In reply to Graham Hoey:
Graham
Sorry, I should have explained myself a bit more than merely describing the list as weird.
It seems that you were suggesting that Neil Gresham, Toby Benham, Jordan Buys, Nick Sellers, Pete Whittaker and James Pearson were in the "pure" group as mattless on-sighters/ground-uppers and Ben Bransby, Ryan Pasquill, Pete Robins, and James McHaffie were in the "tainted" group as exponents of the mat protected ascent.
I use the terms "pure" and "tainted" not to ascribe value but merely as convenient markers, I could just of easily have used the letters "A" and "B". The reason the lists seem weird to me is I don't think that chosen individuals sit very well in their given groupings.
Going through them as individuals:
Neil Gresham - has headpointed extensively, not sure of his on-sighting/ground up credentials but nothing really springs to mind. Anyone?
Toby Benham - I know he did some stuff but I have no facts so can't really comment on him.
Jordan Buys - recently climbed French Duke with a mat at its base, has made some impressive ground-ups/onsights/flashes and has also headpointed
Nic Sellars - has done some impressive ground-up/onsights. Don't know whether he has headpointed? but I'm fairly sure he highballed Renegade Master with Tom Briggs.
Pete Whitacker - don't know a lot about him other than he seems to be very good at climbing and can (seemingly) put his foot in his ear.
James Pearson - has headpointed and onsighted and recently repeated Ryans new route at Ilkley with a padded landing.
Ben Bransby - to dismiss Ben as some nu-wave highballing pad monkey seems rude in the extreme. He is one of the best all round trad climbers this country has ever seen and has been at or around the top of the pile for years.
Ryan Pasquil - the same Ryan who flashed End of the Affair and Countdown to Disaster?
Pete Robbins - has also been around climbing lots of things in lots of different styles for years, Pete and Ben haven't only done the Promise.
James McHaffie - again I don't know a lot about this person but I was under the impression he was something of an on-sighting/ground-upping wizard in Wales?
I can see the difference you were hoping to highlight in your lists but I think the trouble is things aren't that clear cut. I'm struggling to think of people who readily sit in either camp. I suppose Dan and Ned appear to be pure big mat highballers, but most people occupy a crossover dependant on route, state of mind, circumstance, wind direction and what they had for breakfast that morning.
None of the above is meant as a criticism of any of the climbers.They are all very good and accomplished climbers and I don't put forward any criticism for any of their ascents. Just pointing out how the division that you tried to highlight in your listing just doesn't exist. Or if it does you're going to need to produce a different list.
Otherwise I thought the article was an interesting read. I'd disagree that onsighting standards haven't moved on in the last 20 years and we could debate various minor points until the cows come home but the list was the thing that stood out as inacurate. Which is a shame as I'd guess it was not considered a major part of the article when you wrote it.
Anyway I hope I've elaborated on "weird" enough (too much) that you can see my point.
Cheers
Nik