Etiquette still exists in snooker, at least most of the time...

Table talk / Paul Moon / 29 April 2008 / 1 Comments

Pablo Luna - Moonlighting for Betfair. Pablo looks at the concept of etiquette across different sports and finds that snooker still has plenty of it, though a few individuals have let themselves down over the years...

Etiquette in sport has devalued year on year since the 1950s. In some sports it does not exist at all! I see three major reasons for this. One is the pressure of winning and the huge rewards. The anxiety to succeed has engulfed and distorted actions and responses. Cut-throat behaviour is now the norm in most sports where 'getting the edge' over your opponent mentally is as important as playing the game itself!

Sport is now global and this brings different natures and cultures to the table. What we perceive as rudeness in this country may be viewed completely differently in another and vice-versa. Instead of a game between two teams or two players, it has become a game against factions and nations. This brings antagonistic attitudes and history into the vessel.

A third reason and especially in the United Kingdom is the breakdown of society. Respect to your elders has been replaced by a shove out of the way by the young guns! I know of no one who thinks that we are better mannered today than in previous years and this manifests itself in sport.

A barometer of truth of the above is when you look at Golf, Tennis and Snooker. These were once flagships of a gentleman's game but times have changed even in these revered sports. American crowds at the 1999 edition of the Ryder Cup at Brookline represented ignorance and bad behaviour of the worst kind, showing the most despicable acts of cowardice and this was orchestrated by the playing team themselves! It got so bad it threatened the competition itself. That could not happen thirty or forty years ago, a pure case of standards degenerating.

Tennis, because of globalisation has lost its soul. It is now an unclean sport where drug taking is commonplace and thus disqualifies the word 'sport'. A passive and casual attitude towards doping does tennis no credit and generates a stench of hypocrisy. The ATP look the other way and therefore condone cheating. It has reached the point where legalising performance-enhancing drugs and the inadequacy of the drug testing agencies to deal with it is the only way to create a level playing field?

Snooker remains the last bastion of etiquette but even this sport is being eroded. My first negative memory in this sport was Dennis Taylor, now a marvellous commentator. I always remembered how he took losing a match very badly and in full view of audience. His resentful remarks after the game emphasised his grudging actions.

We then had the tormented Alex Higgins, who despite his talent did not understand how to relate to other humans (let alone society or the sport) but this was regarded as a shame because of his confused state. More recently we had the obnoxious Quinten Hann. His volatile temper constantly got him into trouble in sport and in his private life but his offensive gestures to the crowd and his opponents made him the worst apology of a snooker player in history. Currently banned for 8 years, it should have been for life!

I am from the school where you play the match hard ball but at the final whistle after trying your best, you accept the decision. I was particularly impressed with John Higgins this week. The current World Champion took time out to wish heartfelt good luck on Ryan Day, his conqueror. The Welshman is currently [90.0] to win the competition with Betfair.

Ronnie O'Sullivan, currently the favourite at [2.16] is typical of the modern sportsman. Precociously talented, he is a moody individual with little respect for other players or people sat near him, in earshot. How much harm would it do to his game if he just showed some good manners and courtesy? Not much I wager! I want to like him, but cannot. I feel only Stephen Maguire can beat him this year and if you fancy him to do just that, he is currently trading at [6.2]. Prices with Betfair.

I find Hendry, [6.8] to go on and win, a boring person but I admire his achievements; I enjoy watching the focussed Ebdon who is [13.5]. I am looking forward to watching the aggressive Wenbo ([29.0]) develop his game and wonder if he will ever understand the word safety? The different personalities enrich snooker but there is a line of propriety that you do not cross. I want it to be competitive but retain the core elements that makes it such an appealing sport to play and watch. It would fill me with dread if all the top players were in the Ronnie mould as the game would be poorer for it!

Comments (1)

1. Richie Cunningham | 07 May 2008

   I have just read Pablo's article on etiquette in sport and feel that he has made some really good points .
   while Ronnie O'sullivan is brilliant on the table he is no ambassador for the sport, His outburst in china proves that . I still admire Steve Davis who at his prime was so hard to beat but he had respect for his own sport and would never do anything to harm it. He still gives an honest opinion even when he's just lost a game. Generally in sport there is a total lack of respect especially for officials .We must clean up our game and come down hard on the abusers to enable youngsters of today become honest sportmen and women.