The torments of Ronnie O’Sullivan, snooker’s greatest player.

Very good article. Thank you for posting it.

One of the things that stood out to me was this:

O’Sullivan spends a lot of time thinking about the white ball. He has come to believe that the quality of the initial contact between his chalked, pressed-leather cue tip and the phenolic-resin sphere—the momentary grip, the transfer of energy and intent—is what decides everything else. If the white responds, he will not lose. “You’re using force,” he said, after making his tea. “You’re using your hands. You’re creating. You’re making that white dance.”

When the connection isn’t there, O’Sullivan feels it right away. “It’s invisible, but it’s night and day to me,” he said. During the good days and the good months, he senses it in every stroke. When he is cueing well, he leaves fat chalk streaks on the surface of the table, like a golfer’s divots, and the white ball topspins extravagantly, slowing down across the nap and then accelerating again, as if late for an appointment. There is a particular echo as balls hit the middle of the pocket. He disregards the score. “I know I’m playing a different game from what they’re playing,” he said. And, because of the duel-like intimacy of snooker, O’Sullivan is able to observe the mesmerizing effect that his skill has on his opponents: “You’re thinking, ‘You’ve got that on a string, mate. That cue ball. It’s just . . .’ And you just sit there. And that is what beats you.”



It all begins and ends with the tip and the cue ball.
 
Fantastic read. Ronnie is both a genius and his worst enemy. Depression is a tough opponent.

Thanks Brandon.......take care.

Jimmy
 
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HawaiianEye said:
Very good article. Thank you for posting it.

One of the things that stood out to me was this:

O’Sullivan spends a lot of time thinking about the white ball. He has come to believe that the quality of the initial contact between his chalked, pressed-leather cue tip and the phenolic-resin sphere—the momentary grip, the transfer of energy and intent—is what decides everything else. If the white responds, he will not lose. “You’re using force,” he said, after making his tea. “You’re using your hands. You’re creating. You’re making that white dance.”

When the connection isn’t there, O’Sullivan feels it right away. “It’s invisible, but it’s night and day to me,” he said. During the good days and the good months, he senses it in every stroke. When he is cueing well, he leaves fat chalk streaks on the surface of the table, like a golfer’s divots, and the white ball topspins extravagantly, slowing down across the nap and then accelerating again, as if late for an appointment. There is a particular echo as balls hit the middle of the pocket. He disregards the score. “I know I’m playing a different game from what they’re playing,” he said. And, because of the duel-like intimacy of snooker, O’Sullivan is able to observe the mesmerizing effect that his skill has on his opponents: “You’re thinking, ‘You’ve got that on a string, mate. That cue ball. It’s just . . .’ And you just sit there. And that is what beats you.”



It all begins and ends with the tip and the cue ball.
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Pin this in the abomination that is the aiming forum, and ban all the clowns that lurk there.

They are praying on the gullible and desperate.
 
Ron Swanson said:
Pin this in the abomination that is the aiming forum, and ban all the clowns that lurk there.

They are praying on the gullible and desperate.
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Well, speaking of clowns coming from the official AZB Bozo is just priceless. Well played Thaiger.......I suspect u also drive a really small car.
 
Ron Swanson said:
Pin this in the abomination that is the aiming forum, and ban all the clowns that lurk there.

They are praying on the gullible and desperate.
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No .. close minded people like you should be banned from the forum. People like you are the real problem. Everyone plays the game different and not all have the natural ability and feel. If there happy with aiming systems good for them.

Great article. He's truely the. Greatest pocket billiards player of all time.
 
trob said:
No .. close minded people like you should be banned from the forum. People like you are the real problem. Everyone plays the game different and not all have the natural ability and feel. If there happy with aiming systems good for them.

Great article. He's truely the. Greatest English pocket billiards player of all time.
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Good post, only one minor correction ;)
 
trob said:
No .. close minded people like you should be banned from the forum. People like you are the real problem. Everyone plays the game different and not all have the natural ability and feel. If there happy with aiming systems good for them.

Great article. He's truely the. Greatest pocket billiards player of all time.
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Do you think he uses an aiming system?

:rolleyes:

And as for the problem with this forum, it's this: 99% are american and simply cannot play (OP not included). But if you want to continue on the path of absolute humiliation, be my guest.
 
Wow,, at the top of his game he makes over $1,000,000 a year.

When he isn't doing well he only made around $200K a year.

I can see why Alex P tried to switch to snooker.
 
Ron Swanson said:
Do you think he uses an aiming system?

:rolleyes:

And as for the problem with this forum, it's this: 99% are american and simply cannot play (OP not included). But if you want to continue on the path of absolute humiliation, be my guest.
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Too funny. Ronnie is a phenom, who was probably born to play the game. Most the rest of the world are just amateurs, trying to drink a few beers and play decent on league night, who don't have time to HIT one million balls.

