tired about hearing about jump cues

[Roll-Off]

Geez. Relax. Sorry if I offended.

Don't worry about it, RC. Some people get offended when you have an opinion that runs against the grain. Just ask the great Splinterhands. Superior equipment and performance enhancing drugs have watered down many sports and pool is included. Imagine if the great players of yesteryear played with Predator shafts and Moori tips. Their records would be untouchable.

 

[Williebetmore]

The level of play and skill of the current generation of professional tennis players is the highest as it has ever been.

SP,
I would totally disagree. The equipment used by these players is MUCH better than that used by Borg/Connors/McEnroe/Evert/etc.; and light years better than that used in the Kramer era. The days of long rallies on hardcourts are OVER, and its not because the players are better - its the equipment. Serve and volley is the totally dominant strategy, and for me its a big yawn - I can hardly stand to watch these guys (in fact I almost never do anymore). Even in my 50's I can play a much more powerful game than when I was in my 20's (Wilson Jack Kramer model, followed by T-2000) - that's just stupid. For me equipment HAS totally ruined the game. I was fortunate to see a match at the RCA tournament a few years ago where 2 prominent players used old Jack Kramer racquets. It was laughable, they were lucky to get the ball over the net, and the serves were pathetic - though everyone had a good time.

In the end, however, everyone is entitled to their own opinion; and wait... this is a pool forum. Never mind this post.

 

[MFB]

Let me clue a few of you in on something....

Safeties. If you leave your opponent an opportunity to jump the cue ball, you didn't get a good enough safe.

Any knucklehead can play a 'safe' and get a ball between the cue ball and object ball. It takes skill to get the cue ball snookered onto another ball making your opponent go 2 or 3 rails for a hit.

 

[SplicedPoints]

SP,
I would totally disagree. The equipment used by these players is MUCH better than that used by Borg/Connors/McEnroe/Evert/etc.; and light years better than that used in the Kramer era. The days of long rallies on hardcourts are OVER, and its not because the players are better - its the equipment. Serve and volley is the totally dominant strategy, and for me its a big yawn - I can hardly stand to watch these guys (in fact I almost never do anymore). Even in my 50's I can play a much more powerful game than when I was in my 20's (Wilson Jack Kramer model, followed by T-2000) - that's just stupid. For me equipment HAS totally ruined the game. I was fortunate to see a match at the RCA tournament a few years ago where 2 prominent players used old Jack Kramer racquets. It was laughable, they were lucky to get the ball over the net, and the serves were pathetic - though everyone had a good time.

In the end, however, everyone is entitled to their own opinion; and wait... this is a pool forum. Never mind this post.

I would agree that the current equipments are much much much better than the equipments of 30, 20, or even as recently as 10 years ago. However, the players today aren't better only because of equipment. Current players are much stronger, much faster, and have better set of skills. Many of the past tennis greats usually would attend at least one major an year. When they're interviewed by the TV stations about how they would compare to the current generation of players, the great majority of the past champions said the current players are better. The current players are better because they have better training from an earlier age. TV commentators like John McEnroe also often make the same kinds of statements.

Roger Federer is an extreme example of a current generation player. He's still quite early in his career, but almost all the past tennis champions have him as one of the best ever, if not the best already. McEnroe publicly said Federer's the best ever even last year. He has absolutely no weakness in his game. Ground game's absolutely phenomenal, with one of the best forehands ever; he's marvelous at the net, at least Sampras like; he has magnificent court tactics and imagination, probably the best ever; he doesn't have the fastest serve ever, but he is very precise and can hit it in the 130+ range when he wants to. This guy's just as complete as you can get for a tennis player. Most of the past champions excel in one or 2 areas of the game, but Federer excels in all areas.