Pink Ball's Top 10 Players of All-Time

Iranu wrote:Pink, why is Robbo above Alex Higgins but Judd isn’t?

Not arguing, just curious. Their records are now pretty comparable after Judd winning the Masters and Worlds. Robbo obviously has more rankers but he’s 7-8 years older than Judd.

Assange has done it (16 ranking titles). Trump is yet to do it. I'd back him to have more ranking titles than Assange by the end of their respective careers, but I'm not dealing in presumptions.

Makes sense. But why is he above Higgins but Judd isn’t? I guess it’s about how much value is put on those additional 5 rankers compared to Higgins’ 2 worlds/impact on the tame?

Judd > Assange.

Iranu wrote:Makes sense. But why is he above Higgins but Judd isn’t? I guess it’s about how much value is put on those additional 5 rankers compared to Higgins’ 2 worlds/impact on the tame?

Listen, it's wafer thin for me between Higgins and Robertson. Not an easy call.

Impact on the game doesn't come in to it for me. Robertson has 16 ranking titles. Trump has 11. Trump still has a bit of ground to make up on Robertson to go above him and Higgins. I would back him to do it, but he hasn't done it yet.

Robertson has also won one more major (UK) than Trump

Pink Ball wrote:

Iranu wrote:Makes sense. But why is he above Higgins but Judd isn’t? I guess it’s about how much value is put on those additional 5 rankers compared to Higgins’ 2 worlds/impact on the tame?

Listen, it's wafer thin for me between Higgins and Robertson. Not an easy call.

Impact on the game doesn't come in to it for me. Robertson has 16 ranking titles. Trump has 11. Trump still has a bit of ground to make up on Robertson to go above him and Higgins. I would back him to do it, but he hasn't done it yet.

fair enough

So for World Snooker’s Youtube channel Dave Hendon, Alan McManus and Hectar Nunn chose their top 10 players of all time (from a shortlist of 20). Their list compared to Pink Ball’s official list is... interesting.

I’ve put their list below but if you want to watch it for yourself: https://youtu.be/FYP655z1ryo






Their list:

1. Ronnie O’Sullivan
2. Stephen Hendry
3. John Higgins
4. Steve Davis
5. Mark Williams
6. Ray Reardon
7. Mark Selby
8. Neil Robertson
9. Joe Davis
10. Alex Higgins

Incredibly close. And this was recorded before Judd’s victory over the weekend.

1. Hendry
2. S.Davis
3. Reardon
4. O'Sullivan
5. J.Higgins
6. Selby
7. Williams
8. Spencer
9. A.Higgins
10. J.Davis

Iranu wrote:So for World Snooker’s Youtube channel Dave Hendon, Alan McManus and Hectar Nunn chose their top 10 players of all time (from a shortlist of 20). Their list compared to Pink Ball’s official list is... interesting.

I’ve put their list below but if you want to watch it for yourself: https://youtu.be/FYP655z1ryo






Their list:

1. Ronnie O’Sullivan
2. Stephen Hendry
3. John Higgins
4. Steve Davis
5. Mark Williams
6. Ray Reardon
7. Mark Selby
8. Neil Robertson
9. Joe Davis
10. Alex Higgins

Incredibly close. And this was recorded before Judd’s victory over the weekend.

They’ll always include Joe Davis for the hell of it, so I think I’m bang on the money

Interesting article!

Its pretty obvious breakbuilding/scoring has reached a different level and is much better now than it was in the 90's, let alone 80's.

When Hendry dominated in the early 90's he was head and shoulders above anyone else and could outscore 99% of his opponents with ease.

In this era he would be obviously still one of the greatest breakbuilders but he wouldnt be head and shoulders above anyone else. Any topplayer has scoring power now. Its a must to be a successful player.

He couldnt just enter the matches and outscore players like Trump, Selby or Robertson. You need more than that.

TheRocket wrote:Its pretty obvious breakbuilding/scoring has reached a different level and is much better now than it was in the 90's, let alone 80's.

When Hendry dominated in the early 90's he was head and shoulders above anyone else and could outscore 99% of his opponents with ease.

In this era he would be obviously still one of the greatest breakbuilders but he wouldnt be head and shoulders above anyone else. Any topplayer has scoring power now. Its a must to be a successful player.

He couldnt just enter the matches and outscore players like Trump, Selby or Robertson. You need more than that.

