OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Wow...how did I get here? lol Seriously, 16,000 posts seems quite a lot

Been a while since I did a milestone post when I hit a round number, so I thought I'd do a little reflecting.

This year I'll hit 8 years on the forum, and I'm currently at 8 years in my return to TT. Doesn't really see that long. But then I've seen a lot of people come and go on the forum, I've seen many a blade/rubber setup come and go and I've seen way too many spammers come and go (es ta la vista baby ). I've had the odd time when the forum has just become too dry a I've needed a spell, and I suppose writing this post is a bit of my way to "grease the wheels" a little. As any of the old timers here will know, I can be rather prolific in my posts at times, especially in my earlier days of the Reb Report . But both my motivation and my keyboard aren't performing so well these days. My laptop keyboard died so I was using a USB keyboard, which also died. I bought a cheap Chinese replacement and like many cheap Chinese rubbers, its really not up to task But I digress.

So having been sucked in and spat out of the EJ disease cycle, courtesy of being on the forum in first place. In fact I only became a pips player because of being on this forum. Thank goodness I did, because not only have pips been my saviour in gameplay as I've gotten older and more injured, my game has become far more treacherous for my opponents. When I began on this forum I was in division 4 of B grade Seniors at my club. Since then I've risen as high as division 2 of A grade Seniors, but play constantly at the A3 level (something I never envisaged when I came back to TT - and a much higher level than I ever played in my youth).

I've made many friends over the time I have been here on the forum and back in TT. Some are virtual friends, some are real world friends, and some lie in both categories. Haggisv is now a long time virtual friend, even though we only live 800km away from one another. We've spoken on the phone, and hopefully one day we will meet and have a hit. The other mods...Hookshot, Tat and MNNB (and the all but disappeared Silver) are also in the virtual friend world....although Tat and Silver are Facebook friends. And in fact I have GrumpyJoe to thank for even being on Facebook, as he introduced me to it and was my first Facebook friend.

Foam, Bluesmartie, Carbonman, Arlene and some other who are no longer on the forum I have also made my friends in the real world (although we usually only see one another at Vets tournaments, which I rarely attend to due my medical condition). Sahmaniac is a friend I knew prior to the forum and introduced him here, although again he rarely appears these days. Najay is another in that category.

And then there are so many past and present virtual friends here, too many to mention. Many have been real characters who I've gotten good laughs from, sometimes good advice from, but always a feeling of comradeship from. You all know who you are I hope, and if you don't, just ask...(hint...if you're asking, you already have your answer :lol).

Now here's something new that I never expected from being on the forum so long...I've been offered sponsorship! Is it due to my game prowess :O ...No. It's because of my long time presence here. Yes HERE! Aussie Table Tennis, sponsor of Australia's beloved No.1 player William Henzell, has now sponsored me as kind of an ambassador on this forum. Hence you will see their links in my signature. My first duty in this role is to try out a new TT shoe they are about to release. The Stiga Instinct 2. I received these and some other equipment in the mail yesterday and will be giving them a go tonight. Aussie wants me to write an honest review of them on the forum, which is what I will do. No glossing it up, if they're bad I'll say they're bad. Although I've tried them on and they feel nice and look snazzy as well. So how's that for having written 16K of posts here LOL. Aussie has also sent me other equipment including a couple of blades, some Rakza rubbers and some Stiga glue to try, so I'll be sure to commenting on them at some point too.

For readers of my blog, you will know I've enjoyed a fair degree of success in my TT over the years, and many a taste of failure as well. I think the failures only ever propel and inspire me to future success though. I love this game and I love this forum and it has given me more than I've probably ever given it in my time here (although I'd like to think I have made a fair contribution lol),

So to all here, thanks for being my virtual and real friends....and by the way, I don't really differentiate between real and virtual friends (virtual to me just means "still to actually meet"). And I expect Haggisv to make a post such as this when he hits the monumental 30K post in about 870 posts time lol.

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

Congratulations Reb!

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The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Awesome effort Reb!

You are well and truly one of the key and founding members of this forum, that's helped us shape this place, and make it what it is today!

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Nice write up, we'll done.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

16000? Mamma mia Congratulations Reb

We expect the same from you when you reach 16,000, deal?

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Thanks haggisv. I'll get working on it

That's the spirit!

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

Congratulations! Up to the next 16.000!

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Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

You're close to 30.000, Alex. Time to start thinking about a party ?!

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Exclusive OOAK-Interview with Joo Saehyuk | Masato Shiono | Panagiotis Gionis

I'm gonna buy haggisv a t-shirt when he reaches 30,000.

Not sure what it'll say yet. Maybe just "I need to get out more"???

Only joking Alex ( ), every forum needs its "power members" like you and Reb and it's excellent that you lead by example

Great work with all of your posts Reb, I still thoroughly enjoy reading your Reb Report.

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My blog: "Learning to play: as a modern defender": http://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=22254
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtazeX ... oICGS9bqNg
Join the OOAK Discord!: https://discord.gg/Yw2hYUdz3g

[Other gear I've used]
Blades: Butterfly Defence 3, Butterfly Defence Pro, Butterfly Innerforce ZLC, Butterfly Innershield, DHS Power G7, Stiga Offensive Classic Carbon
SPs: Friendship 802 (1.5), TSP Spectol (1.3, 1.8, 2.1), TSP Spectol Speed (1.3), TSP Super Spinpips Chop Sponge 2 (0.5, 1.3)
LPs: Butterfly Feint Long II (1), Butterfly Feint Long III (0.5, 1.3), Tibhar Grass D.TecS (OX), TSP Curl P1-R (0.5, 1, 1.3), TSP Curl P4 (1.3)

Thanks for the kind words fellas. It's guys like you that have kept me on this forum for so long. We all share a passion for this great game which connects us as a brotherhood I feel. Long live TT, pips and OOAK!

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I'm always in the dark, but the Dark sheds lights upon everything!! Beauty is only pimple deep! Beauty is in the eye of the pipholder!
S/U 1: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Andro Rasant 2.1 . BH Red Tibhar Grass Dtecs
S/U 2: Blade: Bty Gergely . FH Black Hexer+ 2.1 . BH Red GD Talon
S/U 3: Blade: Bty Gergely . No rubbers...thinking of adding Red Dtecs and Black Rasant
Aussie Table Tennis Shop / Aussie Table Tennis Facebook Page / Equipment Review Index / Read my Reb Report Blog: click here.

Congrats Reb! I am one of those forum member that come and go !

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Enjoy the game. It is a never ending learning experience once you play and keep the ball on that 45 sq ft of space or should I say half of that space.

It's up to 16,660 now...



Iskandar

too many 6s in succession for my liking...

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Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter