Last Junes Blog....

See below my blog from the 13th June 2006. My site as you will all remember was re-vamped in August so this is why its unavailable in archives. I hope this indicates that I do not hold personal grudges as oppose to just writing on player performance.

I have simply copied and pasted this to my current blog.

UK done for another year.

Raymond Van Barneveld had his maiden PDC TV win at the Reebok stadium on Sunday last with an emphatic win over Welsh man Barrie Bates. It's my favourite tournament every year and this one was no exception. Alan Tabern, Barrie Bates and Mr Magoo were the limelight stealers all weekend after exceptional performances. Wozza was done by his good mate Colin Lloyd despite troubles with the so-called perfect boards the Eclipse. England fluking a win against Paraguay meant that Saturday didn't kick off until 5pm which made it slightly longer this year but we got through it.

With the exception of Mr.Magoo the Irish lads did not do to good. Only Mick McGowan and Tom Kirby made it through which was surprising since we have a few PDPA players around now that are capable. Dennis Mac only came within 1 game last year of making the Worlds while Big J is also capable. Mick was done 8.7 to Walshie while Tom was done by the same score line to Andy Callaby. Two players I'd like to see here next year are Dublin's number 1 and my own cities number 1. Two Great players with one having joined the nine-dart club I believe in the last year. Dartitis may have to be overcome if he is to gain qualification but as it is only slight I think that will be achieved easy enough (here's hoping). Dartitis is cruel if left get on top of you but I'm hoping he will, as we know he does have the game and I'd love to see someone from my town play at the highest stage. The other one is Dublin's joy at the moment and is making waves and was recently announced as Irelands number one and although he is not in the PDPA as yet with the ability and dedication he has he certainly should be.

With Connecticut over now and the UK open too its withdrawal symptoms time now and although the circuit is still active with the Isle of Wight next week we now have to wait until the Matchplay for TV darts which are the tournaments that will get everyone going. Although Barney won this weekend he know has to go to the qualifiers for the Matchplay, as do Tom and Mick.

We have to do it all over again lads.

Posted by DartsExhibitions at 10:30 PM

Enough Rubbish...Now to the serious stuff

Ok lads that time of the year that everyone loves is here. The season
of good will and all that but also the season of both versions of the
Darts World Championships. Only 5 days to go now until Irelands Mick
McGowan stands on the purfleet stage for the first time and the last
time may I add as the PDC world darts championship will be moved to a
more modern venue next year with Central London and Bournemouth in
pole position to win the right to stage it. The world championship is
where any PDPA player wants to be and with the order of merit
starting in January it is the place you have to be.

I'm glad the venue is changing to be honest as anyone who has been to
Purfleet will tell you that although the atmosphere is second to none
the area around the venue is a total kip with nothing nearby only a
tiny garage and a £10 a night hotel.

It kicks off on Monday lads and I've wrote out the prices that Stan
James are offering currently and feel free to look and post your
comments with your NAP and between us all we can get a few winners.

PDC Championship 1st Rnd Matches (click here to open|close this
coupon) Selection Price Price Selection
18 Dec 13:00 Baxter, Ronnie 1/10 5/1 Gray, Adrian
18 Dec 14:00 Maish, Steve 1/8 9/2 Havenga, Wynand
18 Dec 15:00 Jenkins, Terry 1/10 5/1 Lawrence, Mark
18 Dec 16:00 Clark, Matt 11/4 2/9 Mcgowan, Mick
18 Dec 19:00 Mason, Chris 2/7 9/4 Atwood, Wayne
18 Dec 20:00 Part, John 1/10 5/1 Green, Alan
18 Dec 21:00 Taylor, Phil 1/200 25/1 Pein, Anton
18 Dec 22:00 Manley, Peter 1/7 4/1 Jowett, Dave
19 Dec 13:00 Walsh, Mark 4/6 11/10 Vonck, Rico
19 Dec 14:00 Bates, Barrie 1/12 11/2 Cyr, Brain
19 Dec 15:00 Anderson, Bob 2/5 7/4 Webster, Darren
19 Dec 16:00 Ovens, Denis 4/9 13/8 Smith, Steve
19 Dec 19:00 Warriner-Little, Alan 5/6 5/6 Tabern, Alan
19 Dec 20:00 Lloyd, Colin 1/10 5/1 Seyler, Tomas
19 Dec 21:00 Barneveld, Raymond 1/40 10/1 Clegg, Mitchell
19 Dec 22:00 Lewis, Adrian 1/14 6/1 Fleet, Anthony
20 Dec 13:00 Jones, Wayne 1/8 9/2 Branks, Ian
20 Dec 14:00 Sams, Lionel 4/9 13/8 Ladley, Dave
20 Dec 15:00 Monk, Colin 8/11 EVS Laursen, Per
20 Dec 16:00 Hamilton, Andy 1/5 3/1 Welding, Gary
20 Dec 19:00 Beaton, Steve 4/11 15/8 Convery, Gerry
20 Dec 20:00 Priestley, Dennis 1/7 4/1 Schenk, Josephus
20 Dec 21:00 Mardle, Wayne 1/8 9/2 Caves, Alan
20 Dec 22:00 Wade, James 1/20 7/1 French, Warren
21 Dec 13:00 Askew, Dave 1/2 6/4 Burchell, Martin
21 Dec 14:00 Smith, Andy 1/33 9/1 Yongsheng, Shi
21 Dec 15:00 Newton, Wes 1/40 10/1 Wada, Tetsuya
21 Dec 16:00 Jenkins, Andy 1/10 5/1 Davis, Bill
21 Dec 19:00 Dudbridge, Mark 8/15 11/8 Kuczynski, John
21 Dec 20:00 Scholten, Roland 1/33 9/1 Miller, Ron
21 Dec 21:00 Painter, Kevin 4/7 5/4 Osborne, Colin
21 Dec 22:00 Roy, Alex 4/6 11/10 Burnett, Richie

