Hi,
The flawed maverick that was ex-World Snooker Champion Alex Higgins died today, sadly only accumulating a break of 61 in terms of his age.
For those non-snooker players/watchers, the following video shows him at his extravagant best:
http://noolmusic.com/videos/snooker_-_a ... k_1982.php
He was snooker's equivalent of Earl The Pearl but even more fractious and sublimely talented. Natural talent won him many fans and iconic status but he sadly lacked the temperament to be a great champion. However, he was legendary, mesmerising and a one-off.
RIP, Hurricane Higgins and may your god be always with you.
Bagpuss
Alex Higgins RIP
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Re: Alex Higgins RIP
If you take Alex Higgins in context and not compare him with anyone in todays game,youll find that he was the anti esptablishment character of his time.
He was his own worst enemy but i dont think he regretted anything he ever did or said in his time.
When he first showed up on the scene,he was the type of thing that snooker needed to get the game more recognised and in the headlines even more so than many better players than him at the time.
Sadly for Higgins he was later to find out that snooker didnt need him anymore,his gradual decline through drink smoking and personal issues all stemmed from his past and he couldnt get rid,he woulsnt conform.
Theres no doubt that George Best in football,you forget all his shortcomings off the table,but remember him for what he could do on a snooker table and for that he was a unique player of his time,but sadly his time had gone long ago and he couldnt accept that.
Like jimmy white he attracted the ubnderclass of snooker as his main support,the pissed up lads who would bawl and shout encouragement that no doubt he could well have done without at the time,but they saw him as one of them and not the true professionals that were around at the time.
To sum him up he was as has been said,he was flamboyant and all those superlatives you could use,but in the cold light of day,technically his style didnt make great players and his professional record cant match many players in todays game nor his ability.
I never rated him one of the best,cos there were many better players,but like Strickland the game was poorer ever so slightly without him around,cos you never knew what youd get.Youd get genius and madness in the same night and for that he will be missed.
He was his own worst enemy but i dont think he regretted anything he ever did or said in his time.
When he first showed up on the scene,he was the type of thing that snooker needed to get the game more recognised and in the headlines even more so than many better players than him at the time.
Sadly for Higgins he was later to find out that snooker didnt need him anymore,his gradual decline through drink smoking and personal issues all stemmed from his past and he couldnt get rid,he woulsnt conform.
Theres no doubt that George Best in football,you forget all his shortcomings off the table,but remember him for what he could do on a snooker table and for that he was a unique player of his time,but sadly his time had gone long ago and he couldnt accept that.
Like jimmy white he attracted the ubnderclass of snooker as his main support,the pissed up lads who would bawl and shout encouragement that no doubt he could well have done without at the time,but they saw him as one of them and not the true professionals that were around at the time.
To sum him up he was as has been said,he was flamboyant and all those superlatives you could use,but in the cold light of day,technically his style didnt make great players and his professional record cant match many players in todays game nor his ability.
I never rated him one of the best,cos there were many better players,but like Strickland the game was poorer ever so slightly without him around,cos you never knew what youd get.Youd get genius and madness in the same night and for that he will be missed.