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Author Topic: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"  (Read 1665 times)

janderson

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Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« on: April 22, 2005, 07:58:43 AM »
Last night, one of the local mechanics who favors tough conditions for scratch tournaments engaged me in a conversation about tournament formats versus tournament lane conditions.  What we both realize is that there are no long-format tournaments in this area.  By long-format we mean a tournament where the initial qualifying is more than 10 games (in other words everyone bowls 10 games before anyone is knocked out).  We feel that longer format tournaments better test a bowler's skill against changing lane conditions.  Bowlers that "match up" early often get lost in transition and bowlers that fail to "match up" early can often catch up by adjusting to changes in the conditions later in the round.  In a nutshell, bowlers are tested on more than one condition.

We understand that with today's equipment, regardless of how much oil is put down at the start, too long of a format will allow the bowlers to blow apart the conditions and eventually dry it to toast.  Shouldn't the players that can excel in toasty conditions be allowed to shine?  (We're not talking so bad that it is dangerous to the lane surface, but much drier than the starting condition).  Also, with a longer format, the lefties get a chance to deal with transition where they don't in a shorter format.  It also seems like "lucky" hits tend to balance out more over a longer period of time.

The upcomming Kingpin Million Dollar Challenge is a short format (bowl 2 games cut, bowl 2 game cut, etc) in our opinion because whoever is "matched up" during the first two games advances while those who may kick arse from games 3+ are knocked out.  With bowlers paying $1000 entry, would it really hurt to have a 12 game qualifier?  The age divisions would have more meaning at that point as physical conditioning comes into play.

In short, isn't a longer format tournament with bowlers moving after each game a better way to equal the field and diminish the "who is matched up" effect in tournaments?
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Hex017

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2005, 04:10:17 PM »
....simple answer is yes.  I am bowling in some tournaments coming up soon, it is a 10 game qualifier then the field is cut to the top 5 for step ladder finals. Qualifying is great but lets see now...look at the 5 seed is the step ladder format. He has to get by the 4,3,2, and 1 seeds. If he loses his match up in any game or if he even has it to begin with he is done. While the 1 seed only needs to match up for one game and he wins. Fair huh? Well I suppose he is the number one seed for a reason, bowling the best in qualifying, but you would think perhaps they would do maybe a 5 game match between the two bowlers? I don't know but you are right janderson, longer formats = the best usually rise to the top.  Then it becomes more about actually being able to adjust and move and etc. rather than having a perfect match up for 3 games. To all logic I think you're right but the problem is...there are not many tournaments with long qualifying blocks. Just another one of bowlings problems. I wish people would try to focus on some positives more often though, I hear to much bad and not enough good anymore, and we ask why bowling is decreasing in popularity? Well it is a number of reasons but all this bad talk is certainly one of them.
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bowlitup

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2005, 04:10:19 PM »
Yes.
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janderson

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2005, 04:15:39 PM »
quote:
I wish people would try to focus on some positives more often though, I hear to much bad and not enough good anymore, and we ask why bowling is decreasing in popularity? Well it is a number of reasons but all this bad talk is certainly one of them.


I hope my post didn't come across as a negative. If so, I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention.  Ok, I'm a little negative about the Million Dollar Challenge format. More than anything, I wanted to get feedback from bowlers on what they thought about longer format tournaments.
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Hex017

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2005, 04:28:43 PM »
To tell you the truth janderson the post came across more as smart than negative but look around the forum.  300's are considered jokes now? Rev-O's average is under question because of his "easy house shot". People always complain about how the new technology ruins the game, how accuracy is not that important anymore.  They complain about how much area they have then complain about the people who complain when they don't have enough area.  Righty's like to complain about how easy Leftys have it.  Complaining about how the PBA is a mess and complain about the new era of bowlers are nothing but a bunch of crankers who can't bowl without a THS out there.  I think I see more than anything that bowlers a COMPLAINERS. I myself am guilty of being a complainer. Why you ask? Because I'm complaining about all the complaining I've been hearing! Sure, there are 800 things that could be done improve the way bowling is but how about this...we all go bowling and 'accept' the way things are for a little while, just a little while.  You may actually enjoy yourself *gasp*. Now I know if we settle for the way things are, bowling will all but crumble, but until we can really do something about it, all we are doing is well, complaining. Guess I just wanted to vent a little? Anyway janderson great post though, making tournament formats longer could be done easily and would actually help in bringing out the better bowlers, the trick is getting the tournament proprieters to buy into it
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-If you're not willing to change, you're not willing to improve.

-Life is like a coin, you can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once.

-I will forever love this great game, I love the people and the competition, I only wish the best would get the recognition of an ATHLETE that they deserve.
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bowlitup

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2005, 04:31:59 PM »
Great posts from all posters.
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Ben
VIVA LA NACION!!!
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pin-chaser

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2005, 07:06:20 PM »
How about the days of the 100 game tournaments over a 3 day weekend? Talk about matching up (how about stamina)?
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janderson

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2005, 10:09:27 PM »
Not only stamina from a physical perspective, either.  There's something to be said for bowlers than can maintain mental focus over a long format.
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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson, the bLowling King  : Kill the back row
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SrKegler

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2005, 06:16:23 PM »
Another problem with the longer formats, is the amount puled from the prize fund to pay for lineage.

By the time you take out $25 for lineage, $10 expenses, you have to increase the ebtry fee up to $100-125 just to have a decent prize fund payout.
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Strider

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Re: Tournament Format Vs. "Matching Up"
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2005, 09:17:03 PM »
Although I favor long format tournaments, I feel that they favor the power bowlers.  After the shot breaks down, the guys with a ton of hand that are used to playing 5th-6th arrow are at a big advantage.  Guys who start out near the track area end up moving into the area already burnt out by the high rev guys who start deeper to begin with.  If you have the time/space, two blocks with oiling in between can help even the field.
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