Author Topic: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble.... (Read 7652 times)

FBM357 · « **on:** March 12, 2007, 03:24:59 AM »

So very depressing... I'm sure this topic has been beaten silly, but it hits when you actually become a witness to the sadness.

In a league, many of the bowlers were complaining the shot was too easy. Many were tired of bowling 250+ and not winning any money (i.e. pots, brackets etc.) So, the owner changed the oil pattern to something quite challenging. Now that the shot has changed, many are still complaining that it's too difficult and have already threatened to quit. With that in mind, the owner will more than likely dissolve the league at the end of the season and fill the spot with OPEN BOWLING.

I already know of another center who after this season will close leagues on Friday and Saturdays because it generates more money from open bowling, parties etc.

How can this (if any way possible) be corrected? sure you introduce PBA Experience leagues, but the average 'house-hacks' aren't interested in participating. With this in mind, how can a 'house-hack' justify his discontent with tougher/challenging conditions, yet spend his money participating in a tournament (i.e. Nationals, Hoinke, etc.) where not only the shot, but the competition can be just as challenging? Logic seems a bit fuzzy.

What sayeth you?
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Proud member of the Track Revolution - EMERITUS & Hitman

"Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open!"

thecrapshoveler · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:28:29 AM »

People whine about everything they can any more. It's truely a sad direction this country is going in. It's too easy/hard, whoopity frickin' doo. Tell them to shut up and shoot them in the kneecaps. Well not literally.
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There is only one way to get rid of nuclear weapons...USE THEM! -Rush Limbaugh

KDawg77 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:29:13 AM »

Agree all around, especially about spending the money for Nationals when they don't even bowl on a condition that's anywhere near similar.
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Edited on 3/12/2007 12:22 PM

Gene J Kanak · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:33:02 AM »

It's simply the sad state of the current bowling world. People want to average 230+, shoot 5-6 honor scores per year and want to demonstrate absolutely zero bowling skill while doing it.

How do you fix this? You don't. It's a losing battle. A lot of people moan about bowling being too easy, but in truth they really don't want it to change. With that in mind, managers are simply fools if they put anything other than cake conditions out. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Give bowlers a cake shot and watch them come back year in and year out.

For bowlers who actually do want a challenge, there are always tournaments, PBA experience leagues, etc. It's a shame that the number of bowlers who want a challenge are in such a tremendous minority, but that's just the way things are these days. We're not going to change it, so we might as well accept it.
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I've only bowled 300, but I've benched 345

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CInabnit · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:38:23 AM »

The house that I bowl at runs leagues almost every day. They realize that this is a constant money source and will support the leagues. Saying this, they put out a pretty easy pattern every night. We have atleast one or two 300s threw each week. I was joking around with the manager Friday afternoon and asked if he was going to put the Viper pattern out just to mess with everyone. He said no that he doesn't want anyone to complain. I said we need some change with the shot to mix things up. He looked at me like I was crazy. A lot of the high average players say the shot needs to change some but don't speak up.

I'm not a great bowler by any means. I'm a 180 -190 average bowler who is still learning and I can see that the shot is too easy. Swing the ball to the gutter and watch it come back type of shot. I don't throw a huge hook and play a pretty different line than most. I want to get better on all conditions, not just play the same shot. He doesn't want to make anyone mad by changing.

This is my opinion, I could be wrong.
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It's not the ball, it's the man.

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:38:24 AM »

quote:

For bowlers who actually do want a challenge, there are always tournaments, PBA experience leagues, etc. It's a shame that the number of bowlers who want a challenge are in such a tremendous minority, but that's just the way things are these days. We're not going to change it, so we might as well accept it.

I am hoping with some good marketing and the PBA name behind it, the PBA Experience thing will slowly grow over time. One thing is that they kind of rolled out the PBA Experience mid-season so maybe next year it will do even better with some fresh starts. Summer would also be another good time for people to experiment with a PBA league.
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Thunderstruck $olid.

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:40:44 AM »

quote:
I want to get better on all conditions, not just play the same shot. He doesn't want to make anyone mad by changing.

This is my opinion, I could be wrong.

Well I feel the same way. I wish they would change the shot every now and then. However, I know most people say that the league should never change the shot. How that makes you a better bowler I am not sure...
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Thunderstruck $olid.

bowl400 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:42:36 AM »

same thing around here in no-cal. they complain about it being too easy, then they complain that it is too hard. which is it going to be? back in the 70's and 80's, people just bowled. some probably complained then as well, but they were ignored, because the leagues were full. now that many centers are just hanging on to whatever leagues they have, any complaints received, become magnified in importance. one of the centers i bowl in, the owner actually believes that the easier the better. he claims that when the shot was tough, bowlers left. to my way of thinking, bowlers only want to be competitive relative to the pattern laid out, no matter what their style is. if a condition is tough, but yields to quality bowlers playing their preferred line, then everyone is satisfied. if an easy or tough pattern caters only to one style, then all of the others will find somewhere else to spend their money.

livespive · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:49:04 AM »

For the hacks that got nationals, and state, it's not about bowling.
IT usually about the trip. Sure they are bowling, but alot of them are
drunk, or hung over.

