Ronnie

[Fatboy]

I didn’t want to derail the other thread so I made this one.

In pool we often talk about who’s the best player in the last 40-50 years. As prior to that there isn’t much video and it’s just lost in the past

Who’s the best?

Segal the best front runner
Buddy never had a hard shot
Earl has all the talent
Nick is Nick
Johnny player of the decade
Efren is magical
Busty is still at it 100%
SVB current WC
Ocollo
Gorst&Filler

You get the point.

In snooker, who doesn’t think Ronnie is the best player of the last 40 years? He can’t be beat-unless he beats himself. He does everything better.

My thoughts,

What are your thoughts?

Not here to argue about the Americans & other pool players. I was just generalizing.

But who’s better than Ronnie and at what?

Just amazing this guy dressed in black

Best
Fatboy

 

[xX-Wizard-Xx]

Hard to beat Ronnie

 

[gregcantrall]

Offence ...check
Defense ...check
Strategy ...check
Break building.... Absolutely the best.
Can't find a name that I could say was better at any of the first three.

Stephen Hendry wants.
Courage
Composure
Technique
The composure can be lost. Maybe? John Higgins might have him in the Composure catagory. Maybe.

 

[gregcantrall]

Offence ...check
Defense ...check
Strategy ...check
Break building.... Absolutely the best.
Can't find a name that I could say was better at any of the first three.

Stephen Hendry wants.
Courage
Composure
Technique
The composure can be lost. Maybe? John Higgins might have him in the Composure catagory. Maybe.

Oh wait a minute. John did slam his cue against Ronnie.... nevermind.

 

[telinoz]

The last voices online about Ronnie not being the GOAT as he has not equalled or bettered Hendry's 7 titles looks to be over.
These same advocates ignore Ronnie has beaten ever other record.
And, most significantly over a 30 year period.
Not in a spell.
Not even a King in one decade.

The standard has never been better.
So, to be at the top now is just astounding.

So many records and achievements to point out.
But taking 1 year off after winning the World Championship in 2012 to comeback cold with no match practice and beat everyone and defend the title in 2013 was mind blowing.
Any other major sport have that happen?

2014 final, the Selby issue came along.
It took him a few years to crack that code.
2020 semi final was an all time classic where he broke Selby. Glorious.

I don't mind that he wasted 10 years off the table, could have had 10+ World titles if Dr. Steve Peters was around earlier... Ronnie is Ronnie because of his not so perfect past.
And some of those incidents were funny, sad, but following his journey has been a privilege in my lifetime.
There won't be one like him again.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Snooker is tougher then Pool in many ways, it is so big in UK.

Not sure how big Snooker is in US, but think it making comeback.

 

[Cameron Smith]

There will always be people who will back Hendry. One thing Ronnie will never be able to match is the sheer dominance of Hendry in a short time.

Personally I do think Ronnie is the best ever. He may not have totally dominated a decade, but he was the best in the world over several decades and still managed to stay well ahead of everyone even as the standard rose. That’s one of the big differences for me between Ronnie and the Steve’s. The Steves set a benchmark for excellence and everyone rose to meet it. Ronnie kept pushing that benchmark further and further as everyone struggled to keep up.

 

[measureman]

I didn’t want to derail the other thread so I made this one.

In pool we often talk about who’s the best player in the last 40-50 years. As prior to that there isn’t much video and it’s just lost in the past

Who’s the best?

Segal the best front runner
Buddy never had a hard shot
Earl has all the talent
Nick is Nick
Johnny player of the decade
Efren is magical
Busty is still at it 100%
SVB current WC
Ocollo
Gorst&Filler

You get the point.

In snooker, who doesn’t think Ronnie is the best player of the last 40 years? He can’t be beat-unless he beats himself. He does everything better.

My thoughts,

What are your thoughts?

Not here to argue about the Americans & other pool players. I was just generalizing.

But who’s better than Ronnie and at what?

Just amazing this guy dressed in black

Best
Fatboy

I fixed your list
Who’s the best?

Measureman
Segal the best front runner
Buddy never had a hard shot
Earl has all the talent
Nick is Nick
Johnny player of the decade
Efren is magical
Busty is still at it 100%
SVB current WC
Ocollo
Gorst&Filler

Now debate.

 

[telinoz]

There will always be people who will back Hendry. One thing Ronnie will never be able to match is the sheer dominance of Hendry in a short time.

Personally I do think Ronnie is the best ever. He may not have totally dominated a decade, but he was the best in the world over several decades and still managed to stay well ahead of everyone even as the standard rose. That’s one of the big differences for me between Ronnie and the Steve’s. The Steves set a benchmark for excellence and everyone rose to meet it. Ronnie kept pushing that benchmark further and further as everyone struggled to keep up.

