After 15 days and the loss of 70 players, we have reached darts' peak: the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship final. In this tournament of upsets, we do not have seeds 1 and 2 in the final like we did last year; in fact, this is the first time since 2011 that the final hasn't featured a top 4 player, and the first time since 2012 that it features a player from outside the top 16. It's an all-English battle of old versus new as the greatest of them all, Stoke-on-Trent's very own 16-time champion of the world Phil Taylor, retiring after the final, takes on the man billed to be his replacement in Hastings debutant Rob Cross.
Like last year's finalists, these two couldn't have had any different semi-finals: the Power had a rather simple stroll against Jamie Lewis, only needing 7 sets to dispose of the battling Welsh youngster (who I personally hope has a great 2018 because he showed he can go far in majors). Voltage on the other hand removed Michael van Gerwen in quite possibly THE greatest semi-final ever seen in a Worlds, triumphing in a sudden-death leg.
If both men play like they did on Saturday, then there is only one winner: Rob Cross. It is genuinely staggering that this man has only been a professional for under a year, as he has shown composure and skill of someone far beyond his years. However, Taylor has been in a World Final 20 times, and the vast experience has to count for something. Given that this is Pheel's final professional match, it would therefore be some ending if he went out on 17 world titles. Funny how he's playing a first-timer in the final and had an easy semi-final, isn't it? Makes you think it's rigged...
Don't forget that following the final, the ten Premier League competitors will be announced. Given the insanity of 2017, there's no telling who will and who won't be travelling around Europe for 4 months.
Coverage starts at 8:00pm UK time on Sky Sports Darts (SS Arena).
Oh fine, something to read until the match begins, thanks OP
Bentley Mitchell
In other news from yesterday, 2012 World Championship finalist Andy Hamilton has confirmed he is to take a year away from the PDC after his dramatic collapse in the past few years.
Maybe he'll use this time wisely and not get involved with more BDSM nonsense.
Yeah fuck sitting through the taylel montages and crowd booing Cross because he isnt a rapey stoke inbred
Camden Martinez
FUCK, I can't get to a tv tonight. Are there any streams online that are okay? Or is that frowned upon by the PDC?
Matthew Reed
just stream on sport1 you shitter
Cooper Anderson
The GOAT will win easy and I'll love watching /180/ be salty over it. It's pretty sad you all hating on him, but you're all losers anyways so it doesn't matte.r
Jack Sanders
You're the best, thanks. Some great memories there.
Happy new one, m8.
I'm pretty sure once death comes this is what you'll see.
THE GOAT IS LIKE A FUCKING INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC TUNGSTEN MISSILE
Samuel Baker
fug
Is acestream acceptable for you
Christian Hughes
...
Mason Barnes
>no barney in the final Still disappointed, to be quite honest famiglia
Anthony Powell
i dont like him but i only watch this pleb sport once every other year
Jace Hill
Got a dominos lads
Thomas King
>I'm pretty sure once death comes this is what you'll see. Now I'm afraid of dying!
>Also, what's your stance on MVG? Is he really as hated as people online make him out to be or is he an ok guy? MvG isn't hated at all, he is well respected and entertaining. He can just be a little one-dimensional (win win I wanna win yadda yadda) and arrogant, and of course people like to support the underdog, which he never is at the moment. If we still lived in tha land of Taylorwinslol, MvG would be our Hero.
The fuck? I hope Cross is the kind of guy who doesn't give a damn.
Juan Roberts
No but nevermind, I fucked up and had the site not enabled yet in noscript.
THANK YOU for your aid, may your 2018 be amazing for you, I'm off to prepare for the final
Ayden Allen
Did the script of the second semi-final said that Cross has to win, so Pheel can walk-on as the second player? Would be a much heroic storytelling if Philth would have won this against the #1.
Evan Gomez
Where's the acestream bros
Adam Baker
>The fuck? I hope Cross is the kind of guy who doesn't give a damn. Given how he played on Saturday, it appears not but I'm not sure in this case.
Doesn't help that both players are sponsored by the same darts manufacturer so that could play into things.
Jace Sanchez
Might off myself soon
Lucas Robinson
I refuse to watch PDC if Hearn gifts this to taylel
Ryan Richardson
Cross dialling in a sub-90 average and bending over in their only professional meeting will be downright disgusting.
