BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: shipper50 on November 30, 2012, 12:39:39 PM
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I bowl in a men's 5 to a team handicap league and wonder what some of your thoughts might be.
This league has a guy who when he sees someone leave a 5 pin yells out, possible on what lane its one. He used to give out a patch to someone who left it and missed. He doesn't care where the 5 is left as there are guys who will come and tell him from as far as 2-3 pairs away. The league actually thinks this is a big joke except me.
I feel this guy and others are disrespecting the game. Then last night before the 3rd games starts 3 guys go outside for a smoke before the start of the game and we have to wait. I am kinda old with a 2 time replaced left knee and I get stiff standing around waiting.
I have been bowling since 73 off and on and this will be my last year due to health and body problems, but wanted to know what you guys think about this.
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I understand the feeling of someone disrespecting the game, but remember they are having their own good time so why not focus on your own good time? At the end of the night, does it really matter what they do? I know in my leagues there a few less than desirable people bowling, but what's the point of letting them have an effect on you. All you're doing is getting yourself upset and all it does it hurt your chances of a good night. Focus on the game at hand, enjoy yourself and the company around you, it might make for quite a good night.
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Thanks for the reply,
I wonder how you would feel bowling next to this guy have him calling out where there is a 5 pin standing while your up on the approach. I pity this guy if I ever get the front 11 and he yells this out while I am up.
I guess you would have to be there to see guys walk from lanes 3-4 to 9-10 to tell him so and so has a 5 standing. Most of the league watches if the guy will miss a 5 pin and when someone does, its a big deal. This has been going on for over 5 years. I guess I am old school and its time for me to put them up.
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Yeah, if you're going to let these things bother you it is probably time to hang them up. I have a team mate who smokes, sometimes have to wait an extra minute or two between games but no big deal. We have a team that when a guy strikes they do the old "da da duh, da da" ESPN theme. They have such a great time and laugh so hard, who cares?
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LGD ..I agree with your comment!
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With LGD 100% on this one....
It's a game...it's fun...stop taking it so seriously. People rib each other in much more mainstream sports....why should bowling be different? Just smile and have fun with it.
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The league actually thinks this is a big joke except me.
If the majority of the league as well as the league officers laugh at this behavior, you're screwed as far as getting anything done. You could 'professionally' confront the culprit, but he'd probably blow you off.
Unfortunately, this kind of behavior is epidemic in 5-man handicap leagues. In general, there is much more respect for the game in most scratch leagues, and this bozo would have to clean up his act or get tossed at the end of the season.
Sorry you're going to have to hang it up soon and have to deal with this as your final league experience. Focus on your own performance and try to block out the nonsense the best you can. There isn't much else you can do.
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Shipper,
I agree with Steven. Not much you can do when the "class clown" has an audience, so to speak. Find a way to block it out, or brush it off and concentrate before you throw your next shot. That way you can still enjoy your game.
The world (and bowling) is full of all kinds of people: tall ones, short ones, skinny ones, chubby ones, quiet ones, loud ones, intellectuals, and unfortunately a small percentage of "village idiots" too... Somehow we must find a way to peacefully coexist. ;)
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With LGD 100% on this one....
It's a game...it's fun...stop taking it so seriously. People rib each other in much more mainstream sports....why should bowling be different? Just smile and have fun with it.
Of all the people on this board your the last person I would have thought to post a reply like this. I figured since your a serious bowler at Nationals you would have the same feelings towards league.
I used to bowl scratch leagues with some of the best in Indiana, miss those days and players.
Thanks
Shipper
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Then you need to bowl in Senior (or Legends if that's what they're called now) regionals and other area tournaments if that is the atmosphere you crave. It's obvious your temprament isn't geared to the league setting. Too bad. You'd probably have a good time hanging with your team while bowling if you could just relax a bit.
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shipper50,
I understand your point, and I tend to agree with you. When I first started bowling our mens league, there was a modicum of respect for the others on the league. Loud, distractions were frowned upon, and if someone had a string going, it was EXPECTED that you would be quiet and respectful during their delivery.
Sadly, those days ARE gone. There is little, if ANY reverence for the game OR the other participants these days. Like one of the other posters said, everyone is out there after THEIR fun, so just concentrate on yours. That's, I think, part of the problem, because nobody is concerned with anyone other than themselves anymore.
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And now you know why so many young people don't bowl except for moonlite doubles. They're not looking to go to a funeral home or church. So when guys are yelling from the dugout in their baseball game, they are disrespecting the sport? How about during a pick up basketball game. How is it major league hitters can hit the ball with thousands of fans yelling at them to get a hit or strike out, yet a bowler can't get a strike unless it is absolutely quiet when he is on the approach? I remember watching my dad and uncle bowl in the 60's. Good bowlers, 190 + averages which was excellent for the day. Their league didn't act like a Sunday sermon was going on. Why do you guys insist on letting this menial garbage distracting you?
You want it quiet? Bowl in singles tournaments, not in leagues made up of teams.
