Steve,
First, I fully understand your caution and agree that changes are a serious matter that should be considered and tried out over a period of time before any implementation. I also think that your statement above about stronger players being able to better take advantage of all rules is obviously true.
The best example I can think of is what happened to nine ball. The game used to involve "pushouts and options to shoot or return the shot" and was played that way well into the seventies as I recall. I have no idea when it started or how long it was played that way, but I know that when asked many if not most old timers will say the game was so much better then. Couse, that change was made for TV and to speed up the game, not to improve it. Kids (those under 60) have never played a game with an option to shoot or return the shot. All they know is gimmee BIH. With that change nine ball went from a game that involved strategy needing to out smart your opponent to what we see today which is break and run endless racks, what we all find boring and cannot watch, let alone play. I would venture to say that if pushout nine ball still existed many of us would still play and watch it occasionally. I know and play with many guys that never played anything but nine ball til maybe 5 years ago, and today they never play anything but OP.
Anyway, my point is that having NO experience with "pushout and the option" shapes opinions and tends to promote "tunnel vision" and fear of the unknown to an extent. My opinion is plainly that OP is a game that attempts to separate and distinguish itself from all other games, it is a game of infinite variety, and strategies which is why we love it. What is happening today to change the nature of the game to it being dominated by players who's only strategy is "I can make any shot and I can run eight balls faster than you can", and "if I miss we will just rack'em and start over", is not good for the game. Defensive skills and not shooting at your hole every trip to the table is frowned on. Players whose games take a little longer are under pressure to shoot at your hole and play more aggressively. This has the potential to force everything but aggression from the game (think Artie). Kids learning to play OP no nothing but shoot at your hole (reminds me of nine and ten ball). (ugh)
Pro's like Dennis and Alex (and many others) play a different game than all of us, and they can't be reigned in (and that's fine), but, players who play as offensively as they don't need help that allows them to escape consequences when they are put into trouble . Rules should be made with us in mind, not them. They will have NO problem adapting and exploiting any rules devised.
The "option" rule won't be used on pocket scratches (BIH), only some of the time on lag shots failing to get a rail, but ALWAYS on tap fouls. Benefits will be removing the "escape hatch" and shortening the game, as Whitey said by 25% for each tap battle, and leveling the playing field a bit. This type of adjustment is exactly what led to changes in baseballs and bats, lengths of golf courses and other sports.
I know that no change is forthcoming, but argument and discussion is reasonable and worthwhile. In Philly, I played your silly
game (cost me $100), and so, you owe me. Should we meet in Chicago I am gonna want you to try "Option OP" (we'll call it "OOPS")
Thanks for listening, carry on.