand why I would move. I admitted (and this may have been a mistake as I'll come on to later) that I didn't know where I was going to play next season and IF I did move, it would purely because I felt it would benefit my darts, not to get glory as one of the players did warn me about. It is true that whilst we can challenge anyone on our day, we're unlikely to win any team events. It would be nice to win trophies with the team but from an individual perspective, I can win the singles tournament no matter where I play. Doubles is more of a lottery but admittedly, playing with a better player increases your chances of winning it.
They all seem to think I'll join The Cross Keys if I leave. Can see why they think this; I play with most of them in SuperLeague, I practice in there a bit, play pool for the pub and generally get on with everyone in that team. Plus I was invited to join them for this season and it has been mentioned to me this season about the possibility of moving for next season. I was also offered a place in another team for next season.
Couple of weeks ago during a game, one of the opposition said to me "Oh I hear you're moving to the Keys next season" I flatly denied it and he wouldn't tell me who told him but add what happened last night, it seems my team are not the only ones who see me moving next season and are not the only ones chatting about it. Maybe this is league politics, human nature to gossip and they would be doing this with anyone but I'm not used to (or entirely comfortable with) people discussing my potential future. The fact my team did it is slightly concerning. On the other hand, it can be taken as a compliment. The team do want me to do well but don't want to lose me. The other league members know who I am and I know they raise they're game against me cos they've all admitted it and what me on their side.
As a captain though, I need to keep the players on track for the last 7 games. As a player I need to focus on my game. We have the top 3 teams one after the other in a couple of weeks time and they will be very tough matches - plus could decide who wins the league its that close at the moment. What does concern me a bit though is that a couple seem convinced I will leave and already resigned themselves to this fact. If I did leave, I would have massive appreication for the team. They treated me well, supported me when I lost all confidence in my game and gave me the chance to play at this level. I do want to step up my game all round but I'm guaranteed a singles game every week, there's no pressure on me to have to fight for my place and whilst we want to win, we have a laugh doing it.
I have some choices that need to be made but they have to wait until the end of the season. But I'm a little worried that this speculation will increase, especially when we play The Keys in 3 weeks time. Could prove an interesting night......
Sunday 28 February 2010
Good players and good guys
27th February was the Tyne & Wear Open at the Rainton Meadows Arena. With close to (if not in excess of) 300 players, it was by far the largest tournament I had participated in.
Once I got there and registered, I got the important stuff out the way by familiarising myself with where the boards, facilities and the bar were. First pint was consumed at 10.45 and I took a wander over to the A180 stand. I looked at a set similar to my own except they were 23g (mine are 24g) and don't have the "divet" at the top of the barrel (Taylor Phase 3's) As I held them, they just felt good and succumbed to the pressure as I parted with some hard earned cash.
So I was now in the biggest tournament of my career with darts I had never used before. Only time would tell if this was going to turn out to be a good idea. Well they felt good in practice and whilst didn't go in the T20 (or even the 20) they were going straight. Looking around, I could see Phil Nixon, Steve Bunting, Gary Robson and Robbie Green as the big name players I recognized.
With registration closed and the draw put up, I got a bye in the first round so decided to get involved with chalking one of the games. Best of 5 for the early rounds. It was painful and left me thinking "why oh why couldn't I play you guys" Board 12 (the one I was on) the loser of the previous game did a runner so I chalked this one aswell. Turned out to be Robbie Greens match and I got a glimpse of what seperates the good and the very good. 180 starts in 2 of the 3 legs, T20 taking a bit of a hammering, 100+ checkouts, alot of fun to chalk. He even thanked me for chalking.
