Thoughts about Tennis Tradition...

[don_budge]

Socrates…a long time ago

"To find yourself…think for yourself."

[don_budge]

Aldous Huxley...Brave New World…2016

"It seems to me perfectly in the cards that there will be within the next generation or so a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda, brainwashing or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods." -- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World 1959


The Presidential Reality Show...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAH6klFQwiM

I pity the children. The poor children.

The number of kids on anti-depressant medication has doubled in the last seven years.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/number-of-children-prescribed-anti-depressants-increases-by-50-in-seven-years-a6920576.html

I pity the children...

[stotty]

Brave New World...

“A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.”
― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

[gzhpcu]

Bread and games - ancient Rome - gladiatorial games, nothing new under the sun.

[don_budge]

Björn Borg practicing...

Interesting video…Björn Borg practicing. First in the mid '70's with Marianna Simonescu. Then a clip of him using his traditional Donnay practicing against an up and coming Swede in 1985. He looks a bit futile against the new equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5apFRFE2KA

[gzhpcu]

An interesting quote from "The Game of Singles in Tennis" by William F. Talbert and Bruce S. Old, 1962:

In today's top-flight singles, base line play is the forgotten segment. The long, exciting rallies of the golden era of tennis, as exemplified by the play of Tilden, Johnston, Cochet, Lacoste, Vines, Perry and Budge, are completely missing in the current serve and volley game.... As a result, singles has suffered a real loss in popularity as a spectator sport.

The pendulum keeps swinging back and forth it seems.

What we need is a good mix of both, but hard to see how it could be done...

[don_budge]

There are Limits…to Reason

An interesting quote from "The Game of Singles in Tennis" by William F. Talbert and Bruce S. Old, 1962:

"In today's top-flight singles, base line play is the forgotten segment. The long, exciting rallies of the golden era of tennis, as exemplified by the play of Tilden, Johnston, Cochet, Lacoste, Vines, Perry and Budge, are completely missing in the current serve and volley game.... As a result, singles has suffered a real loss in popularity as a spectator sport."

The pendulum keeps swinging back and forth it seems.

What we need is a good mix of both, but hard to see how it could be done...

The way that you have presented this quote is typical. All historical context is lost. Talbert never had an inkling with regard to the equipment. He is talking about something all together different than what you are alluding to.

It has nothing to do with a pendulum swinging…I am surprised that you would make such a comment. It has only to do with snow-shoe sized tennis racquets and sand laden courts…not to mention the suped up strings. Wait a minute…I'm not surprised. The limitations or reasoning power never cease to amaze me.

"Tilden, Johnston, Cochet, Lacoste, Vines, Perry and Budge"…none of these guys played with the modern day snow shoes sized tennis racquets. Extraordinarily limited.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8

[gzhpcu]

So according to you there is no difference between Johnston's racket and Newcombe's? Equipment evolves.

[don_budge]

gzhpcu...

So according to you there is no difference between Johnston's racket and Newcombe's? Equipment evolves.

Basically you and I have nothing to discuss. Why do you persist in coming into MY thread with your nonsense? Are you some kind of sick person that likes to provoke others by pushing their buttons? Sort of passive aggressive. Just please stop…I don't want to waste my time with you.

[don_budge]

Jimmy Connors vs. Björn Borg…1994 Senior Tour

Nine years down the line from the video posted in the post yesterday. This match with Dwight Stone, Dennis Ralston and Leif Sheris is an exquisite piece of information.

Connors is playing with a Prince racquet…without an open throat. Borg with a oversized Head. This is the earliest example of his playing oversize that I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFo3_vcKgMY

More to say on this match…and the commentary.

[gzhpcu]

Basically you and I have nothing to discuss. Why do you persist in coming into MY thread with your nonsense? Are you some kind of sick person that likes to provoke others by pushing their buttons? Sort of passive aggressive. Just please stop…I don't want to waste my time with you.

Fine by me. I just put you on my ignore list. Suggest you do the same.

[don_budge]

The List...

Fine by me. I just put you on my ignore list. Suggest you do the same.

"I just put you on my ignore list"…that's great. Good bye. Don't ever even suggest to me what I should do. I'm not like you.

[don_budge]

Jimmy Connors vs. Björn Borg…1994 Senior Tour

Nine years down the line from the video posted in the post yesterday. This match with Dwight Stone, Dennis Ralston and Leif Sheris is an exquisite piece of information.

Connors is playing with a Prince racquet…without an open throat. Borg with a oversized Head. This is the earliest example of his playing oversize that I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFo3_vcKgMY

More to say on this match…and the commentary.

[stotty]

Simonescu and Borg...

Interesting video…Björn Borg practicing. First in the mid '70's with Marianna Simonescu. Then a clip of him using his traditional Donnay practicing against an up and coming Swede in 1985. He looks a bit futile against the new equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5apFRFE2KA

Lovely clip and a great find. The standout comment for me was "Forest Hills was the only major left to win". Clearly the Australian Open didn't count back then. It wasn't considered a major.

I found it touching to see Simonescu and Borg hitting together. I don't know why...I just did.

Borg still moves well in the clip but by now he has lost a little nimbleness and power. He's still the best natural mover who ever lived in my view.

I do love these oddball clips. Sometimes they are the best...reveal the most.

[don_budge]

"lost a little nimbleness and power…"

I found it touching to see Simonescu and Borg hitting together. I don't know why...I just did.

Borg still moves well in the clip but by now he has lost a little nimbleness and power. He's still the best natural mover who ever lived in my view.

Yeah…that is extremely cool to see the innocence of a yesteryear. Marianna with a nice Dunlop Maxply Fort.

Interesting video…Björn Borg practicing. First in the mid '70's with Marianna Simonescu. Then a clip of him using his traditional Donnay practicing against an up and coming Swede in 1985. He looks a bit futile against the new equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5apFRFE2KA

When you say "Borg still moves well in the clip but by now he has lost a little nimbleness and power"…what exactly are you referring to in the clip? Are you referring to the segment where he is hitting with Thomas Hogstedt in Stockholm?