Snooker Scene Podcast episode 475 - When I'm Cleaning Windows

这个播客属于体育社交播客网络的一部分。

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.

你好。

Hello.

欢迎收听《斯诺克场景》播客。

Welcome to the snookerscene podcast.

我是戴夫·亨登。

I'm Dave Hendon.

咱们说实话吧。

Let's be honest.

天气热得不得了。

It's incredibly hot.

在这种天气下，录播客也好，听播客也好，大概都不是大多数人最优先考虑的事。

And, you know, recording podcasts and indeed listening to them is probably not top of most people's priorities in this weather.

我这是从英国的角度来说的。

I'm talking from a British standpoint.

我知道有些国家可能没这么热，但这里确实酷热难耐，所以这期节目不会太长。

I realize in in some countries it may not be hot, but it's hot here, and so this won't be the longest episode ever.

但这一周，冠军联赛终于要结束了。

But it's the week the Championship League finally ends.

之前大家都以为它可能永远办不下去了。

People thought it may never happen.

比赛定在周三举行，而同一天晚上，世界杯半决赛还是阿根廷对英格兰，两大体育盛事撞在了一起。

Is happening on Wednesday, and we're up against Argentina v England in the World Cup semi finals, so two big sporting events going head to head.

说到这个，我想起一件事：英格兰在八强对阵挪威那场，因为加时赛拖到午夜之后才结束。四十年来，英国电视午夜后收视人数最高的纪录，还是1985年世锦赛决赛戴尼斯·泰勒和史蒂夫·戴维斯那颗黑球绝杀。

But on that theme, I was wondering because, of course, the England match in the quarterfinals against Norway ran past midnight because it went to extra time, and for forty one years, the biggest post midnight audience on British television is still the Dennis Taylor, Steve Dobis black ball finish to the nine eighty five World Championship final.

我以为世界杯决赛能打破这个纪录，结果还是差了一点，峰值收视1680万，而泰勒对戴维斯那场是1850万，就差了一点点。

I thought if anything's going to beat that, it'd be the World Cup, but they just fell short, 16.8 peak, which is a phenomenal figure, it was 18,500,000,000 for Taylor Davis, so just fell short.

既然连这个都赢不了，那到底什么才能打破它呢？

And you've got to wonder if that can't beat it, what ever will?

如果英格兰真进了决赛，又碰上天气延误，比赛拖到午夜以后，那情况可能就不一样了。

Potentially, if England do get to the final and there's a weather delay, so the match runs past midnight, you've got to think then.

可能会吧，但得有不少条件凑在一起才行。

It probably will go, but, you know, a lot's got to happen for that to happen.

否则，这个纪录很可能就定格了，毕竟现在的电视环境跟当年天差地别。

Otherwise, it seems destined that that figure is going to stand because, of course, television is dramatically different to what it was then.

那时候只有四个频道，现在成百上千个，还有各种流媒体平台。

There were four channels then, there's now hundreds, the streaming, etcetera, etcetera.

英国人口也增加了，潜在观众的数量自然也更多了。

The population of The UK has gone up as well, so there are more potential, the bigger potential audience.

但事实是，连世界杯这种英格兰的重头比赛都破不了这个纪录，那它估计就永远立在这儿了。

But the fact is if a World Cup, huge match feature in England can't beat that record, then that record's gonna stand.

我不确定这是好事还是坏事，也不确定它到底有多重要，但事实是，它已经保持了四十一年，而且说实话，世界杯都破不了，那还有啥能破得了？

Well, I don't know whether that's a good thing or not, don't whether it matters or not, but the fact is it it is still standing up to forty one years, and as I say, the World Cup can't beat it, frankly, what will?

对了，上周是我生日，我平时一般不会提，毕竟每年都有，但这次算是个有特殊意义的生日，收到不少人发来的生日祝福，真的很暖心。

Now just to say, was my birthday last week, I wouldn't normally mention it because I have one every year, but I suppose you could call it a significant birthday, and I did receive some nice messages from people sending me birthday wishes, and that's very kind of them.

我这儿还真攒了几条。

And I've I've got a few here actually.

弗洛里安就是其中之一。

Florian was one of them.

还有谁呢？

Who else we got?

西蒙·伯特、罗布·弗朗西斯，还有网上的一些人。

Simon Burt, Rob Francis, others as well online.

非常感谢。

Thank you very much.

但最让我意外的是，我们在中国的挚友Ciao送了我一份超棒的礼物，我完全没料到。

But trumping it all, I have to say, ciao, our dear friend in China, gave me an extraordinary present, which I didn't know was coming.

这是我自己的金盒书箱，但被改造成装满了斯诺克圈里的人给我的留言——球员、粉丝，还有我一些朋友。

And it's my own book box of gold, but it's been repurposed with messages from people in the snooker world, players, fans, you know, various friends of mine.

他们只是签了名，写了一些暖心的话。

They've just signed things, written nice things.

正如我说的，真是大惊喜。

As I say, huge surprise.

谢谢菲尔·海格，虽然我这么说可能听起来有点奇怪，但其实他就是负责把这东西交到我手上的那个人，他也确实这么做了。

Thank you to Phil Haig who, I'm gonna say, you know, makes it sound shady in some way, but Phil sort of had the role of basically giving it to me, which he did.

他还特地跑到莱斯特来送给我。

He came down to Lester to do that.

但周先生显然为这件事花了很多心思，里面写了很多温暖的话，这真的会是我一直珍藏的礼物。

And but Chow has put a lot of work into this clearly, and, you know, there's some lovely things written in it, and it's it's really something I will treasure.

这真是一个特别贴心的举动，正如我所说，我完全没想到，我还跟家人说，你们得加把劲了，毕竟人家花了不少心思。

It's a really just a very nice gesture, and as I say, I wasn't expecting it, and I did say to my family, you you have to up your game a little bit, because a lot of thought has gone into this.

像傅家俊、杰克·拉乔夫斯基、尼尔·罗伯逊这些人都写了留言，还有很多我认识、喜欢又敬重的人，他们都抽空写了东西，还拍了签名时的照片。

So there's people like there's Marco Fu, Jack Lajowski, Neil Robertson have written things, you know, lots of people who I know and who I like and respect have taken the time and there's pictures of them actually signing them as well.

周先生做的这件事真的很暖心，我非常感激。

So it's just a very nice thing that Chow did and I appreciate it hugely.

非常感谢。

Thank you very much.

把书放那儿吧。

And put the book down there.

说到洗澡这个话题，我觉得她理应获得这个荣誉——成为本周第一个被念出来的邮件。

And while we're on the subject to shower, it seems right that she should get the I say honor, but the the role of being the first email to be read out this week.

那我们开始吧。

So here we go.

她说：我想回应一下阿尔法·邦齐的问题。

She says, I thought I'd answer Alpha Bonzi's question.

这事儿跟国际锦标赛有关。

So this is about the international championship.

我知道我确实查过日历。

It wasn't I I know I I I did have a look at the calendar.

我觉得阿尔法说得对。

I I think Alpha's right.

日历上确实没列出来。

It's not on there.

不过我觉得这应该是笔误，因为比赛肯定是有安排的。

I think that's just a mistake, though, because the tournament's definitely on.

