Some things to think about today – and a couple of them are even 888.com World Snooker Championship related.

After the quarter-final excitement, day 13 seemed rather a sobering affair by comparison - which got my cogs turning. Is there an optimum time to enjoy the Crucible? Obviously, the final is traditionally any championship’s crowning piece but surely there is much to be said for the gritty mid-way stages, where you are guaranteed a few different characters, some laughs, some tantrums, some come-backs and a few pastings.

Everyone loves an exciting final – cast your minds back to black-gate of 1985 – but if its dull (last year anyone?), the final can be the most yawn-riddled anti-climax of the whole tournament.
Discuss.

This led me to my second cognitive tangent. The Crucible has never been a predictable spectacle, with this year bringing more shocks than ever. Seeing Dotty the wonder Champ, Ebbo, Hendry et al cast aside by outsiders is indeed worthy of adjective-bedecked column inches and over-egged radio journalese, but is it good for a spectator sport?

Shocks can make the early rounds interesting but the later rounds less so if the rookie bottles it. To avoid a procession feel in the early stages – you want a couple of big names to fall but maybe not so many. Do most people still hope to see four of the biggest names squaring up in the semi-finals??

But one might argue that having virtual unknowns getting to the latter stages keeps everyone on their toes and shows the depth of quality in the game…..
Again, discuss.
 
With today’s semis, the Shaun-Mark clash has my vote for armchair satisfaction. As you may have gathered, Gabi’s Gossip is a big fan of the serene-looking ‘Jester from Leicester’ (what’s that all about?) but also has a little soft spot for the ‘Whiston Warrior’ (Worrier? Wanderer? Water carrier? It’s pretty lame anyway). It’s a tough call so let’s just say may the best inappropriately-nicknamed man win.

Mark, who has never before made the long walk to a single Crucible table, is already down. He needs to take these sessions frame by frame if his rookie ambition is to stand the test of Shaun’s experience and steady nerve.

Michaela was looking very glamorous yesterday evening. In fact, it was a bit of a sparkly semi-final, with her diamonte-effect necklace and Shaun’s twinkly bow tie (and nice shiny babyface). Michaela is celebrating her 40th birthday this year – in Vegas. Although it’s not as high-society as it sounds, she’s working over there refereeing the Mosconi Pool Cup at the same time.

Something else to engage those brain cells – if Ronnie had made 2007 his third time as World Champion, the years of his supremacy would have been 2001, 2004 and 2007. Take away all the 200s and what have you got? Spooky.
Or not, cos he’s, erm… out.
I’ll get my coat.

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