Just say no to the new poly balls. Sign petition!!

Technological advancement often just makes things different: better or worse, that's in people's minds. There's gain at one and, and loss at the other. Younger people tend to say better, older tend to say worse. I suppose I'm somewhere in between.

As to the new ball, I see the reasons for being skeptical, but after all for most of us I think that switching to a new ball won't make that huge a difference. Many experiment (and EJ) with equipment anyway, so what's wrong in changing balls, in addition to blades and rubbers? Ok, the fact that it will be pushed on us may not sound fair, but it's the same for everybody, so nobody gets an unfair advantage.

Ok, there will be "designed for the poly ball" marketing campaigns. But you won't have to change equipment: you can just ignore them and stick to your current equipment. With some minimal adjustment, I suppose it'll play perfectly fine.

OTOH, what I don't like is the period of co-existence of the two ball types. If the poly balls behave differently, the ITTF should set a cut-off date after which everybody should use the poly balls, at least in official tournaments. To avoid clubs and shops sitting on stocks of celluloid balls, I hope this date will be set reasonably in the future.

arg0 wrote: Technological advancement often just makes things different: better or worse, that's in people's minds. There's gain at one and, and loss at the other. Younger people tend to say better, older tend to say worse. I suppose I'm somewhere in between. As to the new ball, I see the reasons for being skeptical, but after all for most of us I think that switching to a new ball won't make that huge a difference. Many experiment (and EJ) with equipment anyway, so what's wrong in changing balls, in addition to blades and rubbers? Ok, the fact that it will be pushed on us may not sound fair, but it's the same for everybody, so nobody gets an unfair advantage. Ok, there will be "designed for the poly ball" marketing campaigns. But you won't have to change equipment: you can just ignore them and stick to your current equipment. With some minimal adjustment, I suppose it'll play perfectly fine. OTOH, what I don't like is the period of co-existence of the two ball types. If the poly balls behave differently, the ITTF should set a cut-off date after which everybody should use the poly balls, at least in official tournaments. To avoid clubs and shops sitting on stocks of celluloid balls, I hope this date will be set reasonably in the future.

 

Could you define Amateur?

As far as I know, if you are non Professional, you are Amateur - even if you play in leagues which follow ITTF rules

Find a player in any USATT affiliated club who's drunk, lol.

They postponed the use of the new balls because William Henzell said he didn't like it??? My guess would be that they postponed the use of poly balls because no company has yet to come out with a viable finished product that is not only durable but ready for mass production. Regardless of how things turn out with the new balls they will need consumers in order to sell their product. 

Unless they completely stop producing celluloid balls once the new balls are ready,  we will always have a choice about which type of ball we purchase. 

I'm not sure what potatoes have to do with this discussion or why you think I have a basement but I agree that it will effect league play in my home country(Germany) and other leagues outside of the states but my original point was that individual consumers aren't going be to forced to purchase the new balls if they ever get implemented. 

Edited by hidasjoki - 07/07/2012 at 8:07pm

hidasjoki wrote: I agree that it will effect league play in my home country(Germany) and other leagues outside of the states but my original point was that individual consumers aren't going be to forced to purchase the new balls if they ever get implemented.

The individual PLAYERS will be forced to PLAY with the plastic balls in their leagues, argumentation see above...

hidasjoki wrote: It wasn't rhetorical, it was a cheap insult.

No, it was an adequate way to address your "we will always have a choice about which type of ball we purchase", where I see a demagogic attempt to shift the focus from playing to purchasing. It must be obvious that the whole controversy is not about what we can purchase, but about what we will be forced to use in competitions.

hidasjoki wrote: my original point was that individual consumers aren't going be to forced to purchase the new balls if they ever get implemented.

No they won't be forced to do so, but the manufacturers have already been told (by the ITTF) that they will change to the new plastic balls... they know that national association will follow the ITTF , and will no doubt expect that poly balls will replace the old celluloid balls, so they will almost certainly cut production or stop it completely. Then you'll have no choice anymore...

Hidasjoki

Yes, there are non ITTF balls being produced now.
I see some wierd and colourful balls nowadays for the recreational players.
Balls that are pink, green, funky colours, and balls that have 3 black stripes covering it (adidas).
But I think what is important here is, do you see any 38mm in the stores for recreational players?

