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.
Tuesday 16 March 2010
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......
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