And that is why Hendry would have never won 7 WC had he started his career at the same time as the class of 92.
He'd have 3 in the best case scenario.

If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Probably Higgins

Iranu wrote:

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Probably Higgins

But Ronnie has one more than Higgins now. Why would he have less than Higgins if Hendry was the same age?

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Ronnie of course. He's the best out of all of them.

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Ronnie Antonio O’Sullivan

Holden Chinaski wrote:

Iranu wrote:

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Probably Higgins

But Ronnie has one more than Higgins now. Why would he have less than Higgins if Hendry was the same age?

So that Vodka can gloat that Ronnie’s not the GOAT.

Nah just a feeling, really. I feel like Ronnie and Hendry would cancel each other out in a few WCs whereas Higgins and MJW wouldn’t be affected so much.

Ash147 wrote:If Hendry was the same age as the class of 92, and turned pro the same year, who do you think would have had the most WCs out of them all?

Ronnie, obviously.

Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No, it wasn't.

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No it wasn't. If it was, he wouldn't have spent his 30's without winning a single major title.
All at their absolute best, Hendry gets beat by ROS, Higgins, Trump and Robertson. They are all world class all rounders.
Selbo and Ding also have a very good chance of beating him.
Selbo doesn't quite have Hendry's scoring power, but his safety and tactical game might bring him the win.
As for Ding, he has the superior game overall, but he's mentally frail, so that might make the difference.

Johnny Bravo wrote:

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No it wasn't. If it was, he wouldn't have spent his 30's without winning a single major title.
All at their absolute best, Hendry gets beat by ROS, Higgins, Trump and Robertson. They are all world class all rounders.
Selbo and Ding also have a very good chance of beating him.
Selbo doesn't quite have Hendry's scoring power, but his safety and tactical game might bring him the win.
As for Ding, he has the superior game overall, but he's mentally frail, so that might make the difference.

If my aunt had bullocks she'd be my uncle!!

vodkadiet1 wrote:

Johnny Bravo wrote:

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No it wasn't. If it was, he wouldn't have spent his 30's without winning a single major title.
All at their absolute best, Hendry gets beat by ROS, Higgins, Trump and Robertson. They are all world class all rounders.
Selbo and Ding also have a very good chance of beating him.
Selbo doesn't quite have Hendry's scoring power, but his safety and tactical game might bring him the win.
As for Ding, he has the superior game overall, but he's mentally frail, so that might make the difference.

If my aunt had bullocks she'd be my uncle!!

It's 2019, that's not necessarily true.

Johnny Bravo wrote:

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No it wasn't. If it was, he wouldn't have spent his 30's without winning a single major title.
All at their absolute best, Hendry gets beat by ROS, Higgins, Trump and Robertson. They are all world class all rounders.
Selbo and Ding also have a very good chance of beating him.
Selbo doesn't quite have Hendry's scoring power, but his safety and tactical game might bring him the win.
As for Ding, he has the superior game overall, but he's mentally frail, so that might make the difference.

Johnny, what the buck is this?

Pink Ball wrote:

Johnny Bravo wrote:

vodkadiet1 wrote:Hendry's best was better than anybody else's so Hendry would have won more than the others. 7 world titles is why he is the best.

No it wasn't. If it was, he wouldn't have spent his 30's without winning a single major title.
All at their absolute best, Hendry gets beat by ROS, Higgins, Trump and Robertson. They are all world class all rounders.
Selbo and Ding also have a very good chance of beating him.
Selbo doesn't quite have Hendry's scoring power, but his safety and tactical game might bring him the win.
As for Ding, he has the superior game overall, but he's mentally frail, so that might make the difference.

Johnny, what the buck is this?

My opinion about how good Hendry was at his best and who has a higher peak.

Do you seriously think Ding’s game is better than Hendry’s?

Iranu wrote:Do you seriously think Ding’s game is better than Hendry’s?

Yes, I do.
In terms of breakbuilding and potting, Ding is very close, Hendry only has a small edge.
On the other hand, Ding has a big edge in terms of safety and tactical play.

So, if we are just assessing their game, Ding is better imo.
But Hendry is mentally tougher and he might get the win in a real match situation.

I agree with lots you say Johnny but I disagree in this instance. I think Hendry would have had the better of Ding 7 or 8 times out of ten. Ding is a great player of the current era, but Hendry was a better player IMO