她说，国际锦标赛与南京签订了一份三年协议，覆盖2024年、2025年和今年，所以今年是这份合同的最后一年。

Says the international championship signed a three year agreement with Nanjing covering 2024, '25, and this year, so this is the final year of that deal.

目前还没有任何迹象表明这项赛事会换到其他城市举办。

At the moment, there's been no indication that the tournament will be moving to a different host city.

在南京之前，2023年的国际锦标赛是在天津举办的，那也是当初与大庆签订的合同的第三年，也是最后一年，原本计划在疫情前完成。

Before Nanjing, the twenty twenty three international championship was held in Tianjin, which honored the third and final year of the contract that had originally been signed with Daqing before the pandemic.

不过，今年国际锦标赛会换一个新场地。

That said, the international championship will be using a different venue this year.

新场地的具体地点还没最终确定。

The new venue hasn't been confirmed yet.

我得承认，我有点失望，因为我特别喜欢原来的那个副馆。

I have to admit I'm a little disappointed because I absolutely love the old secondary arena.

那里有超大的沙发式座椅。

It had huge sofa style seats.

离球桌特别近。

You're incredibly close to the table.

每边只有三排座位，观众少了，整个场地显得特别宽敞舒适。

There are only three rows of seats along each side, and with fewer spectators, it really felt spacious and comfortable.

不过，也可能是座位太少，才让他们决定换场地。

Then again, perhaps having such limited seating capacity is one of the reasons they're changing venues.

我还想向阿迪道个歉。

I'd also like to apologize to Adi.

他是我在德国的同事。

Now this is a colleague in Germany.

上个月我去中国公开赛的场地时，拍了很多照片、视频，还做了笔记，但没来得及整理好就发给他了。

Last month, I visited the China Open venue and sent him lots of photos, videos, and notes before I properly organized everything.

这确实让他对座位数量产生了误会。

That clearly led to some confusion over the seating capacity.

据场地工作人员说，主办方租了两个场馆。

According to the venue staff, the organizers have hired two arenas.

1500个座位的场馆用于开幕式，而主赛场能容纳4600人。

The 1,500 seat arena will be used for the opening ceremony, while the main competition arena has a capacity of 4,600.

根据刚公布的座位图，大约三分之二的座位会分配给1号台，剩下的三分之一给2号台。

Judging by the seating plan that's just been released, around two thirds of the seats will be allocated to Table 1, with the remaining third going to Table 2.

门票预计下周开售。

Tickets are expected to go on sale next week.

首轮比赛的票价大约在9到97英镑之间，决赛则在42到294英镑左右。

Prices range from around £9 to £97 for the opening round, and from about £42 to 294 for the final.

这个价差也太大了吧。

This seems huge disparages.

我明白你的意思。

I I understand it.

坐哪儿决定价格高低，不过总归是有的划算，有的不值。

It depends where you sit, but anyway, there's some bargains there and and and and some not bargains.

Chow 还想补充一点。

Chow concludes one more thing.

赛事冠名商‘中国公开赛’生产的是擦窗机器人。

The title sponsor, The China Open, makes window cleaning robots.

我以前根本没想到这种东西还真的存在。

I've never even realized such things existed before.

看了它实际工作之后，我不得不承认，我真有点想买一个。

After watching one in action, I have to admit, I'm rather tempted to buy one.

这消息是说，中国公开赛的赞助商是山西吉晓达机器人有限公司，也就是Sattio擦窗机器人。

Well, yes, this is news that the China Open is to be sponsored by, well, it's the Shansi Ji Xiaida Robot Company Co Limited, Sattio Window Cleaning Robot.

中国公开赛的官方赞助商，就是这个擦窗机器人。

That is the official sponsor of the China Open, a window cleaning robot.

我其实希望的是——当然，我们欢迎机器人统治者——但我想，那些赛后冗长的颁奖仪式，往往更关注嘉宾和赞助商，而不是运动员。

And what I'm hoping is, and we welcome our robot overlords, of course, but what I'm hoping is that because at these very long ceremonies, price ceremonies after the final, which often seem to be about the dignitaries and the sponsors rather than the players.

我倒是希望，这个擦窗机器人能参与进来，说不定还上台说几句，谁知道呢。

I'm But hoping that the window cleaning robot takes part in that and maybe makes a speech, I don't know.

也许那天它忙着去擦窗户，根本没空出席。

Maybe busy cleaning windows that day.

以前史蒂夫·戴维斯被人叫做‘罗姆福德机器人’，可四十年后，真有个机器人来赞助中国公开赛了，我觉得这事儿挺有意思的。

But of course, Steve Davis used to be known as the Romford robot, but here we are, forty years later, and an actual robot is sponsoring the China Open, and I think that's, you know, there's a lot to be said for that, think.

但如果你是个真正的清洁工，现在丢了工作，那可能就没那么值得高兴了，不过这大概属于另一个话题的节目了。

There's maybe not so much to be said for it if you're an actual window cleaner and are now out of a job, but anyway, that's maybe an issue for a different sort of podcast.

对了，顺带提一下，我们这儿有个叫史蒂夫·斯温登的人。

Just while I remember, so we've got here Steve Swindon.

他发了封邮件过来，这些邮件都没什么顺序，但他说：希望你们这个夏天过得不错。

So he emailed in there's no order to these emails, but anyway, he said, I hope you're having a good summer.

他想跟你们和《斯诺克场景》播客的听众分享一下，他最新一期的播客《来自 padded envelope 的歌》里，采访了那位会唱歌的摄像师吉姆·肯布林·琼斯。

Just wanted to share with you and the snooker scene podcast listeners that the latest episode of my podcast, Songs From a Padded Envelope, features a great conversation with Jim Kemblin Jones, the singing cameraman.

吉姆的故事特别精彩，他还很慷慨地参与了一个斯诺克音乐挑战，就是组一个由斯诺克选手组成的超级乐队。

Jim's stories are really great, plus he very generously indulged in a snooker music challenge, which I think will also appeal to you and your listeners, which was to create a super group made of snooker players.

他对这个挑战的回答太棒了，绝对值得一听。

Jim's answer to this is fantastic and well worth a listen.

谢谢你能让我分享这个，希望大家都喜欢他和吉姆的对话。

Thanks for letting me share this and hope people enjoy a chat with Jim.

再强调一遍，这档节目叫《来自 padded envelope 的歌》。

This is just to reiterate, this is Songs From A Padded Envelope.

这个播客是史蒂夫·斯温登和吉姆·肯兰·琼斯做的。

It's a podcast by Steve Swindon and Jim Kenland Jones.

如果你去过英国的斯诺克赛事，你肯定认识吉姆。

If you've been to snooker tournaments in Britain, you'll you'll know Jim.

他当摄像师很多年了，资历很深。我记得2014年大师赛那会儿，突然停电了。

He's a cameraman of many years, long standing, and I think it was 2014, there was a power cut at the Masters.

吉姆还是个吉他手，最近正在录一张专辑。

And Jim's a a guitarist, and he's just recording an album.

他特别热爱音乐。

Loves his music.

停电的时候，他直接拿出吉他，在黑暗中弹了一整套民谣。

And he stepped in with the guitar and played an acoustic set in the dark while they were waiting for the power to come back on.

