yes in fact i followed it intensely...however, i believe that there is a certain level of unpredictability in all tournaments...however, losing seeds due to injury or withdraw will open up the entire section of the bracket, and you do see new players or other players where you would likely not see...but my point is that it would be almost a definate chance, rather than allowing the level of unpredictability create the other upsets... gathering points have been just the same, because countries with quotas will send players to the small tournaments, so participation won't be an issue, and they will have a chance to make up the points that they would not get in quotas, and the fact that players are already making points up in small tournaments anyways...so nothing would change top players not going to the small tourneys as for WC or OG without the top players WILL be a huge disappointment to any fan, but injuries do happen, and upsets happen as well...i was disappointed when taufik was eliminated in the WC...but it did not take anything away from the tournament itself...the tournament was awesome...but i believe that the top players' high level of training will prevent most injuries...as well as coaches will advise certain things to their players to keep them fresh and fit when it counts ...but expected or unexpected, next year will unfold very interestingly
^^I was still editing my post..^^ ..and i realized you replied but didn't pick up on my updated post..
00p ahaha, didn't see that i do agree that the schedule is hectic, and rather uneasy...i know all about the financial accountability that all of these tournaments will come up to, as well as the time to travel to all of these places...which is why i like to see how this year will go...if players can go through the current schedule as it is, and there seems to be no problem, then it should be fine....but nonetheless...most players are accustomed to going and skipping tournaments...i mean, players are only human...they know the best for themselves as well...but your point is rather understood...players should not be objectified to such a schedule...however, this are working now...so if it ain't broken, don't fix it .....well...complain as much as you want to have it changed...and it may end up changing....but it works fine right now
Hmm.. ..well, abt players participating in "smaller" tourneys to gather points, that's exactly what i suggested, no??.. ..exactly..Players can lose or be upset during a tourney, i'm fine with that. But being absent or not being able to participate at 100% because of injuries (caused by too much competition) or what-have-yous is not what i want to see; freak injury is different though..Imagine a WC or OG without a LD or Taufik or any of the top players/pairs missing.. ..hmm, how do you know that there "seems to be no problem with this current SS format"?? and "this is working now??" and players are "happy"??..How many SS tourneys have been played with top players/pairs being absent or not participating at all for whatever reason(s)??..... Understanding that "players are only human and most players are accustomed to going and skipping tourneys", then shouldn't there be some kind of a "relieve" to lessen all of these and get the optimum effort instead??.. Btw, i'm not "complaining", just inputting an idea/suggestion (far-fetched as it may seem)..
there is, but it should come at the END of the year...for now, i believe it is working because the top players have been winning, and unknown players have had their chance in the spotlight as well...as well, every tournament has had good enough success with having high quality badminton being played...now players have been withdrawing and getting injured before...and perhaps there is a way to explore and fix things to make it easier...but my point was that this year has been good, so i wouldn't change things....small tournaments have always been apart of the schedule, and making more or less of them wouldn't change much...however, having less big SS type tournaments may decrease the high quality of badminton that we see, due to not enough high competition...so, having top players go to small tournaments more instead of big SS type tournaments would ultimately make it a big tournament then, would it not?...but i do gather that most atheletes will assert themselves to only go so far, based on the obsticles posed by finance and time, so i believe the problem will fix itself...
So... ..any suggestion as to how to "explore & fix things to make it easier"??.. ..true & the # of "smaller" tourneys should be left as is. But how do you explain "having less of these SS type tourneys may decrease the high quality of badminton, because there's not enough of them?".. IMO, it wouldn't decrease the high quality of badminton that we see. Rather with the lesser # of them to compete in, players will most likely go all out and perform their best, knowing well that there will be less of these SS to compete in. Add to that, with the knowledge of an added bonus of bigger prize monies await them. ..sorry, i don't quite get this statement. Are you suggesting top players go to "smaller" tourneys more??..
oh what i meant was, because there would be less big tournaments, more top players would flock to the smaller tournaments to earn more points, resulting from the lack of big tournaments....in turn, that would make those tournaments into big ones, instead of small ones that they're supposed to be!....effectively having just the name.."tournaments" for everything! lol...the way i would change to make it easier for players is to just let them decide...but the coaches should get an opinion....afterall, it's the players who have to play and be there...but, that may be a bad option, because sometimes players play because it's their career and not because they love it and it's fun XD... i believe that the quality of badminton could lower if they had less SS type tournaments because most players are already going all out at them...or at least they should be! ....and if there are less tournaments, there will be less of the higher quality that we do see!...