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With LGD 100% on this one....
It's a game...it's fun...stop taking it so seriously. People rib each other in much more mainstream sports....why should bowling be different? Just smile and have fun with it.
Of all the people on this board your the last person I would have thought to post a reply like this. I figured since your a serious bowler at Nationals you would have the same feelings towards league.
I used to bowl scratch leagues with some of the best in Indiana, miss those days and players.
Thanks
Shipper
That's just it though...I take it seriously...but it's a game. I'm there to have fun...if I'm not having fun I'm going to quit. The motivation for me when I put my shoes on is to smile a lot, enjoy my friends, and hopefully knock down some pins. If my teammates hang me...I want to hear about it...because it's funny...we laugh.
Even at Nationals our guys have fun....we joke and laugh with each other. Sure if we bowl bad we rib a little less because of the emotions in that environment, but the main point of the trip is fun. I'm not doing to this to make a living....if I was I would starve. :)
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And now you know why so many young people don't bowl except for moonlite doubles. They're not looking to go to a funeral home or church. So when guys are yelling from the dugout in their baseball game, they are disrespecting the sport? How about during a pick up basketball game. How is it major league hitters can hit the ball with thousands of fans yelling at them to get a hit or strike out, yet a bowler can't get a strike unless it is absolutely quiet when he is on the approach? I remember watching my dad and uncle bowl in the 60's. Good bowlers, 190 + averages which was excellent for the day. Their league didn't act like a Sunday sermon was going on. Why do you guys insist on letting this menial garbage distracting you?
You want it quiet? Bowl in singles tournaments, not in leagues made up of teams.
LGD,
I don't really think he, or I, am talking about bowling in a church. I never really expect people to act like church mice, heck, I don't even expect them to be real quiet, but we are talking about people just yelling out at random moments, not caring whether they are being distracting to some of the other players on the league.
I am all for having a good time, and even yaking at and with your friends while bowling, but just blatantly yelling "Who's your Daddy" or "Come get you some" at the top of your lungs during other bowlers approaches is just disrespectful.
Unlike at a baseball or basketball game where EVERYONES focus is on what is happening, and EVERYONE knows why you are yelling, and probably either expecting you to yell (or even yelling themselves), bowling is an indoor event where yelling has never really been the "norm".
You try to make a comparison to yelling at a baseball game = to yelling at a bowling center, but you know it is not the same, so stop trying to make ridiculous comparisons that don't work. We both know you're smarter than that.
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Sorry to hear that you may have to stop bowling.
It's weird how 99% of the time, what Shipper has described is something I tolerate in my leagues...yet once-in-a-while, that kind of stuff irritates me. I find when something like that irritates me, I tend to make mistakes on the lanes, I'm not focusing on the right thing.
Other people who posted here on the subject are spot-on. Do your best to focus on what you can control (your game, your emotions for instance). You are still going to be distracted from time to time, and it's not that you have to condone someone else's actions. Take an extra second/minute to calm down, and you'll be fine.
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Juggsy, juggsy, juggsy. We all know that you want the game to regress back to what it was in the 50's and 60's. Just not going to happen. Nice how you went to my uber example of baseball but ignored the sandlot example. I have no dog in this fight, most people have come on here and told the OP to relax, accept it and have a good time with team. If he can't do that, alternatives have been suggested. Not my problem.
And now you know why so many young people don't bowl except for moonlite doubles. They're not looking to go to a funeral home or church. So when guys are yelling from the dugout in their baseball game, they are disrespecting the sport? How about during a pick up basketball game. How is it major league hitters can hit the ball with thousands of fans yelling at them to get a hit or strike out, yet a bowler can't get a strike unless it is absolutely quiet when he is on the approach? I remember watching my dad and uncle bowl in the 60's. Good bowlers, 190 + averages which was excellent for the day. Their league didn't act like a Sunday sermon was going on. Why do you guys insist on letting this menial garbage distracting you?
You want it quiet? Bowl in singles tournaments, not in leagues made up of teams.
LGD,
I don't really think he, or I, am talking about bowling in a church. I never really expect people to act like church mice, heck, I don't even expect them to be real quiet, but we are talking about people just yelling out at random moments, not caring whether they are being distracting to some of the other players on the league.
I am all for having a good time, and even yaking at and with your friends while bowling, but just blatantly yelling "Who's your Daddy" or "Come get you some" at the top of your lungs during other bowlers approaches is just disrespectful.
Unlike at a baseball or basketball game where EVERYONES focus is on what is happening, and EVERYONE knows why you are yelling, and probably either expecting you to yell (or even yelling themselves), bowling is an indoor event where yelling has never really been the "norm".
You try to make a comparison to yelling at a baseball game = to yelling at a bowling center, but you know it is not the same, so stop trying to make ridiculous comparisons that don't work. We both know you're smarter than that.