安迪是个特别好的人，吉姆也是，那些幕后工作者都这样，都是默默无闻的英雄。他们总能精准地待在最佳位置，给导播提供最棒的画面，让家里的观众看到最精彩的瞬间。他们工作时间长，任务要求高，得一动不动地守着镜头，几乎让人察觉不到他们的存在。

Andy is a lovely man, Jim, really like all those guys, you know, real unsung heroes, they always get in the right spot to provide the pictures for the director to cut up and bring, you know, the viewing audience at home the best possible views of the action, and they, you know, they work long hours and the big nature of what they do, they have to keep still on the shot and almost go by unnoticed.

正因如此，他们常常被忽视，但其实不该这样。

And in a way, they kind of, for that reason, are unnoticed, but they shouldn't be.

他们干得特别棒，真值得去听听。

They do a great job and so do check that out.

说到超级组合，其实这事儿已经持续很久了，以前就有斯诺克选手跟流行歌手同名的，比如大卫·格雷、乔·佩里，还有Level 42的马克·金。

In terms of a super group, I mean, you know, it's kind of a long running thing really, but we've had snooker players who share their names with pop stars before, David Gray, Joe Perry, Mark King from level 42.

本来我想说，等哪周安静点再聊这个，不过说实话，哪周都挺安静的。

But maybe we'll return to that in I was gonna say in a quiet week, but they all tend to be quiet, to be honest.

后来史蒂夫又跟我们联系上了。

Now Steve did get back in contact.

哦，对了，你只要搜一下这个播客，名字叫《Padded Envelope》里的歌，一定要去听听。

Oh, Is it linked to the well, if you just Google the podcast, it's the songs from Padded Envelope, and do do check that out by all means.

加里·加利根发邮件特别有意思，他每次开头都写‘老板’。

Gary Galligan, who has a unique way of addressing the email, well boss, is how he starts.

你觉得朱德·特鲁姆普的巅峰期是不是快过去了？

Do you think Judd Trump's time could be coming to an end?

他现在才37岁，在当今选手里还算年轻，但不是每个人都能像‘92届’那样出类拔萃。

Obviously, he's only 37 and he's youthful in today's game, but not everyone will be the class of '92.

我知道尼尔·罗伯逊还在，但跟四五年前相比，他已经不是当年那个台球高手了。

I know Neil Robertson is still there or thereabouts, but he's not the snooker man he was four or five years ago.

如果贾德最后只拿了一个世锦赛冠军就退役，那真是太遗憾了。

It'll be such a shame if Judd ended on one world title.

我觉得他肯定能打破GOAT的单杆破百纪录，但再拿十个排名赛冠军恐怕没那么容易。

I think will obviously get the centuries record from the GOAT wrong, but 10 more ranking times could be tricky.

我想听听你的看法，因为吴玉璋和钟嘉欣未来肯定会很难对付。

I'd like to know your opinion because Wu Yuzha and Jazzing Tong, I believe, will be very hard in the future.

最后，我一直在社交媒体上关注罗尼。

Finally, I follow Ronnie on socials.

他最近老是提到第八个冠军。

He seems to be talking about number eight a lot.

这可是他职业生涯里最后还差的一件事了。

It's his last remaining thing in the game.

好在他现在突然对这个目标这么上心了。

It's good that he's obsessed over it all of a sudden.

是的，因为他有动力，不然呢。

Yes, because he's driven or no.

所以他突然这么执着，是好事吗？

So is it good he's obsessed over it all of a sudden?

是的，因为他有动力；但另一方面，等谢弗来了，压力可就大了。

Yes, because he's driven or no, because when Sheffer comes around, the pressure is immense.

再说说你的看法，兄弟。

Again, your thought to my bro.

你兄弟，大G。

Your bro, big g.

好吧。

Okay.

关于奥沙利文冲击第八冠这件事，只要他没做到，这话题就一直会存在，你说呢？

Well, on the point with O'Sullivan the eighth, mean that will remain an issue until he does it, guess.

但说到底，他老想着这事，这有什么奇怪的？

But I mean, all I would say about, you know, he's thinking about it, well, why wouldn't he be?

我的意思是，那些成功的运动员，永远都不会满足，永远都想要更多。

I mean, sports people who've been successful always want more, always.

他们之所以能成功，正是因为不会觉得‘我已经拿了世界冠军，这就够了’。

Part of the reason they've been successful in the first place is they don't just accept, you know, I've won the world title, that's it.

赢了一次，还想再赢；再赢一次，又想继续赢，就这么一直下去。

I wanna win it again, and when I've won it again, I wanna win and so on and so on.

像史蒂芬·亨德利，大家都知道，比赛一结束，第二天他就回到俱乐部，准备下一场比赛了。

Stephen Hendry, you know, famously, the day after a tournament, we'll be back in the club, on to the next one.

我觉得，真正的高手，都是这么想的。

And I think the greats of the game, you know, that's how they think.

说到贾德·特鲁姆普，你觉得他是不是已经不行了？

In terms of judge Trump, I mean, is he finished?

这种说法有点太夸张了吧。

Seems a seems a bit of a stretch.

你可没这么说。

You didn't say that.

你刚才问，他的时代是不是结束了？

You said is his time come to an end?

我觉得你提了个有意思的问题，因为他现在正处在一个关键节点上。

I think you raise an interesting point because he's at something of a crossroads, think.

他很可能要丢掉世界第一的排名。

He's likely to lose the number one spot.

所以一旦真丢了，他肯定想重新夺回来——毕竟他马上要丢掉不少积分，而津汉、布耶瑟，还有尼尔·罗伯逊，都在虎视眈眈，有机会冲上第一。

So the motivation, I'm sure, will be there to get that back when it happens, which seems likely he's got big points coming off and and Zinkham doesn't and and Booyahser and actually Neil Robertson are in the mix as well for the world number one spot.

我想问的是，他每年赢五冠的时代真的结束了吗？

I guess the question is, are his days of winning five titles a year over?

不过说实话，对任何选手来说，这种高产时代可能都一去不返了。

Now they may be over for any player actually.

上个赛季他只赢了一站，而且之前还老是出现击球失误，渐渐就淡出了顶尖行列，我觉得是这样。

He only won one, say only, won one last season, and he had problems with the queue and just sort of faded a little bit from prominence, I think.

但反过来想，这也正是他重新崛起的动力。

But again, that's motivation to get back there again.

我觉得现在就说他巅峰已过还为时过早，但你说得对，再拿十个排名赛冠军确实不是个小数目。

I think it's too sort of early to say that you know, his best days are behind him as such, but, you know, you make the point 10 more ranking titles, it is a lot actually.

以前他两年就能拿这么多，现在可能得花上六七年，当然，罗尼·奥沙利文也还有可能继续赢下去。

You know, I mean, time was he'd win that in two years, but it may take now six, seven years and and, you know, of course, Ronnie O'Sullivan could still win more as well.

所以你提的这点很有意思，但关键是现在比赛这么多，只要状态上来，完全有可能一飞冲天——我们之前就见过，特鲁姆普一旦赢了一站，紧接着往往又是一连串胜利。

So, yeah, it's it's an interesting point you raise, but, you know, the thing is now, there are enough tournaments, of course, if you get on a good run to absolutely, you know, kick on and we've seen before when Trump wins one invariably very quickly after he wins another.

