{"id":6072,"date":"2023-10-11T09:29:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T09:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2023\/10\/column-hr432-hangover\/"},"modified":"2024-02-14T22:17:46","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T22:17:46","slug":"column-hr432-hangover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2023\/10\/column-hr432-hangover\/","title":{"rendered":"Column #HR432 HANGOVER"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monday, October 11, 2023
\n<\/strong>Column HR432\u00a0<\/strong>
\nHANGOVER<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his younger days, the Old Dart Coach would wake up on January 1 with a terrible hangover caused by too much aiming fluid and group tighter (and also, soon to be forgotten New Year’s Resolutions).\u00a0 It\u2019s the same following a WDF World Cup…<\/p>\n

This time, the hangover was not as serious as the PDC came to the rescue like a Bloody Mary on New Year’s morning (with the World Grand Prix).\u00a0 The ODC loves the double start of the Grand Prix that sends the PDC\u2019s professionals into a dither.\u00a0 Poor babies.<\/p>\n

In his last column the ODC didn\u2019t emphasize the importance of the ladies of Ireland capturing the World Cup gold in the 4-person team event.\u00a0 They defeated Sweden\u00a0in the semis 9-6 and Wales in the final 9-7.\u00a0 Wales\u2019 7 legs won in a losing cause can be credited to two ladies – Rhian O\u2019Sullivan (4) and Eve Watson (3).\u00a0 The rest of the Welsh team had only 3 doubles in a single leg.<\/p>\n

The ladies from the Emerald Isle (Robyn Byrne, Katie Sheldon, Caroline Breen and Aoife McCormack) all contributed with at least one win each.\u00a0 They became the first team other than England and Netherlands to capture the Women\u2019s 4-person title.<\/p>\n

Also lost in the total World Cup kerfuffle was the remarkable accomplishment of \u201cThe Queen\u201d Deta Hedman.\u00a0 Her first world cup appearance was 1991 some 22 odd years ago (although some were even).\u00a0 She won her first gold in pairs in 1995 partnering with the \u201cgreat\u201d Mandy Solomons.\u00a0 Then there was a gap until 2013 when Deta took the singles and pairs with Trina Gulliver.\u00a0 This year, she notched a pairs win and singles runner up\u00a0to Beau Greaves (where she led 3-2 and 4-3).<\/p>\n

The “Queen\u201d muses,\u00a0\u201cI have to ask myself do I want to put myself through another 2 years of battle to qualify for Seoul.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be 65 years of age.\u00a0 No doubt the aches and pains will be worse than ever\u201d.<\/p>\n

She\u2019ll be back to give \u2019em hell in Seoul in 2 years.<\/p>\n

Deta continued: \u201cI would say to the knockers this really is a fantastic event to attend, playing for my country is the greatest honor in our sport\u201d.<\/p>\n

The ODC was somewhat surprised that “knockers” could talk.\u00a0 The WDF World Cup\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0the greatest event in darts and the “Queen\u201d is not only a great player and great person but also the best Ambassador for the world of darts.\u00a0 Hopefully, she’ll play in 10 more World Cups.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a “Queen” Deta how about a “King”?<\/p>\n

The ODC pleads \u201cnolo contendere\u201d – as that title goes to Paul Lim.\u00a0 He\u2019s about the same age as the “Queen” and appeared in his first World Championship in 1982 – and he\u2019s still going strong.\u00a0 Just last weekend he finished top 8 in the highly competitive PDC Asia Championships.<\/p>\n

Both Paul and Deta put the Timex watch to shame as they keep ticking along.<\/p>\n

The ODC\u2019s latest New Year\u2019s Resolution (already forgotten) is to stop picking on the WDF.\u00a0 Doing so is akin to\u00a0harvesting \u201clow hanging fruit\u201d.<\/p>\n

The WDF just concluded its premier event.\u00a0 During the playing of the World Cup and afterwards\u00a0not a single post celebrating the event appeared at the\u00a0WDF website.\u00a0 Nothing.\u00a0 Zilch.\u00a0\u00a0Instead, there was a post about the \u201cToto Dutch Open Registration\u201d (the event is to be held in February), \u201cBeau Greaves (playing) at Lakeside this December\u201d and \u201c73 players (that) qualified for the Lakeside Cocktail Party\u201d (and when that draw for the event will be made).<\/p>\n

