fangs ain't what they used to be

I’ve just finished watching the World Snooker Championship.  A largely dull affair won by a man from England beating a man from China.  If you asked me to name them right now then despite the fact I spent the best part of 2 days watching them, I would be hard pressed to oblige.

But I was lucky enough to grow up during the golden era of snooker.  When it exploded onto our television screens, with a tournament on seemingly every week, snooker clubs became more and more popular leading to a waiting list for membership more akin to the local golf club.

Part of the sport’s popularity was down to the personalities the game produced, along with their antics and behaviour. And the huge amounts of money pouring in from sponsors that often dwarf the sums on offer today even.

But it was all about the competitors.  Chain smoking, hard drinking flair players like Alex Higgins.  Larger than life Canadian Bill Werbiniuk who had an apparent medical necessity to down pint after pint of lager to enable him to relax and play.  Dennis Taylor with his funny upside down glasses.  Steve “Interesting” Davis (he wasn’t – but he could certainly play the game).  John Virgo, who would entertain the watching crowds by mimicking the other players.  Cliff Wilson.  Poor Cliff only had one eye.

And my favourite: Ray Reardon, nicknamed “Dracula” partly due to his looks and partly down to the fact that he only came to life to play in the evening sessions.  Those evening sessions that went on until the small hours of the morning leading to many a bleary eye in school or in work the following day.

I can still remember vividly the 1985 final between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, with Taylor potting the black in the very last frame to lift the World crown at around 2am

Yet I can’t remember what happened yesterday.  Perhaps snooker needs to modernise itself by looking back into its history.  Let the players smoke and drink, let the matches go on until past midnight. Yes, the players may make more mistakes.  But only because they have taken more risks.

Bring back the good old days.