Think for a moment, you're on a video game-related website. 

What kind of players do you think you'll find here?

i play games for fun so i don't give a damn what player i am, but i DO suck at console multiplayer shooters when i play on standard(past gen) controlers - pads.

I was placing my trust that intelligent people would read this and understand that given the website a video game player is implied under player, I guess not everyone should have been trusted.

I have rather mediocre game playing skills.
I have noticed some improvement over time, however.
So there is still hope for me to be good before my "game over."

Mike from Morgantown

You misunderstood my point. The answer to my (rhetorical) question was "skilled players" not "video game players."

This is because it is indeed obvious that this is a video game context.  I was not referencing the type of player rather a general assumption of skill.  Even the people above who would rate themselves as "mediocre" are probably a lot better than the average person and maybe the average gamer because they have a strong enough passion for their hobby to be on a video game-related website in the first place.  It's much like going to a track meet and asking competitors there if they are good at track and field.  You should have a good idea of the answer before you ask the question.

Now, the next time you read a response and decide to react negatively, take a step back and ask the other poster for clarity on what they posted before doing so.  You stepped out of your own question's context because you mistakenly believed that I did.

I normaly start off quite noobish but advance fast, however when Iv got good I then low down in my progress again.

if I read in a review, then I start quite strong, if it's a game I have never heard of and never ever saw it before.. then I start weak >_

I usually start off pretty good. I'll get better if I like the game.

I start off really good and only improve as I play. Before all the online gaming became so accessible I could never be beat against my friends. I would dominate them at madden. I remember playing alot of 3 on 1 games in bond and whiping the floor with the other 3. I remember totally dominating in Turok 2 multiplayer (I loved that multi-player game more than bond) I rarely lost a match in that. Playing Twisted Metal 2 against people and letting them pick the end boss in the game and still beating the crap out of them. So generally start out really strong and the skys the limit from there.