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In our 5 person league, if someone leaves a 5, a crowd gathers, holds one hand up and harasses the person until he makes the five. If he misses it be or she is ragged hard. All in fun. Everyone gets a good laugh. Btw it is a serious competitive league. First place team got 7500 last year and quarterly first place payments are 500 per division. Also plenty of brackets. Still no one gets upset about this.
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That's because it's all a state of mind and attitude. Plain and simple. So common in bowling, there's leagues and tournaments to suit every person's game and attitude but everybody want's every venue to suit them. Not going to happen.
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I debated on posting this in the first place as I have found the majority of posters are under 50 and could be under 30. I don't have a problem with rooting a player on or high fiving or such. But I do have a problem with a beer swigging guy who thinks he is cool by yelling out POSSIBLE on lane such and such no mater where it is.
This guy wouldn't know what team bowling or otherwise is if it slapped him up side the face. So thanks to Dr.Bob and Juggernaut for standing up for another old guy who loves the game.
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I don't have a problem with rooting a player on or high fiving or such. But I do have a problem with a beer swigging guy who thinks he is cool by yelling out POSSIBLE on lane such and such no mater where it is.
This guy wouldn't know what team bowling or otherwise is if it slapped him up side the face.
Don't let the bad behavior apologists get you down. There is a happy medium between church quiet and disrespectful chaos. Unfortunately, your league is tilted toward the later and you have the right to feel frustrated. Hopefully, you'll find a way to extend your bowling life and find a league where there is more respect for the game.
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It seems like it doesn't matter what league you bowl on, there's always at least one drunken,loud mouthed,obnoxious moron that you will have to find a way to ignore.The only time I found it necessary to take action was when there was a drunken foul mouthed jerk on the adult/child league I was bowling with my 5 year old.I was successful in getting him removed from the league.
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SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO WOULD BE A SENIORS LEAGUE. YOU MIGHT BE SUPRISED BY SOME OF THE OTHER BOWLERS AND IT IS NOT AS ROWDY AS THE HIGH DOLLAR LEAGUES...
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I agree with you Shipper. These responses have clearly identified the issue with the "sport" of bowling. There is no sport anymore. I don't care if you're bowling or at a movie, I shouldn't have to tolerate idiots behaving poorly. Saying something is all in fun doesn't mean it is acceptable behavior. Forget lane courtesy, lets work on common courtesy.
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I agree with you Shipper. These responses have clearly identified the issue with the "sport" of bowling. There is no sport anymore. I don't care if you're bowling or at a movie, I shouldn't have to tolerate idiots behaving poorly. Saying something is all in fun doesn't mean it is acceptable behavior. Forget lane courtesy, lets work on common courtesy.
Amen:-)
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Bowling is still a sport, just not what you think it should be for league bowling. Bowling at the PBA, collegiate, and youth level in tournaments really enforces the idea that bowling is a sport. Maybe if you guys quit focusing on all the negatives, you might be able to find some positives about bowling.
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I'll play the other side of the coin:
Maybe part of the problem apparent here is the number of people that think league bowling is the PBA tour and take it way too seriously. I can't tell you how many new bowlers I see get accused of being sandbaggers because they get better in their first year of bowling.
Nothing says grow the sport like "Hey sit down and shut up....I'm going to need silence to hit this area the size of a desk with my reactive hook-in-a-box"....
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I'm "that guy" who yells and gets rowdy when I'm bowling. I make noise, and when I'm on a string, I have no problem telling one to "HIT!"
COUNTLESS people have approached me. Parents when I bowled juniors, and other bowlers now that I'm an adult.
I tell them all the same thing:
This isn't a frikkin library. You want silence, go do something else.
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+1. Already stated earlier. Use your supposed wisdom and grace learned from all your years on the planet and turn a deaf ear to it and ignore it or get in a league with like minded people. Pretty simple solution.
Bowling is still a sport, just not what you think it should be for league bowling. Bowling at the PBA, collegiate, and youth level in tournaments really enforces the idea that bowling is a sport. Maybe if you guys quit focusing on all the negatives, you might be able to find some positives about bowling.
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I'll play the other side of the coin:
Maybe part of the problem apparent here is the number of people that think league bowling is the PBA tour and take it way too seriously.
Russell, lumping all 'league bowling' in one bucket is too simplistic. Just like there are many different kinds of cars, there are different kinds of leagues: Seniors, Mixed Handicap, Classic Handicap and Scratch. Each has it's own written (and unwritten) rules regarding what's acceptable behavior.
The behavior of the self appointed fool in Shipper's league wouldn't be accepted in many settings. We've tossed guys before the end of the season for similar repeated antics. It's not a question of taking things too seriously. Rude is rude, and for many this guy is over the top.
Given the situation, it just sounds like Shipper will have to find a bowling home elsewhere. Sometimes that's the only answer.
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Steven,
Thanks for the replies and support in my posts and to all the others who think along the lines with this old man. This will be my last year bowling due to what I stated in my first post.
I wish all the young guys some of the so called wisdom us old people get with age and to learn to respect the game as I have in all my years of bowling.
I am locking the post now and good luck.
Shipper