Stephen Bunting

[Murphio]

What i said, was that there were only 2 or 3 players DEFINITELY better than Bunting. The key word in caps. This didn't mean that I think Bunting was the 3rd best player in the world. The point was that the I felt there really was no 3rd or 4th best player. There was 2 or 3 ahead of the pack, then the pack, which contained Bunting. It meant that at the time, with the form of everyone taken into account, because Bunting had yet to switch or only very recently switched, you cannot say with any certainty who is or who isn't, with the exception of the elite at the time. I included the word "definitely" for a reason.

The Ian White thing - well of course that ended up looking stupid and egg and my face are most certainly in alignment as a result. Ill laugh along with all the ribbing I get for that one. Tbh that was kinda more based on the fact that I didn't expect Ian "Not made for TV" white to keep his ranking so high for so long but he proved me wrong so fair do's! But Bunting was playing a lot better back then than he was now, and indeed did for much of his first year. Then he started dicking about with his darts and his throw and hasn't looked the same since.

Worth nothing that Bunting was FIFTH favourite for the PDC World Championship in his first year. So the bookies clearly were also tentative about who you can and can't claim were better players at the time. Admittedly, 5th was probably closer to the mark than 3rd or 4th. But not exactly wildly different. . . .

Beep beep beep. Deflect deflect deflect.

I think his post was very fair. Bunting was among the best players in the world. Maybe not just as high as Rout said - but, people do underestimate just how good some players in the BDO are. Duzza has been a revelation and yet some people would have you believe he is some super league player got lucky. I think Scott Waites, Scott Mitchell, Wayne Warren and Jim Williams are world class players and they are evidence the BDO system, for all its flaws, continues to produce very good players. It not only has to remain in place in some form but whoever takes over should be looking to implement it elsewhere.

Bunting was never among the best players in the world. He rode a wave of confidence going into the PDC, and had a decent enough first year, but even in his first (and best) year, his head to head record against the absolute top players was poor. He didn't hit nearly as many 12 darters as the best. His averages weren't really much better or worse than his BDO averages. It's just that his new opponents didn't roll over when confronted with a 95 average. Plenty of players have had one decent year in the PDC.

I wouldn't say Durrant has been a revelation, but he's done well. He benefits from being an awkward opponent for quick players as he is poison to watch whilst being a good enough finisher to do something with it. The fact remains though that over really long format games, he cannot keep up with players like Wright.

Well I guess it depends on just how narrow you make your criteria. He is currently 17th on the OOM - if that doesn't put him among the best dart players in the world then I don't know what does. As usual with these things you take the polar of the two opinions - he is a jobber/top four player in the world - and you find the truth somewhere in between.

[Rout]

There are very few players on either side with more bottle than Waites.

[NvH]

The only people who should be surprised are those who dont understand that the standard of top players is the same in both codes..

As the best BDO player he was always going to do well in the PDC and this win will be the first of several he will get this year.

Hahaha I'm loving this thread.

[NvH]

All this Top 16 talk is actually a bit of an insult to Bunting's current ability and future potential. There are only 2 players in the world definitely better than Bunting at this moment in time. 3 at a push. Top 16 is already a foregone conclusion.

Nah it's about his level (at best). People forget that to win his major titles he beat perennial bridesmaid Tony Toplad, Chuck Norris and Jammy Dodger. Only Norris put up any kind of resistance. The same Norris who can't even qualify for PDC tournaments these days despite a good start to his switch. It's always the same. As for Wilson, his PDC career is barely worth a mention. So how was he certainly a top 4 pound for pound player back then?

Bunting did briefly reach the top 16, perhaps he might even get back there but honestly this thread looks so silly now. I mean just look at his route to Lakeside glory: Jim Widmayer, Dave Prins, Rick Hofstra, Robbie Green (6-1 over his great Scouse mate but they had a lorra lorra laffs, eh?) and Alan Norris. That's a gift, given how many top players in the PDC have pocketed him. For comparison, from the last 16 onwards, MvG beat Anderson, Webster, Lewis and Wright.