Greaves said,\u00a0“Winning the World Championship last year was one of the proudest moments in my darting career and I want to defend that title.\u00a0 That’s why I’ve chosen to play at Lakeside\u201d.<\/p>\n

Nice try.<\/p>\n

Beau gets \u00a325,000 for the expected win.\u00a0 At the Ally Pally, Beau would need to reach the 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0round for \u00a325,000.\u00a0 Beau\u2019s absence will have no effect on the Ally Pally.\u00a0 If the WDF hierarchy thinks this is a game changer they are delusional.\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s a given.<\/p>\n

Many have heard the saying \u201cAlways the bridesmaid, never the bride\u201d and those that follow the PDC know this has fairly described Luke Humphries.\u00a0 He\u00a0plays brilliantly until the semi or finals, then folds like a cheap suit in a Bangkok downpour.<\/p>\n

This time, Humphries turned it around – beating Gerwyn Price 5-2 in sets.\u00a0 For the former Youth Champion this would be his first TV ranking title, a \u00a3120,000 payday moving him into fourth place in the PDC Oder of Merit, displacing Gerwyn Price.\u00a0\u00a0How about that?<\/p>\n

Gerwyn\u00a0Price won the Grand Prix in 2020 but with two chances for a second win came up short.\u00a0 He lost in 2021 to Jonny Clayton 5-1.\u00a0 It\u2019s oft mention by the loser\u00a0in any match with sets,\u00a0\u201cYes, but I won more legs\u201d.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s stupid.\u00a0 It’s no different than saying “I won the argument with my wife.\u00a0 I love the couch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Price lost in legs 19-11.\u00a0 Therefore, Price\u2019s post-match comments indicate that he took one too many blows to the head as a rugby player\u00a0or he delusional – possibly a combination of both.<\/p>\n

“I’m absolutely gutted.\u00a0 I didn’t help myself early on.\u00a0 Luke played fantastically and he’s a worthy winner.\u00a0 I think I played better than him tonight –\u00a0he just played really well at the right times.”\u00a0\u00a0Whisky Tango Foxtrot.<\/p>\n

Humphries\u00a0outplayed<\/em>\u00a0Price in average (93 to 91), scores of T40 (17-13), scores of T80 (8-3) and highest checks (170-117).\u00a0 In short, Humphries\u00a0buried<\/em>\u00a0Price.\u00a0 The ODC will take this opportunity to explain the game of darts to Mr. Price….<\/p>\n

You are supposed to play well at the right time.\u00a0 Of the 15 legs in Humphries’ column only 3 were over 17 darts.\u00a0\u00a0Mr. Price – you got your ass kicked.<\/p>\n

Price took the opening set 3-nil where Humphries needed 4-darts to start two legs.\u00a0 Once Humphries had the \u201cpesky opening double\u201d problem solved he was on his way…<\/p>\n

At 3-2 up, Humphries got his 4th set – when level at 2, and with the darts, he went T12, T80, T39, 54 and d8 finish in 13 darts.\u00a0 Price was sitting on 18 after a T80.\u00a0 The fifth set was won by Humphries 3-2.\u00a0 Price never saw a double.<\/p>\n

Humphries summed up his game with,\u00a0“Regardless of anything else I’ve done in my career, that was the greatest game I’ve ever played in my life\u201d.<\/p>\n

The PDC Ladies Series this weekend.\u00a0 Would the PDC be so petty as to ban Beau after she passed on the Ally Pally?\u00a0\u00a0No. They couldn\u2019t give a \u201cfiddler’s bow\u201d.<\/p>\n

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

In his younger days, the Old Dart Coach would wake up on January 1 with a terrible hangover… 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Reed","author_link":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/author\/howie-reed\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In his younger days, the Old Dart Coach would wake up on January 1 with a terrible hangover...","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\/6072","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\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6072"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6097,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6072\/revisions\/6097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6072"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=6072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}