Topic: So, I played on a Tornado for the first time today.....

[B,inSA]

 You know, no big deal, big-boy stuff. No, but for real. I was working on the side of town in which the fast eddies is. So i figured now is the time to slip in, in the middle of the afternoon, and pop some quarters in to practice. I approached the Torando's and had this overwhelming feeling like " yes, this is what i have been so jealous of from the videos online". At first i was in awe. So i popped in the quarters , all cool like , and started to practice. ( BTW it was very busy for 5:30 pm) Anyway, first thing i noticed is that the rods are about 2-3 inches higher than on my harvard. Kinda ackward, but its what i want to get good on. #2, the T men are HUGE compared to what im used to, ok no big deal.#3, hollow rods. Seriously how can you generate torque on those things?! I know i need to practice , but damn. Anyway #4 was that the sound of a good shot is not what im used to either. It sounded kinda weak, even when i punched in a nice push. #5, on tic-tacs the men are very dense on the sides, kinda made that easier. #6, the rods are counter-sunk into the table. Kinda cool, but then i noticed how far out they come on my side. I will need a change of stance. #7, pinning on a T is SO EASY!!! It was great. there are many horizontal spots to pin on the men, on my harvard there is one. And its tough to find. The only time i expected to get some looks was when i was pounding in snakes. Very good feeling. So I played 18 balls( i was kinda in a rush) and left. Been thinking of the things I like and don't ever since. Bottom line, if thats what they're playin' tourneys on , i have to have one. Have to. BTW, i like how the playing surface is dense . Kinda makes it bouncy, but i could not execute my slingshot. From front or back. That will come in time though. So . in a nutshell , it was very different but i realize i have to make an upgrade on my table. i'm glad i checked it out. Probably gonna dream about it tonight. Honestly I will cherish the rest of my time dominating on my harvard, and when i make the $500 move i will embrace it and take it to the next level. That is all. Feedback would be nice.

[EDGEER]

Good for you.  Now Go back and read what I posted before about what you can practise on your Harvard that will translate to the Tornado.  Ball Control, Ball Control, Ball Control.  Teach yourself how to Tic Tac, brush and stick pass on your table and you will be a bad A#% on Tornado in no time.

[B,inSA]

my pasing is barely sub-par, however i must know what a " brush " and " stick " pass are before it "clicks"

[B,inSA]

BTW, thanks for the encouragment ED

[bbtuna]

really, ball control, not brush or stick...ball control ball control ball control...everyone who has played the game for any length of time will tell you the same ... it is the key to everything physically...there is nothing you can do that will server you better...NOTHING at all, not even a little...learn the discipline now and it will be the foundation to a great learning and playing experience...

you get double goodies because if you do this on the Harvard when you move to Tornado, you will think you are a foos God

oh yea, congratulations

[B,inSA]

got it, thnks tuna. i must have practiced for 3 and a half hours last night. all ball control and passing from 3 to 5 and 5 to 3. hundreds of shots too. man, you practice the snake enough, and it will start to work its way into your general shot as a whole.

[bbtuna]

B,

it wasn't ALL ball control if it was passing 2-5 and 3-5 and shooting "hundreds of shots" 

[B,inSA]

haha yeah sometimes after series you just cant help but put em' down. im tryin to get that shot where you pass from 5 to 3 and immediately go into a push. i saw it online, hmm who was that.

