NOW HEAR ME OUT!

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the first GraveTalk of the Twenties!!!

Now this GraveTalk edition was going to be a sequel to my GraveTalk about Gay’s and how ‘Gay’ means so much more than homosexual; How it means peace – everyone living in harmony! But I’ve decided to leave that and talk about the latest gossip in the world of darts. In particular Fallon Sherrock.

First of all, congratulations to Fallon on getting through to the last 16 of the PDC World Championhip. Now after her first win I had a bit of an argument on Twitter with the worst (crappiest) commentator Rod Studd. I felt he was a bit patronising towards Fallon in the match and he showed that by how amazed he was at her winning. I said how I felt that she was the favourite (because I have watched her playing since 2012) and we both played in the 2013 Dutch Open (I went to watch her play, but could only find Deta Hedman) [Fun Fact: I played in the last Dutch Open in Veldhoven and the first to be played in Assen!].

To start with I find the Sky’s darts broadcasting to be a lot more [I don’t know] shite than other broadcasters – ITV are the best with Matt Clark, Jacqui Oatley, Chris Mason and Alan Warriner-Little – They are great! Sky on the other hand are just biased twats! From Dave Clark to Rod Harrington, Sid Waddell (God rest his soul…not really), the not so late Eric Bristow and the ever-patronising smug bastard Rod Studd {He’s just a really crap commentator – A complete, irritating little gobshite! – are just blatantly biased towards certain players and ignoring other major TV tournament’s; like they do with James Wade – His Champions League of Darts win means nothing to Sky but the other broadcasters do acknowledge it? (Wade got me into darts after the 2008 World Championship – But if he had win the 2010 Grand Slam Slam that would have made no difference because it was on ITV)

Since I started watching darts (with the Shepherd v Part final being my first-ever match) I have felt there has been a little bit of match-fixing. Now, I know darts players do practice a lot, but that doesn’t there can’t be any match-fixing. I wouldn’t put that past that cocky, arrogant, cockney gangster Barry Hearn – If he see’s a money-making player he will capitalise on them – You can tell by the way some of the players look and act. Some of those throws look deliberately missed. When I played darts competitively (In both the 2012 & 2013 Dutch Open & and every UK Open Qualifier since 2010 as well as well my pub league matches) I actually wanted to put people over – You may think this is bullshit, but I know my eyes aren’t the best and I just wanted to see to see how good everyone was – And they weren’t much better than me.

Okay let’s get to the point. Fallon Sherrock is a fantastic player but she wins two games and she get her 1 minutes of fame. Why? Because she beat a man. She was the favourite in both games – Her first match, she should have walked it and Suljovic (He has improved since I first saw him) I don’t really rate him – He’s done well, but I don’t really think he’s all that good. Now as for Dobey, she should have beat him; it was more of a shock him beating her. Now she gets her rewards with a place in the Premier League (Which I called) and the World Series – But all that is, is her 15 minute of fame. Let’s be honest the majority of PDC fans and the Sky team (that patronising Rod Studd – the way he spoke during her first match was so condescending, it was sickening. How long has he been a commentator for? You’d think he would have learnt a few things by now) had not heard of Fallon before she played – They just saw he as a young woman who qualified through the women’s qualifiers.

Just like in 2008 when Anastasia got an invite to the world Championship (Anastasia is another great player). She was given a two year players card and what happened after the two years? The novelty worn off and she went back to the BDO. The PDC is based on winning and if you don’t win you you struggle to get into the other events. The BDO/WDF have open tournaments throughout the year allowing any player to enter the events they choose. Now, for some reason Anastasia couldn’t adapt to the PDC (She is definitely good enough) but she was more of a novelty act – ‘A woman playing in the PDC against the men’. If you’re good enough why does it matter if you’re a man or a woman? What Hearn and the PDC did with Anastasia, they are now doing with Fallon – They’re using her as a way of making money – Putting pressure on her to win, because if she doesn’t keep winning she will go the same way as Anastasia or the novelty may wear off sooner (And she will still end up the same way as Anastasia).

I think Fallon withdrawing from the BDO World Championship was a mistake (I did tweet at the time was that a hint at her getting  a Premier League place) because you should play darts for the trophies and the enjoyment – The money should be viewed as a bonus. Yes, the PDC offer more money, but they are run by a patronising, arrogant tit – Wayne Mardle has said it best. The late Olly Croft started professional darts. He saw the ball and grabbed it – way before Hearn – only really threw money at the sport and made ‘his’ event more exclusive to ‘his’ players. Hearn has often said the PDC doesn’t have a separate women’s tour because women are allowed to enter and compete with the men. He’s tried to make a point at how men and women are equal (As they are) so why does he try and make a point at emphasising the women players – giving them automatic entries and singling them out trying to make a quick quid through marketing them. If there is no difference why make a special case for the women players then? Barry Hearn is showcasing ‘secret sexism’.

Since 2019 BDO & PDC players are allowed to play in BDO/WDF events and I think Fallon should continue to play in the BDO/WDF whilst trying to compete within the PDC circuit. She has built up a reputation in the BDO and the BDO allows for more opportunities on a ‘play when you like’ basis rather than qualifying through rankings. What’s the saying ‘Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket’.

Before I finish, keeping with the darts tone I just want to say that in 2020 I will be getting back into darts – I might be able to sneak into a little tournament before the end of the year. This time, however, I will not be putting people over rather doing my best to win! Hopefully next year the PDC UK Open amateur qualifiers have the highest scoring system – When they had that last time, I was supposed enter the Old Trafford qualifier but due to a bloody good workout a few days before (Stupid I know, but at the time I was the definitely the strongest darts player – until Gerwyn Price came long (Will try and take that claim back))I could move my arms and therefore had to withdraw. It was a shame, as when I saw the scores; they were pathetic – 21 darts and majority of the qualifiers had around 350 – including Robbie Green! (think he finished about 10th?) Stephen Bunting topped them with just under 600! At the time, not wanting to brag, but I was hitting the treble 20 for fun. I was practically hitting a 100+ every throw. the one time I would have definitely qualified and  would have tried my best in the televised event – Put people over on non-televised games, but showoff on tele; that’s my motto!

Right, I think that’s it. Three GraveTalks in one week – I do spoil you! I will be bringing a new GraveTalk out (Well try to) each month – maybe two or three!

Thanks for reading and if you if you agree, disagree or just have some random shit to write, why not leave a comment!

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