所以新赛季开局会很值得期待，他能重回巅峰吗？

So I think the early season will be interesting, you know, can he he come back to form?

拭目以待吧。

We'll see.

就是觉得，他曾经那么辉煌，现在没那么猛了，难免让人觉得他可能再也回不去了——我懂这种想法，但斯诺克这项目，谁说得准呢？

It just feels that, you know, because he had this incredible run and now it's not quite so incredible, the temptation is, and I understand it, to say, well, maybe, you know, we're not going to see him back to that again, but you just never know do you in this sport.

很多人，包括我可能也一样，都以为下赛季主要就是郑桐和吴亚苏的舞台，但未必如此，他们俩也可能遇到瓶颈。

Mean, so many people and I'm probably guilty of it myself, are expecting next season to be largely about Zhengtong and Wu Yasu, it might not be, they might both struggle.

郑桐连冠军联赛第二阶段都没能晋级，他可是大热门啊，表面上看好像没什么，可这其实是个不小的早季挫折，毕竟他本不必参加那站比赛的。

Zhengtong didn't qualify for the second phase of the Championship League, he was a big favorite too, now in the scheme of things, so what, you might say, but that's actually a little early setback because he didn't have to play in that tournament.

所以咱们走着瞧吧，在体育圈里，真的很难下定论。

So we'll see, in sport you just sort of, you just can't say really.

我注意到特鲁姆普的一个特点，就是他的冠军头衔分布得特别广。

One thing I have noticed with Trump is that, you know, his tournament wins, there's a great geographical spread.

有些选手特别擅长到处参赛并夺冠。

Some players are sort of expert of traveling and winning tournaments.

有些选手就不那么擅长远征，往往只在英国赢比赛。

Some players maybe are not so expert and tend to win tones in Britain.

特鲁姆普在哪都能赢，说到这儿，虽然你没问，但我自己想提个问题。

Trump wins them everywhere and and, you know, I I failed to I'll put it this way, if the question is and it's not because you haven't asked it, but I'm gonna ask myself a question.

乔·特鲁姆普这个赛季能赢下一项赛事吗？

Will Joe Trump win a tournament this season?

是的，我觉得他会赢。

Yeah, I think he will.

他很可能不止赢一场，但具体会是哪些比赛，还得看情况。

I think more than likely he'll win more than one, but we'll see what tournaments they are.

正如你所说，他确实只拿过一次世锦赛冠军，明年他再参赛时，就整整八年没夺冠了。

As you say, it's a fact he's only won one world championship, and when he goes there next year he'll be eight years since he won it.

所以，肯定还有别的原因，不只是因为现在有太多顶尖选手在竞争。

So, you know, there must be a reason for that other than just the fact that there's lots of other, you know, really great players around.

我觉得今年值得关注的一个故事，就是世界第一的争夺战，以及这场排名赛如何影响特鲁姆普的心态——也许这反而能成为他的动力。

It's one of the narratives to follow, I think, this season, the world number one race, and how the race for world number one maybe affects Trump and affects his thinking, and and maybe you can use it as a positive way and use it as motivation.

达伦·比夫勒说，原谅我这封邮件可能比《战争与和平》还长，但我自从发现你的播客后，一直想发这封邮件，想表达它有多有料又有趣。

Now, Darren Biffle says, forgive me if this email might rival war and peace in length, but I've been meaning to send this email after discovering your podcast and expressing how informative and entertaining it is.

谢谢你这么说，达伦，既然你都写了，那我干脆全文念出来。

That's kind of you, Darren, and of course, now you've that I will read the whole thing out.

今年是我接触斯诺克的第四十五周年，那年我才六岁，看了1991年的詹姆斯顿国际赛，当时史蒂夫·戴维斯在《体育世界》节目中，以9比8击败亚历克斯·希金斯，那场比赛在德比的Assembly Roobs举行。

This year marks the forty fifth anniversary of my discovery of snooker when I watched the Jameson International nineteen ninety one at the age of six when Steve Davis defeated Alex Higgins nine eight in the semifinals the Assembly Roobs Derby on World of Sport.

按我一贯的风格，我没随大流去喜欢希金斯那种张扬甚至有点疯癫的打法，反而被戴维斯那种优雅而冷静的风格深深吸引，直到今天，他依然是我心中最喜爱的球员。

As is the pattern of my life, I didn't go for the majority and fall for the brash and dare I say unhinged arrogance of Higgins' play, but the majestic calculating style of Davis that to this day still makes him my favorite player of all time.

这些年来，我在参加斯诺克赛事时见过不少顶尖选手，但只有史蒂夫总让我激动得说不出话，最夸张的是，2006年世锦赛半决赛期间，我居然在BBC直播中被他本人采访，聊的是彼得·艾普顿和马可·傅那场无聊透顶的第一局。

Of all the great snooker players I've met over the years in attending snooker tournaments, Steve is always the player that makes me starstruck, culminating in appearing on live BBC TV between sessions of the World Semis in 2006, being interviewed by Steve about the rather tedious first session between Peter Epton and Marco Fu.

关于这一点，达伦，我稍后会回你的邮件，说戴维斯不受欢迎其实是个误解。

Just on that Darren, and I'll get back to your email shortly, it is a bit of a myth that Davis wasn't popular.

他当时非常受欢迎，还拿过BBC年度体育人物奖，那时候全靠寄明信片投票。

He was hugely popular, won BBC Sports Personality of the Year when it was just a direct postcard vote.

确实，有一部分观众不太喜欢他，就是那些偏爱希金斯、吉米·怀特这类个性张扬球员的人，但那只是少数，远不是整个斯诺克观众群体，只是其中一小部分。

It's true he wasn't popular with a certain crowd, the crowd that liked Higgins and Jimmy White and the kind of bad boys, but that wasn't the majority of the snooker audience, that wasn't certainly the whole of the snooker audience, that was a particular part of it.

还有一大群人是真心喜欢史蒂夫·戴维斯的。

There was another part of it that loved Steve Davis.

他很受欢迎，就这么简单。

He was popular, and and that's it.

你自己就证明了这一点。

And and and you've demonstrated that yourself.

好了，你接着说。

Anyway, continue.

真正让我开始动摇对这项运动热爱的，是八九十年代在YouTube上越看越多的斯诺克比赛录像。

What this is leading to is that watching the ever increasing snooker matches posted on YouTube in the nineteen eighties and nineties made me begin to waver in my current love of the sport, a season.

那时候，斯诺克的现场转播多得让人应接不暇，这要看比赛质量如何，倒也不全是坏事。

In these times, snookers enjoyed an embarrassment of riches in regards to live coverage, which depending on the quality of the matches is a good thing.

也许是我年纪大了，注意力没那么集中了，反而怀念起八十年代那些集锦节目，那时候反而更像一种享受。

Perhaps it's my lack of attention span in my ageing years these days that makes me think back to when highlights programs during the 80s were more of a blessing.

兴趣动摇的另一个原因，是电视上总看到那几个老面孔，新秀没机会露脸，也很少播排名接近的选手之间的对决。

Perhaps the other reason for the wavering of interest is the repetition of seeing the same star players on TV tables and not giving up and coming players their chance to shine or showing matches between closer ranked players.

