vodkadiet wrote:Comparisons between eras is meaningless as the tables have been made far more conducive towards breakbuilding.
It would be like saying the standard of steeplechase horses has improved as more are finishing The Grand National, without taking in to consideration the fact that the fences have been modified.
Exactly this. Balls have changed as well. Also the game is much more attacking these days. Everyone just wants to pot balls. Watching the PTCs, the lower ranked players (probably more so than the top boys, who know when to keep it tight) just go for long pots like nobody's business. They miss it, bust the balls open, opponent clears up.
Also the 00s was when the amount of tournaments took a real dip, wasn't it? Stands to reason people were coming in cold, nervous, etc and not making as many tons. None of this 'practice conditions' matches like in the PTCs and CL either.
That said, the break building standard probably has gone up, because the way it's played the game now breakbuilding is more important than ever. With balls splitting so easily and so early in the frame, if you can't score heavily you won't win enough, simple as that.