Coach Rip,
I'm confused, if you favor the "traditional" 3.2 with seperate weight requirements for base (1.20g) + figure (2.0g), then why did you make (and sell) a base that weighs in near 1.4g? I guess I will have $90 more of non-conforming "tournament" equipment???
Please understand I am not bringing this up to create a conflict with you, but to emphasize my point that I like to play with all there is to offer in the hobby, including equipment that is far superior to old traditional Tudor style equipment. I think your new TTC base design looks like a really nice concept, that is why I bought it.
All- In my opinion, the hobby is WAY too small to create more barriers and boundries for people to simply get together to enjoy the hobby. That is why I would be in favor of relaxing OLD standards. At this time in the hobby, I would prefer "weighted" (meaning to measure TOTAL weight and allow it to be above 3.2g, say 3.5/3.6 or something like that as a compromise), and then the hobbyist can figure out how to get to the max weight whether it be slightly above the old 2.0g figure or 1.2g base requirements). As far as competition goes, you can't tell me that a couple tenths of a gram have a bigger affect than tweaking skills (which beginners don't have), so this isn't even about the new coaches. We simply don't have all the "BEST" MF equipment being manufactured by large scale manufacturers that market the game to the masses and this leads to very little in standardization. For example, what are we to do about affordable "standard" game boards, buy an old 1970s Tudor board off of ebay? Is the 620 board really a standard now if nobody produces it anymore with the quality we get from custom gameboard makers (or even older 620 models)? Its really the hobbyists being the ones creating the innovation that we see on this board (reference all the customizing, the new TDQB/TDK, big boards, bases and dials, decals, etc.) and I for one am very open to accepting it all.
I understand why we need standards, and limitations are in place to create a fair and equal opportunity to compete, but I personally think with the current state of the hobby that its FAR more important to loosen up, be all inclusive, and "just play".
I'm JUST a hobbyist and thats my opinion.
Regards,
Joe