Hmm.. ..hmm, sorry, i don't quite follow. If we let the players "decide" where and when to play, then how abt the fans who are eager to see them play??.. ..hmm, i'm thinking the opposite. IMO, the less # of chances to perform, esp. for SS, players will feel the "urgency" to go all out and perform at their max. Unless, if you prefer more/the same # of SS tourneys, then the time period should be spread out. In a way, choose either one: less # of SS-type tourneys in a "fixed" time period OR keep the same amt. of SS-type tourneys but over a longer time span.. Anyways, i think we've discussed and turned our small discussion over and enough already-IOW, we've reached a dead-end..I think we both understand that there's no easy way out, as both fans & players have their own prerogatives & interests..
definately lolz....however, i'm guessing we both will be watching very intently how the schedule does affect the players this year....there already were some withdraws in the Japan SS! damn...messed up my fantasy team =="
I will be.. ..even more surprised, if there will be any top players/pairs missing from the end of the year $500k Grand Prix Finale event..hmm
From 2008 BWF calendar, there are three busy months which display 4 badminton tournaments in each month -- June, September and October. *June 2008 as prelude for Olympic Games : 1) 03 - 08 June/08 : Philippines GP Gold 2) 10 - 15 June/08 : SIN SuperSeries 3) 17 - 22 June/08 : INA SuperSeries 4) 24 - 29 June/08 : Thailand GP Gold *September until October 2008 as mentioned above contain 8 tourneys in 8 consecutive weeks as compensation of less tournament in February, April, May, July and December. Two BWF events, Thomas & Uber Cup (May/08) and Beijing OG (August/08) definitely are the most awaited and headlines tourney for all badminton fans next year.
SIN to strike With so many GP Gold event, SIN has a chance to win one for KendrickI would say this beforehand, if the field is not strong, i would not congrat KendrickSIN loves to pack all their top players in New Zealand and US open especially
...except when team SIN came to Macao, where they have 3 top seeds in 5 disciplines and came out nothing but frustration to their coach, Eng Hian:crying::crying::crying:
I think u SHOULD congratule Kendrick Lee for upsetting Chen Jin in the Malaysia Open Super Series 2008! Give him credits for an improved performance over the past 2 years, esp in recent months. He shows that he can indeed beat top players like Chen Jin and the World Champion silver-medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro
About this scheduling congestion in Sept-Oct, this year some time had to be given for Thomas/Uber Cups and Olympics. Therefore tourneys normally played in May/June and July/August timeframe have to shift to new dates. One alternative is to reduce the number of tournaments in a Cup+Olympic year. Otherwise, break squads into two teams, send each team to 2 competitions, rotated every 2 weeks. Or pick and choose, but that would mean some competitions may not receive top field players.
Now, this will be good for the players from the second squad. I can foresee PBSI (and Djarum) sending their second-stringers to the Chinese-Taipei, Macau and New Zealand GP Golds (based on last year's experience). The first team maybe sent to the Japan and China Masters Super Series (back-to-back), then followed by Denmark and French Super Series. The 4-weeks gap will allow them to recuperate well. Likewise, before the Olympics, I can only foresee the first team being involved in the Thomas Cup (May), followed by Singapore and Indonesia Super Series (June). The second-team will see actions in the Philippines, Thailand and India GP Golds.
I think your guesses are pretty much correct, badMania... I will also note the Asian Championship as a destination for our INA second stringers in MS, MD, and XD [like Tommy, Alamsyah, Joko-Hendra AG, Bona-Ahsan, Greysia-Rijal, Tantowi-Yulianti] + maybe Simon... but most of the first stringers for WS and WD should go to the Gold GPs... The fact is: Firda, Maria Kristin, Nana, Pia, Rani-Endang, etc. have never proven that they could win any of the Gold GP events like India, Thailand etc... Oh, I just heard that the Philippine Open might be cancelled...
