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Rocket Ronnie and the Demon

December 18, 2001 ~ 3:38 p.m.

Readers of my October 20, 2001 entry will recall my discovery and subsequent passion for snooker, a form of billiards popular in the British Isles. I have not played the game personally (yet); I have only ever played American pool. Snooker has its own unique rules and strategies. But I watch snooker on the BBC, to which I am grateful for their faithful coverage of the matches. So just how did this Yank become an addicted snooker spectator? I don�t even quite know myself, but I know this: I do not miss matches if I can help it. When I first discovered snooker on the TV, it was really my only form of escape at the time�an escape for which I was desperate as I was so homesick as to nearly be physically ill. I think that best explains my love for the game. It was there for me at a time when I most needed something to take my mind off my troubles.

It has been a personally frustrating autumn for me this year, but extensive coverage of snooker in October (the LG Cup) and this month (the UK Championship) has helped me yet again. I observe the intense concentration of the players and marvel at the tricky shots they make. It is like watching tigers circling their territory slowly before launching an attack on their prey. And snooker players may appear quiet, genteel types in ordinary life, but during matches they are tigers themselves. They pace around the table, deciding on the best mode of attack, and when they see an opportunity, they pounce. Shot after shot, pot after pot�these guys are incredible. And they give no quarter to their competition. It is predator vs. prey in snooker and if you�re a player, you can only hope that your killer instinct doesn�t betray you.

It helps to enjoy snooker even more when you have a favorite player. Ronnie O�Sullivan has been around a while and was a cult favorite among snooker fans. His approach to the game was unrelenting and his display of talent leaves many speechless. But success eluded him for a while. You could count on Ronnie to put on a good show and he never failed to satisfy. His grit and ability became legendary in his own time and every century he got had The Crucible or Barbican Centre audiences standing in their seats. Indeed, Ronnie O�Sullivan had a rabid and dedicated fan base before the championships that eluded him. Like so many snooker fans before me, I was also enraptured by �Rocket� Ronnie upon first seeing him in action during the quarter-finals of the 1998 UK Championships, but he got bounced out in the semi-finals.

Snooker is not all about Ronnie O�Sullivan. There are, of course, plenty of other good players who are every bit worth watching. They include John Higgins, Ken Doherty, Stephen Lee, Stephen Hendry, Peter Ebdon, Mark Williams, Quentin Hann, Marco Fu, etc. The list goes on. These guys are all pros and they make snooker championships a worthwhile sporting event. But I don�t care who�s at the table�Ronnie is the man! I have nothing against Ken Doherty, who Ronnie took on in the recent UK Championship final this past Sunday night. The Rocket handled him easily, winning the match 11 frames to 1. As such, the championships elude Ronnie no longer. He is the reigning World Champion (a title he won last April) and is now the UK Champion. Even Michael Jordan had to wait several years before his Chicago Bulls became champions. And it�s becoming apparent that Ronnie O�Sullivan is the Michael Jordan of snooker.

It was not a lack of talent that held Ronnie back during those earlier years. It was clear to all who watched him play that he could have other players on their knees, so great was his game. But he got beaten in the long run due to personal problems. It was inner demons that held him back. For many years, Ronnie battled paralyzing depression and alcoholism, brought on by a tortured soul. Even the game that brought him fame and provided a living became one of his hatreds (he once announced that he felt snooker was �stalking� him). Only very recently, Ronnie decided enough was enough. The championships are now his only because he brought his demon to his knees. Everybody has self-doubt to a certain extent. But Ronnie had more than any player ever deserved and now he is the champion in two events.

Snooker is back on the BBC in February. I cannot wait. It�s going to be a long January. But when it returns, I will be chanting along with the Wembley audience: �Ronnie! Ronnie!�

� M.E.M.

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Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.

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