While converting my 1980s and 90s VHS recordings of many of the once-televised and now classic tournaments, it’s very pleasurable (and informative) for me to be able to not only revisit these suspenseful games, but to necessarily scrutinize every detail during the editing process (which is largely about stripping out now-irrelevant commercials for smooth and timely rack-to-rack transitions purely as an amenity to present and future viewers).
Just a few random, essentially minor thoughts I’d add to any previously noted impressions. A couple of decades ago during the excitement of watching the original broadcasts I frankly never gave the slightest thought to such things as the following:
-- I only noticed this week how relatively far forward Strickland gripped his cue during those games. Might be attributable to where the balance point was on that particular custom cue, as well as the reported extra-long shaft. I don’t know, perhaps others may have a helpful opinion on the matter.
-- Many close-ups that showed certain players’ tips, seem to reveal that they preferred their tips to be kept quite thin (probably to insure that the tip (invariably single layered ones in those days) had compressed all that it was going to, thereby giving a very repeatable and predictable kind of hit that they depended upon.) No doubt all the chalking and shooting during warm-ups and actual competition tended also to wear down the tips to a much thinner dimension. There’s always a lathe and tip repairman at these events and quite a few players consistently don’t want a thicker, un-compacted tip.
-- The extreme difficulty some rackers had in getting the balls tight was mighty puzzling and essentially hard to excuse. There must have been some official rules-based reason that a 5-cent spot wasn’t continually applied whenever clearly necessary, and/or having the racking area re-brushed on-camera during the games when there was racking difficulty.
-- We all cherish the memory of Mizerak’s playing genius -- amply noted in the record books as well -- and his intelligence and marvelous warm personality, but upon reflection, I think I would be remiss to not edit out the audio portion of those perhaps 4 or 5 jocularly-intended but nevertheless bizarre comments about how powerfully he could manhandle and punch little Nick if he cared to, as in “put my fist right thru his body” etc. I remember how very jarringly eccentric they seemed 29 years ago and still seem jarring when re-hearing them. I’m certain that Nick’s renowned equanimity and close relationship with Steve would leave him completely unruffled by those ridiculous remarks . . . but perhaps not. That kind of self-indulgent pseudo bullying certainly ruffles my older self. Could also seem jarring to English-speaking Youtube viewers abroad. It would be easy to simply edit out those strange seconds of audio. Maybe however, I’m over-reacting. Input welcome.
Most of the above comments relate to:
https://youtu.be/6aCoMzfMiTk
Arnaldo
Just a few random, essentially minor thoughts I’d add to any previously noted impressions. A couple of decades ago during the excitement of watching the original broadcasts I frankly never gave the slightest thought to such things as the following:
-- I only noticed this week how relatively far forward Strickland gripped his cue during those games. Might be attributable to where the balance point was on that particular custom cue, as well as the reported extra-long shaft. I don’t know, perhaps others may have a helpful opinion on the matter.
-- Many close-ups that showed certain players’ tips, seem to reveal that they preferred their tips to be kept quite thin (probably to insure that the tip (invariably single layered ones in those days) had compressed all that it was going to, thereby giving a very repeatable and predictable kind of hit that they depended upon.) No doubt all the chalking and shooting during warm-ups and actual competition tended also to wear down the tips to a much thinner dimension. There’s always a lathe and tip repairman at these events and quite a few players consistently don’t want a thicker, un-compacted tip.
-- The extreme difficulty some rackers had in getting the balls tight was mighty puzzling and essentially hard to excuse. There must have been some official rules-based reason that a 5-cent spot wasn’t continually applied whenever clearly necessary, and/or having the racking area re-brushed on-camera during the games when there was racking difficulty.
-- We all cherish the memory of Mizerak’s playing genius -- amply noted in the record books as well -- and his intelligence and marvelous warm personality, but upon reflection, I think I would be remiss to not edit out the audio portion of those perhaps 4 or 5 jocularly-intended but nevertheless bizarre comments about how powerfully he could manhandle and punch little Nick if he cared to, as in “put my fist right thru his body” etc. I remember how very jarringly eccentric they seemed 29 years ago and still seem jarring when re-hearing them. I’m certain that Nick’s renowned equanimity and close relationship with Steve would leave him completely unruffled by those ridiculous remarks . . . but perhaps not. That kind of self-indulgent pseudo bullying certainly ruffles my older self. Could also seem jarring to English-speaking Youtube viewers abroad. It would be easy to simply edit out those strange seconds of audio. Maybe however, I’m over-reacting. Input welcome.
Most of the above comments relate to:
https://youtu.be/6aCoMzfMiTk
Arnaldo
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