Club & Park level: Nice (expensive) clothes = bad player?

[8F93W5]

Not always true of course. There are exceptions:

In my limited experience*, it seems like the people with the nicest clothes, the expensive items from tennis shops, are usually not very good players relatively speaking. It seems like they think a better shirt will win them the match. When I have a Flex League or USTA League match, and my opponent shows up in a $50.00 dollar genuine tennis shirt, and accessories like wrist bands, head band, I usually win easily. OTOH, if he shows up in an old T-Shirt and cheap shorts, I know I probably have a worthy opponent.
My co-workers who play basketball say the same thing happens in their sport.
Has anyone here had a similar observation.

* 3.5 NTRP had a 4.0 for a while, but wasn't worthy and got bumped down.
I don't play tournaments because I work weekends. I've been playing since 1988. 1-3 times per week
Not sure if TW will like this post because it's their business to sell clothes, but OTOH this is a chance for people to disagree and maybe sell more stuff.

 

[ollinger]

No, people buy nice clothes because money isn't an issue for them. Silly thread, generalizations of this type are pointless and not often true. It's tennis "profiling."

 

[r2473]

I have trouble with the ones that show up naked.

 

[arche3]

I wear adidas. New clothes every season. I pwn everyone I play. I like the way adidas climacool wicks. Better than nike. I stay cooler. I play better. I have a 12 racket bag. 3 rackets. I buy new shoes every month. I have extra grips, towel and small cooler in my racket bag. Im old enough and make enough money to join a country club and indoor club in the winter.
When I leave the club Im usually driving the best car in the lot. My wife is the prettiest of the club members wives and has the best body. It must really **** people off.

 

[West Coast Ace]

No, people buy nice clothes because money isn't an issue for them. Silly thread, generalizations of this type are pointless and not often true. It's tennis "profiling."

+1. But it does happen.

OP may learn a tough lesson some day by dismissing an opponent based on generalizing. I have a few friends who don't look like tennis players - one is 5'7" and slight (turns out he's a 5.0); another who's always been 'husky' - won quite a few Open tournaments out here in So Cal. Can't judge a book.

 

[max]

Some German social psychologists did a study a number of years ago.

Inexperienced players are much more likely to wear fancy tennis togs. The more experienced players just play.

 

[The Meat]

I have trouble with the ones that show up naked.

Same, I know it's hot and everything but no one wants to see breasts flopping up and down, jiggling is fine though.

On a more serious note, good players usually come and play with updated Nike/Adidas shoes, some plain shorts, and either a t-shirt or a poly shirt. Maybe a cap on a sunny day.

 

[8F93W5]

+1. But it does happen.

OP may learn a tough lesson some day by dismissing an opponent based on generalizing.......

Ma'am,
Didn't you read this part?
"Not always true of course. There are exceptions"
I know not to underestimate anyone.

 

[newpball]

It seems like they think a better shirt will win them the match.

There is nothing wrong with sporting with good material: a quality racket, good shoes and good clothing.

Also it is good to be prepared for a match. A wrist band or a head band is just common sense, bring a towel as well, as well as some extra rackets, some band aid, extra socks, water, banana etc

 

[krz]

What you really gotta worry about are the ones that carry the 12pack bags!

I just stick to a drawstring these days. I played D1 freshman year of college, so I'm decent.

 

[lightthestorm]

Hmm... that's a hard question. There are a lot of great juniors who wear the newest stuff from bigger brands (Nadal, RF, ADNA, Adidas etc.). And there's some who could care less and wear t shirts from tournaments or something they find at TJ Maxx...

 

[MAXXply]

The uninspiring designs of current-day tennis shirts got me down so much that lately I've been binge-buying colourful collared golf polos, the ones with modern cuts. I felt I needed a colour fix that I couldn't find in tennis brands.
I'm tending to wear the shirts the way sharp-dressed businessmen wear ties, as colourful statements to offset the rest of their straight-laced look.
My shorts, shoes and sticks are purposely basic and functional by contrast.

 

[max]

For an important match, I'll try to look a bit better. I think it's worth messing with your opponent's head a bit, and if that does it, so it goes.

