Colin Monk vs. Tony O'Shea

i love that julio is a darts buff

I just watch the highlights before I go to bed. lets not make too much out of this.

I must start watching this, how's Stubbsy/Bobby George analysis been? As a kind of aside do they actually drink beer when playing? I had an argument with a friend about this last week.

Bobby George's 'analysis': ''he beat 'im up!''

I think they are more likely to drink water though I haven't paid much attention to that: water=> helps to give the sport a more 'professional' image.

John Part is the best; I'm getting bored with Waddell after hearing him commentate on the Mosconi Cup (The Ryder Cup of 9 Ball pool) over Christmas. He's over egging the custard IMO.

Tony Green is too nice; a player missing a checkout will be said to be unlucky, wheras Part will say he's not very good. Part is better at pointing out the dynamics of the game as a player - the important of getting that extra treble as it will be one dart to a double if they get it as opposed to two and so - he does the maths that's the players are doing for you.

Bobby George bores me now - all he says is 'I've known this geezer for a bit nah, and he's playing the best darts I ever seen him play. He's always had it in 'im though'. And so on.

Stubbsy is OK though - he comes across as enthusiastic (but then he does at everything - he's like an excitable kid at a fairground who can't quite believe how brilliant everything is. I like that.

Will they bring in Jon Inverdale for the final though? They did last year (I think) and it's a disaster - he's a pro and everything, but I always gives the impression that he feels he's above this kind of thing and would rather be doing some Rugby Union instead.

BTW - camera shots of player's families/girlfriends - Dud when done to death. Last night for example, I'd have rather focussed in on the playaz, not the families, who amazingly, looked bloody nervous (or like they were about to bottle someone in the case of Aaron Monk). The interest would be in watching the body langauge and faces of the players to see who might be cracking under the strain.

That George criticism is extremely otm.

It must be the least modernised sport you see on TV, I mean in the sense that I can't imagine many of the players do fitness work or the like in the way that snooker players nowadays seem to do. I don't know a huge amount about darts and have played it about twice but it's good TV.

I love the fact that the crowd are regularly seen carrying huge trays filled with pints back to the tables, there's smoke in the air and waitresses are bringing baskets of fish and chips to the table. Magic.

Yeah and kids running around etc, or people just sitting and chatting away throughout.

I really *really* want to go and watch the Embassy World Darts sometime (only the Embassy, not the other one with the good players).

Tim - me too. But you have to move quick. They sell out very quickly and applications are by post only. Was too late this year. Thought about pitching up and seeing if there'd been any returns, but thought better of it.

Might put it in my diary for next year - been meaning to go for ages...

Count me IN!

Would that be INNNNNN ONE?

It might be.

It's the slightly chastened tone of the announcer when he says (e.g.) "45..."

Dave B, I agree with you about Monk's son; I'd like to smack that kid.