Blake Campbell
Then don't watch in advance, as it's a given. 100%. The call has gone in. It's a cert.
Evan Johnson
...
Jace Hughes
>and taylor wins six legs on the spin to take the match!
Charles King
>tfw I put a cheeky bet for Cross to win it.
Eli Peterson
The air is crackling around me with the amount SEETHING I'm churning out
William Wood
Surely Taylor's mullering of MVG at the Matchplay had to win one of the category awards? That was pure entertainment.
Wyatt Jackson
>Taylor retires >a new Taylor magically appears right that year Bravo, Bazza. You've outdone yourself.
Kayden Johnson
I honestly forgot about it.
Was a completely surreal experience that match.
Dominic Murphy
love the fact the danish dart twitter users the hashtag in danish "#tykkemændsmåspyd" which literally translates to "Fat Guys, Small Spears"
Regardless of the result, we'll never see another Taylel match Can't wait
Jace Cox
>we'll never see another Taylel match The only positive out of a Pheel victory is that.
>Ian White becomes #1 Stokie What a weird scenario.
Jonathan Cooper
Thanks!
Jacob Richardson
...
Kayden Williams
rob isn't miserable, he's just an average guy
literally one of us
he's like weibe in king of kong and taylor is a mega billy mitchell
Sebastian Gutierrez
Very good stuff, OP, I enjoyed it a lot. How do you remember all these things? Surely you are taking some notes during the year?
Who will be the new heel then? Clown is too soft, Huybrechts and Klassen not successful enough. Poop is always out afer round one. Gurney? Has some potential, but is also pretty soft mentally.
Brayden Thompson
For yanks who want to watch, live coverage on BBC America begins in 10 minutes (1500-EST), and they're currently replaying the Van Gerwen-Cross semifinal.
Christopher Clark
>How do you remember all these things? Surely you are taking some notes during the year? 4plebs archive.
Sebastian Wilson
>Who will be the new heel then?
Nathan Stewart
darts looks kinda gay
Eli Barnes
>this is the last time you will ever see a taylor montage
Oliver Allen
2018 is his year, lads!
Isaac Phillips
What stream to watch?
Joseph Howard
Can someone support with a stream please?
Austin Garcia
Is there an acestream link going about or do I have to settle for a flash stream?
Jordan Hughes
>implying we won't get dozens of "Remember Philip Douglas Taylor?" montages
>tfw just cracked a beer to soothe a champagne/wine hangover
Aaron Allen
And we are on now for the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship final.
Charles Thompson
Appreciated la
Christopher Perez
>mfw
About to crack one open myself.
Colton Cruz
What time's kick off?
Lucas Anderson
[montages intensify]
Nathan Lewis
If Taylor wins I'll stop watching darts completely
Nicholas Phillips
How many Phil Taylor's are there?
Christian Sanchez
STAND UP IF YOU LOVE ROB CROSS
BORING BORING TAYLOR
I think we know who the crowd is supporting
Luke Reed
German or English stream? Which is more fun?
Sebastian Harris
DISGUSTING
Nolan Sanchez
debating this as well right now
Grayson Lewis
>"where's Michael van Gerwen" chants
Cooper Clark
>perhaps the greatest career in british sporting history
Alexander Thomas
fking streams are lagging like fuck for me
Asher Price
...
Adrian Butler
...
Charles Jones
Also to the other/new burgers in, BBC america has it on TV as well as online at a slight delay to our European friends.
Jaxson Sanchez
lyl
Jace Young
You'll all miss him.
Kayden Butler
Love how they keep showing the WDC initials. BDO absolutely seething.
Cameron Gomez
...
Charles Lee
I don't care how arrogant MvG becomes or how much he ends up dominating the game, telling Taylor to fuck off on live television gave him a permanent place in my heart.
Bentley Thompson
Only as a heel, and as an insurance against Taylorwinslol... no wait!
Owen Perez
...
Dylan Martinez
I'll miss him like I miss a pebble or a shard of glass in my shoe. Or battery acid in my drink.
Ayden Barnes
I'll honestly miss his interviews
Jason Lee
Stream where? Cricbox is dead
Ryan Sanders
Not a sport.
Cameron Martinez
Not sure if i can take shortys autism for the finale