One of my best wins was over a very good player who dressed top to bottom in great tennis fashion. It was a hard match. I was looking pretty doggy, and he initially had me convinced that he was essentially a tennis pro. But I stuck with it, kept up and nudged over. I suppose the look added to the value of the victory.

 

[LeeD]

PeterPearson, top 5 NorCal A/Open, used to show up at GoldenGatePark (22 courts), in brown long legged cords, ratty T shirt, and one racket....and one can of balls.
He did play a first round match against BobbyLutz with brown shorts, white t shirt, TWO rackets, but didn't see if he had a can of balls.
OTOH, GregShepard carried a tennis bag with all his real tennis clothing, changed at the locker room, came out looking like a poster child for tenniswear, and was ranked No.4 in NorCal A/Open.
Guess who had more $$$$.

 

[mikeler]

PeterPearson, top 5 NorCal A/Open, used to show up at GoldenGatePark (22 courts), in brown long legged cords, ratty T shirt, and one racket....and one can of balls.
He did play a first round match against BobbyLutz with brown shorts, white t shirt, TWO rackets, but didn't see if he had a can of balls.
OTOH, GregShepard carried a tennis bag with all his real tennis clothing, changed at the locker room, came out looking like a poster child for tenniswear, and was ranked No.4 in NorCal A/Open.
Guess who had more $$$$.

Who? I don't really care...

 

[LeeD]

Children of today are bound the to make all the mistakes of yesteryear because they fail to realize the importance of studying history.
I also hated History in junior and high school. I"d ace the tests, only to fail in doing homework and especially failed in dates and times, excelled in concepts.
But another Hitler, PolPot, and IdiAmin is just around the corner for our world.
But maybe not another Stalin, because Russia won't ever allow his reign to be forgotten.

 

[DirtBaller4]

They don't let you on the court at a club in my area unless you have whites on with a collar.

But I guess people on the gold coast of CT can afford 40 dollars shorts and shirts to look good. There are a lot of self made millionaires around here that still wear cotton tee shirts but they are the exception to the rule.

I think I am probably guilty of being a better looking player than I actually am. But tennis is just my summer sport to keep fit for skiing in the fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8y1ta_I7HM

 

[lightthestorm]

Children of today are bound the to make all the mistakes of yesteryear because they fail to realize the importance of studying history.
I also hated History in junior and high school. I"d ace the tests, only to fail in doing homework and especially failed in dates and times, excelled in concepts.
But another Hitler, PolPot, and IdiAmin is just around the corner for our world.
But maybe not another Stalin, because Russia won't ever allow his reign to be forgotten.

Huh????

 

[LeeD]

TreePow good, but it appears you missed numerous freshies by following on the beaten path in the first 5 turns.
I was doing practice slalom training with MikeJacoby and MarkFawcett in the mid '90's, rode tons with LaelGregory and other pro freestylers up to the late '90's, but they leaped ahead in park skills while I could hang closer in half pipes and pow by the early 00's. Most 50 year olds don't like 4 second airs in artificial jump parks, nor can they spin 540's 9' high off pro half pipes.
Now 64, it was a long time ago, I still have 3 raceboard snowboards, 4 freestyle/freeride boards, plus one dedicated deep Powder board.

 

[PureAlph4]

PeterPearson, top 5 NorCal A/Open, used to show up at GoldenGatePark (22 courts), in brown long legged cords, ratty T shirt, and one racket....and one can of balls.
He did play a first round match against BobbyLutz with brown shorts, white t shirt, TWO rackets, but didn't see if he had a can of balls.
OTOH, GregShepard carried a tennis bag with all his real tennis clothing, changed at the locker room, came out looking like a poster child for tenniswear, and was ranked No.4 in NorCal A/Open.
Guess who had more $$$$.

Who? I don't really care...

Trick question. The answer is obviously HenryPon.

 

[LeeD]

YOU brought him up.
Henry was a solid mid level B player, or 4.5. The most geeky, most uncoordinated human being ever, almost like that geek serve guy, but....he lived all his life at the E end of Dupont courts, played tennis since he was under 8 years of age, had pro coaching, was over 40 when I met him, had played thru generations of Washington High School team players, and beat me the first time we played BAGEL and 2's.

