Ronnie

[Double-Dave]

If you ask the current top 128 of Snooker players who their favorite player is I'd wager over 100 of them will say it's Ronnie. He's the pro's pro. Very similar to Efren in that regard.

There is also 0% doubt that in top gear Ronnie is and has been for 30 years absolutely unstoppable. It simply doesn't matter who the other guy is and how good he's playing. Ronnie in top form simply blasts straight thru anyone and everyone, one cannot play the game any better then he does.

Yes, he has his mental gremlins but I truly believe without them he wouldn't be the player he is today. Yes there are other players who are better match/tournament players then he is because of their mental strength.

He is by far the best player, it's not even close. Later today he will silence the very last doubters by winning his record equalling 7th world title. He has allready won the most ranking titles, the most century breaks, the longest win streak and countless other records. Not even close. I wouldn't think it impossible he'll beat Davis's record of 81 titles (Ronnie's at 72 currently) and probably take Stephen's record aswell by winning an 8th in the next few years.

I agree with others in this topic that arguably his greatest achievement is the 2013 WC win after taking a year of. Must have been quite disheartening for the rest of the players.

 

[telinoz]

You touched on a key point.
He is the player's player.
Back in 2011, when I was more active on the organiser and media side of cuesports, I was able to chat with the Professionals and everyone of them said Ronnie.
The only joker was Mark Williams, lol. He said himself. Love that guy.

 

[btal]

Thanks to all you guys for your running commentary over the last week. Almost as good as watching it all.
The Chimp paradox. Gotta get it! From what little I just read about it ......... wish I would have read it many years ago. Hey ..... never too late. LOL

 

[CanadianGuy]

as far as Snooker, most pros had agreed on Ronnie as of several years ago, talking like 2008 after his third title,
this has not been a debate for many years

Raymond Ceulemans' may have dominated his discipline the most and beat all the current champs at an advanced age

Earl and Efren achieved ridiculous things in a disipline not set up for sustained individual success,

Mark Selby is the closest thing to a proven all rounder

 

[sjm]

Though I'm sure I've seen a lot less snooker than most posting in this thread, I have been watching pro snooker for about 35 years.

I saw the primes of Davis, Hendry, and O'Sullivan and while I feel that each dominated his contemporaries similarly, O'Sullivan did it for the longest and must be reckoned the GOAT because of it.

It could be a long wait before pro snooker produces another like Ronnie. His love for Judd Trump and Judd's daring, aggressive style, shows what kind of snooker gets Ronnie excited, and it is also the kind he always played himself, most likely better than Judd could ever dream of playing.

Yup, Ronnie's the GOAT in my view.

 

[Fatboy]

This is a great thread! Yay

Thanks guys

 

[3kushn]

mr 100, raymond ceulemans. check the stats

Ya these 3C guys rarely enter the conversation voting for an all time GOAT with a cue.

I've often lamented not witnessing many of the past greats. Harold Worst and Mosconi are on top of that list. Never witnessed them.
Lasiter, Balsis, Crane, .... and those champs? Only saw them over one long weekend. Mizerak and Rempe on the same weekend. Reyes, only a very few of times in person.

Ceulemans absolutely dominated for 30+ years. I believe he was the major reason to go to 40pts from 50pt games then came the 3 of 5 -15pt sets. NOBODY could beat him in the long game.

I'm not arguing Mr 100 was greater with a cue than Ronnie or anyone. Just enforcing the notion this argument is impossible to solve.

That said, I think I we're all witnessing some of the best that ever lived in all the cue disciplines right now, today.

Forget about who was better yesterday vs today.

Enjoy the greatness right in front of your eyes.

Hard to make the numbers lie.

PS: If you're not paying attention to Snooker, you're really missing some of the very best cue action on the planet.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Snooker is tougher then Pool in many ways,

It is also more interesting to watch.

 

[891014+1]

There is something about Ronnie O'Sullivan that intrigues me: how much and exactly how did he practised to achieve the technical ability he have?!

 

[book collector]

Whoever helped Ronnie get his head in the right place is a guru. It's a shame Earl didn't find him 10 years ago. It was amazing to watch how fast he calmed down after the couple of altercations with the referee. Poof, it was over ,and he is back running balls. Extremely impressive in that arena.

 

[FastManners]

Whoever helped Ronnie get his head in the right place is a guru. It's a shame Earl didn't find him 10 years ago. It was amazing to watch how fast he calmed down after the couple of altercations with the referee. Poof, it was over ,and he is back running balls. Extremely impressive in that arena.