You know the NAP I have put down but there are one or two others that
stand out for me.
Colin Osbourne at 5/4 is tempting and John Kuczynski too at 11/8. The
American Bill Davis at 5/1 is worth a fiver too and one guy who I
left out as well is Martin Burchell who was outstanding in Birmingham
and he sits on 6/4 awaiting the play the Diamond that is Dave Askew.

Plenty of Abuse

Thanks lads for all the comments from yesterdays blog. They were all so good that My Webmaster took them down as he considered it not good advertising. I was called a dickhead, a wanker and a worm and everyone that knows me know that I am a hungry cunt and would not buy drink for anyone let alone buy it all night.I thought it was great advertisment but he knows more than me. Seriously though not one constructive comment made so that is what happened. I dont mind being hated by about 10 people to be honest and have no problem with it. Usually the more abuse you receive the more sense your point made. Its amazing how all the abuse you receive comes from the South East. Funny alright.
As I said yesterday I'm not debating that Tramore issue anymore and maybe my offer of not debating it enticed all the comments.

So like I said I'm not debating that point and I'm certainly not getting caught up in a slanging match so posts will now have to be approved by the webmaster. You can be as critical as you want no problem. As regards Portlaw. Nothing but respect for those lads up there as I know alot of them and had a great time when we played there. They like their darts and they all supported something in there town when it was on unlike Tramore. Did not mention Portlaw in any blog and I have replied to your post on Upcoming Exhibitions Blog as you requested and you can contact me directly if you wish. I have no problem with that either and we can discuss anything you wish there.

I'll be at home Christmas Eve before I go back over to the Worlds on the 26th so you can all buy me a pint when you see me or pour it over my head if you wish.
I try not to get wound up. I'd rather debate things professionally and logically without threats and abuse and what have you. I have never put down anyones character since I started writing these. ( with exception of one player from the UK but this shouldn't bother any of you). I've had a small go at one or two organisations maybe.hahahaha.

Alan Tabern is a great player and if you go back to my blog called "countdown to the worlds" you will know exactly how good of a player I think he is and he could very easily beat Wozza but obviously hopefully he wont. If someone wants to put their house on a Tabern to win that one feel free.You might even get value for money. We have excluded that post as the next sentence was not related to that post. Thats what I want. Someone who thinks Tabern is a good bet writing in. Thats what we welcome. Lets debate that topic. Whether or not I am a stupid Wanker will have no burden on the result of that match I'm sure. I'm use to people shouting against Wozza anyway.

My NAP still stands too and now pays less than 9/2.
Even my mate Rush has backed it.

The Worlds

Hello again. Its been over a week now since my last post and thank you to everyone who sent me e mails and what not over the last week from Canada and the USA. A few of my predictions for qualification came in and a few didn't ask I expected. The draw has put together a few interesting games and I'll give you my NAP at the end as I wreckon I have a dead cert for the first round which begins Monday. A week is the longest I've gone without posting but thats because the first 3 weeks in December are quiet on the circuit and only the odd exhibition here and there occurs. This weekend Ronnie Baxter will be in Kinnegad and Wozza will be in Lucan Friday and Bray Saturday before jetting off to London to meet his first round opponent Alan Tabern on Tuesday night. Ronnie has an earlier birth and will kick off the 2007 Championships against Adrian Gray on Monday at 1.10pm.

I was at home at the weekend and before you think I'm going to start slating my locals towns darts again I'm not. It was an interesting 3 days though I must say. After my article a few weeks back I got as I was expecting... a mixed reaction. Most people were Shaking my hand saying "well done". Another group had the opinion that "about time someone upset their baby" which was the way it was put if I remember correctly. Some people didn't say anything to me and others waited until I was gone before mentioning it. Everything I expected.