最后让我动摇的，是觉得世锦赛迟早要离开克鲁斯堡，心里已经默认冠军会落到中国手里。

The final reason for this wobble was the seeming inevitability that the world championship would leap the crucible, resigned to the thought that the championship would go to China.

我开始觉得，这项运动再也不是从前的样子了，也接受了这样一个事实：我对斯诺克的热爱，更多是怀念过去，而不是当下。

I began to think that the sport wouldn't be the same anymore and resigned myself in believing that my love of snooker is more for days gone by than now.

在斯诺克经历这么多变化的时候，我需要一个不变的东西来抓住。

Amongst all the changes happening in snooker, I needed one constant to hang on to.

但后来，情况变了。

However, things changed.

等等。

Hang on.

变化实在太大了。

Things changed so much.

我把你的邮件弄丢了。

I've lost your email.

请稍等一下。

Just bear with me.

这可有点悬了。

And this is this is a bit of jeopardy.

来了。

Here we go.

事情发生了巨大的转变。

Things changed in a rather dramatic fashion.

三月份，一次普通的门诊检查让我住院住了三天，就在那期间，官方宣布世锦赛将继续留在谢菲尔德。

In March, a routine outpatient diagnostic test led to a three day stay in hospital during which the news was announced that the world championship will stay in Sheffield.

再加上罗尼·奥沙利文打出的153分破百，还有通过Audible听你那本《金矿》的书，让我意识到，现在和过去同样值得珍惜。

This together with Ronnie O'Sullivan's 153 break and reading your wonderful pots of gold book via audible with the book itself, made me realize that the present belongs just as much as the past.

那段时间，医院里各种事情忙得不可开交，台球成了我最好的调剂，至于那些细节，我就不再多说了。

It was a wonderful distraction to everything and everyone going on around me in numerous hospital wards, and I'll spare you the stories at least.

六周后，正当我特意请假去看斯诺克世锦赛的时候，却突然收到了关于健康状况的沉重消息。

Six weeks later during the World Snooker Championship, which I always arranged time off work to indulge, I was dealt with a life changing blow regarding my health.

在面对可能降临的种种噩耗时，台球成了我唯一能寻求慰藉的方式——那些经典赛事不断重播，而新晋的世界冠军姚兴桐，我相信他将开启这项运动史上最伟大的对决之一。

Whilst trying to come to terms with the potential horrors of what may lie before me, snooker became a necessity in trying to bring some kind of solace to my troubled mind, and it delivered as much as it could with much documented classic matches and a new world champion who I believe will create one of the greatest rivalries in the sport was Yao Xing Tong.

目前我正在接受治疗，秋天会做手术，虽然有些副作用，但医生说情况正在向好的方向发展，但愿能彻底康复。

Right now, I'm undergoing treatment which will lead to surgery in the autumn, and despite the side effects, I've been advised things are going down the right path for fingers crossed a full recovery.

我还想说，我对斯诺克的热爱被彻底点燃了，真盼着赛季末的高潮早点到来，毕竟上一次我去克鲁西布剧院，还是2007年的事。

What I can also confirm is that my love for snooker has been completely reinvigorated and can't wait for the business end of the season to begin, given that the last time I had visited the crucible was 2007.

等我康复了，总有一天会再回到那里，说不定还能碰上你，带着我的《金罐》那本书，还有你未来可能写出的其他斯诺克经典之作。

The makeover is due to undergo will bring me back there one day, and maybe, just maybe, I might catch you with my copy of pots of gold, and perhaps other great snooker bibles you may create.

如果你看到这儿了，我最后想问你几个问题。

A couple of questions to end this email if you've reached this far.

你最喜欢的斯诺克主题音乐或曲子是哪一首？

What is your favorite snooker song or piece of music?

我之所以这么问，是因为过去一年半我一直在医院电台做节目，世锦赛期间我播过一些挺另类的歌，比如《罗姆福德说唱》《斯诺克之歌：大突破》《黑白拉力赛》，还有那位不知名的‘单局之王’。

I asked this as I presented a hospital radio show for the last year and a half, and during the period of the world championship, I played such at times dubious choices as the Romford rap, the snookersong big break, black and white rag drag racer, and to the unknown man frame of the day.

这节目叫‘随机电台’，真不是白叫的。

It's called the random radio show for good reason.

你觉得还该不该给资深选手保留外卡资格？

Where do you stand upon wild cards still being awarded for senior players?

如果我理解错了，还请见谅，但我以为吉米·怀特还有外卡，而肯·多赫蒂却没有。

Forgive me if I'm incorrect in this assumption, but I believe Jimmy White still holds a tall card and Ken Doherty doesn't.

我觉得这不太公平，吉米对这项运动贡献很大，但肯作为前世界冠军，理应得到同等机会。

I find it quite unfair because as much as Jimmy has done to the game, Ken should have equal opportunity as he was a world champion.

当然，我对他们任何一位，或者所有资深选手都没意见，但这种做法其实剥夺了年轻选手、更富潜力的选手积累经验、发展职业生涯的机会。

I have nothing personal against either of them of course or indeed any senior player given such an opportunity, but it denies younger and dare I say more potent players a chance to develop their experiences and career.

再次感谢你的真知灼见和深刻评论，愿2026到2027赛季精彩纷呈。

Once again, thank you for your insight and intelligent commentary, and here's to a great twenty twenty six-twenty seven season.

这真是一封精彩的邮件。

Well, what a great email.

首先，我们所有人都衷心祝愿你治疗顺利，希望一切都能好转，早日离开医院，回到正常生活。

First thing to say, of course, is we all wish you well with your treatment, and you know, hopefully all will go well, and you know, days will be behind you in hospital.

这真是发自内心的祝愿，希望你早日康复。

So that's a sincere wish that you know, you get better.

说到具体的问题，我之前做过一期节目，讲的是斯诺克和音乐的奇妙交集——那首歌叫《口袋里的生活》，是首冷门B面曲，非常罕见，我都不知道你能不能找得到，它是《147》的B面，那首歌是亚历克斯·希金斯的《我心中的天堂》。

In terms of the specific questions, I mean, I did an episode sort of snookers flirtation, if that's the word with music, and it was established that life in the pocket, which is a b side, it's very rare, I don't know whether you'd ever be able to track this down, but it's the b side of one four seven, that's my idea of heaven by Alex Higgins.

1982年亚历克斯·希金斯赢得世锦赛时，流行乐坛确实找上门来，虽然没持续多久，但他确实发了这张单曲《147》，主打歌是《我心中的天堂》，但真正有意思的是B面的《口袋里的生活》，更带点忧郁的韵味。

Now when Alex Higgins won the world championship in 1982, you know, the the pop industry came calling, not for long as it turned out, but they did come calling, and he released this record, one four seven, that's My Idea of Heaven, but the the b side, Life in the Pocket, is a far more interesting song, a bit melancholic.

亚历克斯其实算不上歌手，但他倾尽全力去唱了，而《口袋里的生活》——这正是我最爱的斯诺克主题曲。

He wasn't really a singer, Alex, but you know, he gave it his all, and Life in the Pocket, that is my favorite snookersong.

至于外卡、邀请卡，不管你怎么叫它，这确实是个有争议的话题，大家看法不一。

The wildcards, the talk cards, invitation cards, whatever you want to call them, I mean, it's an issue not everyone agrees with.