I'll tell you what. You raise enough cash, I'll bet all you can scrape together, that I can teach someone who has never played before in 4 hours to make balls using any numerous aiming systems, and you tell your person to just shoot balls for 4 hours, and we'll see who is better at the end.

You want any of this action, and yeah, I'll fly to little old England, just to take your cash :thumbup: Of course, I'll bring ice, cause only a dumb bloke would drink warm beer !
 
haystj said:
Wow,, at the top of his game he makes over $1,000,000 a year.

When he isn't doing well he only made around $200K a year.

I can see why Alex P tried to switch to snooker.
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I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I read that.

Look at the AZB money list right now, Mark Selby in 4th with $49,000 but snooker he is at the top of that list with a bit over 700,000 (but think that's British Pounds).

Certainly pro pool could use an injection of cash.
 
Ron Swanson said:
More from OSullivan, this time on kicks. Note, not a single reference to chalk.
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No, he thinks it might be the "atmosphere", or the spectators too close to the tables, or... wait for it... the "acoustics".

lol

Oh well, being a great cueist doesn't mean you know much. Good thing his fans can't tell the difference, huh?

pj
chgo
 
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ChicagoRJ said:
I'll tell you what. You raise enough cash, I'll bet all you can scrape together, that I can teach someone who has never played before in 4 hours to make balls using any numerous aiming systems, and you tell your person to just shoot balls for 4 hours, and we'll see who is better at the end.
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RJ..Good luck finding anyone stupid enough to go for that wager !..However, if you would just change your offer, to allowing your opposing teacher to use the simple 'ghost ball' method..and let yourself use the most sophisticated aiming system (your choice) available, I think that would absolutely level the playing field !

First of all, how could you possibly find two individuals, of equal ability, at hand/eye coordination skills ?.. Or for that matter, two 'teacher's, with equal teaching skills ?..Also, increase it to 10 or 20 players, and it would be impossible to predict a winner !..An absolute coin flip if I've ever seen one ! :cool:

SJD

PS..Surprised you wasted either of our times, with such a senseless proposition ! :p
 
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SJDinPHX said:
RJ..Good luck finding anyone stupid enough to go for that wager !..However, if you would just change your offer, to allowing your opposing teacher to use the simple 'ghost ball' method..and let yourself use the most sophisticated aiming system (your choice) available, I think that would absolutely level the playing field !

First of all, how could you possibly find two individuals, of equal ability, at hand/eye coordination skills ?.. Or for that matter, two 'teacher's, with equal teaching skills ?..Also, increase it to 10 or 20 players, and it would be impossible to predict a winner !..An absolute coin flip if I've ever seen one ! :cool:

SJD

PS..Surprised you wasted either of our times, with such a senseless proposition ! :p
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Well, nobody has accused The Thaiger of belonging to the brain trust of England, so quit killing my action ;)

I think we are in agreement. Ghost ball is most def an aiming system, and one I would use for the novice. But for some folks they can't visualize the same as others. The more artsy types (wish I was one), basically folks that can draw portraits or anything, paint, or have good imaginations, can see the ghost ball from the get go, when others just can't see it. Thus, something else has to be used, something just as simple, like fractional aiming.

But bottom line, either helps them to see the shots and brain starts to remember them so they won't need to use them forever... kind of like training wheels for the brain ;)

But yes, I would still bet on the aiming systems that are "above" ghost ball with two newbies, but certainly not something like CTE which is much to difficult for a new person to begin to understand. (for the record I don't use CTE but was trained on it so I'm familiar with it)
 
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ChicagoRJ said:
Well, nobody has accused The Thaiger of belonging to the brain trust of England, so quit killing my action ;)

I think we are in agreement. Ghost ball is most def an aiming system, and one I would use for the novice. But for some folks they can't visualize the same as others. The more artsy types (wish I was one), basically folks that can draw portraits or anything, paint, or have good imaginations, can see the ghost ball from the get go, when others just can't see it. Thus, something else has to be used, something just as simple, like fractional aiming.

But bottom line, either helps them to see the shots and brain starts to remember them so they won't need to use them forever... kind of like training wheels for the brain ;)

But yes, I would still bet on the aiming systems that are "above" ghost ball with two newbies, but certainly not something like CTE which is much to difficult for a new person to begin to understand. (for the record I don't use CTE but was trained on it so I'm familiar with it)
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Was that an agreement ??? (I think I can see why you keep Thaiger confused) :rolleyes:

I consider ghostball, to be the easiest way to begin teaching a newbie, short of putting a mark on the ball, where you want him to hit ! Call it an 'aiming system' if you want, almost anyone of average intelligence, can figure it out !
 
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