Friday, November 22, 2024
Column HR473
LUCK… YAY or NAY
The golfing great Jack Nicholaus said, “The more I practice the luckier I get.” The Old Dart Coach would strongly disagree with Nicholaus. There is good luck, bad luck and the old favorite – “No Foxtrot Luck.” Conventional wisdom, often says, “Good and bad luck will even out.” Ask a dart player and there’s no luck in winning and only bad luck in losing. ‘Tis the nature of the beast.
Years ago, the Old Dart Coach won a Friday night bar shoot. He beat a lady 2-1 in a match that lasted from Friday night to almost Saturday morning. A heavily lubricated bystander said, “Boy you were lucky to win.” The ODC was incensed – despite the final leg taking 50 darts.
At the Mr. Vegas Grand Slam of Darts James Wade had one of those moments. Wade had just come off a Group win over Luke Humphries. Commentator Wayne Mardle suggested that Wade was lucky to win. Wade, like the ODC, got the “RA.” Was he lucky or good?
The match stats confirms that Wade wasn’t “lucky.” His win over Humphries sent Humphries packing from the Grand Slam. Humphries led Wade 2-nil which should have been 3-nil except Humphries missed 3 from 40 yielding a leg to Wade. Wade garnered another leg for 2-2 when Humphries missed 2 from 24. Wade wasn’t lucky. Humphries had one of those tournaments.
When the field was announced there was Beau Greaves and “make believe female” Noa-Lynn van Leuven.” This was posted on Facebook: “If I said Noa-Lynn van Leuven was going to win the Grand Slam would that be a ballsey call?” YES. van Leuven went out 0-3 and managed to win only 5 legs, losing 15.
van Leuven’s welcome wasn’t the warmest. During her opening match against Michael van Gerwen, the crowd noise was muted on TV and, once again, all posts to social media involving the 28-year-old were done so with the comments section closed to avoid potential abuse. Isn’t that special.
Beau Greaves went 1-2 with the win coming against Cameron Menzies 5-2. Menzies is the main squeeze of Fallon Sherrock. Sherrock and Beau Graves are one of the sport’s great rivalries much like those between Maureen Flowers, Linda Batten and Sonja Rolphs back in the day. While the three English ladies are all-time greats the old USA had three of its memorable lady darters during the same period: Sandy Reitan-Green, Kathy Karpowich and Kathy Maloney.
There were a number of lucky players in this year’s Grand Slam. They drew away from Luke Littler. In the Group stage Littler was never challenged, winning 5-1, 5-1 and 5-3. In the round of 16 to 8 he came up against the red-hot Mike de Decker. Littler was able to squeeze out a 10-9 win despite being outscored 104.49 to 103.48. If those averages seem high only the first 9 darts count towards averages.
Littler trailed 7-9, then did what Luke “do” using a 15-darter and then a pair of 12-darters for the win. In the semifinals he faced resurgent Gary Anderson. Anderson had reached the semis with a 16-14 win over Gian van Veen. Anderson fell behind 2-4, then gained the lead 6-4 using a pair of 11-darters along the way. From there he never trailed, winning 16-14.
The semifinals matched darters from two eras: Luke Littler, the fuzzy cheeked youngster, playing against the coffee drink grizzled veteran Gary Anderson. Not too long ago, Michael van Gerwen called Anderson a “part timer.”
The Littler-Anderson semi had more swings than a Go-Go dancer’s pasties. Anderson led from the opening leg, building a 3-1 lead. Littler logged 4 legs to take the lead 4-3. Anderson leveled with a 12-darter T124 (T20, 14, 50). Littler fired an 11-darter and a 12-dart T24 (T20, T14, d11) and a 14-darter to lead 7-4.
Anderson had a run of 7 legs for an 11-7 lead. In those 7 legs were an 11 and 12 darter. Big finishes? Yep. T64 (T20, T18, Bull), T42 (T20, T20, d11) and T02 (T20, 2, d20). The pair would then trade legs with Anderson in charge 13-10. Littler made it 11-13 in 11 darts checking 50 (T10 and d10). Littler got to 13-14, then leveled at 14. Anderson broke for 15-14 and then Littler answered by breaking Anderson to force a decider. Littler had the honors starting with a T80 followed by 60 and T40. Anderson marked T34 and T35 but on his third trip he managed only 77 as his first dart hit the triple 1. Littler’s 97 go him to 24 which he erased in 2 – a miss and d12.
The final between Luke Littler and Martin Lukeman had all the drama of Wile E. Coyote against the Roadrunner. Lukeman drew the sweetheart group. To advance to the final Lukeman beat Ross Smith (10-5), Rob Cross (16-11) and Mickey Mansell (16-12). Against Littler, Lukeman could have pleaded “nolo contendere” as he was whipped 16-3.
With the Grand Slam win Littler now joins Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright as only the fourth player to lift ten PDC titles in a calendar year. He moves to fifth on the PDC Order of Merit – not bad for one year’s work, and the year’s not over yet.
This week, it’s the 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals worth £600,000 with the top 64 players entered.
The Golden Era Dart Players announced that the 2025 Stacy Bromberg Senior Open and Reunion has opened the January 17 Dave Kelly Mixed Triples to all ladies 21+. So, ladies grab the geezer of your choice and come on down to CD Sports Lounge in Las Vegas.
There was a recent election here in the Colonies. Donald J. Trump was elected President. The results so infuriated some liberal women that they have decided to shave their heads and have no sex with men. Their announcement takes a lot of pressure to perform off the Old Dart Coach as he’s not as good as he once was.
Wishing all a very Happy Thanksgiving as being a darter allows you into a very selective fraternity. Darters stay Together Forever.
No need to Stay Thirsty on Thanksgiving!
