Who secretly recorded the Donn Paben Joola Paddle Test Video and published it on Streamable?
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Seeking the identity of the individual in the Joola test video
Left Photo: Tattoo on right leg, Blue Fila Pickleball Paddle Bag, Socks (Logo?) , Shoes (brand?)
Middle Photo: Bright Yellow Fromuth Pickleball Shirt (not available for sale, yet?), Tattoos on both arms, black/white wrist bands (watch/fitness tracker), gray shorts
Right Photo: Wedding Ring, Beard |
Video Transcript8570 (Thanks)
Female: What does that thing do?
Donn: It's a roughness tester.
Camera Guy: Forty Dos
Donn: (Laughs) Not good. You don't want me to keep testing this.
Camera Guy: Why?
Donn: Because it is not going to pass.
Guy: Oh, really?
Donn: That one is the lowest reading, really. And it was over 40 (?)
Donn turns to walk away.
Guy (yellow shirt): Do you want to try this one?
Camera Guy: Yeah. Try the Vision one.
Donn: OK (laughing)
Camera Guy: Just out of curiosity
Donn puts meter on paddle
Camera goes from paddle to Donn back to paddle
Camera Guy: It's high, too. Isn't it?
Donn: Yeah. And this is the lowest reading. This is usually the highest reading. (moves meter to another spot on the paddle)
Camera Guy: Hmmmm.
Donn: This angle. It is not always perfect....but....
Donn: Yeah. These are not going to pass.
Donn: Okay! See, ya.
Female: Bye Donn.
Donn: Bye Bye (Walks down the hallway)
Matt J-g Mina but why keep people from playing with a paddle that they like? Especially if it helps their game? What's going to happen if you open up the manufacturing process to new ideas and materials? People will be able to get paddles that they like that either actually improve how they had shots or they at least think they do. So what? Who authorized going from wooden paddle faces to the current materials? Was that bad for the game? Anytime you have a regulatory body the big players in the industry try to use it to protect themselves from competition. You want a limited number of options with companies interested in a higher price point for the best paddles? Then suppress competition.
Ed Malpass
Again who is setting the "standards!" And deciding how and when they get enforced and how testing is done and how the testing instruments are checked and calibrated 😱? Why is there an effort to control grippiness or other aspects of the paddle face or the paddle itself? Why not let the sport and its equipment develop? If tennis did this would we still be playing with wooden rackets with gut strings? More grit lets you spend the ball more... Is that a bad thing? Maybe it will enable someone with a different playing style to get to the top. Again is that bad? Where would Jimmy Connors or Arthur Ashe have gotten to if they had to play with wood rackets?
The timing of this reeks of an assassination of a small company that threatens the more established companies that are tied in with the powers that be. That is not a good thing for the sport or the business. You get better equipment from open competition which promotes innovation. Compare a snowboard from 20 years ago with what is being manufactured now.
Why lock a developing sport into one level of technology? Would you want to play golf with clubs used by a top PGA pro? Would they want to play with your clubs? I don't think so. 😝
Maybe someone will develop a paddle face or a ball that is quieter. Wouldn't that be a benefit in development of the sport?
APEX Paddle Saga
Comment:
The USAPA put a process in place - PRO-LITE SPORTS followed that process to the T. Unfortunately, our finishing threw that original Version 1 paddle out of compliance - which we acknowledged. Dennis Dacey demanded we do a recall - we did. He stated the new Version 2 paddle - which passed roughness and deflection testing - didnt need to have a name change if we did the recall. All criteria have been met - yet the Apex remains on the "No Play" list for tournaments because he's insisting on a name change now. If you have a problem telling the approved version 2 Apex from the original - perhaps use the same method used for telling the other illegal paddles from the legal ones... At the end of the day - we need a process in place for testing by an independent third party. It's time.
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