edwards2000 wrote:Honest John hahaha :P Not gonna lie, hope he is finished.
Also, blaming a cue is a very tired, old excuse for loss of form.
Cue trouble excuses are often used yes but there's very good reason for it.
A problem with your cue is much more noticeable when you play to a high standard. Most club players won't notice a significant impact when switching cues simply because a minor deviation in how they feel the strike, apply side, etc. is irrelevant. They haven't spent 1000s of hrs hitting the same shot over and over so they only know that "usually" when they strike the ball "about here" they get their desired result. At the pro level players strive to hit every shot exactly the same way and expect the same "feel" and reaction each time. This builds muscle memory, consistency and confidence. If one practices hitting a ball one way to get one result for years and now (with a new cue) hitting the ball the same way no longer gives the same result you lose confidence.
I can pick up any virtually any ash cue with a tip and string together a 40 break but playing to a professional standard is a different story. If I'm going to knock in a ton I have to be playing with a cue that hits very similar if not exactly the same way as the cue I've practised with for years does.
Being uncomfortable with your cue and struggling to find a new one is pure torture. Often players try to "adjust" to a new cue rather than keep looking.
When looking for a new cue players often find ones that hit almost right and try to adapt, usually to their demise. You can't easily retrain yourself to hit a ball differently when you've drilled the correct method (for your cue) into you through 1000s of hours of practise. It probably takes longer to "un-learn" how you strike the ball than it does to learn it to begin with.
Hendry and Robidoux both lost their cues and were never the same players again. Robidoux disappeared from the tour after having made top 16 within a couple of years of joining the tour. Hendry managed to hold on longer due to a higher level of natural talent (IMO) but really didn't play the game as well with his new cue.
Robidoux said 100% he never played as well after his cue was lost, it destroyed his confidence. Hendry has never said it was losing his cue that was his downfall but I have no doubt it contributed.
Ronnie seems the be one of the few exceptions with regards to switching cues and IMO it's due mainly to his tremendous natural talent.