 

[newpball]

Children of today are bound the to make all the mistakes of yesteryear because they fail to realize the importance of studying history.
I also hated History in junior and high school. I"d ace the tests, only to fail in doing homework and especially failed in dates and times, excelled in concepts.
But another Hitler, PolPot, and IdiAmin is just around the corner for our world.
But maybe not another Stalin, because Russia won't ever allow his reign to be forgotten.

I am trying to understand how you get from a nice topic about tennis clothing to this.

 

[LeeD]

Oh dat...
Read post 15. After describing with a brief sentence WHO those old farts were, we get WHO?

 

[newpball]

Peter Pearson the bank robber?

 

[LeeD]

Good one.
So, I know RogerMeidinger the mad bomber (solid C player, or 3.5)
I know GregRaymond, nother high C player, low B, who robbed the same bank twice.
And of course, Peter.

 

[newpball]

Good one.
So, I know RogerMeidinger the mad bomber (solid C player, or 3.5)
I know GregRaymond, nother high C player, low B, who robbed the same bank twice.
And of course, Peter.

So the moral is only wear Dri-FIT Nike's on court? :grin:

 

[LeeD]

Oh...
Roger was on of the top 4 surfers of NorCal from years '63 thru '66, I didn't meet him until '77 or so, but knew about him and saw many surfing pictures of him posing toes to the nose on logs at all sorts of California surf spots.
Greg was one of the top 20 legendary big wave surfers at OceanBeachSF, graduated from UCBerkeley after his release from prison, was my main surfing bud in the later '70's and early '80s.
Peter was out of my league then, a much better player who I watched tons, in various Open tourneys, GoldenGatePark, and his first round against Lutz.

 

[LeeD]

I wear dri fit Champions mostly, from Target.

 

[lightthestorm]

I wear a lot of Nike Legend, but I have a fair share of FILA, ADNA, Adidas Barricade lines....

 

[PureAlph4]

So the moral is only wear Dri-FIT Nike's on court? :grin:

No. The moral is that some people are so desperate to hit the courts in Nike Dri-Fit that they are willing to repeatedly rob banks in order to do so.

 

[newpball]

Peter was out of my league then, ...

Basing it on his face alone it looks like he must have used a pretty tight grip :twisted:

 

[LeeD]

Dude, Peter was top 5 NorCal A/Open, not something we can casually sneeze at. He won the Q to get into the first round against BobbyLutz.
He used ONE grip for EVERY stroke, from serves to forehands, volleys to backhands. His left arm looked almost like Lavers, while his right was much smaller and weaker.
Do you think he got his big forearms soley by loosely holding his racket?

 

[LeeD]

Oh Newpball, do you want to hit sometime? I"m in SanPablo, like Richmond at SanPabloDamRoad.
Seems SanPabloPark (in Berkeley), lost most of the better 4-4.5 players, and the tennis there went downhill.
I"m just a high 3.5 singles player, so I hope I won't be wasting your time.

 

[newpball]

Dude, Peter was top 5 NorCal A/Open, not something we can casually sneeze at. He won the Q to get into the first round against BobbyLutz.
He used ONE grip for EVERY stroke, from serves to forehands, volleys to backhands. His left arm looked almost like Lavers, while his right was much smaller and weaker.
Do you think he got his big forearms soley by loosely holding his racket?

You are proving my observation to be true :|

 

[newpball]

Oh Newpball, do you want to hit sometime? I"m in SanPablo, like Richmond at SanPabloDamRoad.

I am down south near Fremont.

 

[LeeD]

Oh sorry, didn't know.
Last 3 "hot" days, it was about 78 degrees here, the same in Berkeley, and the winds blowing 12-19 mph at BerkeleyMarina.
My van don't like the freeway, and I got registration (late) to deal with.
Hope this heat wave isn't affecting you too much.

 

[KineticChain]

What you really gotta worry about are the ones that carry the 12pack bags!

I just stick to a drawstring these days. I played D1 freshman year of college, so I'm decent.

In my experience.. it is those who walk onto court carrying two identical, freshly strung, rackets in their hand and nothing more (besides clothes).

 

[rafafan20]

I just won a match 6-3 6-3 6-1 in a 4.0 with a Fed polo on so eat that

 

[NickC]

They don't let you on the court at a club in my area unless you have whites on with a collar.