It's good that people finally recognise there's a difference in standard but my god it's taken some time! Now the difference is huge. Only Duzza really has a chance of winning a major (possibly even a world title). The rest can forget it, especially perennial major BDO finalist McGeeney who is already 0-3 on the Pro Tour this year and lost to the jobber of all j0bbers in Michael Barnard yesterday (few in recorded history have jobbed for longer or as consistently as Barnard). In fact, his record since a good run at Barnsley in October is 8 matches with 1 win and 7 defeats.

Do people still want 16 vs 16 at the GSoD this year? If so, are they out of their tiny little minds? Who on earth wants those players? Really I'd have 4 BDO players at most (and I'm really struggling to think of a reason why have any at all). I'd give them Wayne Warren, Jim Williams, whoever wins the World Trophy (if it still goes ahead and is still a major TV event), and the 2020 World Master (if there's enough time before the GSoD, otherwise you'd have to let the useless John O'Shea in). At least that annoying little chav Leighton Bennett won't be there regardless.

All these people who pretended to love the BDO and said things like "All hail Auntie Sue" (for it was she and Wayne who started the steep decline with that terrible deal with Warren Brown - any fool could have told her he was a conman, it didn't take much research) have done far more damage to the reputation of the BDO than those of us who like to take the piss a bit. If I really wanted the BDO finished, I'd celebrate Bo and Des, but I don't.

[NvH]

There are very few players on either side with more bottle than Waites.

Actually agree with that.

[waddle147]

Looking at Bunting's historical odds probably the best assessment of how he was considered in the PDC. People forget that he was 11/20 to beat Barney in that 2015 quarter-final, and was going off at pickem odds against the likes of Wade, Wright and Chizzy. Similar first year to Durrant really, at the end of his first year the bookies would have considered him to be about the eighth or ninth best player. Unlike Durrant, they'd probably have thought he had it in him to improve and kick on given how relatively young he was.

That's about as good as it got. Losing 10-0 to Wright in that UK Open semi killed him. Five years later and he still hasn't made another major semi.

The main criticism was never the talent, but he seems to have a bitch gene, where in a big game which really matters he'll be beaten before he starts. He seemed to be getting over that, but then he chucked in an absolute disgrace of a performance against MVG at this year's Ally Pally.

Then again, given how bad the standard of the elite players is these days, it's possible he could find himself with a lucky draw in a major and end up playing someone like Ian White or Chizzy in the latter stages, and then who knows what happens.

[oche balboa]

All this Top 16 talk is actually a bit of an insult to Bunting's current ability and future potential. There are only 2 players in the world definitely better than Bunting at this moment in time. 3 at a push. Top 16 is already a foregone conclusion.

Nah it's about his level (at best). People forget that to win his major titles he beat perennial bridesmaid Tony Toplad, Chuck Norris and Jammy Dodger. Only Norris put up any kind of resistance. The same Norris who can't even qualify for PDC tournaments these days despite a good start to his switch. It's always the same. As for Wilson, his PDC career is barely worth a mention. So how was he certainly a top 4 pound for pound player back then?

Bunting did briefly reach the top 16, perhaps he might even get back there but honestly this thread looks so silly now. I mean just look at his route to Lakeside glory: Jim Widmayer, Dave Prins, Rick Hofstra, Robbie Green (6-1 over his great Scouse mate but they had a lorra lorra laffs, eh?) and Alan Norris. That's a gift, given how many top players in the PDC have pocketed him. For comparison, from the last 16 onwards, MvG beat Anderson, Webster, Lewis and Wright.

It's good that people finally recognise there's a difference in standard but my god it's taken some time! Now the difference is huge. Only Duzza really has a chance of winning a major (possibly even a world title). The rest can forget it, especially perennial major BDO finalist McGeeney who is already 0-3 on the Pro Tour this year and lost to the jobber of all j0bbers in Michael Barnard yesterday (few in recorded history have jobbed for longer or as consistently as Barnard). In fact, his record since a good run at Barnsley in October is 8 matches with 1 win and 7 defeats.

