The evolution of dartboards (sponsored by Randall and Rogg)

[Cooking with Sandra]

Tough to give a true comparison without possession of the special TV boards the PDC use for their televised events imo.

[sennafan24]

I hate Taylor, always have and will, but I can say with as much confidence as I can for a man with no scientific basis for saying so that the prime version of him would be smashing in 110+ averages in for fun on these boards. And then some.

His averages back when boards had fucking staples in them were regularly higher than a bloke who today played (and lost) a WC semi-final. The numbers he posted when he went berserk circa 2009 were ridiculous.

Taylor's talent is almost as difficult to deny as his personality is to like.

I agree 2008-2010 Taylor had the highest peak of any darts player.

[ChrisW]

Tough to give a true comparison without possession of the special TV boards the PDC use for their televised events imo.

QED.

[meetthefeebles]

Also, in addition to the boards, there's the fact that starting with Phil Taylor and the "Uniboffin" in 2008, when Taylor's form went through the roof, there has also been an increasing focus scientifically on the darts missiles themselves.

Could you elaborate on this please?

Phil Taylor lost the 2007 World Championship final to Raymond van Barneveld in a sudden death leg. Despite the very high standard, Phil knew that something had to change. He tried changing his darts in early 2007, but it didn't work out, so he switched back. That seemed to return his old form for a while, but a few months later all the old problems came back, and Barney took over for a while, then James Wade, as Taylor's form became much more erratic and inconsistent.

The 2008 World Championship saw Taylor beat MvG, Walsh and Tabern by small margins, struggling hard to win, and then Taylor lost to Mardel. Taylor then changed darts again, the new ones having thicker barrels, and again it didn't work out initially. Taylor lost 3 of his first 4 matches in the 2008 Premier League, and it was night 4 when Manley beat him. Taylor then discovered old John Lowe darts that Phil's then wife Yvonne had, and started practicing with them and he loved them. Taylor got Unicorn to make a similar set of darts, and he was working with some physicist at Unicorn about how missiles fly through the air, aiming at creating a perfect dart. Taylor form exploded in March 2008, went through the roof. He was winning floor events at a canter and his Premier League form also went great. A few more tweaks were made to the darts, including changing the barrel from silver to gold to black. Taylor said black made the treble target seem even bigger.

After this, and Taylor's huge surge in form, and the huge surge in prize money available too, everyone was going crazy for this darts technology stuff that they hadn't previously done. This has played its part, along with the changing from SD to HD boards after the 2014 World Championship, in increasing overall standards in depth and the averages.

That's pretty much how I remember it. Really difficult to know just how much of an improvement it made, but it almost certainly made some. Now, pretty much all players have specially made, personalised darts. Doubt they are making scoring harder...

[sennafan24]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

That the debate has evolved to provide added context when making historic comparisons?

[shenmue]

Prime prowler on these boards is a truly sickening thought, cunt would have loved the added prize money also.

[meetthefeebles]

The facts are undeniable. However it isn’t the modern day players fault and therefore shouldn’t be used as a factor to discredit the numbers they hit

That's fair enough really, as long as people are honest about what is happening. It is the fundamental dishonesty which grates, done as it is intentionally by those with vested interests in doing it.

And the opposite is also true with sour Taylor fans denying MVG has surpassed him in terms of quality

But that isn't remotely true, is it?

What part of my statement isn't true?

All of it.

What can be measured as fact is the thing I said - that scoring targets on dartboard are getting bigger over time.

What you said cannot be measured or proven at all, at least in part because of the very point I made.

[ChrisW]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

That the debate has evolved to provide added context when making historic comparisons?

No not really. The game has evolved end of.

[meetthefeebles]

Prime prowler on these boards is a truly sickening thought, cunt would have loved the added prize money also.

+1000000

[shenmue]

I hate Taylor, always have and will, but I can say with as much confidence as I can for a man with no scientific basis for saying so that the prime version of him would be smashing in 110+ averages in for fun on these boards. And then some.

His averages back when boards had fucking staples in them were regularly higher than a bloke who today played (and lost) a WC semi-final. The numbers he posted when he went berserk circa 2009 were ridiculous.

Taylor's talent is almost as difficult to deny as his personality is to like.

I agree 2008-2010 Taylor had the highest peak of any darts player.

That Blackpool final in 2008 was a sickener for a wadey fanboy like me, i really thought he would finally beat the prowler in a major final after his semi final performance vs Mardle.

[Cooking with Sandra]

“off”

[meetthefeebles]

Tough to give a true comparison without possession of the special TV boards the PDC use for their televised events imo.

Good point. Where's Mason when you need him?

[The Thorn]

That's fair enough really, as long as people are honest about what is happening. It is the fundamental dishonesty which grates, done as it is intentionally by those with vested interests in doing it.

And the opposite is also true with sour Taylor fans denying MVG has surpassed him in terms of quality

But that isn't remotely true, is it?

What part of my statement isn't true?

All of it.

What can be measured as fact is the thing I said - that scoring targets on dartboard are getting bigger over time.

What you said cannot be measured or proven at all, at least in part because of the very point I made.

Fair enough I was taking the piss

[sennafan24]

Fair enough I was taking the piss

"I was joking"

[meetthefeebles]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

Howay. There is a bairn just run through half a world championship field who boasts lovingly of living off kebabs and 'buying loads of vapes' with his winnings.

Diet, preparation and psychology my hole

[Cooking with Sandra]

Fair enough I was taking the piss

"I was joking"

[Cooking with Sandra]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

Howay. There is a bairn just run through half a world championship field who boasts lovingly of living off kebabs and 'buying loads of vapes' with his winnings.

Diet, preparation and psychology my hole

+1.

[shenmue]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

Howay. There is a bairn just run through half a world championship field who boasts lovingly of living off kebabs and 'buying loads of vapes' with his winnings.

Diet, preparation and psychology my hole

Got some bottle on him though, shame he can't give some to chizzy

[Rogg]

Anyway I appear to be shrieking again, sorry about that.

No problem mate here's a hug <3

Thanks mate.

[ChrisW]

It's not as simple as board technology changing as with any sport. Dart technology has improved. Players are improving. Diet, preparation, sleep, management, psychology.
All of it adds a point or two. Not one factor but many.
The boards thing has always been an obsession on forums because it was a BDO v PDC thing. Now both WDF and PDC use Winmau it still continues what does that tell you?

Howay. There is a bairn just run through half a world championship field who boasts lovingly of living off kebabs and 'buying loads of vapes' with his winnings.

Diet, preparation and psychology my hole

At 16 the long terms effects won't have had time to kick in.
I'm sure you remember once feeling invincible at that age.