Author Topic: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is??? (Read 2737 times)

SirAshley · « **on:** January 20, 2007, 02:49:06 PM »

Perhaps the problem with bowling today is that none of us can agree on what the problem truly is. Ask 30 bowlers what they think is wrong with the sport today and you will get a variety of answers. It's kinda like in the original Batman, with Michael Keaton, when the Joker was poisoning the town with cosmetic products, lip stick alone won't kill you, but mix it with hair spray and perfume, you're dead.

Well, maybe it isn't the scoring pace alone, but mix it with a walled up shot, newer ball technology, increased prices, poor management, the USBC...LOL, lack of so-called integrity, chumps who think they are Brian Voss in Handicapped leagues, House hacks, 4.00$ sodas, lack of youth participation, and of course, Lesbian Nazi hookers who were abducted by UFO's and forced into weightloss programs... Just making sure you're paying attention. That said, this is more of a poll mixed with a rant. What bothers you most???

As for me, I think there are two areas which could be drastically improved to help league attendance. 1)I really think a the wall shot needs to be done away with, reason, It brings alot of egos into handicapped mixed leagues that should be more fun than competitive, this drives away new bowlers who feel they can't compete, or who are just intimidated by the scoring pace. I think we can all agree that lane conditions, not ball technology, dictate scoring pace... 2) Price and maintanence of the alleys, I feel like I'm paying alot more to bowl, but not getting anything more. The lanes break down more than ever, chewing up balls left and right, the service sucks, management couldn't run a lemonade stand let alone and alley. I'll be honest, I wouldn't mind 6 bucks a game, but for that, I want a working lane, and competant employees.

Well now that you've listened to my rant, what do you think???
--------------------

I got my second 900 last week while pre-bowling. NOW, prove that I didn't do it!

It's not much but it's a start
http://www.bowlingaddiction.com

BOWL119 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2007, 07:11:46 AM »

quote:
I'd love to be on a classic type leauge, one where only urathane balls are allowed, no reactives or partical, stright urathane, and the oil was only 35ft. So I guess the balls are to blame for the delcline in talent need to bowl good.
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All you need to win is...

S.urface
T.iming
O.il
R.epeat
M.otivation

Scare someone....Bowl up a STORM

This is what SirAshley is talking about dynoman. If it was not for the oil patterns, would we need the newer reactive balls? So is it due to the balls that are coming out and that is why the oil patterns seem to change each week? Or is it because of the oil that we get flooded with new style balls? Or is it due to bowlers not wanting to learn the entire game. Bolwers that just want to stay in their comfort zone, stand the same place, throw the same speed and hit the same mark no matter what the lanes are giving them.

I was always told that you ahve to take what the lanes are giving you. So going on that statement, you need to move.

I will adjust, but if I still can not find it after adjusting, then I will change to a different ball. I will either go more aggressive or less. But I will try everything that I can before I do change.
--------------------
T.J.

BOWLING IS FUN NO MATTER WHAT YOU SCORE. BUT A 300 IS ALWAYS NICE.

STRIKE ZONE, ONSLAUGHT & PYRO. STAND 22 AND THROW 10 OUT TO 5 AND CRUSH THE POCKET. AT LEAST THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE NIGHT...

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD BOWLING!!!

MillWorker · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2007, 07:22:01 AM »

This one is simple. Bowling, like any other business, is driven by the consumer.
If you don't like it.. don't buy it.
It isn't the ball companies fault for producing so many balls...
consumer demand drives it.
It isn't the bowling center fault the lane conditions are easy..
the consumer demands it.

You get the trend here...

Further, the best players are still the best players no matter what the equipment looks like. I don't care if it's plastic, urethane , resin, or whatever else is coming down the pipeline.

If you don't like the bowling center prices or service.. leave ..go somewhere else. They will either change, improve or go out of business.

mrteach3 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2007, 07:43:44 AM »

This topic has been killed to death, but I do agree to a point with Sir. I don't think there is one specific reason for bowling's demise. I am talking about league bowling here, not recreational bowling. That answer in my opinion is simple and has been posted many times: There are too many options for people in this world today.

The one thing I disagree with from Sir is that by changing lane conditions to make them more difficult would in fact chase more people away from the game. Just listen after a night in which your when the lanes were "tougher" than they normally are. There are all too many people b**ching, whining, complaining about how they won't bowl next year if the conditions stayed like that. The egos that your are talking about are there. I agree. However, would you rather have them there, or not have them bowl at all??? The latter is what would happen if you made lanes tougher.
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Who needs a 300 or 800, when I have a 294 and a 295!?!?!

