In our pre-tournament blogs we suggested that team work would have an impact on the PDC World Cup and suggested a `profile` for a successful team.
So let's look out for the team that talks to each other, encourages, `compliments `each other in technique as well as personality and displays
positive body language and remembers the golden rule of all successful teams. You win together and you lose together but whatever the outcome
you display great pride in your team.
Bad Boys
Hmmm, there was at least one team yesterday that failed to show any or very few of the positive traits we highlighted prior to the PDC Darts
World Cup getting underway, but well done to Spain! The alarm bells were ringing in Darts Analyst Towers when `Dave` reported the bizarre
pre-match warm-up of Team England, their strategy was to ignore each other. Taylor and Wade were practicing at opposite ends of the practice
room, it is not really surprising that these two `strangers` didn`t gel on the stage.
John MaGowan and Brendan Dolan also get a mention in this section for also completely ignoring the benefits of a team strategy. The 69 year
old MaGowan dismissed any benefit of tactics as necessary for doubles play and appeared convinced that doubles was in fact just like playing
singles, but with a partner (we know what he meant) . Their team strategy was a rather `wishy washy` "we will just go and do our best`.
However, Team Northern Ireland and Team England were both dumped out of the tournament last night by two `teams` who displayed all the
traits we were looking for, maybe it is just a coincidence?
A Great PARTnership
`DarthMaple` the wily Canadian displayed some clever `man management` skills and scored some points in our `team work` analysis league table
for his efforts. It was clear to see the other half of the Canadian partnership, Ken MacNeil, was
suffering from the weight of responsibility of representing the Country he is so fiercely and explicitly proud of as well as the `usual` anxiety
attacks prevalent when dart players, TV cameras and a stage all collide.
In the post match interview Part began his attempt to calm the nerves of Macneil by dismissing the forthcoming singles matches as practically
irrelevant. "We can just relax through those games, even if we lose both of them we can still qualify in the doubles". He still has some work
to do today to get the best out of Ken but he has laid the foundations.
Topless Darts
We also liked the `chemistry` of the Swedish team and it took a great performance from the USA to despatch the Magnus and Par partnership from
the tournament. In an attempt to find to a little more about the darting scene in Sweden we carried out some research on the topic. During our
search we discovered a Swedish `Facebook` page nominating `Topless Darts` as a viable alternative to the standard format that we are used to.
Before there are cries of `sexism` the site itself points out this idea of bare-chested sport is not just for male players, oh no, female players
are welcome too! Equality in darts, good to see! The bad news is that you have to be accepted by the administrator of the page. In the name of
research we have sent in our application and we will keep you all abreast of any developments.
Five Great Sporting Partnerships
After the debacle of the 2018 bid and the Spanish victory last night we cheer ourselves up with some English partnerships (not in any particular
order) that will bring back some happier memories. The `partners` come from a list compiled by the Daily Mail but don`t let that stop you from
taking a look at the balance of the suggestions and a few other lists too, it`s good!
1 Botham and Willis
2 Shearer and Sheringham
3 Redgrave and Pinsent
4 Ginger McCain and Red Rum
5 Woodward and Johnson