Dr Steve Peters, has worked with Ronnie since 2011. He really has worked miracles. https://chimpmanagement.com/professor-steve-peters/

 

[telinoz]

There is something about Ronnie O'Sullivan that intrigues me: how much and exactly how did he practised to achieve the technical ability he have?!

Start young.
All the great Snooker players did.
They started at 7 to 10 years of age, there is a decent junior tour and coaching.
Ronnie had his first competitive 147 when he was 15 years old....

They all put in 6 to 8 hours a day.
Pure talent gets you so far, he put the time in as well.

 

[FastManners]

There is something about Ronnie O'Sullivan that intrigues me: how much and exactly how did he practised to achieve the technical ability he have?!

From what I understand the top snooker players have been practicing for several hours a day since they were very young. These days if you are not making hundred breaks by about the age of ten you have very little chance of making it. Even then the jump from exceptional amateur player to touring pro is huge. I grew up around some phenomenal players in the UK and the talented players who didn't make it on the tour is insane.
Back in the day you could buy your way on the tour and call yourself a pro. Thankfully, it has all been reformed with a finite amount of pro players who have to go through Q school to be eligible to play on the pro tour.

 

[sjm]

If you ask the current top 128 of Snooker players who their favorite player is I'd wager over 100 of them will say it's Ronnie. He's the pro's pro. Very similar to Efren in that regard.

Yes, that's a critical factor. What one's peers think must be reckoned as part of the case for legendary status.

It's somewhat similar to the case for Mike Sigel as the best player of the nine-ball generation. Both Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland named Mike Sigel as the best player they had ever played against. That speaks volumes for me.

 

[skogstokig]

It could be a long wait before pro snooker produces another like Ronnie. His love for Judd Trump and Judd's daring, aggressive style, shows what kind of snooker gets Ronnie excited, and it is also the kind he always played himself, most likely better than Judd could ever dream of playing.

a very long wait, i fear. snooker in the UK and ireland struggles with producing young new talents. if we ever will see one with that kind of exceptional offensive talent my bet is he will be from an asian country.

 

[Double-Dave]

More then likely in our lifetime we won't see another player like Ronnie in Snooker. He's in my opinion one of those very, very rare athletes that are pretty much unmatchable within their sport.

It's akin to asking when we will see another Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt or Tiger Woods, maybe Valentino Rossi aswell. For me Ronnie is in that kind of company. People that redefined what is possible in their sport whilst also being huge crowd favorites.

 

[gregcantrall]

The snooker academies are training some incredible young players. The skills they put on display are quite impressive. Shooting equally well with either hand is One of Ronnie's skills that I have not seen approached by any other player young or old. The switch is seemless and often not noticed. Often not noticed or commented. Heck I even missed one that was commented by Hendry against Judd. Judd has the other hand weapon also but not quite as confident with it as Ronnie.

 

[alphadog]

Something no one talks about is Ronnie's love for his fellow professionals. Those players he considers his peers he greatly respects. I believe he isn't happy with Selby's style which is unwarranted by Selby's ability to play the attacking game like the others. Yes Ronnie has referred to some players in less then glowing terms but this in his idea that professional tournaments are for professionals,not a chance for a unknown to eliminate a known pro. He would probably love a 16 man professional tour.

 

[measureman]

Something no one talks about is Ronnie's love for his fellow professionals. Those players he considers his peers he greatly respects. I believe he isn't happy with Selby's style which is unwarranted by Selby's ability to play the attacking game like the others. Yes Ronnie has referred to some players in less then glowing terms but this in his idea that professional tournaments are for professionals,not a chance for a unknown to eliminate a known pro. He would probably love a 16 man professional tour.

In pool isn't great when some relatively unknown short stop beats a world class player?
Back in the '80s a short stop from my room had Hopkins on the ropes at the U.S. Open.
Short stop needed 1 game and Hopkins needed like 7 or 8 to win.
The short stop fell apart and Hopkins won.
From that day forth the short stop was known as Dog Biscuit.
I once played the same short stop a 9 ball race even to 5.
I broke and ran the first 4 racks,on rack 5 I ran to the 8 and played bad position on the 9 and played a safe,the short stop banked the 9 in.
So now I'm up 4 to 0.
I couldn't close the show and lost 5 to 4,so I guess I'm Dog Biscuit II.
While I'm at here's a good one.
I'm playing Neptune Joe Frady (RIP) and I'm getting 100 to 80.
Joe breaks and I run 53,looking good.
I don't remember if I missed or just got out safed but Joe runs 100 and out on me first open shot he got.
Joe was a monster when he was right.

 

[telinoz]

All the new young players are learning to play right or left handed, thanks to Ronnie.
It has become a requirement as it is such a powerful tool.

Hard to see how much more can be done on a Snooker table.