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If the greatest snooker players ever to pick up a cue were to all meet on the best night of their career, playing the best snooker they ever have, who do you think would win?
Candidates:
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Stephen Hendry
John Higgins
Jimmy White
Steve Davis
Paul Hunter
Alex Higgins
Mathew Stevens
Mark Williams
I would find it hard to split O'Sullivan and Hendry
On the night,I'd have to go for O Sullivan,he is unstoppable when he's focussed but he's not focussed much nowadays is he! For overall achievements and constant high quality play at the top level,it would have to be Steve Davis or Stephen Hendry.
agreed did you see him last night damn he was excellentQuote:
Originally Posted by El Gamo
Yeh agree with that mate - apart from the Davis bitQuote:
Originally Posted by El Gamo
I don't reckon Davis s much worse now than he was in 1985 at his best. I just reckons everybody else is so much better than they were then . I don't reckon prime Davis would be top 6 today
O'Sullivan mate. At his best he is totally totally unplayable. I think thats the genral opinion of not just the public but fellow professionals. When he is on form he is simply untouchable.
agreed here is ronnie mkaing quickest 147Quote:
Originally Posted by Munky
[youtube=425,350]RO3Hy0niNF0[/youtube]
Patsy Hoolihan is the greatest ever. True.
o'sullivan on his best night would beat some of those playing left handed.
most naturally gifted player ever
hendry most consistent player ever
Yeah i liked Hendry. He had the better nerve of the two.
Stephen Hendry is the greatest player to ever live. Everytime i have ever heard thos topic been brought up by the 'experts' Hendry has come out on top. To me the only thing ronnie has that Hendry doesn't is the charisma, Hendry always was a quiet, grumpy looking mof in his prime,, ronnie was and is always a crowd favourite, fast potter ambidextras and a coke head ;D
Imo tho no question about it Hendry is the best.
O'Sullivan, Alex Higgins and to an extent Jimmy White are the most talented players ever to pick up a snooker cue.
Hendry and Davis however are the greatest winners the game has seen. They had the mental strength and the right temperament to win tournaments.
The three above were born to entertain.
If all played to their best O'Sullivan would win easily . When he's at his best no one can live with him - it's as simple as that.
Higgins took the game mainstream and made it what it is today and White is the most popular player ever who will be forever remembered for being the best player never to win the world championships.
If O'Sullivan quit the game I believe snooker would go into serious decline
:goodpost:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKO
Ronnie is undoubtedly an amazing talent but there's a misconception about him that he comes from the Higgins and White world
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as far as snooker goes...he had a full size table in doors when he was a kid, the best coaches in the country - Frank Callan etc, chaperoned all over the shop to practise with the best players and enter every available tournament....
fair comment but all the coaching in the world from the best coaches in the world won't mean you are going to be a great.
Its natural talent, you can either do it or you can't - Ronnie can to a level never before seen.
Hendry and Davis couldn't control a cue ball and play with the ease O'Sullivan , White and Higgins could when in the zone - and they will be the first to admit it.
Totally overlooked Higgins. What a talent. His 69 break clearance against White in the 1982 Benson and Hedges final (i think it was that) is widely regarded as the best snooker break the game has ever seen. He ran out of position on virtually every feckin ball!
Unreal.
That was the world championship semi in 1982 . He was 14-15 down to White and 59-0 down in the frame when he came to the table. It was an unbelievable break with some of the pots incredible given the pressure on him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Munky
Am glad he won that night yet as was a massive fan, though in hindsight I look back and wonder how differently Jimmy White's career would have been panned out had Higgins not made that clearance and he had gone on to win. Ray Reardon would have been waiting in the final and Jimmy would have pissed on him easily giving him the world title at age 21.
Then he would have had that extra edge in future world championship finals and no doubt taken more (let's face it 6 times runner up in the biggest tournament of all (twice blowing it in winning positions !) - how does he sleep at night !). Yep Jimmy could have been an even biger legend in the game if not for Alex's brilliance that night.
It's sad seeing Jimmy playing now and won't be same without him at the Crucible in April :'( :'(
unbelievable - here is that very break by Higgins on youtube !!
[youtube=425,350]dViH2UERKBs[/youtube]
also back then the balls weighed a ton
and the cloth was like a faux fur rug :)
I agree about the natural talent...Obviously when a fast flare player is buzzing they make the game look easy and its much more pleasing on the eye.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKO
But Ronnie can only do it to a level never before seen because of Davis, Hendry, White and Higgins
Ronnie has brilliant technique and is very consistent.
One of the main things that set Davis apart from White and Higgins was consistency. This was down to his granite technique. Hendry was able to take the game to a new level because of his natural talent combined with the Davis (Frank Callan ;)) technique. Ronnie was able to have this instilled in him from day one.
In ten years time people will be arguing whether or not Ding is the greatest player of all time. ;)
Stephen Hendry. He beat them all in his prime, over and over and over.
What about the games great characters? Bill Werbenuik (Sp?) Kirk Stevens, Eddie Charlton (ok he was boring) , Ray Reardon and people like that?
Love 80's snooker ;D
...but O'Sullivan in his prime beat Hendry 18-3 at the Crucible ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by WWatt
On his day Higgins was something else, on an off day something else entirely. He was never boring, thats for sure! ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by Munky
He will always be my favorite snooker player.
Ive also admired Steve Davis a lot over the years, he is a little less interesting though! ;D
How the fukk did Higgins pot balls when he used to jump up half way through the shot ???Quote:
Originally Posted by miles
On long shots, he used to get to the bottom of the table before the cue ball ;D
Amazing talent
Agreed! ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by BIG H
He was a live wired, mentalist of the game! Never boring. Even in defeat something would always be there to watch!
was 17-4 in a semi about 3 years back ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG H
was great viewing just to see expression on Hendry's face
Just watched that Higgins break again - that is something else !
But something to happened to Hendry. I don't know what. But he just started missing easy shots at one point (I think something happened to that cue he always used?), and he hasn't been the same since. That was ages ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG H
Hendry is definitely 'The Greatest' player of all time imo. His record of century break, ranking tournament wins and 7 world titles will probabaly never be beaten.Quote:
Originally Posted by WWatt
.....but the question is who would win on their very best night ;)
And I would say O'Sullivan!
Having said that when on their very best night, neither of them would miss so it would be one frame either way!!
Ronnie is very gifted and talented and my personal favourite player ever, but Hendry was the best tactician and technician ever by far and would of beaten anyone in his prime - 9 times in 10.
gotta hand it to wwatt just when i read a post of his without benn, collins, eubank etc mentioned he just pulls it off
cc m8 :)
where is Joe Davis? :oQuote:
Originally Posted by BIG H
Wouldn't be in the top 100 today mate ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by The_One77