It seemed to be taking a long time to get through the games so I spent most of the time watching the games, drinking the Strongbow and just keeping loose. 4.15pm (3.5 hours after the tournament start and 5.5 hours after I'd got there) my first game was on. By this time I'd had a couple of drinks!! My opponent was Ray Pearson, him to throw first
First leg, he shot off like a train. 80+, 100+ scores whilst I was a little slower out the blocks however kept in touch with him. Missed doubles cost him as took out 60 in 2. 1-0 to me. Second leg we both got off to great starts (140 100 from him, 100 100 from me) 60's and 80's this time missed doubles cost me as took out D10. 1-1. 3rd leg much the same with the scoring (though a few 45's creeping in) I missed the Bull for a 126 out and took his outshot leaving me 2-1 down. 4th leg saw me hit 100 140 and kept it ticking along. Set up tops and took it out first dart. 2-2 and I was 2 doubles in 3 darts. 5th and final leg. He had the throw. He hit nearly everything and left himself 32 after 15. I went 100, 85, 100, 100 to leave 116 after 12. My turn to throw. S20 (had to clarify with the chalker if it was in the single of treble) T20 then I took a step back, composed myself; could I learn the lesson from last week??. Released the dart..........right in the bottom corner of D18!!!!
I was elated, he was gutted but he was very gracious. He had alot of support there and all them shook my hand and congratulated me. To take out 116 under pressure was very satisfying, 15 darter to boot. Decision to use the new darts vindicated. 4 darts, 3 doubles
Needed to calm down so another trip to the bar and some air to stop the adrenaline flowing. Took a wander over to the fixtures see who I had next. My reward for that effort was a 3rd round clash with..........Robbie "Kong" Green.
No lose situation for me. Either I lose and its expected or I win and its the biggest win of my career so far. Either way, I was getting to play a big name in a competitive match. I was determined to enjoy this.
Match is called up, I'm there early and I feel ok. He's just a guy with 3 darts I kept telling myself. Soon I'm stood behind him with a large picture of King Kong staring back at me, start getting a little nervous but this is natural. He gets to throw first by calling the flip of the coin correctly. Un-surprisingly he had the support and he soon got into his stride whilst I struggled. 45's 60's 66's just not enough to keep pace and I was quickly 1-0 down. More of the same second leg but I was hitting 60's more regularly and the occasional 100+ but 1-0 became 2-0 but I was under 100 left. Put up a better fight in the 3rd hitting 3 100's in a row to leave 32 but it wasn't enough to prevent a 3-0 whitewash. Very nice guy at the end, shook my hand congratulated me and even posed for a photo. Everyone said hard luck to me, think it was more of appreciation that I played Robbie Green and earned the right to. Robbie did a professional job and treated me with due respect.
I chalked the next game which was a high quality one. 15 darter, 180's, 100+ out (Alan Norris I think his name was, won - really good player) Afterwards as I went to look at my photo of myself and Robbie, it wasn't there!! Guy taking it pressed the wrong button. Gutted!!!! However, I ran into Robbie outside, explained the situation and he was very happy to take it again. He congratulated me on a good effort again and I wished him all the best for the future.
I was critical of Robbie for losing the masters final against Adams. Can't criticise him as a person, top quality throughout. Not sure who won as I left before the end (it was 7pm and they were only down to the last 64)
Overall I had a fantastic time, topped off by being able to play Robbie. Over the moon with how I played, just wish I could have given Robbie a closer game but massive experience for me.
Can't wait for the next one :)
Once I got there and registered, I got the important stuff out the way by familiarising myself with where the boards, facilities and the bar were. First pint was consumed at 10.45 and I took a wander over to the A180 stand. I looked at a set similar to my own except they were 23g (mine are 24g) and don't have the "divet" at the top of the barrel (Taylor Phase 3's) As I held them, they just felt good and succumbed to the pressure as I parted with some hard earned cash.
So I was now in the biggest tournament of my career with darts I had never used before. Only time would tell if this was going to turn out to be a good idea. Well they felt good in practice and whilst didn't go in the T20 (or even the 20) they were going straight. Looking around, I could see Phil Nixon, Steve Bunting, Gary Robson and Robbie Green as the big name players I recognized.
With registration closed and the draw put up, I got a bye in the first round so decided to get involved with chalking one of the games. Best of 5 for the early rounds. It was painful and left me thinking "why oh why couldn't I play you guys" Board 12 (the one I was on) the loser of the previous game did a runner so I chalked this one aswell. Turned out to be Robbie Greens match and I got a glimpse of what seperates the good and the very good. 180 starts in 2 of the 3 legs, T20 taking a bit of a hammering, 100+ checkouts, alot of fun to chalk. He even thanked me for chalking.