Edited on 1/21/2007 8:43 AM

shipper50 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2007, 07:54:17 AM »

I was thinking the other night that I had bowled in at least 15 different houses and that many or more leagues in my years in bowling. I started in 73 and bowled till 90 then took off 12 years and came back in 2002.

The one thing I found after I got back into bowling was, the balls made the game. I have bowled on shots from the gutter to the 4th arrow over my years and now it seems I can walk into a house and stand close to 20 at the dots and shoot anywhere from 12 out to around 8 and score. I bowl in 2 different houses with wood in one and synthetics in the other and not have to change my line that much over a night of bowling.

The one thing I see in today's game is, there are a ton of guys who think they are studs on the lanes because they can carry 215 or more. I mean the guys who throw it right and let it come flying back and shoot big games and sets.

The balls help me shoot bigger games in general than they used too. I would shoot some 250's or higher back in the day, but now if I shoot 250 its not a big deal. If a guy doesn't shoot 26? or more then he doesn't win a pot.

Give you an example of my bowling, I bowled in a classic league way back in 1976 and got lucky to have the high game in the whole league. I mean there were guys who averaged 200 or more then. I finished the league in my 3rd year of bowling with 180.

My high game that was high in the whole 16 team classic league? 298....

Where do you find a house today that score would stand for a high end league.

Shipper

SirAshley · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2007, 08:35:07 AM »

Well, I can tell you that my house changed the shot drastically between Summer and Winter for my league. During the summer, it was so walled up that it was a joke. I shot 290 the first week, and finished with a 219 average. For the Winter, they put out a very long oil pattern that is unforgiving. I'm currently averaging 185. I'm probably in the minority, but I love it. I now look forward to league every week, and trying to find a line. I thought I would have hated it, but it was the best thing they have ever done. Also, 4 teams added onto our league at the break. We now have 34, which is the most since I have come back to bowling in 04...
--------------------

I got my second 900 last week while pre-bowling. NOW, prove that I didn't do it!

It's not much but it's a start
http://www.bowlingaddiction.com

EboKnight · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2007, 08:59:11 AM »

Lane conditions is the main problem. So I agree on that. I try to bowl as many tournies as possible so I get out of the wall shot syndrome and actually try to improve my ACCURACY... Not a lot of house shot bowlers know that word.

SHUT UP JOE!!!!!!! No response needed.
--------------------
"I'm slowly getting sucked into the Brunswick Nation..... NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

MillWorker · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:07:04 AM »

Lane conditions are not "the" problem in bowling.

Lane conditions are a product of consumer demand.
People want scores. Who really cares? Let em have them.
Scores don't make them good players.

The best players are still the best players.

JoeBowler · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:09:44 AM »

?

What did i do tp deserve that?

EboKnight · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:10:56 AM »

quote:
?

What did i do tp deserve that?

NOT YOU JOE ANOTHER JOE.
--------------------
"I'm slowly getting sucked into the Brunswick Nation..... NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

EboKnight · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:13:24 AM »

quote:
Lane conditions are not "the" problem in bowling.

Lane conditions are a product of consumer demand.
People want scores. Who really cares? Let em have them.
Scores don't make them good players.

The best players are still the best players.

obviously... but people who actually care about the survival of the game need to do more than pay there league dues. It's the SPIRIT of the game that suffers. There is no PROFESSIONALISM anymore. It's looked at as a hobby now instead of a sport.
--------------------
"I'm slowly getting sucked into the Brunswick Nation..... NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

EboKnight · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:17:14 AM »

I love the sport of bowling more than most. My family has been the business since the late 40's. I grew up in an old time center with old time people where ETHICS actually exisited. The sport of bowling is my love. The feeling of getting up on the approach, getting set, visualizing the shot, and then performing it. I get a rush just thinking about it.

When I see the Sport suffer I suffer with it. Its my blood and soul thats in the game not just my "interest."
--------------------
"I'm slowly getting sucked into the Brunswick Nation..... NOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

Re-Evolution · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:46:31 AM »

There are many things causing the decline in bowling that have nothing to do with the game. Here are just a few.

1. The economy is in pretty bad shape causing people to either not be able to afford it or they work to much and don't have the time to make the 30 week commitment.

2. Many of today's kids are lazy and would rather sit on the computer playing games or some other form of non physical entertainment. The level of athleticism on average today is below what it used to be and many just don't have the coordination to feel comfortable and getting better would require a commitment. Other sports are more organized and if you don't go to practice you don't play so the commitment it forced and not a choice.

