Let The Games Begin

Posted: 04.09.12 in Tournament Analysis Blog category

The feel good factor of the Olympics is fading but for darts fans the season is just getting going! This is our preview of the German Darts Masters!

One of my twitter pals Neil @BoyinTheField anxiously tweeted to find out if it was normal to be laid low, even depressed you could say, at the end of the London Olympics. Too right it is! One study for example demonstrated that the happiness a nation felt after hosting a Football World Cup was three times that of the feel good factor of your wedding day!

On top of that Team GB did brilliantly well of course! A good proportion of the UK and Ireland were bursting with pride at not just the feats of our Olympians but the smooth, efficient and seemingly effortless organisation that helped make the games such a success. The other piece of news is that the sporting hosts’ low only lasts for around 4 months or just five weeks if you are a darts fan!

Why just 5 weeks? Because of course PDC darts are back and during the next few months the darts season really gets going. We can forget all about the muscle clad, super fit, sports stars  of track and field and focus on our, err, athletes of choice. The darters of the PDC are all limbering up for the Party Poker European Championships in Germany this weekend.  The first big PDC event since the Matchplay in July.

Just like the Olympics darts has been embroiled in some controversy too. Dutch Player Jelle Klassen has been involved in a well documented incident and subsequently has withdrawn from the tournament. Darts doesn’t really do controversy very well. Despite seemingly admitting to a monumental mistake Klassen has been slaughtered by some darts fans as well as some of his fellow professionals. Some people may see a press release Jelle put out as an admission of guilt from him but he should be allowed the chance to tell his side of the incident. Even dart players are innocent until proven guilty.

The other withdrawal from the tournament is Phil Taylor. This is due to family reasons and Gary Anderson is banned for failing to complete a game in Berlin in June.

We usually end up asking what is in it for the Darts Performance Centre during our previews. First up, a tournament without “The Power” adds an extra dimension and maybe even a bit more pressure on the top six or so as they will believe they really do have a chance now!  There are also a tremendous variety of players taking part, the usual suspects of course but also players who are on the Pro Tour but who usually only take part in the UK Open of the more high profile PDC events: Players such as:Peter Hudson, Andrew Gilding, Reece Robinson, Tony Littleton and Darren Webster for example.

Would it also be too much to ask for a bit of controversy bearing in mind the events preceding this tournament? Looking through the fixture list the match between Justin Pipe and Tony West looks interesting. West is apparently a robust character, feisty, out of the Mervyn King mould.  If “The Force” can send the laid back Wes Newton into emotional meltdown surely this could be a gold medal contender for yet more darting shenanigans?

...............................................................................................................................................

The Darts Performance Centre is a resource to assist dart players of all standards play better darts. The site is arranged as an on-line coaching manual. There is advice on technique, nerves, psychology, goal setting, practice games, an area to log your statistics and an interactive area where your darting questions are answered by two sports scientists, one with 30 years dart playing experience! Membership is just £25.00 per annum.