It seemed to be taking a long time to get through the games so I spent most of the time watching the games, drinking the Strongbow and just keeping loose. 4.15pm (3.5 hours after the tournament start and 5.5 hours after I'd got there) my first game was on. By this time I'd had a couple of drinks!! My opponent was Ray Pearson, him to throw first
First leg, he shot off like a train. 80+, 100+ scores whilst I was a little slower out the blocks however kept in touch with him. Missed doubles cost him as took out 60 in 2. 1-0 to me. Second leg we both got off to great starts (140 100 from him, 100 100 from me) 60's and 80's this time missed doubles cost me as took out D10. 1-1. 3rd leg much the same with the scoring (though a few 45's creeping in) I missed the Bull for a 126 out and took his outshot leaving me 2-1 down. 4th leg saw me hit 100 140 and kept it ticking along. Set up tops and took it out first dart. 2-2 and I was 2 doubles in 3 darts. 5th and final leg. He had the throw. He hit nearly everything and left himself 32 after 15. I went 100, 85, 100, 100 to leave 116 after 12. My turn to throw. S20 (had to clarify with the chalker if it was in the single of treble) T20 then I took a step back, composed myself; could I learn the lesson from last week??. Released the dart..........right in the bottom corner of D18!!!!
I was elated, he was gutted but he was very gracious. He had alot of support there and all them shook my hand and congratulated me. To take out 116 under pressure was very satisfying, 15 darter to boot. Decision to use the new darts vindicated. 4 darts, 3 doubles
Needed to calm down so another trip to the bar and some air to stop the adrenaline flowing. Took a wander over to the fixtures see who I had next. My reward for that effort was a 3rd round clash with..........Robbie "Kong" Green.
No lose situation for me. Either I lose and its expected or I win and its the biggest win of my career so far. Either way, I was getting to play a big name in a competitive match. I was determined to enjoy this.
Match is called up, I'm there early and I feel ok. He's just a guy with 3 darts I kept telling myself. Soon I'm stood behind him with a large picture of King Kong staring back at me, start getting a little nervous but this is natural. He gets to throw first by calling the flip of the coin correctly. Un-surprisingly he had the support and he soon got into his stride whilst I struggled. 45's 60's 66's just not enough to keep pace and I was quickly 1-0 down. More of the same second leg but I was hitting 60's more regularly and the occasional 100+ but 1-0 became 2-0 but I was under 100 left. Put up a better fight in the 3rd hitting 3 100's in a row to leave 32 but it wasn't enough to prevent a 3-0 whitewash. Very nice guy at the end, shook my hand congratulated me and even posed for a photo. Everyone said hard luck to me, think it was more of appreciation that I played Robbie Green and earned the right to. Robbie did a professional job and treated me with due respect.
I chalked the next game which was a high quality one. 15 darter, 180's, 100+ out (Alan Norris I think his name was, won - really good player) Afterwards as I went to look at my photo of myself and Robbie, it wasn't there!! Guy taking it pressed the wrong button. Gutted!!!! However, I ran into Robbie outside, explained the situation and he was very happy to take it again. He congratulated me on a good effort again and I wished him all the best for the future.
I was critical of Robbie for losing the masters final against Adams. Can't criticise him as a person, top quality throughout. Not sure who won as I left before the end (it was 7pm and they were only down to the last 64)
Overall I had a fantastic time, topped off by being able to play Robbie. Over the moon with how I played, just wish I could have given Robbie a closer game but massive experience for me.
Can't wait for the next one :)
Tuesday 23 February 2010
Captains armband
Captains. Some regard being captain as an honor and have alot of responsibility. To others its just a label. It inspires some to greater things, it can cripple others. However it is viewed, it can be a thankless task as you can't please everyone all the time and depending on the personalities on your team, can be a pretty stressful one.
I took on the captaincy of my team after our last one resigned after 8 games as he felt it was affecting his game. My job simply involves picking the side, who's going in the singles and who's going in the pairs. I can't control what order they play in though. We have a rule in our side; if you turn up you play and that is a rule that is enforced rigourously.
