chunky Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 4 hours ago, gustix said: Were I a rider who 'had the finger pointed at me' in this thread my thoughts would be 'why did I ever bother to be a rider?' How's that sore little botty of yours? I have been playing darts competitively for over 40 years - much of it at the very highest level. You think I haven't gone through the same thing? There are many reasons why you can be looked upon as unpopular, some are genuine, and some are just ridiculous opinions based on ignorance and prejudice. Whatever, I have had fingers pointed at me on many occasions (at darts, I mean, not just by the idiots on the BSF!!! ), yet NOT ONCE have I thought, "why did I ever bother to be a dart player?" If someone really is that sensitive and thin-skinned, then NO, they shouldn't have become a rider. Then NO, they shouldn't be around be around nasty pointy dangerous darts. Then NO, they shouldn't be out in that horrible world with all those horrible people. They should stay at home with their comfy-wumfy feather pillows and their warm cocoa, watching re-runs of Bagpuss... Steve 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 A sportsperson would understand, a fan would understand. You would also think that a journalist of long standing would understand the spirit in which sport is played out and that there are always going to be popular and unpopular participants. It often pays to be unpopular. A lot have made a career out of it all. Like I said Fundin understood the reason he was unpopular, was that he was so good. Being popular wasn't important, being successful was. If he could go to Wimbledon and beat one of the most popular riders in the sport and along the way get a few boos, it was a price he was more than willing to pay, and it was something he was expecting. If there was a journalist, a forum member who despite all the years connected to the sport, didn't really understand some of the emotions, then it would be gustix..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 24 minutes ago, iris123 said: You would also think that a journalist of long standing would understand the spirit in which sport is played out One would think... I can tell you that one legendary darts commentator and journalist had no comprehension of what goes on when competing (and I'm not talking about Dave Lanning or John Gwynne). It is "nice" to be popular, but any sportsperson at a genuinely competitive level will tell you that as long as there is SOME kind of atmosphere (as long as it's not truly combative and violent) that's all you need. Probably the best atmosphere I experienced was pretty hostile towards me when I beat Eric Bristow in his last-ever World Championship appearance. The crowd was totally baying for my blood, and it was fantastic! Playing - and beating - Raymond van Barneveld in front of a couple of thousand partisan Dutch fans was a similar experience! As I said, we love that. We certainly don't go running to mummy, or wondering why we bother... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 Back on the subject in hand one rider who was unpopular at Cowley was the late Les Owen who was involved in a nasty crash with Arne Pander resulting in the 'Great Dane' suffering a fractured skull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 1 hour ago, steve roberts said: Back on the subject in hand one rider who was unpopular at Cowley was the late Les Owen who was involved in a nasty crash with Arne Pander resulting in the 'Great Dane' suffering a fractured skull. I think you can look at similar cases at most tracks. At Plough Lane, Steve Bastable was the evil one after Rudy Muts suffered serious injury. Rudy was never the same after that. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 4 hours ago, chunky said: when I beat Eric Bristow in his last-ever World Championship appearance. Ah, right. I know who you are now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 16, 2019 Report Share Posted September 16, 2019 38 minutes ago, norbold said: Ah, right. I know who you are now! You hadn't seen the "Wanted" posters? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, chunky said: I think you can look at similar cases at most tracks. At Plough Lane, Steve Bastable was the evil one after Rudy Muts suffered serious injury. Rudy was never the same after that. Steve ...and I guess Preben Eriksen would be another at Plough Lane after his 'tangle' with Kelvin Tatum at Wolves. Apparently Eriksen was targeted by some members of the 'Dons' team during the return at Wimbledon. Edited September 17, 2019 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 11 hours ago, iris123 said: A sportsperson would understand, a fan would understand. You would also think that a journalist of long standing would understand the spirit in which sport is played out and that there are always going to be popular and unpopular participants. It often pays to be unpopular. A lot have made a career out of it all. Like I said Fundin understood the reason he was unpopular, was that he was so good. Being popular wasn't important, being successful was. If he could go to Wimbledon and beat one of the most popular riders in the sport and along the way get a few boos, it was a price he was more than willing to pay, and it was something he was expecting. If there was a journalist, a forum member who despite all the years connected to the sport, didn't really understand some of the emotions, then it would be gustix..... Jack Millen was painted as a villain but he had the respect of his fellow riders and he was regarded as one of the nicest guys you could of met. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Jack Millen was painted as a villain but he had the respect of his fellow riders and he was regarded as one of the nicest guys you could of met. Yes, Sid, John Davis was very complimentary of him in an interview he gave in "Backtrack" some years ago. Len Silver was very distressed over Jack's tragic end and thought very highly of him. Edited September 17, 2019 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Yes, Sid, John Davis was very complimentary of him in an interview he gave in "Backtrack" some years ago. Len Silver was very distressed over Jack's tragic end and thought very highly of him. Terrific with young riders he would give them lots of help he was great mates with the great Phil Crump. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAST GATER Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) I remember Jack once taking Ivan Mauger's carb apart at B/vue while Ivan was getting changed to see any mods he had ,when Ivan returned someone informed him of what Jack had done to which he replied at least he will have put it back together properly ! Edited September 17, 2019 by FAST GATER 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 8 hours ago, FAST GATER said: I remember Jack once taking Ivan Mauger's carb apart at B/vue while Ivan was getting changed to see any mods he had ,when Ivan returned someone informed him of what Jack had done to which he replied at least he will have put it back together properly ! Garry Middleton did a similar thing to Briggo's engine...when Briggo caught him red handed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted September 22, 2019 Report Share Posted September 22, 2019 On 9/14/2019 at 9:12 AM, Sidney the robin said: Did the same happen to the great Shawn Moran TMC ??? Yes, that was the case with Shawn too - as he admitted in Backtrack yonks ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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