I dont usually and never have given up on things in life but I'm not going to bring this issue any futher on this occasion and here is why....
At the weekend I noticed numerous things and am going to play percentages here in my assumption of what I think. There was always going to be a follow up on my article from a few weeks ago but as I said already as soon as this article is wrote I'm finished with it as I think fear will stop you going to an alternate format. Old fashioned family value comments of "that wont work" and "thats bullshit".....a well educated opinion. "we tried that before and it didn't work"....not in the last 20 years you didn't.
I have said all along that the game would benefit in Tramore with a proper league format by playing every team twice. This is the case. Having had pints in Bohans, Murphs, O Neills and The Ledger over the weekend I heard varied views from all over and the town is so divided its not even funny. In Londis on Saturday morning I met a league player who mentioned my article to me. I asked him was he playing in this league? He said yes. I asked him how he got on Thursday night? He answered they were hammered with which he followed with "but sure we're in it to make the numbers". As true as God thats what he said. If you ran a home/away season long league with 11 teams it'd be a success. 16 at the moment with 4 or 5 of them self confessed as a "making up the numbers team". A league is not about making up numbers. Fuck those teams out. They are doing more harm than good. Its different if they are crap but want to play. 11 teams to commit to that would be easy.

In alfies last night 2 teams from the pub were having a challenge match amongst themselves. How fantastic is that. In the Ledger Saturday night they were having a throw on the board and there was about 7 or 8 initials on it waiting for their go. How fantastic is that. We had 16 in O Neills last Monday night and 11 in the Sea Horse. Thats 27 playing on a Monday night. Over half of what you would need for a successful league. Alfies packed last night with people enjoying a challenge match while a fund raiser to pay for the Waterford team bus to the west was going ahead elsewhere. One of the biggest events ever in Ireland by the INDO being run in Cork this weekend where all the best players in Ireland were warming up for the Inter Counties while the Waterford team were playing a handicap to raise money for there bus or whatever. Where is the aspiration in this. No wonder the boys played their challenge and were happy too. My point is here is why the hell are they even playing in the Counties when the players have no aspirations to play in the biggest INDO tournament of the year for big money. I feel sorry for the Tramore lads here to be honest as they could make up a decent team if TK,BC,KC,MP,PP AND SO ON were left play together instead of some captain spliting them up thinking he's doing great for the county whereas really all he is doing is looking after his West Waterford lads.

I'm always open here on things and having spoke to Ken at the weekend and others too might I add there are ways and meeans to alter this format. I've never suggested my way or no way all I want is for people to be left play. Ken who I think is the best player in the town agreed with this but put points for and against forward too, and all excellent points and worth dicussing. Saw young Dave Howlett hit his highest checkout EVER the other night in the Waterfront when he hit a magnificent 148. All the benefits from playing the game. He has only recently established himself in a good league team and the benefits are already showing of regular darts.

What else is funny too is how judgemental people are in different areas. O Neills people wont play outside of O Neills, Alfies wont play outside Alfies, Bohans have their designated players. Sea Horse are trying to establish themselves. The GAA are the GAA and I know nothing about them. Fenor will only play in Fenor and Dunhill have great handicaps on Saturday nights. But people with the exception of a few are not willing to travel anywhere else to play UNLESS a league fixture means they are due to. Its amazing. Everything I wrote about in my previous article a few weeks back goes around in a circle as if it were a politicians constituency and your sole objective is not to support the opposition....I.E someone who plays in O Neills saying that he is not going all the way down to the Sea Horse to support the handicap as its too far down but if they draw them in the league they'll have to go. What I'm saying here is that even though nobody are supporting the local handicaps like they should the game is still alive down there.

Anyway like one fella said the other night when I was gone home even though I'd been there 7 hours. Who am I to go on about Tramore Darts as I dont live there anymore. I dont live there anymore because I'm in places like Holland, UK, Belgium and USA along with Japan in 2007 with the game I love which is darts. I've decided that no more thought is going into darts in that town from my point of view and I'm now prepared to let in rot. Maybe reverse psychology will work but I'm quiting putting it down. You are down so far in my book you cant get any lower. The game will die.

Anyone wish to leave a comment after this post feel free but I will not be debating anything or replying to anything. I know 75% want change but I'm now going to continue with my job on the professional side of the game and stop trying to help my own town. Do whnt you want lads. Its not personal. The game will die.

Anyway people my NAP of the first round in the Worlds is a 9/2 treble with Mick McGowan to win 2/7......Rico Vonck to win 1/1......Ritchie Burnett to win 6/5.
Put the house on it men.