我觉得过去在赛制是直通赛、所有人都集中到现场的时候，让吉米上场是有道理的，他确实能吸引观众，肯也一样，这算是一种对他们在斯诺克运动中贡献的致敬。

I think there's logic in although I'll rephrase that, I think there was logic in them when it was a flat draw and everyone was at the venue, example, the Home Nations, I think there was there was weight to having Jimmy there playing because he did draw a crowd and Ken as well, in celebration of what is achieved and given to the sport.

但现在资格赛这么多，绝大多数资格赛观众根本进不去，所以这些老将有没有进正赛，其实对比赛本身影响不大了。

I think there's less of a kind of call for them now that there's so much qualifying, because for most of qualifiers the public aren't allowed in any way, so I don't really see what difference it makes if those guys are kind of in the tournaments or not.

我对这个没什么强烈看法，但也许他们确实已经走到了尽头。

I don't feel strongly about it, but it may be that they've sort of reached the end of their the point of them.

这是吉米最后一季了，挺有意思的是，看他赛季结束时能不能再拿到一张外卡，明年开赛时他就65岁了。

This is Jimmy's last year of it, it'd be interesting to see if he gets another card at the end of it, it'll be 65 at the start of next season.

有人可能会说，年龄应该设个上限。

You could argue it should be capped in terms of age.

也有人会说，吉米依然是大家喜爱的传奇人物，你看世界资格赛时，他一出场就吸引那么多人，让他继续打又有什么不好呢？

People will say, well, you know, Jimmy is still a beloved figure, we saw the world qualifying, he brought a lot of people in, what harm is it actually doing to let him carry on?

但也有人觉得，这些老将该退场了，该让新人上来了，这全看你怎么想。

Others will say, you know what, these guys have had their time, let's move on, and it just depends on what you think.

不过我要说的是，大家有个误解，以为这些外卡占了别人的名额，其实并不是，它们是额外的席位。

What I will say though is, it is a bit of a misconception, this idea that they're taking away other places, they're not their extra places.

我觉得没错的话，现在巡回赛一共有129名球员。

So I think I'm right saying there's 129 players on the tour.

这不是128人的赛事，而是由各种资格赛名额加上外卡数量共同组成的，吉米·怀特有一张外卡，肯没有，但这并不意味着挤掉了谁，它是个额外的名额，不是在吉米和Q学校选手之间二选一。不过我感觉，这类外卡可能快要取消了。

It's not 128 player tour, it's the allocation in the various qualifying routes plus however many invitational cards they award and Jimmy White has one, Ken doesn't, but it's an extra place, it's not like it's a choice between him or someone else off the Q School, but I get the feeling that these cards possibly are coming to an end.

咱们走着瞧吧，很明显他们没给肯发卡，吉米肯定也在等，看赛季结束会不会轮到他。不过说到底，最重要的是照顾好自己，希望很快能在斯诺克赛场上见到你。

We'll see, you know, obviously they made the decision not to award Ken one and Jimmy will be waiting I'm sure to see whether he gets one at the end of the season, but anyway the main thing is that you know, look after yourself and hopefully we'll see you at the snooker very soon.

现在来自峰区的艾伦说：希望你们夏天过得愉快，我知道你们一直在忙冠军联赛，真不容易。不过对我来说，夏天得歇一歇，不想老盯着斯诺克看了。

Now Alan in the Peak District says, I hope you're enjoying the summer, I know you've been busy with the Championship League and fair play on that, but for me I need a bit of a break from my snooker watching over the summer.

但这个播客，绝对不能错过。

The podcast though is unmissable.

谢谢你的支持，艾伦。

Well, thank you Alan.

从最近几期节目里，我感觉你们好像有点没词儿了。

I've got the sense from the past couple of episodes that you were somewhat short of material.

艾伦，我这十年来一直没词儿，可照样不停出新节目。

Well, I've been short of material for ten years Alan, but it doesn't stop me churning out episodes.

所以我琢磨着，是时候提个建议了——得提前说清楚，这建议有点怪，挺另类的。

Therefore, I thought it was time to send this proposal, which I will say upfront is at the quirky end of the scale of correspondence.

我想说的是，斯诺克比赛有时候太雷同了，尤其是赛季末档期排得密密麻麻的时候，一个比赛刚完，下一个就接上了。

Here goes, sometimes I think snooker tournaments are a bit all the same, especially at the busy end of the season when the calendar rolls from one tournament to another.

比如特尔福德的一个台球厅，跟切尔滕纳姆或贝尔法斯特的台球厅，其实没什么区别。

A hall in Telford with a snooker table is very interchangeable with a hall in Cheltenham or Belfast for example.

那这个问题该怎么解决呢？

What could be done about that?

你问得正好。

Well, I'm glad you asked.

我的建议是，向其他运动学习，让不同赛事的打球条件有所区别。

My suggestion would be to follow the lead of other sports and change the playing conditions for different tournaments.

其实现在就已经有点这样了，比如球袋大小就不一样。

This already happens unintentionally to a degree with different pocket sizes.

但如果我们再进一步呢？

But what if we went further?

我提三个建议，一个比一个更极端。

Here are three suggestions each getting more extreme.

明白吗？

Okay?

这些只是一些想法，我先念出来给大家听。

So these are these are suggestions, but I'll just read them out.

第一点，可以向网球学习。

Number one, follow the lead of tennis.

网球有硬地、红土和草地不同场地。

Tennis goes from hardcore to clay to grass.

那为什么不能改变台球的台面呢？

Why not change the playing surface?

可以办一场用传统厚绒布的赛事，让球速慢下来。

Have a tournament with a more old fashioned thicker cloth to slow the balls down.

看看哪些选手在不同条件下表现更出色，会不会很有趣？

Wouldn't it be interesting to see what players excel in time?

会不会有些选手特别擅长在慢速台面上发挥？

Would you have players that excel more on a slower table?

第二点，可以参考高尔夫的做法。

Number two, follow the example of golf.

高尔夫比赛每天都会把球洞设在不同的位置。

Each day at a golf tournament, the holes on the greens are in a different place.

不妨办一场比赛，把中袋的位置从中间移开。

One have a tournament where the middle pockets are no longer in the middle.

也许把左边的袋口对准粉球点，右边的袋口对准底库线，这样球员就得更费心思了。

Perhaps the left hand side one in line with the pink spot and the right hand side one in line with the bolt line would make the players really have to think.

确实会让球员动脑筋，台球技师也得重新琢磨，毕竟得彻底改造台面和整个装台方式。

Yeah, would make the players have to think, it would certainly make the table fitters have to think, because they would have to completely repurpose the slates and the whole way of fitting a table.

不过话说回来，第三点，参考马拉松跑步的做法。

But anyway, number three, follow the example of marathon running.

每场比赛的路线都不一样。

The course is different at each event.

这个想法有点大胆，但球台非得是长方形不可吗？

This is a bit out there, but does the table need to be a rectangle at all?

要不要办一场圆形球台的比赛？

What about a circular table for one tournament?

这样会让球击打台边后的走位更难判断。

Would make shots in and off the cushion much harder to judge.

