{"id":5602,"date":"2015-07-29T18:49:17","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T18:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2015\/07\/hr145-the-darts-greats-of-yesteryear-would-prosper-today\/"},"modified":"2024-02-14T22:23:27","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T22:23:27","slug":"hr145-the-darts-greats-of-yesteryear-would-prosper-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2015\/07\/hr145-the-darts-greats-of-yesteryear-would-prosper-today\/","title":{"rendered":"#HR145 The darts greats of yesteryear would prosper today"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wednesday, July 29,\u00a02015<\/span><\/span>
\nColumn HR145
\nThe darts greats of yesteryear would prosper today<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Old Dart Coach (for those who are not aware) has a bit of an ego. Sure, this may come as a shock to some, but most will shake their heads with savoir-faire and mutter, \u201cTell me something I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) recently held their mid-summer \u201cclassic\u201d in Blackpool with a total payout of \u00a3450,000. The PDC trumpeted the World Matchplay as a \u201cmajor,\u201d as they should. It was also a mid-summer dream for the many players who would cash checks. The dirty little secret is that the ODC was calling it a \u201cmajor\u201d long before the PDC climbed aboard. Did he get an email saying “Thanks ODC”? Shirley you jest.<\/p>\n

Those who watched on SKY, through streaming or sites like First Row Sports saw one hell of a show (well once play advanced through the first round, which had scores of 10-2, 10-4, 10-5 and 10-6 – which cries out for a \u201cmercy rule.\u201d).<\/p>\n

Raymond van Barneveld waved bye-bye after the first round.\u00a0 Andy Hamilton took the first leg and never relinquished the lead, winning 10-7.\u00a0 Mensur Suljovi\u0107, aka \u041c\u0435\u043d\u0441\u0443\u0440 \u0421\u0443\u0459\u043e\u0432\u0438\u045b, is without a doubt the best dart player in the world born in Serbia and living in Austria (admittedly a small sample). He\u2019s probably best known for his throwing style, which resembles the old \u201cherky-jerky\u201d deliver of 13-year major league pitcher \u201cHerky-Perky\u201d Bob Perky.<\/p>\n

In the only match in the first round that went to the tie breaker, Suljovi\u0107 took an 11-9 victory over Terry Jenkins. After falling behind Jenkins 5-2,\u00a0Suljovi\u0107 battled back with four on the trot for a 6-5 lead. Jenkins would level at six which was answered by three on the trot for the gritty Serbian-Austrian. At 9-6, Suljovi\u0107 missed the bull for the win allowing Jenkins to level again at nine.\u00a0 Requiring\u00a0two clear legs,\u00a0 Suljovi\u0107 hit double 2 for 10-9 and double 16 for the 11-9 win.<\/p>\n

The Gentle Giant would advance to the quarters when he eliminated Gary Anderson 13-9. Anderson was attempting to win his fourth major in 12 months. This would set up a quarter-final meeting with James Wade. Another former world champion, Adrian Lewis, also got the boot when newcomer Welshman, Gerwyn Price,\u00a0escorted him out 13-10. Both upset winners, Price and\u00a0Suljovi\u0107, would end their dream run in the quarters. Price would lose to Peter \u201cSnake Bite\u201d Wright (16-7) and\u00a0Suljovi\u0107 to Wade (16-11).<\/p>\n

Phil Taylor reached the semis for the 8th straight year, having his way with Dave Chisnell 16-8.\u00a0 \u201cMarvelous\u201d Michael van Gerwen would be the fourth to reach the semis.\u00a0\u00a0Wright came out for his semifinal match with van Gerwen in white pants and shirt with blue flowers. At the time, the ODC axed himself, \u201cHmmm, hard to figure out whether Wright should be watered or trimmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

van Gerwen trimmed Wright 17-12. Wright led 3-2 after the first session, as they\u00a0play five legs and then take a break for a commercial message. van Gerwen took the second session 5-0 for a 7-3 lead – and the rout was on.\u00a0 The “Lurch” looking Dutchman would win 17-12.<\/p>\n

