I can't claim to have worked with a representative sample of SQL developers, but I've worked with a lot and written huge quantities myself, and I'd like to thin

I can't claim to have worked with a representative sample of SQL developers, but I've worked with a lot and written huge quantities myself, and I'd like to think some of it was near the 'expert' level. And I'm 100% with the OP, not you, sorry. Explicit joins are, IMHO, enormously clearer and easier to work with, particularly with outer joins, cross joins (the rare times they're intentional), CROSS APPLY.... Each to their own though. You write the code that's easier for you and your team to read; I just think it's unlikely we'll be happy working on a team together ;-)