Are we comparing every character from the respective time periods or the respective Jedi Orders? Comparing the two Orders is ridiculous; verified and accepted G-canon sources ultimately dictate that the Jedi Order of the movies is, in terms of combat, superior to its ancestors and preceding incarnations. George Lucas referred to it as the "Golden Age of the Jedi" or "Prime of the Jedi" (I've read both), and as we know, Lucas's word cannot -- under any circumstances -- be disputed or contradicted. Meaning that, if somewhere in the KotoR series or Tales of the Jedi, it defies this accepted statement, it is therefore retconned and rendered incorrect.
People have attempted to argue that the "Golden Age" refers to numbers. This is not true, as the Complete Visual Dictionary explicitly states that the Jedi Order "dwindled down to a mere ten thousand". Others claim that it, unlike the Sith, "Golden Age" obviously implies differently based on Jedi principles. I find that line of thought to be unsupported, but nonetheless, people have offered that Lucas's statement could be regarding peace and prosperity. This, too, has been debunked. The Jedi, at this time, were knee-deep in political warfare and on the eve of the Invasion of Naboo, the precurser to the Separatist Crisis and -- ultimately -- the Clone Wars themselves, which was the most devastating and largest galactic war up to that particular point in history. Lastly, there have been a small portion who have claimed that Lucas referred to choreography. This, as well, has been debunked. It's common knowledge that, when comparing the prequel fight scenes to those of the original trilogy, Lucas has said that there have been "no real Jedi". Just a "half-trained boy, a crippled cyborg" and -- I believe -- "an old mystic" referring to Obi-Wan. Lucas is not contesting the power commanded by Vader or Kenobi at this point, just that they were not depicted fighting like real Jedi. Ergo, the comparison between trilogies is null and void.
I always look at the Battle of Geonosis as a prime example of the Jedi not being both skilled in strategy or saber combat.
Se7in, we've been through this, and only to the average movie-goer would that be the perception. A fully informed spectator, such as yourself, should surely realize that -- at this point -- the Jedi had been manipulated into a trap, their senses and precognition dulled by the machinations and dark side effects of Darth Sidious, who has been proven to have a much stronger effect on the Force than any Sith Lord prior.
For whatever reason, you don't seem to take this into consideration.
Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Kit Fisto all fall incredibly easily to Sidious (who gave them ample time to defend themselves),
As an ardent Sidious-fan, even when I debate this fight scene to depict his skill, no one considers it to be a worthwhile representation of choreography. But Nai Fohl has proven that, according to Leeland Chee, the speeds and reflexes depicted in the movies do not contradict those of the Jedi depicted in the novels. In the novelization, Windu and Sidious are described to be "blurs" and yet -- in the movie -- they move with frightful lethargy. So, from a continuity perspective, Sidious could have been moving faster than the eye can see -- and the Jedi simply could not have kept up.
Likewise, you must remember two things:
1.) According to the novelization (a G-canon source): Kolar, Tinn, and Fisto are among "the greatest swordsmen the Order ever produced". This is unquestionable.
2.) According to George Lucas (the incontrovertible authority), you must be either 'Mace Windu or Yoda' to compete with Darth Sidious. That's not a detraction from the trio, as 99% of the KotoR Sith/Jedi would likely fall just as easily.
and people like Grievous, who can be incapacitaed by a simple Force push, manage to take out huge amounts of Jedi relatively unscathed.
You have seemed to forget important facets of General Grievous's character.
- He has been trained in six Jedi fighting forms by Count Dooku.
- He has been fitted with neurocomputers enabling him to analyze and partially utilize Vaapad, "the deadliest" lightsaber form, notorious for unconventional methods of fighting.
- He is a tactical genius.
- His cyborg body allows him to summon more immediate strength, speed, and agility than most Jedi can compete with.
- He relies on trickery, fear, and surprise. He fights dirty.
- He can swing a lightsaber up to twenty strikes per second, which can even overwhelm -- if only temporarily -- Obi-Wan Kenobi's mastery of Soresu, the defensive form that withstood Anakin Skywalker.
...Again, how does this detract from those he killed?
I'm off to watch Resident Evil: Extinction. I'm fond of you, Se7in, I think you're an impressively skilled debater. But really, you can't argue with canon, your distaste for quotes notwithstanding. I look forward to your rebuttal, but it's obvious that the prequel trilogy Jedi Order are held in higher regard in terms of combat by the LFL authorities, and, ergo, are to be treated as such by everyone else.