Stubbs feels the 'power of Crucible' again at the World Seniors Championship
Restabus returned to Crucible for the World Senior Championships, and he was thrilled to have the opportunity to experience the "power and majesty" of the iconic venue once again.
Stubbs was a regular on BBC snooker coverage in the 2000s, but he was involved in the sport as an off-camera figure back in the 80s.
He left the BBC in 2009, but after reports of the World Patriarchal Darts Tournament, he is now back in snooker and in Sheffield, the legendary home of the sport.
He told Metro News: "It's a great opportunity. I thought I was retired from broadcasting, but it was fantastic when I had the opportunity to work in the Patriarchal Darts tournament and now it's great to have the opportunity to work in Crucible again. ”
"The first time I worked in Crucible was in the late '80s, when I was working as an assistant producer in a big grey van and editing music clips. Do you remember the clip from "The Entertainer"? As part of the BBC production team, I cut some of them. ”
At the beginning of the 21st century, I was invited back to work on the studio. It's a great opportunity to come back to such a strong place.
"I love Fort Crucible. The power of place. I used to be amazed. When it's empty, I often walk around it. The majesty of this place. You can feel the memories of what we've seen over the years floating around while it's empty. ”
"I used to be scared to walk in and piece together a few words, but the players used to be very precise in that unique atmosphere. This stadium is right next to almost all the sports venues. ”
There has been a lot of talk of the World Championships leaving Crucible when his contract expires in 2027, but Stubbs doesn't want that to happen.
"Personally, I think it would be a mistake," he said. When you walk in, you feel like your eyes are looking down. ”
"The most stressful thing I've ever experienced on the broadcast side was final night, standing backstage waiting for the final ball to be knocked out, and then going in and interviewing the champions and runners-up."
"After watching David's performances for so many years, I have to go in and talk to the champions and runners-up. This makes you more focused. ”
The 67-year-old has very fond memories of his previous snooker career, even when the big names mocked his skills.
"One thing that made me smile was the last time I went there," he said. In the studio where the practice room is located, during breaks between innings, I go and play a few balls. I didn't realize that Mark Williams was around the corner when he popped up, stuck his head in the curtains, and laughed. He said my technique was the worst in snooker history. ”
"He called a lot of people to come and watch, and there was a bunch of former world champions watching me. Davis, Parrott, Stephen Hendry, Williams, and Doherty all dissected my handball movements and suggested that I should not pick up the snooker club again, or break my hand and re-fix it so that I could actually set up the frame to hit the ball. What a great coaching clinic it is! ”
After leaving the BBC, Stubbs went to ESPN, then BT Sport, then Sports Supertalk, but when the pandemic hit, he felt his broadcasting career had come to an end.
However, his roles in veteran darts and snooker brought him back into the game, and he loved it.
"I treat every commentary as if it was the last, and when the pandemic hit, it seemed like it was time to slow down," he said. I'm not sure if I chose to retire myself, or if radio made me retire. It's a great chapter, and it seems like someone else's turn. I think what Aged Darts and Snooker do shows that sports fans are very loyal and they have memories. They grew up with these guys and it's still great to watch them perform. ”
The World Veterans World Championships will be broadcast live on Channel 5 from May 8 to 12. (Welcome to click to pay attention to moisturizing AB, please indicate the source for reprinting, thank you)