The furore over Ronnie O'Sullivan needing to be persuaded to pot the final black to complete a 147 seems to miss the point.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/sep/20/ronnie-osullivan-147

Whilst the mercenary reasons given leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth I can't help but admire the chutzpah of someone seemingly not bothered about completing a maximum break as if it were an ordinary occurrence. Comments that he was letting down fans who wanted to see him finish of the break ignore the fact that people watch him play precisely because of his maverick nature and this incident is more likely to be remembered in ten years time than if he had finished the break routinely (if a 147 can be described as routine), which would have barely been reported in the first place. These talented individuals are important in all sports and people come to watch them as they fire the imagination, unsure quite what they are going to do, be it a moment of sporting excellence or something stupid or arrogant. While I equally admire players in all sports who work hard to make the most of their abilities or the plucky underdog up against the odds these do not draw the crowds in as the mavericks do and it would be a boring world if everyone was to become an automaton with any individuality stifled. An increase in professionalism with the larger rewards on offer is already driving many of them from various disciplines especially in team sports so those that are left should be cherished. We still talk of the exploits of George Best or Ian Botham and while Bobby Charlton and Graham Gooch were equally important to the teams they played in the crowds are still excited by the former.