Grand Slam of Darts

[crodonilson]

Shame Martin Adams isn't there is only for the fact that he would get the chance to cut it with the PDC boys.

As much as I like his persona his blind loyalty to Messrs Croft and Fitzmaurice has made him look a bit of chump in the sport in general.

Agreed, would be great to see him mix it with the PDC. I think he would do very well. Great player though and England caprain so I'm not going to knock him.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Agreed, would be great to see him mix it with the PDC. I think he would do very well. Great player though and England caprain so I'm not going to knock him.

So why refuse the invite every year, although I think they have now barred him from the comp, blind loyalty to Croft and the BDO?

 

[Tooting Gull]

You probably get two types of top BDO player. One knows the PDC is better, and wants to test himself against the best (Barney, King). The other privately admits the PDC is better, but thinks they will win and earn more being a big fish in a small pond. Hankey and Adams are in the latter category.

The thing is, if you back yourself and then do well, like Barney, you will earn lots more.

 

[crodonilson]

So why refuse the invite every year, although I think they have now barred him from the comp, blind loyalty to Croft and the BDO?

Darts: MARKET Deeping legend Martin Adams has again found himself on a collision course with the other half of the darts world.'Wolfie' Adams, who is one of the biggest stars and staunchest supporters of the British Darts Organisation (BDO), has whipped up a darting storm by shunning the chance to play in the Grand Slam of Darts for the third successive year.

That tournament is run by the rival Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) but brings together players from both sides of the darts divide.

Adams, who qualified for the Grand Slam in the past two years by virtue of his 2007 Lakeside World Championship triumph, was eligible for this year's competition to be held in November after lifting the Winmau World Masters crown late last year.

As a result, PDC bosses have decided not to consider Adams for any future years, but 'Wolfie' couldn't care less.

He told The Evening Telegraph: "What other players do is up to them, but I am a BDO man and that is where I am staying.

"The Grand Slam is a PDC tournament with PDC rules and it would be really hypocritical of me to go and play in a PDC tournament when everyone knows my views about them.

"I really don't understand why they make such a big issue out of my decision not to play in a tournament.

"The fact they have decided I am not eligible for future tournaments will save me the job of having to decline invitations.

"They even put in the letter this year that I didn't have to bother replying if I was going to decline . . . so I didn't!

"And quite why they would want the acceptance for a tournament in November already is beyond me. I don't have my schedule for so far in advance.

"This tournament has clashed with the Winmau World Masters before and who is to say it won't again."

Adams' decision not to compete in the Grand Slam has drawn plenty of criticism on internet forums, but the man beginning his 16th year as England captain fired a broadside at his knockers.

He added: "People who have nothing constructive to say should keep their comments to themselves and their noses out of my business.

"I don't have to justify myself to anyone and I am not about to start either.

"The PDC do not have a system that creates players and what they are doing is sports entertainment.

"The World Darts Federation is made up of 66 governing bodies worldwide and the PDC are not part of it."

Adams' place in the Grand Slam has now gone to the man he beat in the World Masters showpiece - Scott Waites.

A PDC statement confirmed: "Following a meeting of the PDC's Board of Directors, the PDC has ruled that Martin Adams will not be eligible for invitations to the tournament in the future.

"As a result of Adams declining his invitation, the PDC has invited World masters runner-up Scott Waites to compete in the Grand Slam of Darts."

 

[Lenny Rider]

Is Wolfie a bottler?

 

[Knightsworld]

Is Wolfie a bottler?

Check out a lot of the darts forums and they will probably tell you yes, but, he has got his principals and is entitled to stick with them.

Would still of liked him to be competing in the GSOD, just to see how he got on.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It's a shame Martin Adams won't compete, and it's a shame there's been a public falling-out between the PDC and England's long-standing captain. The BDO haven't moved one iota in all of this for the best part of 20 years, and that's piss poor.

To me, player-power could force the issue, but that would rely on the likes of Taylor and Adams making a joint statement. Adams could be an influential figure in any rapprochement, but he doesn't seem that interested. If there's one man who can make it happen it is Taylor, and I hope that when he does retire he works as some sort of ambassadorial figure to reunite the world of darts.

 

[crodonilson]

Check out a lot of the darts forums and they will probably tell you yes, but, he has got his principals and is entitled to stick with them.

Would still of liked him to be competing in the GSOD, just to see how he got on.

Not for me, he's got his principles and he's stuck with them, he could have easily gone over and tried to make a quick buck. Fair play to him I say for standing up for what he believes him.

Would love to have seen him play though, he's a class act, I reckon he'd make semi finals.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It's not a quick buck though, it's a proper living from darts. I feel sorry for his wife and family; Adams spends a lot of time away from home without earning any decent cash. Taylor, on the other hand, brings in a £million a year for the lovely Yvonne.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Adams knows which side his bread is buttered and he is staying put.
He spent years, competing against Lowe, Bristow, Taylor and Barney at the BDO and has only really enjoyed success in the last few years. As the number One player at the BDO, he now makes a lot of money playing promotional events around the country.
The top three players are Taylor, Barney and Wolfie and its just a shame they are not competing regularly against each other.

 

[Lenny Rider]

To quote the words of Kevin Keegan "I would love it if Ted the Count Hankey won the GSOD'..............but highly unlikely

 

[Knightsworld]

Adams knows which side his bread is buttered and he is staying put.
He spent years, competing against Lowe, Bristow, Taylor and Barney at the BDO and has only really enjoyed success in the last few years. As the number One player at the BDO, he now makes a lot of money playing promotional events around the country.
The top three players are Taylor, Barney and Wolfie and its just a shame they are not competing regularly against each other.

I managed to get a game against Adams a few months ago whilst he was doing an exhibition at The Green Jackets in Shoreham, I heard that for that night (as it was a charity night) that his fee was only £ 600. Not bad for a couple of hours work.

 

[Mr Apples]

In the early years after the split, Adams played in a few "PDC" tournaments (although I don't think it was called the PDC then). I think he may have reached the semis of the Matchplay at Blackpool.

As I recall, probably wrongly, the PDC wanted to tie the players down to committing to most or all of their tournaments, which Adams didn't want to do.

 

[Knightsworld]

In the early years after the split, Adams played in a few "PDC" tournaments (although I don't think it was called the PDC then). I think he may have reached the semis of the Matchplay at Blackpool.

As I recall, probably wrongly, the PDC wanted to tie the players down to committing to most or all of their tournaments, which Adams didn't want to do.

The PDC was previously known as the WDC after the split.

Adams lost 17-9 to Phil Taylor in the semi final of the Matchplay in 2001

 

[Lenny Rider]

Wonder what the sponsors, the Mirror, will make of Scottish darter Robert Thornton having 'The Sun' emblazoned on his shirt?

 

[Knightsworld]

Great match from O'Shea, beats Van Der Voort 5-1

 

[Knightsworld]

Anderson 5 Hylton 0

Whitlock V Chisnall next, could be a cracker.

 

[crodonilson]

Magnificent first weekend of action, great to see 'The Silverback' Tony O'Shea into the quarter finals, he is box office.

BDO players more than holding their own including Martin Phillips' demolition of Adrian Lewis.

 

[Goring Gull]

Whats the difference between the two? BDO and PDC is it just about money?

 

[Sheebo]

Whats the difference between the two? BDO and PDC is it just about money?

Long story. Basically there was a break away of about 10 players to form the PDC. There is a lot more money in the PDC mainly due to SKY.