But I guess people on the gold coast of CT can afford 40 dollars shorts and shirts to look good. There are a lot of self made millionaires around here that still wear cotton tee shirts but they are the exception to the rule.

I think I am probably guilty of being a better looking player than I actually am. But tennis is just my summer sport to keep fit for skiing in the fall.

Don't be generalizing. I'm from the Gold Coast (and so are you, Norwalk has some VERY nice areas) and I despise playing in all white, much less a collar. I come from plenty of money but I never liked playing in fancy shirts - a decent pair of tennis shorts lasts me 6-7 years, and I use those and a t-shirt. I prefer to play at public courts or at high schools, because people know I mean business when I show up in a raggy t-shirt and a pair of shorts. I'll hit kick serves over the fancy-dressed posers any day of the week.

Does anyone remember the dude who posted a few videos of himself playing a few years back? He claimed he had 10 or so K90s and had them matched to Federer's exact specifications, strung the gut/poly combo like Fed and even dressed like him.

He sucked, and even though the videos weren't the best quality and didn't show where his shots landed, his strokes were ugly as hell and he got smacked around at the 2.5 level.

In my experience.. it is those who walk onto court carrying two identical, freshly strung, rackets in their hand and nothing more (besides clothes).

This.

 

[rafafan20]

there is also the issue of people like me that would have to bring 3-4 t shirts for a 2-3 set match outside in the summer. Seems more efficient to just buy the nice tennis stuff for $20-$30 when it falls out of season.

 

[Mick]

My hitting partner says he can tell how well a person can play by how he/she walks, just like in those martial arts movies :shock:

 

[LeeD]

OK OK, I surrender.
I'll admit I'm just a gimp.

 

[LeeD]

Oh, I walk just like a 55 year old ArtLarsen when I met him in 1976. We played maybe 30 doubles sets, us usually on opposite sides because he liked to torment young speedsters and I liked to return his twist serves and predict his dropshots.

 

[Mick]

Haha the crazy thing is he has never been wrong

 

[lightthestorm]

I really want to play LeeD at least once haha. Maybe me and Stefan Doehler (a tennis friend from when I lived in cali) vs Lee and Peter?

That's a match for the ages.

 

[LeeD]

Sure, some guys here have played or hit with me lately. RobFL, Shroud, in the past couple of months.
I claim "highest 3.5" in singles. In doubles, 4.0 to 5.0 easy.
From the looks of Pete's pics, he musta gained some weight. He was always about 6' tall and 195 lbs., in year's '78 thru '80. Pete was a top A/Open, never hit with me, but his regular practice partner was RollieZalameda, one of my regular practice partners.
When you come out here (SanPablo, Ca.) ring me up here on TW. I can take you surfing, windsurfing, snowboarding, or we can play tennis.

 

[Mick]

Last week, i played this guy. We introduced ourselves and his first words to me were: "Tennis Warehouse?"

I wore the Tennis Warehouse shirt with the dog biting on the tennis ball with the TW logo.
Sounded like he knew what Tennis Warehouse was all about :shock:

 

[LeeD]

I also wore my TW t shirt, white with blue and yellow stencilling to hit with Shroud and RobFl/Deepak.

 

[goober]

Not always true of course. There are exceptions:

In my limited experience*, it seems like the people with the nicest clothes, the expensive items from tennis shops, are usually not very good players relatively speaking. It seems like they think a better shirt will win them the match. When I have a Flex League or USTA League match, and my opponent shows up in a $50.00 dollar genuine tennis shirt, and accessories like wrist bands, head band, I usually win easily. OTOH, if he shows up in an old T-Shirt and cheap shorts, I know I probably have a worthy opponent.
My co-workers who play basketball say the same thing happens in their sport.
Has anyone here had a similar observation.

* 3.5 NTRP had a 4.0 for a while, but wasn't worthy and got bumped down.
I don't play tournaments because I work weekends. I've been playing since 1988. 1-3 times per week
Not sure if TW will like this post because it's their business to sell clothes, but OTOH this is a chance for people to disagree and maybe sell more stuff.

I guess you must be one of the ones in fancy clothes since you are still 3.5 and you have been playing since 1988.

 

[LeeD]

Me too.
Been playing tournaments since 1977, now just a good 3.5 singles player.