Wednesday, July 21, 2022
Column HR357
July 20, Par Deux – GAME OVER, but memories linger…
The Miller’s Report: Love it. It was a great night of darts. The drama was thrilling. Had a great time in the sauna. Temps dropping by 20 degrees outside, but it will still be hot in Winter Garden. Interesting – a sauna with beer. Great idea.
The Peter Wright – Krzysztof Ratajski meeting, as mentioned, was an all-time classic. It had high scoring with 17 T80’s and 30 T40’s. It had high drama. Smiles would come from a player being so confident of a number which he then missed. There were darts thrown after careful thought as one “dithered” for a plan and then – there was the “Pucker Effect”.
Watch closely for the “nonchalant toss.” Ratajski wanted 101 when he hit a 20, then went for the t19 to leave 24. He owned t19 but was casual, hitting a 7. He saved the leg with t14 – winning the leg in 13.
Another time, he wanted 101 and started with t20. Going for the t7 to leave 40 he hit t8 then 20 to leave 17. He won that leg also. The Dart God was watching over him.
Wright wanted an 81 and hit the 19. He went for a fat 12 to leave 50 – hit a 9 and lost the leg.
Then there’s the “dither” dart. You have a decision to make and you “dither”. Wright had 108 and hit t18 leaving 50 with two darts in his hand. He had owned the Red Bull all day. He passed on the bull, shot for 18 but missed 32, leaving 16. The Dart God saved his butt as Ratajski missed 3 at 36. Wright then went 8, 4, d2 for the leg. He tossed 9 darts at d4, hitting it once.
The “Pucker Effect” is usually described by darters as “Whiskey Tango Fox”. That’s when you need a t20 and instead hit 1, t1 and 5. Or you need d16 to win and hit a fat 7.
Danny Noppert 11-4 over Daryl Gurney. Noppert had runs of 5 and 4 including closes of T02, T03, T14 and T32. Noppert averaged 102 checking 60%.
#7 Jose de Sousa 11-8 over #10 Rob Cross. de Sousa got to 4-1. The Comeback Kid narrowed the gap to 4-6 with a 10-darter. Cross missed 3 from 32 to close to 5-6. De Sousa’s T20 makes it 8-4, 84 for 9-4. Cross won two as Comeback stopped with an 11-darter for 10-6. Cross finishes T06 to make it 8-10. With 10 left, de Sousa went 2, d4. Both players averaged 103. WOW!
#2 Gerwyn Price 11- 8 over #15 Dave Chisnall. Chizzy takes first 2-sessions, 3-2 – last leg T77 to set up 40. Neat. Price finally brakes serve with T24 to level at 6. Price erases T64 on the bull for 8-6. Chizzy answers with a T42 check for 7-8. Price moves to 9-7 when Chizzy misses 3 at 10. Price holds for 10-7. Chizzy’s T11 makes it 8-10. Price hits d1 for the match, taking 6 of last 9 legs.
#14 Dirk van Duijvenbode 11-7 over #3 Michael Smith. DvD took a 4-1 lead that included a T70 finish. Smith wastes 2 at 40 as DvD converts 85 for 6-4 lead. Smith only gets to 7.
The Old Dart Coach is 8 for 8 with picks – including both de Sousa and DvD upsets. Not too Chablis. Gee this guy’s good.
Thursday’s Round of 8
#1 Peter Wright (4/5) vs. #8 Dimitri Van den Bergh. Defending champ has the Mojo and darts going for him. He says “No one can beat me.” So far, he’s been right. He’ll be too much for Van den Bergh.
#4 Michael van Gerwen (4/7) vs. Nathan Aspinall. “Chalk-eating Weasel” takes MVG to advance to the semifinals.
Friday’s Round of 8
Danny Noppert vs. #14 Dirk van Duijvenbode. Teammates in World Cup assures that at least a Dutchman will be in the semis, and it may not be MvG.
#2 Gerwyn Price vs. #7 Jose de Sousa. Price has been able to come from behind twice. He can’t afford to start slow. He won’t . Price wins a close one.
The ODC got a call from “The Legend” Russ Lopez who was called a Breakfast Taco by the First Lady of the United States. Lopez wanted to complain about comments directed at his religion in recent column.
The ODC explained that he was deeply sorry for the post, but half the blame goes to Nicky Turner, a former Londoner. It was his post on the heat in England set it off. The “Legend” forgave the ODC, then issued a number of orders to be accomplished.
The ODC had enough…
“When does an Anglo become subservient to a “breakfast taco”?
“McDonalds, Burger King, Jack-In-the Box and Panda Express.”
He had the ODC there.
Stay thirsty my friends.
