European Darts Championship - Day 2
We have cycling/darts for you, a new concept that will catch on...
Switching the darts on last night I was met with a most unexpected vision. Dave "Chizzy" Chisnall, looked, as ever, splendid in his bright yellow shirt, he also looked like he had shed a few pounds and was riding a bike. How I laughed when I realised that it was in fact The Tour de France cycling race. What I had tuned in to was not the darts at all! It wasn't even Chizzy, it was some other bloke, that is good at cycling!The coverage of the bike race and the Euro darts is being shared. So darts fans tuning in have to miss the first two matches of the night and most of the afternoon sessions whilst ITV 4 covers the famous Gallic event. The logical thing to do of course would have been to combine the two contests -cycling darts it could be called. Dart players aren't shy when it comes to bright darts shirts so some day glow lycra isn't going to cause too much anxiety.
Also, some players pre match preparation of a couple of pints of nerve settler probably wouldn't even register on Le Tour's doping monitor. That American guy Lance Armstrong had a mobile chemist follow him around the bike race for years and nobody noticed anything amiss. The bike frames may need some adaption and then some liberally placed targets placed on the route for the darting cyclists to aim at and hey presto, cycling and darts in one neat package!
Once the darts started I must admit I struggled to engage with it. I don't know if it was the disappointment of the botched TV arrangements or what but I didn't really get in to the event. We did get some "surprises" as predicted though . In the first three games of the night the bookies second favourite prevailed. After that the favourites marched on with Thornton, Barneveld, Taylor and Wade hardly having to break in to a sweat. Barney produced a professional tournament after his holiday and outclassed our big outsider Thomas Seyler.
The biggest surprise of the night though was the revelation that MC John McDonald doesn't just yell out dart players names he is a masseuse too. The Power has him booked for a massage today to relieve his aches and pains. Imagine how in demand John will be when the Cycling/darts concept takes off?
It will be good to see "The Hopp" again, he is a fine young player who by all accounts has struggled to get the backing he needs. There is talk he may be lost to the sport unless he can find someone to assist as well as be patient as he develops. Perhaps a run in this event may help that.
Tonight we are going to back two reliable Pro's. The Hammer can beat The Bull, and The Artist has sprung back in to form and can beat John Part. This pays 2/1 with William Hill.