I like to let players know in advance where they're playing (singles, doubles) and I do consult some of the senior members of the team regarding selection but ultimately I know the decision rests with me and I will do what I think is right. I try to watch all the games and support the team and the guys usually keep things light themselves.
I'm pretty fortunate with my team as an understanding has developed over the years regarding who the strong players are and whilst we're out to enjoy ourselves, we want to do well. This means the strongest 6 go in the singles. This understanding very much came in use last night.
Last week I only had 4 players, 2 of which usually only play doubles. Last night I had 9 and what resulted in a full strength side. Our best player is away working most of the time but he was back after 4 weeks. Dilemma; do I reward those who showed last week with a place in the singles or do I just go for the strongest 6??
I decided to go for the strongest 6 but did chat to the guys first and they were all "yeah, strongest 6, you have to" so I was fortunate in that regard. Did have to dissapoint someone though. As I had 9, I had 3 to come in for the doubles which meant 3 had to be dropped from the singles. Only 2 lost. I made the decision not to drop myself after a brief consultation. I don't know whether this was right though winning our match 2-0 sort of vindicated me (and I did play pretty well in my singles)
I am competitive by nature and want to play every game. This makes it hard to drop myself though I did 2 weeks ago because I lost and hated it. But though I hated it, I still did it so progression has been made. We have some great players and we have some who can play really well one week crap the next. Makes it hard picking the singles in particular as I know how they can play but not sure which one of them will turn up. I view the doubles as more of a lottery though get the luck of the draw (like last night, their 2 strongest vs our 2 strongest first up with us needing the win to seal the match with 2 to play - which they dutifully did) it can add some vital points as we get 1 point for each game won.
The understanding though can only take you so far and should not be taken for granted which is why whilst there are 5 definites in the singles (assuming we all turn up) still leaves 1 space left. Adam is filling it at the moment and was extremely solid last night (he was the one I dropped) so its hard to drop him next week but I need to give the others a chance. I can't keep relying on people not turning up to do that. But 4 of us are head & shoulders above the rest (no disrespect to any of my team, that's just a cold objective assessment) Paul (the other definite because of his experience and he wins more often than not) & Adam are steady players so I have a good idea of what I'm going to get which is why I pick them.
I guess all I can do as a captain is give the opportunities to the players as and when they arrive but still look to pick the strongest possible in the singles.
I took on the captaincy of my team after our last one resigned after 8 games as he felt it was affecting his game. My job simply involves picking the side, who's going in the singles and who's going in the pairs. I can't control what order they play in though. We have a rule in our side; if you turn up you play and that is a rule that is enforced rigourously.
I like to let players know in advance where they're playing (singles, doubles) and I do consult some of the senior members of the team regarding selection but ultimately I know the decision rests with me and I will do what I think is right. I try to watch all the games and support the team and the guys usually keep things light themselves.
I'm pretty fortunate with my team as an understanding has developed over the years regarding who the strong players are and whilst we're out to enjoy ourselves, we want to do well. This means the strongest 6 go in the singles. This understanding very much came in use last night.
Last week I only had 4 players, 2 of which usually only play doubles. Last night I had 9 and what resulted in a full strength side. Our best player is away working most of the time but he was back after 4 weeks. Dilemma; do I reward those who showed last week with a place in the singles or do I just go for the strongest 6??
I decided to go for the strongest 6 but did chat to the guys first and they were all "yeah, strongest 6, you have to" so I was fortunate in that regard. Did have to dissapoint someone though. As I had 9, I had 3 to come in for the doubles which meant 3 had to be dropped from the singles. Only 2 lost. I made the decision not to drop myself after a brief consultation. I don't know whether this was right though winning our match 2-0 sort of vindicated me (and I did play pretty well in my singles)
I am competitive by nature and want to play every game. This makes it hard to drop myself though I did 2 weeks ago because I lost and hated it. But though I hated it, I still did it so progression has been made. We have some great players and we have some who can play really well one week crap the next. Makes it hard picking the singles in particular as I know how they can play but not sure which one of them will turn up. I view the doubles as more of a lottery though get the luck of the draw (like last night, their 2 strongest vs our 2 strongest first up with us needing the win to seal the match with 2 to play - which they dutifully did) it can add some vital points as we get 1 point for each game won.
