There have been recent scandals in snooker concerning match-fixing. John Higgins and Stephen Maguire have been two of the individuals involved. I believe that snooker has been “bent” for a long time. While not having hard evidence to substantiate my allegation I can put forward a good argument to back-up my claim. And it’s all to do with Pot Black.
Pot Black was the colour TV marketing man’s dream; a multitude of colourful balls randomly displayed on a green baize. This successful programme was watched by millions and contributed to snooker becoming more professional and popular.
My bone of contention stems from the fact that the uniqueness of each frame can mean that some frames of snooker are one-sided and can be won in ten minutes by a player scoring a high break. Alternatively, in a cat and mouse game it can last over an hour as both players play safe. None of these events happened on Pot Black. All the games were close and each player had a few chances to win the game. Somehow, all the matches fitted in to a 30 minute TV slot perfectly. “Whispering” Ted Lowe would ooh and aah when a bad shot was -deliberately, in my eyes- played. Pot Black was a farce and ranks right up there with Twenty One (probably Pot Black’s highest break) in the pantheon of rigged game shows.
Moving to a different level, I was linked to a scandal about snooker at club level. I’d just played my brother-in-law Billy at a few frames and afterwards we stationed ourselves in a nearby pub. Billy had a two-piece cue with him and he asked the barman to keep it behind the bar for him as the place was busy. Unfortunately, we had a bit too much to drink and he forgot to ask for it back.
Next day, sheepishly, Billy returned to the bar to get his cue. A different member of staff handed him a cue from under the counter. A different cue. Not wanting to complain Billy surmised what had happened. Somebody else had handed a cue in and, most likely drunk had accepted the wrong cue at the end of the night. A case of switched cues, he said. Bit of a Sherlock is our Billy.
Naturally, at our next match he complained that his “new” cue was not very good. He deserves all he gets, in my opinion. I only play the game occasionally -I never watch it- and don’t possess a two-piece with a fancy case. I use the house sticks and win my fair share of games with them. That night I murdered him and I was playing like “Fast“ Eddie Charlton.
KO-KII. PLOP. KO-KII. PLOP. KO-KII. PLOP. And so on and so forth.
Boadicea's Chariot 
… and?
Where’s the rest, JW? Please don’t say, “Under my cue”. 😕
Am I asking a daft question if I say where’s the scandal? 😦
As a passionate snooker fan, I’m not sure I agree entirely JW. Those caught up in match fixing have been cleared, the phoney news reporter on the other hand……
I missed getting a break of 147 by one ball the other night, I missed the first red.
Coat, Taxi.
“And for those watching in Black and White, the Pink is next to the green” 🙂
Ted Lowe.
Hi,JW.
I have to agree with you, of course. Higgins and Maguire have brought black shame on the good name of Scotland. Don’t agree with Valzone that they were ‘cleared’. Personally think they were bloody lucky to get off with what were effectively ‘not proven’ verdicts and slaps on their wrists.
But then, what can you expect from Sellick supporters?
And since you brought up the subject of football by mentioning them:-
Whooooooooooo! C’mon the one shot wonders. You were robbed but do I care?
Good blog, as usual.
Um…err…the scandal was about the cue mix-up. Sorry Boa and Bear for raising your hopes in the expectation of more scandalous circumstances. Cue-tampering might not be as controversial as ball-tampering. It’s a scandal, nonetheless.
Val, watching snooker puts me to sleep unless the dynamic, star-blazing comet that is Graeme Dott is playing.
OMG, I thought you might have congratulated me on my high break of 9 in the last line.
Mr. Mackie,
Aye weel, at the end of the day the only thing that matters is the League table. A minor blip and we’ll still win the treble. If you taped the match you will see at the end how legends take defeat. Walter Smith OBE warmly shook hands with Jim Jeffries while Alistair McCoist MBE waited at the tunnel to shake hands with every Hearts Player leaving the field. Contrast this with the obnoxious behaviour (win or lose) exhibited by the leader of them.
Aye weel, indeed, JW.
I did indeed watch the taped version, having floated home on clouds of glory from Tynie, and saw Coisty shaking hands with our team. He’s always been a big man for such a wee man, if you know what I mean.
Not holding my breath for them doing the same this Wednesday when we gub them at Parkheid.
I presume that Dott is a Hun, then, given your reply to Val?
As we have just seen Weegie and Embra on adjacent comments for the first time in absolute ages, Batttleships, anyone, or is there such a thing as cyber-snooker?
OZ
Dott was born in Larkhall. ‘Nuff said © Stan Lee (again)
I noticed the other day (19th of January) three seperate Good New Year greetings. You are definitely on course to break your record, although you could be running out of victims. I still maintain 14 days Max and I might appeal to the Management to suspend you and banish you to the stands. You could keep Lenny company.
OZ
We speak in old crossed phone line style. Coincidentally, I tried to resuscitate the game this morning. Check the post out. Like the idea of cyber-snooker. KO-KII. PLOP.
JW – And in true crossed lines fashion, nobody else has the foggiest idea WTF you and Embra are rabbiting on about, which is a faux-pas traditionally frowned upon by us eavesdroppers. 🙂
OZ
Sorry JW, but we enjoy your tales so much, we were eagerly awaiting a dénouement in which the South London gang reappropriated their errant cue at the blunt point of a sawn-off shotgun, or something equally exciting. 😀