I disagree on a couple points.
Tuna said the end does NOT justify the means...Tornado has known about this for a long time and they have been trying to get the players of the US to think they are working for them and that they care about them
1. I think the end does justify the means.
Picture in ten years, foosball is an international sport recognized well, in the olympics, people (including your mom, receptionist at work, and pet hampster) don't laugh every time you say you play foosball. The game is organized well and foosball is thriving...
Tuna... will you still complain that in 2008 the ITSF changed to single men goalies at an inappropriate time? Are you saying you won't buy tornado tables that have single men goalies?
and "Tornado has made the changes they have made, this and others, to stay in bed with ITSF and to sell table in Europe...fine for them, good business, but don't sell out the US players in the process
I don't like this and I am not going to just roll over and take it...I don't have much but I have a voice and a wallet and I will use both"
2. The ITSF in not doing this against the US. Considering that Garlando and Tornado have had changes made at the exact same time, not even taking into account the new Bonzini ball and the side strips being lowered on robertosport. Just the changes to Tornado and Garlando cause the same problem for 15 countries. there are 15 countries that play on one of those two tables, india, china, ireland, canada, usa, japan, south africa, the uk... these are just the tornado countries.. that is countries in europe, in asia, in north america, and in africa... how can you get upset that they didn't let the US players know, without getting upset at the way that they handled everything?
I am probably going to be effected more by this change than most people on these boards and I don't even care that much, because I believe that this is a step towards the right direction. I honestly believe that the ITSF is trying to keep everyone happpy, including the US.
I also honestly believe that if Tornado's quality control issue isn't resolved then the ITSF would put its foot down and Tornado would have to resolve these issues. I think even if the player base in the US supported the ITSF and emailed complaining about the table surface issues etc then the ITSF would put that pressure on valley dynamo. The table manufacturers won't listen to the players, but they do listen to the ITSF, we just need to see if the ITSF will listen to the players.
I know I have emailed the ITSF only one time, and they emailed me back with a thoughtful and deliberate response. That in itself is important to me.