Best and worst commentator??

sjm said:
I prefer the term "golden break."

As pool has become increasingly global, it makes sense to use terminology that applies to the king of all sports, football (known as soccer around here). It is in soccer games that reach overtime that the rules can mandate completion of the overtime period, in which case a goal is not golden. Other times, the rule is that the next goal will be an instant winner and when this is the case, the term "golden goal" is often used to denote such as goal.

To most of the world, "golden goal" is a well-known term, and I think referring to a nine on the snap as a "golden break" is a very simple way of saying that it is an instant winner.

PS Ice hockey is another sport where the term "golden goal" is used, whenever rules indicate that an overtime goal is an instant winner.
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I'll take 'On the SNAP!!!!' EVERY SINGLE TIME. I don't know who started the 'golden break' deal but i can't stand it and any other snooker-influenced commentary insertions.
 
sjm said:
I prefer the term "golden break."

As pool has become increasingly global, it makes sense to use terminology that applies to the king of all sports, football (known as soccer around here). It is in soccer games that reach overtime that the rules can mandate completion of the overtime period, in which case a goal is not golden. Other times, the rule is that the next goal will be an instant winner and when this is the case, the term "golden goal" is often used to denote such as goal.

To most of the world, "golden goal" is a well-known term, and I think referring to a nine on the snap as a "golden break" is a very simple way of saying that it is an instant winner.

PS Ice hockey is another sport where the term "golden goal" is used, whenever rules indicate that an overtime goal is an instant winner.
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I'm might just start using the term "Golden Deuce" after every time I have corn-on-the-cob this summer. Yeah, ya' all can thank me for this... it will stick in your heads forever now!

Somethings cannot be undone! (y) Like if you agree!
 
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garczar said:
I'll take 'On the SNAP!!!!' EVERY SINGLE TIME. I don't know who started the 'golden break' deal but i can't stand it and any other snooker-influenced commentary insertions.
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i don't know where golden break comes from but i doubt it's snooker, where the first shot is called break-off and break refers to points per visit.. to me golden break reminds me of golden shower from the old frank zappa song
 
Does sound more like the bathroom break. I do like the term pot although that might have roots in "potty". You do know it's their language right?
 
skogstokig said:
i don't know where golden break comes from but i doubt it's snooker, where the first shot is called break-off and break refers to points per visit.. to me golden break reminds me of golden shower from the old frank zappa song
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Yes, it 100% has nothing to do with snooker. It's likely a term that one promoter or tournament organizer used once and then it stuck because its an appropriate term for sinking the yellow money ball legally on the break. It's possible that it was coined by a snooker commentator that happened to be English but it's actually more likely that it wasn't. Either way, any actual link with snooker seems a bit ridiculous.
 
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Regarding the terms pot and pocket used as verbs, here is rule 7 from the official rules of snooker:

7. Potting and Pocketing
A pot is when an object ball, after contact with another ball
and without any infringement of these Rules, enters a pocket.
Causing a ball to be potted is known as potting. Causing a ball to
enter a pocket in a foul stroke is known as pocketing

-which is why you will still hear snooker commentators refer to "pocketed" balls being returned to the table although they will almost never use the verbs "pocket" or "pocketing" when describing or discussing an attempt at a shot because they sound unnatural compared to "pot or "potting" which are used routinely because it's rare that balls are pocketed illegally.

While pot is generally the preferred variant, I would guess that pocket is preferred in English speaking North America (and countries geographically close to it where English is a second official or de facto national language) because billiards with 6 pockets (rather than a "carom" style table) has traditionally been called "pocket billiards" in the USA - so the name has stuck and therefore sounds more natural.
 
Swighey said:
"Pot" is a more natural form of verbing (using a noun as a verb) than "pocket". Hence, when the global English speaking pool community comes together "pot" will eventually become the default term everywhere. Likewise rail (because that's what it actually is) is slowly sidelining (no pun intended 🤣) cushion in English pool and will eventually do so in snooker.

Likewise, yes you draw rather than screw - and you even more so cannon rather than billiard or carom which will forever struggle to be even considered as verbs.

Center/side/middle - really, who cares, each to their own, it's obvious what's meant.

Top, bottom, follow, draw, screw (back) - again it's obvious. "English" might need a little explanation vs "side" or the universally acceptable "sidespin". Likewise "plant" makes little sense compared to "combination".

The new global language of billiards will be different from what we are used to but we can still locally use the terminology we are used to for as long as we want to hold out. There'll even be some fellas saying "bigs" and "smalls", heaven forbid!
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No it’s not more natural and frankly I don’t really give a damn about Emily’s “we are the world” WNT nor any inference of “a new global language of billiards”. Pool has a vernacular that is well established and because an English firm wants their announcers it’s now being commented on in snooker venacular because it’s what they know, snooker. Perhaps they should stick to snooker.
 
skogstokig said:
i don't know where golden break comes from but i doubt it's snooker, where the first shot is called break-off and break refers to points per visit.. to me golden break reminds me of golden shower from the old frank zappa song
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That crap started in pool with the Matchroom commentators. You can always hear the other commentator cringe when one says it as most of the time it just comes off as forced and childish.

Worst main commentator today, that west coast Colin dude. Constantly talks of how great his "show" and "community" are and just comes off as an arrogant jerk. The PIP overlay on the stream of himself speaks for itself.
 
I feel like I’m trilingual when it comes to English….North American, British, and Mid Atlantic…..plus many dialects.
….so I think we should just fight it out and let the chips fall where they may.
I‘ve been to Britain many times, but I’ve turned down many of their snooker terms. I refuse to use the term ‘break‘ for what I call a ‘run’…..I’m firm on using ‘draw’ rather than ‘screw’….and a ‘double’ is not a ‘bank’.
I also refuse to mention the color of the ball when I’m talking about pool….funny, I don’t mind the yellow ball being called a two ball, though.
…..‘rail’ or ‘cushion‘ are fine with me, but I’ve never ‘pocketed’ a ball in my life…..I made it.
 
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