Do people still want 16 vs 16 at the GSoD this year? If so, are they out of their tiny little minds? Who on earth wants those players? Really I'd have 4 BDO players at most (and I'm really struggling to think of a reason why have any at all). I'd give them Wayne Warren, Jim Williams, whoever wins the World Trophy (if it still goes ahead and is still a major TV event), and the 2020 World Master (if there's enough time before the GSoD, otherwise you'd have to let the useless John O'Shea in). At least that annoying little chav Leighton Bennett won't be there regardless.

All these people who pretended to love the BDO and said things like "All hail Auntie Sue" (for it was she and Wayne who started the steep decline with that terrible deal with Warren Brown - any fool could have told her he was a conman, it didn't take much research) have done far more damage to the reputation of the BDO than those of us who like to take the piss a bit. If I really wanted the BDO finished, I'd celebrate Bo and Des, but I don't.

Stephen Bunting made a good start to his PDC career but a change of darts & being pocketed by Barney meant he suffered. However Bunting is 17th on the OOM and a good year he will reach the top 16 again, which isnt bad considering he not reached his 2014 vintage.

Mark McGeeney is going though a tough time but lets not forget PDC major winners have lost their card Painter, Webster, Part etc. Glen Durrant was superb but guys of your ilk were suggesting, He wouldnt get a tour card, He wont be top 32, We dont know who will embrace the PDC Pro tour until they are actually on it. Edhouse did well last year on it and he didnt win the Scottish Open yesterday. Andy Hamilton was a Multiple PDC major finalist but didnt win a BDO event in his 2 years on tour. We can all play this game

I dont want a 16 vs 16. Times have changed, The BDO should be there to serve as an alternative (Feeder) tour to the PDC, With decent sponsors and 3 TV majors and it well run (we all know its a mess at the moment). Plenty of kids are getting experience on the BDO/WDF Tour and will continue to do so, Its the best thing that Des has ever done. As for the GSOD, PDC will cut the invites. BDO players had themselves to blame for that one.

Williams were hopeless & the deluxe fiasco was pathetic. Jacklin is much worse as his bombastic attitude in the Metro newspaers was the start of his downfall.

[TimmyB]

[NvH]

I have never said Duzza would struggle to make the top 32. When I was involved with df, I recall agreeing with Rout when he said Duzza had the potential to go right to the top (in either code).

[Skewball]

I have never said Duzza would struggle to make the top 32. When I was involved with df, I recall agreeing with Rout when he said Duzza had the potential to go right to the top (in either code).

I cant imagine many/any saying he wouldn't be top32 but the bdo fanboys like to make these things up and run with them for years.

[Moongoose McQueeen]

I have never said Duzza would struggle to make the top 32. When I was involved with df, I recall agreeing with Rout when he said Duzza had the potential to go right to the top (in either code).

I cant imagine many/any saying he wouldn't be top32 but the bdo fanboys like to make these things up and run with them for years.

Zero self awareness from Skewbollock

[Rout]

I have never said Duzza would struggle to make the top 32. When I was involved with df, I recall agreeing with Rout when he said Duzza had the potential to go right to the top (in either code).

I cant imagine many/any saying he wouldn't be top32 but the bdo fanboys like to make these things up and run with them for years.

Just like no one said ratty would be top 60/70 at best, hey?

[Black Velvet]

Oof.

[ILAD]

He will be the 3rd best player in the world, Ratty not Bunting.......

[Rout]

Hi!

[ChrisW]

Will be back in the top 16 if Anderson loses.

[only85]

cant place why but ive always warmed to stephen bunting in a way i cant to chisnal , would rather pick him to support / bet on over chizzy anytime good a180 lads both of them back in the day

[Deleted User]

Will be back in the top 16 if Anderson loses.

No, no, no. You can selectively pick this one tournament to be the entire ranking system. Bunting is now in the top 4.

Also, any luck?

[Rout]

Will be back in the top 16 if Anderson loses.

No, no. No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no. No, no, theres nigh limit!

Enough!

[oche balboa]

Drupes is so upset