The understanding though can only take you so far and should not be taken for granted which is why whilst there are 5 definites in the singles (assuming we all turn up) still leaves 1 space left. Adam is filling it at the moment and was extremely solid last night (he was the one I dropped) so its hard to drop him next week but I need to give the others a chance. I can't keep relying on people not turning up to do that. But 4 of us are head & shoulders above the rest (no disrespect to any of my team, that's just a cold objective assessment) Paul (the other definite because of his experience and he wins more often than not) & Adam are steady players so I have a good idea of what I'm going to get which is why I pick them.
I guess all I can do as a captain is give the opportunities to the players as and when they arrive but still look to pick the strongest possible in the singles.
Monday 22 February 2010
First time for everything
I managed to get myself banned from SoD for 5 years.
Brief backstory: DoubleFinish is uncensored darts discussion and is an over 18's only site. This is going to result in strong language, sexual innuendo and alot of banter. None of which is any worse than anything you will find in your local pub and that's the general feeling/aim of the site. We heavily criticise and praise lavishly when appropriate and we speak our minds. Certain things off limits but its general common sense stuff (racial, homophobic)
Some however (including the owner of SoD) have taken great offence to the style of DoubleFinish and has banned pretty much anyone who is a member of DF. Despite him saying he doesn't consider DF a threat, decided to write a pretty vitriolic blog on it. Below is my response to it:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The below is my own opinion. I am not representing anyone other than me
I am a member of both here (obviously or I wouldn't be responding) and Double Finish (which will probably get me banned from here by your own admission even though I haven't broken any rules) and a host of other darting sites. If I recall correctly, you (Andy F) fired the first shots with posts about Double Finish long before some of the members even knew your site existed (digusting and disgraceful I believe were some of the words you used) yet act all surprised and defensive when some retaliated. I don't agree with some of stuff said about you however I'm not happy about some of the stuff you've said about the forum either.
I post more frequently on Double Finish mostly because I found their site before others and I do enjoy the more liberal approach (plus I just don't have time to post on all forums as much as I'd like to so I usually just pick 1) Double Finish do allow alot more than your site, pros and cons to both approaches but be careful about putting yourself on a pedastool especially when you launch the kind of insults at people you are condemning them for using (homophobic and racist). Considering you don't view the forum as a threat its odd you would dedicate nearly an entire blog to it and you seem to be the only forum owner who has.
Whilst the site is more liberal, there are limits and people are banned if they continue to overstep the mark and have been banned, that includes homophobic and racist comments. If people go too far, they are shot down by the other members. I don't always agree with the comments and say so. There are alot of passionate fans on the site (not going to get into your claims about the figures, I don't have the full story) there are alot of passionate fans on every site. The site was set up because some were fed up with the nazi-style (am I allowed to use that phrase here?) censorship on 606 as was I.
I've had some "abuse" (if it can be called that) from many people on there. I either just give it back or laugh it off. The banter between the members is vitriolic and does take a little getting used to but its no different to what I get in a pub. The players however are supported but we do criticise them if they play poorly and rightly so. Chris Mason in particular got massive support from the members yesterday and the comments were very positive about the players in yesterdays tournament as they are when they play well. When they don't, some will criticise others will support and that's how it should be allowed to be.
As for Dave Whitcombe, some of his comments have been valid but others have been laughable and frankly embarrassing and I've said so. He's entitled to his opinion but I'm also entitled to mine. You come out with statements people are going to comment on it and not always agree with you and not always dress it up either.
I (along with many others on DF) have no issues with you beyond you seemingly tarring everyone with the same brush and feeling the need to appoint yourself judge on what constitutes acceptable on all forums. You run your forum the way you want to and as a member, I will adhere to your rules whilst I am on your site. Its all darts to me.
Hopefully this hasn't come across as an attack but I did feel the need to address some of the points you raised.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This then resulted in some more vile spiel from the owner and me getting a 5 year ban
How pathetic are some people??