The moment manufactory moves over to the new ball with new sizes - they will stop producing the older balls with non ITTF colours too.

So in the future, everything will be the new plastic balls.
Non ITTF will be a Pink Plastic ball, if you get what I mean.

And Yes, all consumers are forced in a way, a force from top down.
ITTF determines what manufactories make, and not the consumer (or alteast for the 80%-20% principle)

sooner or later, these debate will be pointless as to me this is clearly a business decision, so until some sort of legal action/audit is taken- even with 10000 signature to this petition, its not gonna change anything


Edited by ZApenholder - 07/08/2012 at 3:23am

Ya, BH-Man, I know what you mean.

We can also say that, ITTF doesn't need to control Amature players (like us), they can just control the supply chain. Just like any other corrupt government - controlling supply chains.

But I am indeed sad that over 2/3s of the national associations approved to these changes.
There is another article that raises questions on Sharara intergrity as president of ITTF.
http://tabletennista.com/2012/7/new-olympic-rules-create-opportunities-exc/
Either way, he needs to come clean and explain what TMS and his relationship his, otherwise his name will never be clean.

In many Asian countries, Media really make the world turn around. Media will force officials to work and do they duty - if they don't, they will televised they incompendents.
Right now in Taiwan, there is a stories of a politician that has been caught with over USD20million in bribery money. Media did alot in helping police and  investigators. Media also have investigation teams that goes and find information, take photos of certain hand shakes that started the whole investigation from police.

I wonder if there is a strong media company in Canada that can do something for us?

J-Bo

I admire and respect your spirit and agree to what you are doing (opening post). I am not fond of having an international sport governing body changing they minds every year and changing this and that.

But calling "typical humans" really sound like an insult to me. What are you trying to say?

Why don't you ask yourself a question.
Why only 250?
What went wrong?

Sometimes it is better to blame yourself before blaming other people.

And to note, I have seen you insult more and more people the longer this thread goes.
The opening post was so much more to what I agree.
I don't agree to these insults, so please stop.
It is not working.
If you want more people to participate, then stop with the name calling or insults. Otherwise you are going to loose supporters like me and choose not to support you any more.



Edited by ZApenholder - 07/08/2012 at 5:13pm

dici wrote:   j-bo wrote: When was the last time a: Soccer ball? Well, I could answer that. Last year and last last year. They changed soccer ball before world cup. And change it again after world cup

Correct me if I wrong.
Don't they also make special balls for Euro, just like the make for Fifa world cup?
So from what I heard, the balls are never the same each year. Some curve more than the others etc

j-bo wrote: Typical humans....as normal behavior....reactive...meaning..they'll wait until it's too late. Anyway....don't know where you're coming up with name calling and insults.

Can I call you typical sales? or typical marketer?

If you want this to be better, then I don't think using typical human behaviour as a reason why people are reactive in participating in this be your encouraging point.

It is useful to listen to all the people in the few forums that choose not to be invovled. So you call those people will valid reasons - typical human and reactive and not proactive? I don't think that is fair, and plus people that don't want to participate yet with other valid reasons do have the right not to participate. It is simply your argue point is still limited.

I do have a few ideas that I can suggest to help you achieve your task, but please stop using typical humans as your encouraging (vote for me) statement. I don't think it has been working all these time or will all of a sudden work for you.

Regarding your main aim, is on the ball - which is still very debatable as feedback by so many people.

Why don't you add motives to these changes (or questions of the motives), as well as the lies (evidance from first interviews) to the reasons why we should sign the partition? So not just limit people do disliking or afraid of the balls to sign, but rather other moral, ethical, business sense issues to your list - and encourage people to particpate in atleast 1 if not all of those point.

So add peoples feedback to your list and make them vote with you.
I may not have the best English, but maybe even get a professional sales coaches or marketer to help reword your partition page to try and cover everything angle.

For instance. I agree to this not because of the claims that the plastic balls are noisy, or less spin or what ever the case. But rather I feel there are lies behind all this, so lies are lies and I don't like it and agree to what is being done. Don't lie to me, as I am not dumb etc.