c4countdown

2 weeks of top quality entertainment to take us into the new year yipeee, and when the pdc finishes the bdo starts thats a month of darts to coincide with countdown being of the air.

Andrew Herbertson wrote:2 weeks of top quality entertainment to take us into the new year yipeee, and when the pdc finishes the bdo starts thats a month of darts to coincide with countdown being of the air.

Yay! Taylor for his 15th title.

Still never seen the PDC, doesn't look like I'll be rich enough for subscription telly any time soon either. Roll on the BDO!

Ian Volante wrote:Still never seen the PDC, doesn't look like I'll be rich enough for subscription telly any time soon either. Roll on the BDO!

I don't have the subscription either. Watch it live on Justin TV online.

Either: http://www.justin.tv/uggla
or: http://www.justin.tv/dart501/old

or various other channels. If there's no darts, in the chat room on the right someone usually says "darts?" and someone else links you to the correct justin tv channel.

Darts for 3 weeks, woo-hoooooooooooo

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:Still never seen the PDC, doesn't look like I'll be rich enough for subscription telly any time soon either. Roll on the BDO!

I don't have the subscription either. Watch it live on Justin TV online.

Either: http://www.justin.tv/uggla
or: http://www.justin.tv/dart501/old

or various other channels. If there's no darts, in the chat room on the right someone usually says "darts?" and someone else links you to the correct justin tv channel.

Ladbrokes showed every match almost live (approx. ten second delay I think) within their normal betting pages last year. I love betting on darts; it's often possible to guarantee a win whatever the outcome of the match, as the match odds can fluctuate so quickly.

Wayne Mardles career has really gone down the shitter

I subscribed to Sky Sports two years ago, specifically to watch the PDC world darts. I unsubscribed after the end of the tournament. I later re-subscribed (when Ebbsfleet United made the FA Trophy final) and don't think I've missed televised darts (whether PDC or BDO) in 18 months. Have been to watch the Grand Slam and the Worlds in previous years, but am not going this year.

Thoroughly enjoying the action from the Alexandra Palace so far... gutted for Paul Nicholson after last night's match. Favourite moment of the tournament (non-darts related) has been a person on one of the tables which is in view behind the throwers. During a match featuring one of the Dutch players, this person was proudly displaying a sign reading "lekker kutje". Which is extremely f***king rude in Dutch, not that the Sky Sports broadcast crew or the venue staff seemed to realize...

Now where the hell is my copy of welovedarts magazine for this month - it still hasn't arrived in the post! *grumble*

Matt Bayfield wrote: Now where the hell is my copy of welovedarts magazine for this month - it still hasn't arrived in the post! *grumble*

Ha, I got one of those free at the University darts singles tournament in Liverpool last month. I left it on the train.

On "The Greatest TV Shows of the Noughties" they showed a clip of Coronation Street with Phil "The Power" Taylor helping the pub darts team, and Ashley says "we haven't even got nicknames", and Craig Charles replies "yeah, but on the upside we do have a captain called Kirk".

I've got a fiver on Simon Whitlock to beat Phil Taylor tonight, even though I know it's probably a lost cause. Much as I admire Taylor, it would be nice to see someone else win and if Whitlock plays like he did in the preliminary rounds it's certainly going to be a good contest. Unfortunately, I fear it's going to be more of the same; players facing Taylor seem to fold before they've even got on stage. Also, it's about time Sid Waddell retired - he's just regurgitating the same old crap year after year and if he says "understacker" one more time I swear I'm going to put my fist through the fucking telly.

JimBentley wrote:Also, it's about time Sid Waddell retired - he's just regurgitating the same old crap year after year and if he says "understacker" one more time I swear I'm going to put my fist through the fucking telly.

I'll get the bandages ready then. I put a tenner on Baxter to beat Barney as he was beating him in averages, 180s, high outs, the lot. Baxter played shit and Barney played much better. I also put a tenner on Lewis to beat Taylor as Lewis was fucking relentless. Come to the match he was still pretty good, averaging 102 and still getting disposed like a used tissue 5-0. After seeing that (and being £20 down) I stuck £20 on Taylor to beat Webster 6-0. No way was Webster taking more than a set off Taylor as Lewis is far better than Webster and Lewis never managed it. True to Taylor's brilliance, it was 6-0 and I won £61. As for the final I won't be betting - I just hope it will be a great game. I predict 7-1 or 7-2 to Taylor and the 3rd/4th place play off will be won by Barney 10-4 I think.

On the BDO side I'd like to bet on Deta Hedman but I can't find any sites that you can bet on the ladies. For the mens I've stuck a fiver on Scott Waites.

I recon Whitlock will put up a decent fight Taylor 7-4 for me.

Having seen possibly one the greatest matches of darts in a while (Hankey v Chisnall) did anyone else think it was a joke that the program finished just as the final set started so they could show some crappy farming documentary which no doubt got a fraction of the ratings the darts did? I know most people (me included) were able to either press the red button or go on the BBC Sport website, but still...