我说这些 partly 是开玩笑，但我确实觉得，如果增加更多变化，会对选手提出更大的考验。

I say all this partly as a joke, but I do generally think it would really test the players more to have more variety.

也许其他听众也有自己的想法。

Perhaps other listeners have their own suggestions.

这确实会考验选手，但这种考验是因为它已经不再是斯诺克了，对吧？

Well it would test the players, but it would test the players because it would no longer be snooker, would it?

那会变成一种完全不同于他们平时练习的游戏。

It would be a different game to the one they're used to playing.

如果你用圆形球台，或者台布状态很差、球的走位完全不正常，那就根本不是他们日复一日练习的那项运动了。

If you had a circular table, or a table with a cloth that is no good and the balls, you know, don't break properly, it just wouldn't be the game that they practice all day long.

所以，说实话，我不太同意，不过我知道我们还会听到更多不同的看法，而你已经分享了你的观点。

So, yeah, I have to say I don't agree, but, you know, I'm sure we'll have other thoughts on that and and you provided yours.

上周我谈过斯诺克入选奥运会的可能性，以及正反两方面的理由，艾伦·史蒂文森写了一篇很好的文章。

Now last week, I gave some thoughts about the possibility of snooker being in the Olympics and the arguments for and against, and Alan Stevenson has written well, he's written this.

感谢您花时间阅读这封邮件，这是我人生中第一封邮件，还请多多包涵。

Thank you for taking the time to read this email, the first I've ever sent, so please be kind.

我关注您的播客有一阵子了，忍不住写几句话，谈谈斯诺克是否该进奥运会这件事。

I've been following your podcast for a while now and felt compelled to drop you a few lines to share my thoughts on whether snooker should be included in the Olympics.

首先得说明，我是个铁杆斯诺克迷，从1985年的决赛就开始追了——当然，我知道这事儿大家都知道，那场决赛至今仍是英国午夜后收视率最高的电视节目。

From the outset, I should make it clear, I'm a lifelong snooker fan stretching right back to the nineteen eighty five final, which of course, we know, this is me adding this in, as we know is still the most watched British television program after midnight.

艾伦接着说，这些年我多次专程去克鲁斯堡朝圣，家里也专门设了个斯诺克房。

Alan continues, over the years, I've paid many pilgrimages to the crucible, and I'm also fortunate to have a snooker room at home.

说白了，我就是个斯诺克狂热粉。

In short, I'm a snooker nut.

所以，您可能会有点意外，我其实不赞成把斯诺克放进奥运会。

Therefore, you might be slightly surprised for me to tell you that I actually disagree that snookers should be included in the Olympics.

我这么想的主要原因是，我觉得斯诺克更像是一场游戏，而不是一项运动。

My main reason for this thought is I actually consider snooker to be a game rather than a sport.

您可能会问，那怎么区分游戏和运动呢？

How can you define the two, I hear you ask?

其实很简单。

Well, it's actually very simple.

如果你不用换鞋，那就不算运动。

If you don't need to change your shoes, then it's not a sport.

明白了。

Okay.

这说法可能太简单了，但我觉得应该没人会觉得舞蹈该进奥运会吧，对我来说，这和斯诺克差不多。

That's maybe oversimplistic, but I don't think many people would say dance should be in the Olympics, which for me is a similar thing.

说到这个，说实话，我也不确定。

Well, just on that, I mean, I don't know actually.

我觉得吧，把舞蹈放进奥运会，说不定还真挺多人支持的。

I think I think I think that actually maybe would be a popular choice to put dance in the Olympics.

还有啊，说个较真儿的细节，选手们确实会换鞋，毕竟谁也不会整天穿着那双正式皮鞋到处走，不过我明白你的意思。

Also players, this is a very pedantic point, but players, you know, they do change their shoes because they don't go around wearing those very formal shoes all day, but anyway I understand the point you're making.

他接着说，我这次发邮件，其实是因为你提到了草地滚球。

He continues, the reason I actually decided to email on this occasion was your reference to bowls.

我是个保龄球手，打过相当不错的水平，虽然保龄球不是奥运项目，但正如你所说，它是英联邦运动会的正式项目。

I'm a bowler and have played to a fairly decent standard, although not an Olympic sport, bowls as you correctly say is a recognized Commonwealth Games sport.

毫无疑问，这是这项运动的最高殿堂。

Without question, it's the pinnacle of that sport.

而且，与斯诺克不同，保龄球还有多种项目，比如单人、双人、三人和四人赛。

Furthermore, unlike snooker, there are multiple disciplines such as singles, pairs, triples, and fours.

再考虑到女选手的水平丝毫不逊于男选手，这跟现在的斯诺克完全不同，保龄球完全配得上它在英联邦运动会中的地位，也希望未来几年能进入澳大利亚奥运会。

When you then factor in the standard of female bowlers is comparable to their male counterparts unlike snooker present, then bowls rightfully deserve its Commonwealth status and hopefully be in the Australia Olympics in a few years time.

所以，老实说，在我看来，斯诺克在奥运项目的优先级里排得相当靠后。

Therefore, I'm afraid to say that for me, snookers well down the pecking order for allocation of Olympic sports.

这只是我个人的看法，仅供参考，继续加油，尤其是在新赛季开始前的这段空档期。

Just my personal opinion for what it's worth, keep up the good work, especially in this barren period before the new season starts.

嗯，其实已经开始了，不过我明白你的意思。

Well, it kind of has started, but I get the point.

首先，我绝对没有贬低保龄球的意思。

Well, firstly, was no diss on Bowles.

保龄球是个很不错的运动，相信它会继续蓬勃发展。

Bowles is a lovely game, and along may continue to thrive.

不过得说一句，保龄球的知名度——当然，这主要是从英国的角度来看的，我知道这不代表全世界——但如果你上街随便问人，让他们说出三个斯诺克选手和三个保龄球选手，我敢打赌，大家更容易说出斯诺克选手的名字。因为斯诺克有大量赛事在电视上播出，保龄球却没有，对吧？

It's worth saying though that the profile of Bowles, and again, this is can only really do it through a British lens, which I know is not the whole world, but if you went out into the street, I'm pretty confident and said, name three snooker players and three bowls professionals, I think people would find it easier to name snooker players than bowlers, it's a higher profile sport because it has a big spread of tournaments on television, bowls doesn't, does it?

它有世锦赛、室内锦标赛，也会出现在英联邦运动会上。

It has the World Championship, the Indoor Championship and will appear in the Commonwealth Games.

但这绝不是贬低保龄球，我只是拿它做个例子。

But that's no diss on bowls, I just used it as an example.

不过话说回来，你已经表达清楚了，我觉得我为斯诺克进奥运提出的两个理由其实很简单。

But anyway, you've made your point, I think the two arguments I made for snooker in the Olympics are very simple.

第一，能为基层发展带来资金支持，特别是在英国，那就是国家彩票的拨款；第二，能让这项运动获得更大的曝光，走进那些平时在主流媒体、电视上很少看到它的国家和观众群体，从而推动这项运动在全球的发展。

One, would unlock funding for the grassroots and very specifically in Britain, that's national lottery funding and two, it would just be a bigger showcase for the sport, it would go to countries and viewers that maybe have not really been exposed to it on mainstream platforms, television, and it would hopefully further the growth of the game globally.

