"POG" is actually "PGO" and "PGM"

[superstition]

I know people have the POG acronym embedded in their brains due to the feverish posting concerning this racquet over the years, but the acronym isn't accurate except for the very first model Prince Graphite Oversize (PGO).

That's the one with the inverse tear drop hoop, no grommets, and (possibly) cork in the handle. I have seen the tear drop hoop model on **** but it's very uncommon. I don't know if grommets were optional from the beginning or not. As for cork in the handle, I haven't seen proof of that, but some have said the very first design used it.

Even a having different hoop shape makes it a different racquet, period. Since the hoop shape change, there have been other changes (balance, weight, and stiffness) as far as everything I've heard. Even the cosmetics and name have changed.

People say "POG 4 stripe" is their favorite. The 4 stripe model is not the original Prince Graphite racquet. It's like the third or fourth generation. It's a PGO (Prince Graphite Oversize) or PGM (Prince Graphite Mid), not a "POG".

 

[Bud]

I know people have the POG acronym embedded in their brains due to the feverish posting concerning this racquet over the years, but the acronym isn't accurate except for the very first model Prince Graphite Oversize (PGO).

That's the one with the inverse tear drop hoop, no grommets, and (possibly) cork in the handle. I have seen the tear drop hoop model on **** but it's very uncommon. I don't know if grommets were optional from the beginning or not. As for cork in the handle, I haven't seen proof of that, but some have said the very first design used it.

Even a having different hoop shape makes it a different racquet, period. Since the hoop shape change, there have been other changes (balance, weight, and stiffness) as far as everything I've heard. Even the cosmetics and name have changed.

People say "POG 4 stripe" is their favorite. The 4 stripe model is not the original Prince Graphite racquet. It's like the third or fourth generation. It's a PGO (Prince Graphite Oversize) or PGM (Prince Graphite Mid), not a "POG".

The 'O' represents Original not Oversize. Prince Original Graphite.

The OS POG is a POGO

 

[superstition]

The 'O' represents Original not Oversize.

I guess you missed the entire point of my post. The point is that the "original" is not accurate unless someone is talking about the actual first model which is different enough from those that came later to be considered a separate racquet.

People use "original" in an attempt to create excitement about a racquet that is similar to the true original, but not the same. "Original" gives people the false notion that the true Prince Graphite Oversize model 1 is still offered for sale or was recently.

Part of this is Prince's fault. It should have given the racquet a code of some sort to differentiate the different designs. Only recently did the name change.

 

[Duzza]

I guess no one cares . I appreciate that you found out that this is actually the case, but it definitely won't stop me from stating this racquet as the POG.

 

[bluetrain4]

I know people have the POG acronym embedded in their brains due to the feverish posting concerning this racquet over the years, but the acronym isn't accurate except for the very first model Prince Graphite Oversize (PGO).

That's the one with the inverse tear drop hoop, no grommets, and (possibly) cork in the handle. I have seen the tear drop hoop model on **** but it's very uncommon. I don't know if grommets were optional from the beginning or not. As for cork in the handle, I haven't seen proof of that, but some have said the very first design used it.

Even a having different hoop shape makes it a different racquet, period. Since the hoop shape change, there have been other changes (balance, weight, and stiffness) as far as everything I've heard. Even the cosmetics and name have changed.

People say "POG 4 stripe" is their favorite. The 4 stripe model is not the original Prince Graphite racquet. It's like the third or fourth generation. It's a PGO (Prince Graphite Oversize) or PGM (Prince Graphite Mid), not a "POG".

You're absolutely correct. But, "POG" has become part of the common parlance. Most people know that POG doesn't refer to the actual original. It's our "street" name for a particular line of racquets. In as much as it really doesn't hurt anyone, and since so many people have used POG terminology for so long, I wouldn't expect it to change anytime soon.

 

[Jack & Coke]

just accept it...

It's one of those things where if it's said enough times, it sticks. Even if it's technically inaccurate.

It's like how people constantly refer to a "magazine" as a "clip".

This item on the left is a "clip", the item on the right is a "magazine".

 

[El Diablo]

Not an acronym at all, actually. Acronym is a WORD taken from a set of initials. If one says the letters individually rather than pronounce it as a word, it's not an acronym.

 

[CGMemphis]

Ive heard it called "THE" Prince, The Chang, The old Prince, the POG, the Prince Graphite, on and on and on. Everyone knows what we are talking about.

My pet-peeve is its "TECNIFIBRE" not TecHnifiber. LOL

 

[Bud]

I guess you missed the entire point of my post. The point is that the "original" is not accurate unless someone is talking about the actual first model which is different enough from those that came later to be considered a separate racquet.