Bidding for his 8th final in as many years, Phil Taylor fell 15-12 to James Wade, who he usually beats like Ringo does a drum. Taylor had leads of 1-0, 4-2 and 7-5 when his finishing did him in.\u00a0 From 7-5, Taylor fell behind 9-7. Level at 10, Wade\u00a0would build a 13-10 lead, which he never relinquished, winning 14-12. Taylor couldn\u2019t finish consistently as Wade set up big doubles and then hit them. \u00a0Watching from su casa, the ODC commentator John Part would say,\u00a0\u201cLike the desert Arabs who finished eating their dates, Phil should not fold his tent and head home.\u201d<\/p>\n

In preparation for Taylor’s concession speech, former Australian International Wayne Weening commented, writing, \u201cHere goes Taylor again… ‘I’ll be honest with you’… let me tell you something Phil, only liars feel the need to say ‘I’ll be honest with you’, as much as you do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The final between van Gerwen and Wade started out as a classic as they were tied at six after 12 kegs. When the Dutchman took four of the next five, building a lead of 10-6, he was on his way to the title. One almost expected commentator Wayne Mardle to say at this point, \u201cThe fat lady is wetting her lips, ready to sing.\u201d (That\u2019s a reference to the old theory that you can always tell when the Opera\u2019s almost over because the fat lady is singing.)<\/p>\n

van Gerwen would win 18-12 and collect \u00a3100,000. Wade just ran out of steam.<\/p>\n

Brit Rob Rowlands asked Mr. John Lowe, \u201c John! How do you think you would fair playing against the players on the circuit today. What do you rate your chances?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Lowe doesn\u2019t engage in \u201cwhat if\u201d situations and never has. That doesn\u2019t stop the ODC…<\/p>\n

Mr. John and others of his generation – Bristow, Wilson, Anderson – would fare well in today\u2019s world of darts.\u00a0 They competed throughout the world at the highest level in the environment that existed.\u00a0 Even Stevie Wonder knows that today\u2019s PDC averages are bogus when compared with those of \u201cyesteryear\u201d\u00a0because of the larger triples and doubles.\u00a0 Toss in better equipment, less travel and more money and it all makes the comparison apples and oranges.<\/p>\n

Maybe the most glaring difference between Mr. Lowe\u2019s generation and today’s darters is the environment. Just a scant 4,103.5 miles from Blackpool, the CDC was holding its first Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee. For the guys of the CDC, it was a mid-summer dream that came true. The dream? A full-time North American Tour patterned after the PDC.<\/p>\n

Just 32 players were invited with 26 toeing the oche. David Fatum would notch his first win, beating Gordon Dixon 6-4 in the final. Once home in Ohio, Dixon took to Facebook reaffirming the ODC\u2019s view of the environment, “Honestly, the CDC events, in general, are making me spoiled to the grind of a normal ADO tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mr. John Lowes, Eric Bristows and Jocky Wilsons would be doing AOK today, and prospering.<\/p>\n

Stay thirsty my friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Old Dart Coach (for those who are not aware) has a bit of an 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Old Dart Coach (for those who are not aware) has a bit of an ego...","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":17,"user_id":4,"is_guest":0,"slug":"howie-reed","display_name":"Howie Reed","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/111howie.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/111howie.jpg"},"first_name":"Howie","last_name":"Reed","user_url":"http:\/\/www.dartoidsworld.com","job_title":"","description":"Astute, often controversial, and always humorous, the Old Dart Coach, Howie Reed (a former rodeo cowboy and advertising executive), is heralded as the Dean of Darts Chroniclers - the most prolific and widely followed writer ever about our sport. He goes back decades with the legends and knows where the skeletons are buried (just ask any of the ADO and WDF old-timers!). Here are four well-known facts about the Old Dart Coach: 1) he is a Republican, 2) he loves the ladies, 3) he can drink most anybody under the table, and 4) he throws darts as bad as Dartoid."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5602"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5602\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6379,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5602\/revisions\/6379"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5602"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=5602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}