The week as we saw it

[MintTrav]

I'm not fickle. I dislike Ronnie consistently.

Absolutely, & that's fine & dandy.

Even so, I doubt you'd deny that as a player, you've ever seen his like before, the man is unplayable when his head is not in a sling. Sheer genius, but as so many of that ilk, flawed. 

I hope "right" Ronnie turns up at the World Championship, as I'll never see his like again.

Quick sidetrack here - there was an Alex Higgins documentary on BBC 3 or BBC4 last night. I've not seen it yet, but I taped it, but you can probably get it on "Catch Up" or whatever it's called.

I've seen the Higgins docu before but I watched it again last night, good viewing but quite sad.

What about the Rack Pack thing, have you seen that yet?

Ronnie? Couldn't agree more. I watch him every chance I get. Far and away the most talented player the world has ever seen. Could you imagine him with Davis's temperament?

Thread in itself there.  Has any great sportsman/woman had the complete package of talent and temperament? Doing their thing under the most extreme pressure and being regarded as the most docile, friendly or giving in their sport?

Let's also factor in the 24/7 nature of the press and public these days.

Federer, Farah, Klitschkos, Lineker, Rudisha, Davis, Moses. Several other African runners. Sure I could think of plenty of others.

Less dominant, but McGuigan and Kelly Holmes were particularly self-effacing while still being the best in the world for a short time.

[Tal]

I'm talking about all time greats of their sport. Farah, Klitschko and Linekar are a bit of a way down those lists.

Nevertheless, I agree with some of your list. Carlsen in chess now is amiable, sociable and relaxed. Kasparov was brutishly uncompromising; a bully.

I am putting it out there that the ones we typically herald as the greats of their game are more often the tortured genius types that polarise opinion than the GIQ merchants.

[horseplayer]

Very accurate according to Hearn / Davis.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03bv0t5/the-rack-pack

The actor who is playing Higgins is a brilliant fit.

Saw him interviewed last week he had never played snooker before (a bit of pub pool) had to have hundreds of hours of training to enable him to play to a ok standard.

Has got the mannerisms and everything done to a tee looks like being superb.

[TightEnd]

today, somewhere most of us know...

[KarmaDope]

today, somewhere most of us know...

Was lucky enough to see one of these in person at the WSOP last summer. Truly amazing to view. Sadly though Vegas isn't made for them and floods everywhere!

[tikay]

.

[RED-DOG]

What a scary world we live in.

[tikay]

What a scary world we live in.

I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that story, Tom.

Group Four seem to be at the heart of it, they apparently have responsibility for the Housing Stock used by asylum seekers (which is odd in itself), & it was their painting contractors that painted all the doors red. Whether it was by intent or by design, I'm unsure. It's possible the media have back-fitted the facts to suit themselves.   

If it was done intentionally, it's a bit naughty, but I'm not wholly convinced yet.

[TightEnd]

 Hungry leopard dived into muddy watering-hole for a fish and this happened

[RED-DOG]

What a scary world we live in.

I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that story, Tom.

Group Four seem to be at the heart of it, they apparently have responsibility for the Housing Stock used by asylum seekers (which is odd in itself), & it was their painting contractors that painted all the doors red. Whether it was by intent or by design, I'm unsure. It's possible the media have back-fitted the facts to suit themselves.   

If it was done intentionally, it's a bit naughty, but I'm not wholly convinced yet.

Oh I don't think it was done intentionally, what scares me is the fact that there are people who would use the fact that it happened at all to persecute a minority group.

[tikay]

What a scary world we live in.

I'm still trying to get to the bottom of that story, Tom.

Group Four seem to be at the heart of it, they apparently have responsibility for the Housing Stock used by asylum seekers (which is odd in itself), & it was their painting contractors that painted all the doors red. Whether it was by intent or by design, I'm unsure. It's possible the media have back-fitted the facts to suit themselves.   

If it was done intentionally, it's a bit naughty, but I'm not wholly convinced yet.

Oh I don't think it was done intentionally, what scares me is the fact that there are people who would use the fact that it happened at all to persecute a minority group.

This.

[TightEnd]

 International Space Station caught on camera over St Michael's Mount

[TightEnd]

The snowstorm in New York City has been one for the history books. It's the second-biggest snowstorm since 1869

http://nyti.ms/1QrYUbO

[tikay]

Not something you'd expect to see too often on Skegness beach.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35395369

[RED-DOG]

Seems kinds poignant that they managed to stay together.