Thursday, April 11, 2024
Column HR450
PDC Ground Hog Day – Par Deux
As the Old Dart Coach predicted some time ago, the PDC will become “Luke’s World.” It has arrived.
But first an update on what Punxsutawney Phil, aged 138, does between the time he emerges from his hole on February 2 until his next year’s appearance. His secret has been revealed…
While not widely known, Phil has a wife named Phyllis. On March 27, it was announced that Phil and Phyllis welcomed two babies to the family, probably named Paul and Paula. Although unconfirmed, it’s reported that they produced children after all this time due to the addition of a cable television channel that features groundhog porn. Who knew!
After Luke Littler skinned Michael van Gerwen 6-3 in the Euro Tour event, MvG stated: “I think at this moment he is the best player and we all have to face it, we have to battle but he also knows this is not going to run forever. He’s playing some cracking darts; I have to admit that.” The guess is that MvG was thinking the same thing when Littler again scored a 6-3 win opening the pathway to his second Premier League victory in Manchester.
Granted, Littler’s Premier League win last week over MvG wasn’t a classic. MvG came from 3 down to level at 3 using a hold, break and hold. The 7th leg might have gotten placed in van Gewen’s column too but for a missed Big Bull from 167 that left him with 25 remaining. He them missed a pair for 16 allowing Littler a 20-dart win. Littler’s average of 93.15 was a low for him the night.
Let’s give a little love to Nathan Aspinall as he got so close to a win, falling short and becoming the “Bridesmaid never the bride” in this year’s action. He did again last Thursday as he lost a semifinal match to Luke Littler 6-5. Littler opened a lead of 2-1 when Aspinall missed two to capture the 3rd leg. From 3-1 Littler made it 5-2 including a T33 (T17, d20, d20) and a T36 (T20, T12, d20). Aspinall creeped back to 4-5 thanks to a missed finish by Littler. In what became the decider the Asp missed one to force another leg, losing 6-4.
Gerwyn Price is nicknamed “The Iceman” which is cute also, lately, fake news.” But alas, sometimes that ice melts, becoming H2O. That occurred as Littler opened a 3-nil lead in Thursday night’s final. Price had chances at doubles in two of those three legs, losing 6-3.
This week’s action for the PDC was limited to a pair of Players Championships. Chris Dobey and Danny Norppert were winners. The latter defeated Luke Humphries.
With that in mind, if you need your fix of darts – how about the CDC CROSSBORDER Challenge from Michigan City, Illinois. The event features 8 from the USA and 8 from Canada and runs Friday and Saturday. Tickets are still available but if you can’t attend try PDC-TV and Darts Connect.
Georgia’s Dani Warmack is a well-known American darts player. She recently posted on Facebook a long and well written essay in regard to women rights. It was in reaction, probably, to recent challenges from transgender men competing against women. She was spot on until she wasn’t…
Unfortunately, the “until she wasn’t” is a mistake that almost anyone can make. When “untrue” or “unverified” information is used a lot of good work is suspect. Although not always fair it’s a truism.
Ms. Warmack opened with: “Women’s rights weren’t easy to obtain. Let alone the privilege to have our own sports events acknowledged! We spent centuries being told we couldn’t before movements, scholarships, and bills were made to allow us our own events that were recognized. Women’s rights aren’t about being equal in terms of equal strength and other things. It was about not being paid less for the same position a man is in. Or not even having our own events or positions in jobs we were allowed to participate in.”
It would be difficult to argue with her statements.
She continued. “It was about growing our community of women into confident positions and allowing us to make a living doing the same thing men were doing.”
Right on, except sports don’t work that way. Should a woman that plays in a professional football (Women’s National Football Conference) make the same money as an NFL player? Should a woman soccer player in England make the same money as a male player in the EPL? No, because their product doesn’t produce the money as either the NFL or the Premier League.
And more. “Our records as women, our hard work and effort to becoming the best in our divisions. Our entire everything, is being taken away by biological men. Our payouts, awards, recognition. And they never fought for these rights like we did! We are just expected to give it to them without a fight for their rights!”
In fact, that is not the main challenge to women’s darts. The problem is that the number of women playing steel darts is declining.
Biological men feeling like women have a strong national lobby. For instance, on Easter in the USA, President Joe Biden promoted Transgender Day of Visibility which fell on Easter Sunday. He no doubt calculated that his actions would garner more votes. Utter nonsense.
The “trans” lobby would certainly be in an uproar if the ADO were bold enough to ban “transgender males.” That would be disastrous for the ADO…
Danny jumped the shark with: “The ADO rule states that anyone who identifies as a woman on their first tournament of the year, has to remain as a women for the year and play in their events… but next January, you can go back to your proclaimed gender and play as a man.”
ADO President Jim Widmayer inquired: “Dani, can you post where you found the ADO rule on this? Or is this hearsay?” A legitimate inquiry.
This is where Ms. Dani’s get in deep water with no lifeguard on duty: “A board member told me.”
The ADO President then asked which board member – and while this got no direct answer from Ms. Warmack she responded with a brilliant deflection, and a damn accurate one in part, as it applies to the ADO…
“There’s plenty of rules that are unwritten that are followed as well as written rules that aren’t followed. But I believe (ADO) General Rule 8 covers what has been stated by the board member.”
NOTE: ADO General Rule 8 does not at this time cover transgenders – and while Ms. Warmack may have had a point about rules that are ignored, she provided no examples.
Take that, Captain America.
Stay thirsty my friends.
