|
|
Post by Agadoo on Sept 8, 2010 21:37:29 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Boogaloo on Sept 9, 2010 9:13:17 GMT
I disagree. I think he had every intent of going through with it. Unfortunately because the News Of The World decided to expose him before the match in question, that means we will never know, and of course you are innocent until proven guilty. But for me he will always be a stain on his character.
If you look at the Pakistan no-ball incident, NOTW waited until after the suspect no-balls were bowled. With Higgins they should have waited until after the frames were thrown, then he would have been nailed good and proper.
Instead he was able to concoct a story that he had no intention of going through with it. Saying that he felt pressured into it - well, he looked very relaxed to me in the NOTW video.
Higgins is a very lucky man.
|
|
|
|
Post by chris1986 on Sept 9, 2010 9:31:13 GMT
Surely if he had been approached like that and what Higgins says is true he just agreed because he was scared and was never going to go through with it he would have told other people in the game about it? Whatever the outcome it was his duty to warn officials and other players about this threat to the game, unless he kept it secret because he was going to do it.
The way he has gone about it left it open for him to play these frames of snooker and maybe he would lose anyway and still be able to collect the bribes without actually meaning to throw the game or he could wait on his circumstances in the match before deciding whether to go through with it.
Something is not right about the whole thing and he is very lucky.
|
|
|
|
Post by Agadoo on Sept 9, 2010 9:45:40 GMT
But why would he risk everything for a couple of hundred thou? He's one of the top players who's earned a good few million and will continue to earn top dollar in the game. It seems like he risked everything for nothing, it doesn't add up? If it was a journeyman player who only scrapes a modest living in the game I could understand. It's obvious they wanted to set up a big name.
|
|
|
|
Post by Boogaloo on Sept 9, 2010 10:02:41 GMT
But why would he risk everything for a couple of hundred thou? He's one of the top players who's earned a good few million and will continue to earn top dollar in the game. It seems like he risked everything for nothing, it doesn't add up? If it was a journeyman player who only scrapes a modest living in the game I could understand. It's obvious they wanted to set up a big name. You could say that about the three Pakistani cricketers and Hansie Cronje. Whilst they're not in the same salary bracket as Premier League footballers, they still earn a pretty healthy salary, and in the case of Mohammad Amir, he has his whole career ahead of him as he is only 18 years old. I agree in that I find it baffling that they would want to put it all on the line, but some people are greedy and they do do it. |
|
|
|
Post by The Arbiter on Sept 9, 2010 13:56:13 GMT
He said he feared for his life yet him and his bent agent looked pretty comfortable on the sofa when negociating the deal.
He got away lightly in my opinion but I'm glad the agent has been given the cue up the backside.
|
|
|
|
Post by chris1986 on Sept 9, 2010 14:18:46 GMT
He said he feared for his life yet him and his bent agent looked pretty comfortable on the sofa when negociating the deal. He got away lightly in my opinion but I'm glad the agent has been given the cue up the backside. He 'feared for his life' yet he didn't tell any security officials about the meeting afterwards to ensure he was protected? What did he think was going to happen if he won the frames he had told them he would fix if he didn't intend to go through with it. Would they not be slightly annoyed then if he really did think they were the Russian Mafia and had lost a fortune on the expected outcome. |
|
|
|
Post by peterdevo on Sept 13, 2010 14:53:02 GMT
He is going to find it very difficult to do well as I don't think the crowd will be that friendly towards him
|
|
|
|
Post by Belgian Yellow on Sept 13, 2010 14:59:02 GMT
The News of the World said the verdict was a victory for its investigative journalism. "We hope that the exposure of Higgins and Mooney will act as a deterrent to any other cheats in sport and help restore the integrity of snooker," it said in a statement
said the people accused of phone tapping!
|
|
|
|
Post by Gavin Archery on Sept 13, 2010 14:59:25 GMT
For someone who is innocent a six month ban seems a bit harsh.
|
|
|
|
Post by headlesspnub on Sept 13, 2010 15:23:59 GMT
He was found innocent of the main charges, but guilty of smaller charges hence the ban. Could have been a lot harsher!
|
|
|
|
Post by peterdevo on Sept 13, 2010 15:37:46 GMT
Perhaps not as bad as Alex Higgins did some years ago
|
|
|
|
Post by Gavin Archery on Sept 13, 2010 16:10:55 GMT
He was found innocent of the main charges, but guilty of smaller charges hence the ban. Could have been a lot harsher! I didn't read the guardian article initially, having made up my mind he must have been guilty of something. There is no smoke without fire, or something like that.  |
|
|
|
Post by baldy on Sept 14, 2010 7:14:43 GMT
But why would he risk everything for a couple of hundred thou? He's one of the top players who's earned a good few million and will continue to earn top dollar in the game. It seems like he risked everything for nothing, it doesn't add up? If it was a journeyman player who only scrapes a modest living in the game I could understand. It's obvious they wanted to set up a big name. George Graham took a £10,000 back hander at a time when he must have been earning easily £500,000 p/a. It doesn't add up I agree but if you're dodgy you're dodgy. Higgins, in my view, is as guilty as can be. I'm not a great snooker fan but if I hope the game and his fellow professionals disown him and that his career just peters out. Sport has to rid itself of the likes of Higgins and these cricketers to retain any credibility. Could you honestley watch a Pakistani cricket team, or Higgins, safe in the knowledge that everything is 100% - not 99.9% ? Golf seems just about the only high profile sport left not tarnished by some form of cheating - on the course that is ! And even that has been dragged through the mire with the exposure of Woods' shenanigans. |
|
|
|
Post by Agadoo on Sept 14, 2010 10:14:47 GMT
Not sure how you could fix or throw a game of golf?
|
|
|
|
Post by SteMerritt on Sept 14, 2010 10:38:29 GMT
Not sure how you could fix or throw a game of golf? Bet on a player not to make the cut? Bogie a particular hole? I would think there are quite a few spot bets you can do. |
|
