There was a nice passage describing O'Sullivan in an article [1] posted on r/snooker recently: "For years, the main frustration for the keen snooker fan was th

There was a nice passage describing O'Sullivan in an article [1] posted on r/snooker recently: "For years, the main frustration for the keen snooker fan was the apparently immutable dichotomy between the monotonous winners and the flamboyant losers. It seemed that we could either have the unflappable resolve of a Steve Davis (six-time World Champ) or the charismatic fragility of a Jimmy White (six-time runner-up), but we couldn't have both in one player. By only self-destructing either before the start of a tournament or after winning one, O'Sullivan has cleverly defied this convention. He doesn't fall apart in the crucial stages of a match; he plays consistently throughout, either like the greatest player in the world or only, say, the twelfth best. It all depends on which Ronnie shows up." [1] http://www.ianbgibson.com/on-snooker http://www.ianbgibson.com/on-snooker