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Who is the Greatest Player of all time?

Ronnie O'Sullivan
20
40%
Stephen Hendry
24
48%
John Higgins
1
2%
Steve Davis
1
2%
Ray Reardon
0
No votes
Joe Davis
2
4%
other (please specify)
2
4%
 
Total votes : 50

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

NNear wrote:
edwards2000 wrote:One day, a player of O'Sullivan's talent (or perhaps exceeding it) will be married to the Hendry psyche, and then we'll see some serious rubbish.


Was pondering this the other day.


Tut. The filter changed the word to Rubbish for you!

"Then we will see some serious stuff" is a good alternative.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby NNear

I knew immediately anyway. Perhaps such a combination has already been seen though in another sport. One could argue that Phil Taylor has a psyche more similar to Hendry's, except he seems to be even more desperate to keep on winning, and also the talent of Ronnie O'Sullivan.

That is the sort of dominance such a combination would probably also produce in Snooker, though I get the impression that the professionalism in snooker is generally better and that it's harder to dominate. Taylor's rivals have been very questionable, where as there is no questioning the strength of Ronnie's rivals and Hendry had to eventually deal with that '92 generation himself.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

Taylor's standard has never been attained by anyone else with that consistency, and he plays the board. So you can see from his averages he would beat anyone in any era. Unlike with snooker, where things change all the time, and an opponent can have a bigger effect. In darts, you get those 3 darts no matter what, no matter what game.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby NNear

edwards2000 wrote:Taylor's standard has never been attained by anyone else with that consistency, and he plays the board. So you can see from his averages he would beat anyone in any era. Unlike with snooker, where things change all the time, and an opponent can have a bigger effect. In darts, you get those 3 darts no matter what, no matter what game.


Going forward it's why it will be surprisingly easy to compare the pure quality of play across generations. It will be clear when somebody comes along who is as good as Taylor and it will be interesting to observe the rate of average general improvement in the game. Just recently the highest joint three-dart average was achieved in a match involving Taylor and somebody else -- can't remember who, just know that it happened.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby NNear

Yes, so close to that double 9-darter!

He's got the winning mentality as well, not just through results -- it's just in his whole demeanour to be the man. He's going to be a major force for some time to come.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby Ayrshirebhoy

John Higgins is the perfect player. Great tactical knowledge, long potter and terrific break builder complete with a great cue action. Even the mighty ronnie can't beat a Higgins on the top of his game.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby Holden Chinaski

Ayrshirebhoy wrote:John Higgins is the perfect player. Great tactical knowledge, long potter and terrific break builder complete with a great cue action. Even the mighty ronnie can't beat a Higgins on the top of his game.

Higgins is a brilliant player and one of the greats.

But what about the 2001 world final, and the 2005 masters final?

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

Ayrshirebhoy wrote:John Higgins is the perfect player. Great tactical knowledge, long potter and terrific break builder complete with a great cue action. Even the mighty ronnie can't beat a Higgins on the top of his game.


He is not the perfect player, for many reasons. He does not have the most ability. He cannot play both handed. And his longevity is not as good as O'Sullivan's. That's 3 off the bat.

He turned pro with O'Sullivan at the same age in 1992, and has won far less, and also has an inferior h2h.

He also lost the world final to O'Sullivan.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby sundaygirl

edwards2000 wrote:One day, a player of O'Sullivan's talent (or perhaps exceeding it) will be married to the Hendry psyche, and then we'll see some serious s.hit.


We are seeing that now, his Hendryesque side is what Dr Peters has enabled Ronnie to channel.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby AC or LT?

Ayrshirebhoy wrote:John Higgins is the perfect player. Great tactical knowledge, long potter and terrific break builder complete with a great cue action. Even the mighty ronnie can't beat a Higgins on the top of his game.


An apologist for racism who lives in denial of Higgins clear inability, a common theme running here.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

sundaygirl wrote:
edwards2000 wrote:One day, a player of O'Sullivan's talent (or perhaps exceeding it) will be married to the Hendry psyche, and then we'll see some serious s.hit.


We are seeing that now, his Hendryesque side is what Dr Peters has enabled Ronnie to channel.


That is true... we are seeing a glimpse of it. Still, I don't think Ronnie is quite as obsessive as Hendry about winning. According to Ronnie, he didn't even practise 2 months prior to the start of this tournament. Although, taking what Ronnie says as gospel is not usually a good idea.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby Ayrshirebhoy

AC or LT? wrote:
Ayrshirebhoy wrote:John Higgins is the perfect player. Great tactical knowledge, long potter and terrific break builder complete with a great cue action. Even the mighty ronnie can't beat a Higgins on the top of his game.


An apologist for racism who lives in denial of Higgins clear inability, a common theme running here.



That wasn't racism it was humour.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

Ayrshirebhoy wrote:Higgins on more than one occasion has handed an inform ronnie his ass back to him.


And Ronnie, on more occasions has done it to Higgins, and other players. Your hate for O'Sullivan should not blind you to reality.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby Ayrshirebhoy

edwards2000 wrote:
Ayrshirebhoy wrote:Higgins on more than one occasion has handed an inform ronnie his ass back to him.


And Ronnie, on more occasions has done it to Higgins, and other players. Your hate for O'Sullivan should not blind you to reality.


Look at the matches that count. You talk of hate, your absolute hatred of selby and Higgins is because they know how to beat ronnie and have done so a few times.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby AC or LT?

Ayrshirebhoy wrote:
edwards2000 wrote:
Ayrshirebhoy wrote:Higgins on more than one occasion has handed an inform ronnie his ass back to him.


And Ronnie, on more occasions has done it to Higgins, and other players. Your hate for O'Sullivan should not blind you to reality.


Look at the matches that count. You talk of hate, your absolute hatred of selby and Higgins is because they know how to beat ronnie and have done so a few times.


So WC finals don't count now?

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

I don't hate Higgins or Selby. I dislike them, but not because they beat O'Sullivan a few times. I've explained many times why I dislike them. With Higgins,. there's a very obvious reason that I am not allowed to mention.

But my dislike for them does not cloud my judgement, like it has with you. And you do hate O'Sullivan. It's a whole bigger ball game going from dislike to hate, my friend.


Stephen Hendry - 871 (68.85%) of 1265 matches won
John Higgins - 773 (69.27%) of 1116 matches won
Ronnie O'Sullivan - 750 (73.82%) of 1016 matches won

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby edwards2000

Sickpotter wrote:I gotta say citing ambidextrous is really the worst reason to suggest ROS is great. For more relevant is his play and his titles.

Remember being ambidextrous is a natural gift, not something you acquire through practice. There is no skill involved being ambidextrous.


You seem to be suggesting that he doesn't need to practise that in order to use it. He does. He has to practise his bottom off to perfect the wrong hand. And it's an advantage. One other players do not have, and thus, another criteria for which he is superior.

And there IS skill in using the wrong hand.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby vodkadiet

All time hasn't happened yet. Only when Armageddon strikes will we be able to say who was the greatest ever player.

Re: Who is the Greatest Player of all Time?

Postby vodkadiet

Xing Xang Xu will have won 23 world titles by the time he is 45! He will have made a 1000 Maximums and in many matches made a century in every frame.