Yep, good summary.

The only thing that I would add, and I am a Hendry fan as well by the way, was the standard in his decade of dominance was not as good as it is now.
Same with Steve Davis before Hendry.
Both lifted the game, no doubt about it.

Judd for a few years, and earlier before he found his all round game with his brand of naughty Snooker looked like he might lift the bar again.
Some of his shot making was just awesome in 2011 and just lack of experience lost him the World title.
Ronnie said at the time he had never seen shots like it.
Judd still can produce these shots, plays things others cannot do, even Ronnie, but not at a consistent level to set a new standard.

I have seen glimpses with Zhao Xintong, as have others to be the next big thing as he has the magic.
Time will tell.

But, Ronnie for now has taken the game to the limits of what a human can do.
He is Usain Bolt, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods in one package.

 

[Cornerman]

I’ll go with Hendry.

 

[SLO-ROLL]

Ronnie is the GOAT. And his interviews are fantastic.

 

[Miller]

steve davis was pretty sporty in his prime. alex higgins was a character (and then some).....

 

[BeiberLvr]

I don't believe there is anything on the table that Ronnie isn't better or equal to anyone in the world.

 

[maha]

the test of time is the deciding factor in greatness,

 

[jschaefer]

mr 100, raymond ceulemans. check the stats

 

[Poolplaya9]

Ronnie is probably the most talented cueist of all time of any cue sport. Unfortunately he didn't accomplish near as much as he could have because he simply didn't give full effort half the time. He still accomplished enough to very clearly be the snooker GOAT. His biggest weaknesses were all mental and among others included lack of maturity and lack of ambition.

 

[telinoz]

the test of time is the deciding factor in greatness,

Ronnie has 30 years at the top of the game.
Looking great to me.

 

[telinoz]

Ronnie is probably the most talented cueist of all time of any cue sport. Unfortunately he didn't accomplish near as much as he could have because he simply didn't give full effort half the time. He still accomplished enough to very clearly be the snooker GOAT. His biggest weaknesses were all mental and among others included lack of maturity and lack of ambition.

This came up recently, in his interviews - it was the opposite of lack of ambition.
He wanted to be the best TOO much, it was over ambition.
Coupled with is upbringing, his Dad going to jail for murder, his mental issues he ignored for years and trying too hard to win everything and be perfect player every single game.
He asked too much of himself.

The maturity thing came from lack of father figure, no doubt about that.
He was a wild child as soon as his old man got locked up.

As I said in my earlier reply, sure he could have won a lot more, easy to go past 10 titles IMO.
But, all these failures made the man we see now - to come through all of that and still be the best at the end of the day more than proves to me he is the GOAT.

 

[Poolplaya9]

This came up recently, in his interviews - it was the opposite of lack of ambition.
He wanted to be the best TOO much, it was over ambition.
Coupled with is upbringing, his Dad going to jail for murder, his mental issues he ignored for years and trying too hard to win everything and be perfect player every single game.
He asked too much of himself.

We can clearly see that he didn't care half the time, and in so many ways he has said so himself many times. Not caring is by definition a lack of ambition. There may have also been some other periodic and sparse times that he tried too hard and put too much pressure on himself, but that is a different thing and there was a lot less of that. He didn't care much and as a result didn't give full effort for half of his career.

 

[book collector]

I didn’t want to derail the other thread so I made this one.

In pool we often talk about who’s the best player in the last 40-50 years. As prior to that there isn’t much video and it’s just lost in the past

Who’s the best?

Segal the best front runner
Buddy never had a hard shot
Earl has all the talent
Nick is Nick
Johnny player of the decade
Efren is magical
Busty is still at it 100%
SVB current WC
Ocollo
Gorst&Filler

You get the point.

In snooker, who doesn’t think Ronnie is the best player of the last 40 years? He can’t be beat-unless he beats himself. He does everything better.

My thoughts,


What are your thoughts?

Not here to argue about the Americans & other pool players. I was just generalizing.

But who’s better than Ronnie and at what?

Just amazing this guy dressed in black

Best
Fatboy

I don't watch any matches he is not in, Trump Selby Higgins all great players , but when Ronnie is on, he is in a whole different league by himself, he just gets perfect position time after time and if he does make a mistake , he still makes the shot most of the time. I have been watching this championship and the only games Trump has won except 1 , were because Ronnie missed a shot he normally makes.
I don't get why the referee has got his nose in so many parts of the match. His job is not to argue with a player , they should not even know he is there, unless he calls a foul. Ronnie knows he's a dbag, he had Trump make sure of the ball placement and after he missed it , the turd tried to spot it back hooked anyway. He would have gotten away with it too , if Ronnie didn't make sure he couldn't . I can't wait for the next session, I like Trump too, but I hope Ronnie wins !