所以，这正是我希望斯诺克能进奥运的原因。不过你已经发来意见了，以后也欢迎继续给我们投稿。

So they're the reasons that I would like to see in the Olympics, But anyway, you've emailed in and do send us more in the future.

现在聊聊罗布·弗朗西斯，希望你这个夏天过得愉快。

Now Rob Francis, I hope the summer is treating you kindly.

这里简单聊聊上周末节目里提到的几个热门话题。

Just some quick points here regarding a couple of hot topics brought up in last weekend's episode.

首先是斯诺克周边商品的问题。

Firstly, the subject of snooker merchandise.

我记得以前听说，商品推广全靠球员自己和团队去推，所以你总能看到那几个固定选手的产品反复出现。

I remember historically being told that it was up to the players themselves and their teams to put products forward for sale, which is why you only tended to see offerings showcasing the same small handful of competitors time and time again.

虽然现在情况有点不一样了，供应商最近换成了Castor，但这么多年下来，这一块的进展还是挺有限的，挺遗憾的。

Whilst what's happening now isn't quite the same, with the supplier switching to Castor recently, it is a shame that regardless there hasn't really been a huge amount of growth in this department over the years.

说到这个，我得特别推荐一下Snookerama网站：snookerama.com。

On that note, I'd love to give a shout out to and recommend the wonderful snookerama website snookerama.com.

去年我从他们那儿买了好几件T恤，穿起来特别舒服，质量没得说。

I snaffled a selection of fabulous t shirts from them last year and they served me very well indeed.

他们的店铺款式多得惊人，而且尺寸和颜色都能自由定制。

Their store has a massive number of designs to choose from, all of which are fully customizable in terms of sizing and color.

从顶尖选手到排名靠后的球员，全都涵盖在内，去现场观赛时穿这些，既表达了对喜欢球员的支持，也是对这项运动的整体认同。

Players from across the entire spectrum of the rankings are featured, and I think this is a great way of expressing support for your favorites and our sport as a whole whilst attending tournaments.

我打算再买几件，好撑过接下来的赛季。

I'm currently planning on picking up a few more to keep me going in the season ahead.

说到这个，罗伯特，我在观众席上见过你穿这家网站的T恤，颜色很亮眼，上面还印着挺有意思的话。不过我得说明，我和这家网站没关系，也不代表他们说话，但说实话，他们的产品确实挺火的，我觉得填补了市场上的一个空缺。

Well just on that Robert, I mean I've seen you in the audience wearing some of these t shirts from this website and they are colorful and they include sort of amusing phrases and yeah, you know, I'm not affiliated with this website and do not speak for them or on their behalf, but you know, they're products that seem very popular and they are kind of filling a gap in the market, I think.

所以说，这大概就是资本主义的运作方式吧。

So you know, that's what capitalism is all about, I suppose.

罗布接着说，第二点是关于头对头数据该包含哪些内容，这一直让不少深究的人头疼。

So Rob continues, secondly, the tentative subject of what to include in head to head statistics being a thorn in the mind for anyone who thinks about these matters too much.

我最近决定把所有比赛都算进去，因为肖恩·墨菲告诉我，他和其他选手都是这么做的。

I'd recently settled for just including everything after hearing from Shaun Murphy that that's what he and other players do.

而且这么处理也更简单，不用老是解释哪些赛事没算在内。

It also just seemed like the generally more straightforward way to go, as you don't feel the need to have to constantly reiterate that certain tournaments aren't included.

不过你上周的话又让我重新动摇了，谢谢你让我重新思考。

Your words last week, however, have spun me right back around to square one, so thank you for that.

你说不该算联赛场次，理由很充分，但要统一标准还是很难，尤其是当不少正式排名赛都被忽略了的时候。

Your arguments against including league matches were sound, but it's still a hard thing to justify or be quantified across the board, especially when there are full ranking clashes falling by the wayside.

比如欧冠决赛，我觉得比很多其他比赛更值得纳入统计。

A Champions League final, for example, is more worthy of inclusion than many other games, I would argue.

但界限到底该划在哪里呢？

But where do you draw the line?

毕竟，赛事等级的结构注定会让统计结果偏向某一方。

The nature of taunt hierarchy means they'll always be skewed one way or the other, I suppose.

一想到未来还会冒出什么更离谱的新赛制，我就头大得不行。

I can only imagine in terror what devilish new formats will be unleashed upon us in the future and cause further headaches.

是的。

Yeah.

我不打算重复上周说过的话，也不是说我就一定对，我只是想说，我刚开始做这个的时候，别人就是这么教我的，我就一直这么做了。那时候我们根本不知道未来会有冠军联赛，但当时有明确的指令：短局比赛不能算进去。

Well, I mean, without just going over what I said last week, I'm not saying I'm right in this, I'm saying this when I began doing it, this is how I was told it should be done and I carried on doing it that way and obviously we didn't have, I don't know the championship league was going then but you know, under very strict instructions that short matches should not be included.

说来有点讽刺，冠军联赛的决赛反而被算进去了——听起来确实有点自相矛盾，但毕竟它是决赛嘛，正如你所说，它的意义无可争议，这是一场淘汰赛。

Funnily enough, the Championship League finals are, which sounds incredibly hypocritical, but it is a final, as you say, so the meaning of it cannot be questioned, it's a straight knockout match.

但我觉得，不管你是全收还是全不收，说实话，重点根本不在数字上。头对头数据本身就应该被解释清楚，值得深入探讨。

But I think regardless of whether you include everything or you don't, to be honest, it's not even about the figures, think head to head should always be explained and delved into.

比如说比分是8比4，那这8分到底是怎么来的？

So say it's eight four to somebody, well, what are those eight?

那这4分又是怎么回事？

What are those four?

你知道吗，这8分可能是靠决胜局赢下来的，那情况就不一样了，这很关键。

You know, maybe the eight, okay, eight four, you're ahead against the other guy, but maybe all eight were won in deciders, for example, that would be significant.

或者对方拿的那4分，全是零封赢的，所以我觉得光看数字不够，还得看背景——比赛是在哪儿打的？有没有决赛？多久以前的事？

Or maybe the four that the other guy won were all whitewashes, know, so I think context is important alongside just sheer numbers, just saying oh the head to head favors so and so eight, four, okay but what were the matches, where were they played, were the finals involved, how long ago were they?

有些对战记录持续了十五年，真有这么长，说实话，这种数据基本没意义。

Because some head to head, some play for fifteen years, literally, you know, and for that reason they're kind of pointless.

但要是今年才打了四场，那意义就不一样了，所以不管数字怎么来的，都得深挖一下，搞清楚哪些是真正重要的、有分量的。

Or have they played four times this season and it makes it much more relevant, you know, so I think regardless how the figures are sort of brought about and come to, always it should be delved into and explained further as to what's relevant, what's significant, and kind of what really matters.

罗布，你刚才提到我生日的事，说得挺暖心的，罗布，我就不多说了，毕竟这事儿年年都有，不过还是谢谢你。

And Rob, you say nice things about my birthday there, Rob, which I'll I'll gloss over because as I say, won most years, but thank you very much for that.

理查德·阿丹菲说，他还在按时间顺序读我的斯诺克场景博客。

Richard Adanffy writes I'm still reading your snookerscene blog in chronological order.