Josh Overhill wrote:Having seen possibly one the greatest matches of darts in a while (Hankey v Chisnall) did anyone else think it was a joke that the program finished just as the final set started so they could show some crappy farming documentary which no doubt got a fraction of the ratings the darts did? I know most people (me included) were able to either press the red button or go on the BBC Sport website, but still...

You can't really blame the BBC (although it is fucking annoying when they do it) as they've got to keep to a schedule, within reasonable bounds. They'll postpone programmes for certain things but only if the ratings are going to be big for the timeslot - Andy Murray in the tennis, late-night snooker finals when the programmes to follow are pretty much chosen as cannon fodder in case of an overrun, etc. - but for the quarter-finals of the BDO darts, the ratings aren't going to be large enough to warrant it, unfortunately. It doesn't help that the BDO tournaments have largely been devalued over the past fifteen years (and especially in the last five) with the gradual defection of their better players to the PDC and Sky coverage. Much as I love the BBC, Sky's darts coverage is far, far better, because they've got the freedom of being able to switch the coverage to another channel if they need to, so you get to see every minute of every match.

But it's surely only a matter of time before the two codes kiss and make up in some way. Possibly it'll need that intractable old git Ollie whathisname to resign or die or something before it happens, but it needs to happen, because it's ridiculous that there's two overlapping world championships when they could so easily join together and be more successful. Although the PDC pretty much now have everyone that matters, there's still some longtime holdouts in the BDO who could earn a decent living under an amalgamated code (Tony O'Shea, Martin Adams, Scott Waites, etc.) and it's a shame we don't get to see it. Darts is going through something of a boom period at the moment (Phil Taylor just won £200,000 for winning the PDC world championship, which is unprecedented) so they should strike while the iron is hot. They won't though, cos there's too many stubborn old cunts involved.

Anyway, end of rant (to be honest I sort of lost track of what I was on about, but you get the picture).

I like watching the darts and playing, but why don't they get all the good players at the Lakeside, like Phil Taylor, Whitlock, Barneveld etc...? They have been there before, why have the BDO Championships at the same time?

This probably makes me sound like a complete idiot as you guys all know why, but I am just curious.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:I like watching the darts and playing, but why don't they get all the good players at the Lakeside, like Phil Taylor, Whitlock, Barneveld etc...? They have been there before, why have the BDO Championships at the same time?

This probably makes me sound like a complete idiot as you guys all know why, but I am just curious.

The BDO don't want anything to do with the PDC. They hate them. Apparently, referee and shouter George Noble paid for some tickets to watch the darts at the Lakeside a couple of days ago and the players asked for him to come backstage. He said he couldn't as he didn't have a pass. The players asked Oli Croft for a pass for George Noble and he said no as it will upset Martin Fitzmaurice. The players asked Martin and said Noble needs a pass and he just shrugged his shoulders. George worked there for about 13 years I think but as soon as he defects to shouting for the PDC, the BDO don't want anything to do with him. That is no way to treat a worker for 13 years. The BDO have it all wrong.

By the way, there is one tournament where the BDO and PDC players can mix; The Grand Slam of Darts. Usually on in November, transmitted on ITV4, it was won this year by PDCs Phil Taylor 16 - 2, beating BDOs Scott Waites in the final.

Those that say the BDO has shit players...let me defend them. Look at the latest PDC quarter finals (and finishing positions):

1st: PDCs Phil Taylor
2nd:(recently ex) BDOs Simon Whitlock
3rd: (recently ex) BDOs Mark Webster
4th: PDCs Raymond Van Barneveld

The top BDO players can really hold their own in the PDC as has been shown this year and last year. Martin Adams won't switch as he is too loyal with the BDO but I'm not sure why - I reckon he can win more money on the PDC circuit.

Kirk Bevins wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:I like watching the darts and playing, but why don't they get all the good players at the Lakeside, like Phil Taylor, Whitlock, Barneveld etc...? They have been there before, why have the BDO Championships at the same time?

This probably makes me sound like a complete idiot as you guys all know why, but I am just curious.

The BDO don't want anything to do with the PDC. They hate them. Apparently, referee and shouter George Noble paid for some tickets to watch the darts at the Lakeside a couple of days ago and the players asked for him to come backstage. He said he couldn't as he didn't have a pass. The players asked Oli Croft for a pass for George Noble and he said no as it will upset Martin Fitzmaurice. The players asked Martin and said Noble needs a pass and he just shrugged his shoulders. George worked there for about 13 years I think but as soon as he defects to shouting for the PDC, the BDO don't want anything to do with him. That is no way to treat a worker for 13 years. The BDO have it all wrong.

By the way, there is one tournament where the BDO and PDC players can mix; The Grand Slam of Darts. Usually on in November, transmitted on ITV4, it was won this year by PDCs Phil Taylor 16 - 2, beating BDOs Scott Waites in the final.

