OOAK Table Tennis Forum
https://ooakforum.com/

Really interesting question?
https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3241		 Page 2 of 2
Author:  jolan [ 02 Jun 2008, 00:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Really interesting question?
Dark horse wrote:
Talking to an older guy today from the hard bat era, he hit me with a really interestig question. He said that in his day the one thing you could rely on was the fact that (hard bat era) the novice guy who went in to his local sports shop, could buy the exact bat that the current world champ used, so as he percieved it, there could not be in those days any question of equipment advantage at all, it rteally had to be down to skill, no glue, pimps or anything, just pure hard bat rubber. I don't like it, but I think he had a point, think about it once again, the world champ has to by logic play with the same rubbers that you do, it surely is quite a sobering thought.


Well, that's interresting. I sure don't know actual world class players well enough, but I've been playing in 1995 next table to Jean-Philippe Gatien who has stopped his career in 2003 (about). He was playing with a very standard Yasaka extra 3d and 2 regular sheets of mark V and he was very proud of that. He kept saying that his bat was freely buyable in a TT shop. Maybe today things have changed. It has been said that some top players have their own customed blade and rubbers but still, I like to think it's for comfort and habbit purposes, not to give them an extra advantage. If they have one, it's surely to always play with new (and free... :cry: ) rubbers. So you see, things haven't drastically changed since hardbat time, or maybe I missed you point. :?:
Author:  Dark horse [ 02 Jun 2008, 01:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Really interesting question?
jolan wrote:
Dark horse wrote:
Talking to an older guy today from the hard bat era, he hit me with a really interestig question. He said that in his day the one thing you could rely on was the fact that (hard bat era) the novice guy who went in to his local sports shop, could buy the exact bat that the current world champ used, so as he percieved it, there could not be in those days any question of equipment advantage at all, it rteally had to be down to skill, no glue, pimps or anything, just pure hard bat rubber. I don't like it, but I think he had a point, think about it once again, the world champ has to by logic play with the same rubbers that you do, it surely is quite a sobering thought.


Well, that's interresting. I sure don't know actual world class players well enough, but I've been playing in 1995 next table to Jean-Philippe Gatien who has stopped his career in 2003 (about). He was playing with a very standard Yasaka extra 3d and 2 regular sheets of mark V and he was very proud of that. He kept saying that his bat was freely buyable in a TT shop. Maybe today things have changed. It has been said that some top players have their own customed blade and rubbers but still, I like to think it's for comfort and habbit purposes, not to give them an extra advantage. If they have one, it's surely to always play with new (and free... :cry: ) rubbers. So you see, things haven't drastically changed since hardbat time, or maybe I missed you point. :?:


The point is that standardisation of equipment puts all arguments to bed. not for a minute am I for it though. The point that you raise about sponsored players is important, not only can they play with rubbers at optimum efficiency, they can choose which sheets to accept, there is even with the top brands some variation in quality. So the point really is not the fact that JP Gatien was playing with equipment that any other player could obtain, but the fact that in the old days the best player in the world DEFINATELY had the same bat as you (maybe minor differences) Oh BTW, you forgot to mention with Gatien's equipment.......a good quantity of speed glue.
Author:  Ranger-man [ 02 Jun 2008, 03:00 ]
Post subject: 
I agree with what Jolan has said, to a degree. But I will go back to my original statement that in the hardbat era, it was not so much about the avilabaility of everything to everyone, thats not the issue DH has raised. I mean, I play with Mark V, so yes, I know its available to everyone, just as pretty much anything out there, and I regularly play with a former World number 67 here at the club, and he told me that what the champs use or used is more often than not standard equipment. Some also mix and match. Like he personally would use sponges from DHS and just the topsheet from Yasaka. They gave it to him while its not available in the open market at all, just the top sheet I mean.

That is an advantage champions have.

In the hardbat era, plain wood, plain pimpled rubber, and thats it, there just were not that many options to go around for the champions to have what the ordinary player could not get.

I think this is the point DH was trying to make, and if this is it, then I agree with it.
Author:  Dark horse [ 02 Jun 2008, 03:52 ]
Post subject: 
Ranger-man wrote:

In the hardbat era, plain wood, plain pimpled rubber, and thats it, there just were not that many options to go around for the champions to have what the ordinary player could not get.

I think this is the point DH was trying to make, and if this is it, then I agree with it.


Yes, that is exactly the point, no options available that would make a significant difference.
Author:  Dark horse [ 05 Jun 2008, 08:58 ]
Post subject: 
speedplay wrote:
I like the idea of being able to buy and use the exact same piece of equipment as the top players in the world, but I hate the idea of giving up the diversity when it comes to equipment...

Perhaps rule out any custom made rubbers or special made blades? No, I'm happy with the rules as they are, they make for a perfect excuse when I lose :lol:


I feel that you would be a winner Speedy what ever the outcome.
Page 2 of 2 All times are UTC + 9:30 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/