People use "original" in an attempt to create excitement about a racquet that is similar to the true original, but not the same. "Original" gives people the false notion that the true Prince Graphite Oversize model 1 is still offered for sale or was recently.

Part of this is Prince's fault. It should have given the racquet a code of some sort to differentiate the different designs. Only recently did the name change.

I guess I did since this is what you posted:

"I know people have the POG acronym embedded in their brains due to the feverish posting concerning this racquet over the years, but the acronym isn't accurate except for the very first model Prince Graphite Oversize (PGO)."

Again, you called the original a PGO.

The POG (OS or MS) name continues because the racquet has changed very little in 30 years. That's marketing... love it or hate it.

 

[Bud]

Not an acronym at all, actually. Acronym is a WORD taken from a set of initials. If one says the letters individually rather than pronounce it as a word, it's not an acronym.

But, we don't do that... it's pronounced PAWG! Not Pee-Oh-Gee :twisted:

 

[superstition]

The POG (OS or MS) name continues because the racquet has changed very little in 30 years. That's marketing... love it or hate it.

On the contrary. The hoop shape changed. Grommets were added. The stiffness has changed. The swing weight has changed. And the balance point may have changed. Just the hoop shape change alone is a big enough change to warrant a new model name.

 

[Agent Orynge]

just accept it...

It's one of those things where if it's said enough times, it sticks. Even if it's technically inaccurate.

It's like how people constantly refer to a "magazine" as a "clip".

This item on the left is a "clip", the item on the right is a "magazine".

That's only been the case since Doom popularized the term, but I promise you that neither myself nor any of my workmates have ever called a 'magazine' a 'clip'. We just call them mags instead...

 

[Wilson6-1]

Superstition, I understand your point, but the fact remains that the name of the racquet has been Prince Graphite and the racquet that they sell today is quite similar to the original racquets they produced in the early 80's (not sure of the exact year).

I know this because my wife owns one from that time, given to her by a family friend that worked for Prince when they came out. He gave the family 3 new racquets. She still has it today, and a friend on my tennis team purchased a new Prince Graphite last year. Although the beam is slightly smaller and the shape not as perfectly round as the new one, it is quite similar.

I think that is the point of the Original term.

 

[superstition]

Superstition, I understand your point, but the fact remains that the name of the racquet has been Prince Graphite and the racquet that they sell today is quite similar to the original racquets they produced in the early 80's (not sure of the exact year).

I know this because my wife owns one from that time, given to her by a family friend that worked for Prince when they came out. He gave the family 3 new racquets. She still has it today, and a friend on my tennis team purchased a new Prince Graphite last year. Although the beam is slightly smaller and the shape not as perfectly round as the new one, it is quite similar.

I think that is the point of the Original term.

Didn't the actual original design come out around 79? That's the one with no grommets and the reverse tear drop shaped head I think. The model from the early 80s you have is likely the second version with the oval head.

 

[iTennis]

Think the term POG/ Prince Original Graphite is to distinguish the very first (i.e. original) Graphite racquet family from Graphite II, Graphite Long Body, Chang's Graphite, Graphite Comp or other Graphite sticks introduced afterward. So the term is not to differentiate the iterations of POG, like single-stripe/ grommet-less, 4-stripers, 'Straight Shaft' or current 'Tour' (they call Classic), IMHO.

Not that I care anymore....sold all my 4-stripers for Head Trisys 260's and never look back.

 

[ratm355]

but you can't pronounce PGO as a word like POG

 

[Wilson6-1]

Didn't the actual original design come out around 79? That's the one with no grommets and the reverse tear drop shaped head I think. The model from the early 80s you have is likely the second version with the oval head.

I don't know the exact date, my wife doesn't remember. They were new models when they received them as her family was one of the first to have them.

I have never seen the racquet with a tear drop head, but I am not a big Prince fan, I played Dunlop and Prokennex at the time, and now play Wilson.

Her racquet has grommets and is the oversize model.

 

[LafayetteHitter]

If we were to get exact about the abbreviation it would now be PGC. For the most part it's used very casual on the forums and most people figure out quickly which racquet is being discussed so I believe the general opinion would be, call it what you want but everyone here will still continue to post it as POG.

 

[Alafter]

How educational. Speaking about POG, I wonder if the recent 9pts HL version is any different from the current one? Anyone?

 

[superstition]

I have never seen the racquet with a tear drop head

I saw one recently on the auction site.