Those that say the BDO has shit players...let me defend them. Look at the latest PDC quarter finals (and finishing positions):

1st: PDCs Phil Taylor
2nd:(recently ex) BDOs Simon Whitlock
3rd: (recently ex) BDOs Mark Webster
4th: PDCs Raymond Van Barneveld

The top BDO players can really hold their own in the PDC as has been shown this year and last year. Martin Adams won't switch as he is too loyal with the BDO but I'm not sure why - I reckon he can win more money on the PDC circuit.

Thanks

Martin Adams won't even play at the GSOD.

Indeed, I remember in the year of the inaugral GSOD a BDO tournament clashed with it, and Martin Adams, unlike a number of the top BDO players, played in the BDO tournament. He went out in the quarter-finals, and received less prize money than he would have done at the GSOD for simply turning up.

A very rare example of modern-day sportsmen's loyalty, the vast majority will go where they will get the most money, not just in darts, but any sport.

Another instance of having more than one World Championship. It doesn't help the argument for those who claim it to be a sport.

Let's hope snooker doesn't go the same way.

Anyone else think that Martin Phillips at 11-2 is a good bet tonight, ridiculous price considering there is only two of them playing and he's played fairly well so far.
Also went for Adams to win 5-0 at 11-4

Kirk Bevins wrote: The BDO don't want anything to do with the PDC. They hate them. Apparently, referee and shouter George Noble paid for some tickets to watch the darts at the Lakeside a couple of days ago and the players asked for him to come backstage. He said he couldn't as he didn't have a pass. The players asked Oli Croft for a pass for George Noble and he said no as it will upset Martin Fitzmaurice. The players asked Martin and said Noble needs a pass and he just shrugged his shoulders. George worked there for about 13 years I think but as soon as he defects to shouting for the PDC, the BDO don't want anything to do with him. That is no way to treat a worker for 13 years. The BDO have it all wrong.

Wow, that is just so childish and petty, never really liked Martin Fitzmaurice but that is utterly pathetic

Kirk Bevins wrote:The top BDO players can really hold their own in the PDC as has been shown this year and last year. Martin Adams won't switch as he is too loyal with the BDO but I'm not sure why - I reckon he can win more money on the PDC circuit.

That was exactly my point in my drunken rant from last night, though. The thing is, the balance tipped in favour of the PDC some years ago and soon enough the BDO won't have a world championship worth watching at all, because Adams, O'Shea etc. are already getting on a bit and can't go on forever, and the decent new players coming through are going to join the PDC as soon as they've shown any sort of promise because the money on offer is much more attractive.

The only way I can see the two codes co-existing in the future is for the PDC to be the professional circuit, with the BDO handling grassroots darts, where they actually do a good job. But as I said before, stubborn old cunts, so it won't happen.

Waites is surely gone here.

Ian Dent wrote:Waites is surely gone here.

Hope so, have Phillips backed at 11-2

He was 9/1 with Betfair.

Predictions for the final? I think Chissy will take it 7-5.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Predictions for the final? I think Chissy will take it 7-5.

I want Dave to win but Adams will win 7-6

Nearly Eoin.

Well done Adams, wish he'd join the PDC. Waites might.

Adams will have nothing to do with the PDC won't even play in the grand slam.
Waites is on his way though.

Chisnall played well but Adams was always gonna be too good, maybe next year, but there's more to come from Dave.

Reckon Chisnall could do well in the PDC tho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEgqq0OhDKQ

When Adams seemed to play a few PDC tournaments.

Andrew Herbertson wrote:Adams will have nothing to do with the PDC won't even play in the grand slam.

Why?

BDO man through and through star of the show and very well looked after by the BDO.

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Waites and Chsinall in the PDC before too long

FFS, wanted Chisnall to win so badly.

It was an excellent tournament - I was lucky enough to work with IMG at Lakeside for the last few days of the championship and I'm pleased to say that both players would have been worthy of the title as they are both stellar blokes. Martin Adams cheerfully told me to "practise, practise, practise" as I chucked a few wayward arrows backstage. That's much of the reason why I love darts - its players are so human compared to overpaid footballers and the like. Wolfie and co. are invariably very grateful and indeed quite humbled to get to appear on TV and have people shout their names. A great tournament (in spite of my name being misspelt on the closing credits).

Fingers crossed the BDO and the PDC don't merge. From what I have seen and experienced, the latter may have the stronger players but it also has poor sportsmanship and far more rowdy fans than the BDO tournaments. I quite like the almost 'old boys club'-ish feel about the BDO.

Chris Philpot wrote: A great tournament (in spite of my name being misspelt on the closing credits).

Yeah!!! I noticed your name spelt wrong on the credits and assumed it was a different Chris Philpot. Oh my God, I can't believe you actually worked there. I'm so jealous. What was your role?

Forgive the late reply - particularly as I've now told you on Windows Live Messenger anyway! For anyone else interested I was a runner - making teas, buying lunches and fags, and running logs around the various parts of the compound.