As far as your bowling league goes, tell the owner to put out 3-4 conditions,
and tell evryone that they will be random. Two hard two easy, but you don't know which of the two you will get from week to week. On the hard week, the lane man flips a coin, and there is your pattern

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FBM357 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:51:52 AM »

quote:
I am hoping with some good marketing and the PBA name behind it, the PBA Experience thing will slowly grow over time. One thing is that they kind of rolled out the PBA Experience mid-season so maybe next year it will do even better with some fresh starts. Summer would also be another good time for people to experiment with a PBA league.
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Thunderstruck $olid.

From what I've already gathered, the houses whom are offering the PBA Experience league will do so in the summer. I guess this is the optimum time for them to safeguard against high loss in income (due to lack of participation because summer equates to vacation and travelling).

I'm in means a high avg. bowler, and do welcome a more challenging environment (for some odd reason, I suck at THS but excel at tougher shots ... *shrugging shoulders* .. go figure). Why? because it's different. My game has abandoned me for over a year. I practice whenever I can (moreso to work on my game than to keep score). I find no real joy in shooting a respectable score when I know a good percentage was incorrectly thrown. That being said, my joy is short-lived. By all means, not a perfectionist, but would like to achieve that 'feel' I once had when I was bowling so good. So I make my spares and keep on pluggin along

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Proud member of the Track Revolution - EMERITUS & Hitman

"Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open!"

Edited on 3/12/2007 11:52 AM

Kinalyx · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:53:52 AM »

I will say 1 thing about conditions. I HATE pure easy walls, cant stand them. I bowl in 1 of the tougher places in houston, not completely because of the shot they put down. Actually, the big reason the place is hard to score in is because of the care, or lack of, that they put into the place. Theyre OLD wood lanes, old pad oil machine(silver bullet i think) & they almost NEVER clean the floors or aproaches.

Now, even on my "tough" house shot, if they were to put down something REALLY challenging with no effort to let anyone know that they have changed the shot to something much harder, i would be upset. Now, if they specifically state that they changed the shot, & its much harder now, im fine, no biggie. My issue is(& im sure it would be a bigger issue if i bowled on a great wall) that if the shot has been at least somewhat consistant lately, im probably only bringing a couple balls that i want to throw. If i have no idea they changed the shot, more than likely the balls i brought arent going to give me enough versatility to combat a really tough condition.

All in all, people who bowl WILL complain, true bowlers, IMO, just want some sort of a warning that the lanes r going to "suck".

Shawn

FBM357 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2007, 12:21:08 PM »

quote:
For the hacks that got nationals, and state, it's not about bowling.
IT usually about the trip. Sure they are bowling, but alot of them are
drunk, or hung over.

You have a point.

quote:

As far as your bowling league goes, tell the owner to put out 3-4 conditions,
and tell evryone that they will be random. Two hard two easy, but you don't know which of the two you will get from week to week. On the hard week, the lane man flips a coin, and there is your pattern

I hear ya. That would be ideal. However it's too late in the season to do it. If that were the case, it should've been implemented in the beginning.

The league is mixed and I'm yet to see someone throw the ball resembling WRW (i.e. down and in). A lot of crankers and power strokers with a few tweeners. The women, with their less muscled strokes, can play the gutter shot with relative ease but suffer because they're frightened of the 'gutter'. The power strokers do a good job but suffer from carrying. The crankers.... well, they're problem is control. Whether it be ball speed (80% of the case) or accuracy, it's either through the nose or too fast beyond the break. No such thing as using less hand and/or adjusting feet. They grab a different ball and try to apply more 'crunk'

Necromancer · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2007, 12:49:06 PM »

I don't whine. I dominate the house shot but I shot 117 on the Shark last night. I am actually going to face it like a man and try to dominate the PBA patterns. Improvement is necessary and change is required. Without those, what is the point in living. It will be like Deja Vu everyday and then I will certainly be in hell.

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Current Arsenal
Storm X-Factor Vertigo
Hammer Black Widow
Lane #1 Cobalt Bomb Solid
Storm Trauma ER
Storm Recharge
Ebonite Vortex Afterburner
Columbia 300 Messenger Ti
Storm Hit Blue Pearl
Ebonite 14 Fun Ball
Total Season Average: 203.707
2007 Year Average: 209.467
2007 Tournament Average: 150.333
The Vertigo is the best ball Storm ever made. Find one if you can.
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rackattack · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2007, 01:02:42 PM »

33 week season

First 11 weeks-long oil modified house shot

Middle 11 weeks-Short oil modified house shot

Last 11 weeks-THS

Roll off condition to be determined by committee.

everyone will know the condition and plan equipment according to schedule.No whining 'I didn't expect THAT shot.'Yes you did shut up and bowl.

The three shots determined by committee of league officers and management.Agreed to conditions identified by name and put into contract.

Fair for all.No one style dominates.Skill required.
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It's all about the X

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2007, 01:18:45 PM »

quote:
I dominate the house shot but I shot 117 on the Shark last night.

What is cool about that is it will make the good games even more of an accomplishment.
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Thunderstruck $olid.

Author Topic: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble.... (Read 7652 times)

FBM357

and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

thecrapshoveler

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

KDawg77

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Gene J Kanak

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

CInabnit

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Fluff E Bunnie

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Fluff E Bunnie

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

bowl400

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

livespive

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

FBM357

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Kinalyx

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

FBM357

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Necromancer

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

rackattack

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....

Fluff E Bunnie

Re: and you wonder why bowling is in trouble....