[Old Meister]

I can relate B, I finally got my hands on a T coin-op. I had to know how different the play was from the Whirlwind I play on at home. Actually I played on one a couple of weeks ago but that table's bushings were wore out so yesterday I stopped at a place in Portland that has a couple tables. The first thing I noticed was the pinning was much easier than my table but the play was sluggish due to the heavier rods. All in all it was timing and touch that were the biggest differences. I was able to make some good shots but the passing game was all off due to the timing and feedback because of the heavier rods. I came home and went looking online for a table with the heavier rods and counterweighted men, spendy,,,

[bbtuna]

B,

i hear you, you don't have to discipline yourself to shoot or pass, if you are hooked on the game you want to do it over and over and the last thing you want to do is practice boring ball control especially since it is so hard in the beginning and has so little reward...this is the reason more people don't specialize in it

you probably have seen these posted on hear before but either way, hopefully it will motivate you

uncut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dobiWTEv0i4

This is edited but still shows you what can be done...it is a rush when you can control the ball like this and it will make your shots and passes better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oz5RtMwzqs

[B,inSA]

thanks tuna. id seen both before. that second one is the one i like to show my friends. You know, it really amazes me how NONE of my friends wanna expand or improve their game. i mean, my gosh they all play all the time. and love it. but when i talk about lookin' at vids online or my buddies at foos.com they just look right past it. i cannot wait for the day when im so far past them that i can say, hey, why dont you check out some stuff online. ha. im all about learning and taking advice from people who have been there. the vids on youtube are cool too because if i see a new shot i can usually go replicate it within hours. i need to be playin at the tourneys with players better than some of the numbnuts that i play with. i would pay $ to be instructed in person by a semi-pro. well im gonna go practice for a couple hours (wish i had wi-fi) . Tuna, Ed, and OM- i will try to practice ball control as much as i can but i cannot promise less than 100 shots. haha thanks again guys

[chance37]

you say that there are tourneys in your area go there and watch it will do your game wonders......meet some of the locals and dig their brains.....as far as ball control I take at least fifteen to thirty minutes a day tic tac n on thje five bar between all the guys back and forth back and forth up down 1-2-3-4-5-1-3-5-4-2-4-3-5 you get the picture...change speeds then go between them catching it and stopping it as if it were an  egg......then pick up your opposing five and just pass from 5-1 to 3-1  5-1 to 3-2 and all the way down the 5.  start slow then get to where you can snap it.......The idea you want to get down is no wasted motions and keep your backswing to a minimum....we have a guy just like you that has a harvard table at home and he came into where i work I told him a bout our monday night tourney he came in last week and is hooked he spends five days a week at the bar the last two weeks ....He was practicing monday night and was trying these really fast wall passes and looked lost....I said look learn to crawl first...So I made him sit there and pass from his 5-1 to his 3-1 ball sitting still just to get the feel of the pass and catch.....hell be there soon...but remember crawl then walk then sprint....it takes time

[bbtuna]

Chance, well said

[B,inSA]

thanks chance. 

[chance37]

B i first started playing about 18 months ago.....I bought a cyclone II and shot and shot and shot a push I shot so much I broke the metal piece inthe back of the goal and used that oppportunity to trade it in a and got a tournament 2000.  I had a killer push and can still crank it when we fool around but never ever shoot it in a tourney or playing seriously. The shot practice is good, but Id bet youve got a good shot, but just need to sharpen it up against good goalies which you can only get in tourneys...Id be willing to bet you that when you play your first tourney you will go home and not shoot a shot and work 5BAR, 5BAR, 5BAR,  Iwill also make a prediction...your shot is not going to get worse from not shooting it becasue you will soon see that the games not about a great untouchable shot but about a great 5 bar and control.  When I say control i dont mean just passing and catching I mean if there is a loose ball anywhere on your end of the table knowing which wall it is going to bounce off of next and what angle it will be coming at you from and which guy on your 3 or five you are going to use to catch it.  Thats control...  You have to be Aware of the balls location at all times and aware of when its going to be near your area....Then you have to develop your game to do these things without thinking about it...Consciously unconcious......its playing ina zone...thats the hardest thing to learn..Just keep practicing....Im off today sittingin my garage witht the computer radion turned on drilling five bar five bar five bar......BTW my partner and I won our tourney monday night...it took me a few games to calm down but when I did my five was Smoking....really played well but Ive gotta learn to control my adrenaline and relax....