3. There are just more things to do than there were back in the hey day of bowling.

A couple of things that I think are wrong with the game:

1. Perception of the game is #1.
a. Bowling is thought of as a game you play and not a sport you compete in. There are some contributing factors to this. Cosmic/Glow bowling does little to help out with the perception. What other sport do you play under disco lights with music so loud you can't hear yourself think. Doesn't exactly make you think that it is a sport that requires concentration or hand eye coordination. I also don't like the idea of bumpers they don't help a kid learn to bowl at all and cause more harm than good. You don't have anything like this in any other sport. When I was little and would go with my Dad I got a sense of satisfaction from knocking pins down cause it was my doing and not cause it was impossible to miss due to an outside influence. (sound familiar? THS?)
b. The general public thinks that the typical bowler is an out of shape, beer slamming, neanderthal with little to no athleticism. We can thank Denny's and the PBA in part for their wonderful portrayal of the sport in some of their commercials.

2. Lane conditions are too walled up which causes an emphasis on power instead of a balance between power and accuracy. This emphasis on power and the ease of getting to the pocket makes it a carry contest. It is hard for the less powerful bowler to compete with the power of the other guy when the penalty for an offline shot is so insignificant. How many guys have you seen that average through the roof but can't hit the same marks at the arrows and break point on 2 consecutive shots to save their life. Do I think that there should be an advantage to power? YES! Do I think a power player should have 5 more boards at the arrows than the low rev player? NO!
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Re-Evolution
Evolve to a smarter game.

www.Bowling-Info.com
BR.com's unofficial FAQ section

Edited on 1/21/2007 10:50 AM

Rev_O · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:55:22 AM »

My 2 cents worth...

1. The Proprietor= they are the ones that put out the THS for anyone to score on. I like to see people shoot scores, just not the people that have an ego so big they can't get out the door after shooting one. I know a proprietor that currently puts out the shot for himself. I think he has 3/300's and 3/800's this season in his own house, but he's averaging not even 200 at another house!! He has 9 award scores in his center, 6 of them are his. He's NOT that good!

2. The bowler= We all should know how good we really are. Am I a 249 bowler just becasue I averaged that 2 years ago? NO!!!! Ego trip bowlers are the 2nd worse thing in bowling.

3. The USBC= They are between a rock and a hard place. I'd love for them to outlaw the THS, but then the proprietor would suffer because people would quit when they are no longer shooting phone numbers ecvery week. The sport program(PBA EXPEIENCE) is a great thing. I currently bowl in this league, and I average 187. This is the only league I enjoy anymore!!

4.Balls= Outlaw these hooks in a box. Put some skill back into the game!!

These are just my opinion. Feel free to give me your opinion on my opinion!
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Rev-O

Edited on 1/21/2007 10:54 AM

SirAshley · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2007, 10:25:05 AM »

quote:

Or the USBC should mandate that each house have one sport shot league.

Something along this line is not a bad idea. I think more so than that. There needs to be a clear distinction between so called "Honor Scores" shot on a wall shot, and True Honor Scores shot on a sport shot or PBA challenge. I mean, c'mon, I'd be one helluva golfer if I played from the red tees. Want to play with the big boys, step back to the blacks. Same thing with bowling, there needs to be that distinction.

Also, I live in a town that has three bowling alleys relatively close together. Perhaps proprieters could work together so as not to schedule the same leagues on the same nights. That would give bowlers more variety to choose from for those who have tight schedules.

One thing that could also help as well, beginner leagues. There are alot of people I know who are flat out intimidated to even bowl on mixed leagues because where I bowl, even those are competitive. By competitive I mean, egotistical house hacks that think they belong on the PBA.

The USBC needs to do something. Anything. Do something. Come out and say you're not going to do anything, at least that's something. I'm beginning to think the USBC is "the typical bowler who is an out of shape, beer slamming, neanderthal with little to no athleticism." I personally think they are too concerned with P.R. Don't get me wrong, it's important, but there needs to be some sort of effort made to improve the sport internally.
--------------------

I got my second 900 last week while pre-bowling. NOW, prove that I didn't do it!

It's not much but it's a start
http://www.bowlingaddiction.com

Author Topic: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is??? (Read 2737 times)

SirAshley

Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

BOWL119

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

MillWorker

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

mrteach3

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

shipper50

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

SirAshley

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

EboKnight

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

MillWorker

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

JoeBowler

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

EboKnight

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

EboKnight

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

EboKnight

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

Re-Evolution

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

Rev_O

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???

SirAshley

Re: Perhaps the problem with bowling today is???