Brief backstory: DoubleFinish is uncensored darts discussion and is an over 18's only site. This is going to result in strong language, sexual innuendo and alot of banter. None of which is any worse than anything you will find in your local pub and that's the general feeling/aim of the site. We heavily criticise and praise lavishly when appropriate and we speak our minds. Certain things off limits but its general common sense stuff (racial, homophobic)
Some however (including the owner of SoD) have taken great offence to the style of DoubleFinish and has banned pretty much anyone who is a member of DF. Despite him saying he doesn't consider DF a threat, decided to write a pretty vitriolic blog on it. Below is my response to it:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The below is my own opinion. I am not representing anyone other than me
I am a member of both here (obviously or I wouldn't be responding) and Double Finish (which will probably get me banned from here by your own admission even though I haven't broken any rules) and a host of other darting sites. If I recall correctly, you (Andy F) fired the first shots with posts about Double Finish long before some of the members even knew your site existed (digusting and disgraceful I believe were some of the words you used) yet act all surprised and defensive when some retaliated. I don't agree with some of stuff said about you however I'm not happy about some of the stuff you've said about the forum either.
I post more frequently on Double Finish mostly because I found their site before others and I do enjoy the more liberal approach (plus I just don't have time to post on all forums as much as I'd like to so I usually just pick 1) Double Finish do allow alot more than your site, pros and cons to both approaches but be careful about putting yourself on a pedastool especially when you launch the kind of insults at people you are condemning them for using (homophobic and racist). Considering you don't view the forum as a threat its odd you would dedicate nearly an entire blog to it and you seem to be the only forum owner who has.
Whilst the site is more liberal, there are limits and people are banned if they continue to overstep the mark and have been banned, that includes homophobic and racist comments. If people go too far, they are shot down by the other members. I don't always agree with the comments and say so. There are alot of passionate fans on the site (not going to get into your claims about the figures, I don't have the full story) there are alot of passionate fans on every site. The site was set up because some were fed up with the nazi-style (am I allowed to use that phrase here?) censorship on 606 as was I.
I've had some "abuse" (if it can be called that) from many people on there. I either just give it back or laugh it off. The banter between the members is vitriolic and does take a little getting used to but its no different to what I get in a pub. The players however are supported but we do criticise them if they play poorly and rightly so. Chris Mason in particular got massive support from the members yesterday and the comments were very positive about the players in yesterdays tournament as they are when they play well. When they don't, some will criticise others will support and that's how it should be allowed to be.
As for Dave Whitcombe, some of his comments have been valid but others have been laughable and frankly embarrassing and I've said so. He's entitled to his opinion but I'm also entitled to mine. You come out with statements people are going to comment on it and not always agree with you and not always dress it up either.
I (along with many others on DF) have no issues with you beyond you seemingly tarring everyone with the same brush and feeling the need to appoint yourself judge on what constitutes acceptable on all forums. You run your forum the way you want to and as a member, I will adhere to your rules whilst I am on your site. Its all darts to me.
Hopefully this hasn't come across as an attack but I did feel the need to address some of the points you raised.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This then resulted in some more vile spiel from the owner and me getting a 5 year ban
How pathetic are some people??
Well here we go......
My turn for a blog on here. This will mostly be used to relay my experiences at various darts events, any key results (good and bad) and my own take on the world of Darts.
So a little bit about me.......
Been playing competively for about 18 months now. I'm in the Abingdon Pub League and the Oxford SuperLeague and have started attending the various darts events around the country to gain more experience and because I love it.
Those who know me from DoubleFinish know where I stand on the BDO/PDC debate; ultimately I am a fan of the game overall, just have issues with how aspects of it is run.
This will be raw and what's on my mind at the time so apologies if it gets mad, rambling and somewhat confusing.
So a little bit about me.......
Been playing competively for about 18 months now. I'm in the Abingdon Pub League and the Oxford SuperLeague and have started attending the various darts events around the country to gain more experience and because I love it.
Those who know me from DoubleFinish know where I stand on the BDO/PDC debate; ultimately I am a fan of the game overall, just have issues with how aspects of it is run.
This will be raw and what's on my mind at the time so apologies if it gets mad, rambling and somewhat confusing.
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