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Author Topic: PBA Strike Derby  (Read 10581 times)

milorafferty

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PBA Strike Derby
« on: July 16, 2021, 10:51:08 AM »
I watched this on TV(recorded, not live) and the thought that kept returning to my head is how this contest shows why bowling isn't an Olympic sport.


I know, I know, this will get some of us pissy and bent. So be it.

These guys are "the-best-in-the-world" at their sport, but can't perform at the top of their game for 120 seconds without becoming gassed? Come on, they weren't running, swimming, jumping, kicking or punching. The best I can recall is one set were a bowler(forget who) threw 22 shots in 120 seconds.
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Of course, part of the problem was the pinsetters could not keep up, but the bowlers didn't appear to be able to throw 30 in two minutes anyway.


The proceeding is an opinion of the author. You have a right to your own opinion if you have one, including having an opinion that the author is a clueless, no talent, dumb-ass hack.   ;D [/size]
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SVstar34

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2021, 12:32:12 PM »
Golf is an Olympic sport. There's no event where you're hitting drive after drive

TWOHAND834

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2021, 12:59:58 PM »
And yet curling is an olympic sport.  Go figure.  Want to make golf more interesting as an olympic sport?  Put them on a 600 yard par 5 and time them from when the driver hits the ball off the tee until the ball goes in the hole. 
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milorafferty

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2021, 01:44:10 PM »
Yes, Golf is an Olympic sport. I would wager that a PGA Pro can hit 30 drives off the tee in two minutes with out breathing hard. The PBA pros were gassed after the two minutes of doing the only thing they do.

I don't really understand Curling as an Olympic sport either. But they are in the Olympics.

Bowling WANTS to be there and having a display such as the one I saw doesn't help the image of a bunch of out of shape beer drinkers.

I didn't understand why badminton was an Olympic sport until I saw a match between India and China. Then it made perfect sense.
"If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words?"

"If you don't stand for our flag, then don't expect me to give a damn about your feelings."

SVstar34

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2021, 02:44:40 PM »
Yes, Golf is an Olympic sport. I would wager that a PGA Pro can hit 30 drives off the tee in two minutes with out breathing hard. The PBA pros were gassed after the two minutes of doing the only thing they do.


So doesn't the question become what's more physically taxing? Throwing a 15-16lb bowling ball 20+ times in 2 minutes or hitting 20+ drives in 2 minutes?

Are the guys that did the HR Derby out of shape because they were gassed after swinging 30+ times in 3 minutes? When you introduce a time constriction it changes things quite a bit

SG17

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2021, 03:35:06 PM »
guess the track athletes that breath harder than typical after a 10 second race are also out of shape and not worthy of being there.  guess it is time to drop the 100 yard dash and other running events.

milorafferty

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2021, 04:05:17 PM »
I'm just saying this isn't a good look for bowling if the powers that be want to be in the Olympics.
"If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words?"

"If you don't stand for our flag, then don't expect me to give a damn about your feelings."

rocky61201

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2021, 04:40:06 PM »
You could always post of video of yourself doing the same 2 minute drill.  ;)
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milorafferty

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2021, 04:43:21 PM »
You could always post of video of yourself doing the same 2 minute drill.  ;)

No one wants to see the result of that...least of all me!  ;D
"If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words?"

"If you don't stand for our flag, then don't expect me to give a damn about your feelings."

bradl

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2021, 05:35:17 PM »

Golf being an olympic sport? no problem. I'm okay with that.
Curling being an olympic sport? Again, no problem. they are actual sports.

Competitive cheerleading? competitive BREAKDANCING? Competitive SKATEBOARDING? Why those are in and bowling is not is pathetic by the IOC.

That said, this "strike derby" is the second dumbest thing the PBA has come up with, with the first being trick shot bowling. Yes, it is there for entertainment and to take up air time on FS1, but bloody hell, this shows why bowling can't be taken seriously as an olympic sport.

But then again, the PBA has never been, nor should be the barometer for international sport. That is where the USBC, Team USA, and WTBA come in. The blame for that belongs to we, the fans who watch the PBA. We shouldn't let that happen, but it does.

That also said, that does bring up some interesting questions involving Team USA, the trials, the Olympics, and the Paralympics that I'll save for another thread.

BL.

SG17

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2021, 06:40:59 PM »
frankly the biggest challenge I see towards making bowling an olympic sport is that the differences between PBA bowling and open play at your local bowling center are not obvious or even something that is easily shown.

to the casual viewer what is the difference between a PBA throwing a strike in PBA competition vs themselves on a Saturday afternoon with their kids?

bradl

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2021, 07:21:06 PM »
frankly the biggest challenge I see towards making bowling an olympic sport is that the differences between PBA bowling and open play at your local bowling center are not obvious or even something that is easily shown.

to the casual viewer what is the difference between a PBA throwing a strike in PBA competition vs themselves on a Saturday afternoon with their kids?

The sad part about this: from the mid-1960s to around 1996, most casual viewers knew this, let alone we had the opportunity to explain this. We all know we had the best exposure to the masses in the US with the PBA tour on ABC, let alone ESPN and Prime Sports Network, but we lost that opportunity to make it a learning experience as well as entertainment.

Now with things like trick shots and the strike derby, we're lowering the bar down to what bowling can do for "extreme sports (lack of any better words).

The good part about now, though is that this Olympics as well as the one next year are in countries where bowling has a solid foothold. The decision that excluded bowling already ruled out Tokyo anyway, but I don't know if it has been decided for China yet. But now we have the windows for them to be considered.

BL.

bcw1969

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #12 on: July 16, 2021, 07:48:57 PM »
I remember watching in 1988 , the Seoul olympics where bowling was a "test" sport or exhibition or whatever they call it...don't recall it resurfacing at any games since then.

Brad

TDC57

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2021, 09:22:17 PM »
Take any athlete from any other sport and have them try to throw as many shots and strikes as possible in 2 minutes and I'll show you a gassed athlete!!

TWOHAND834

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Re: PBA Strike Derby
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2021, 07:43:15 AM »
Bowling should be an Olympic sport for the simple facts that bowling has their respective national teams just like any other sport. Plus, there is this:

Dictionary.com defines sport as "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess". ... Oxford Dictionary defines sport as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or a team competes against another or others for entertainment"

Last I checked, bowling fits both those definitions. 

Secondly......I get why the PBA came up with a derby.  Baseball has theirs.  Basketball has a 3 point competition.  Football has a skills challenge.  So why not come up with an idea based on the major competitive sports?  The only difference is that the NFL does not have an All Star break in the middle of the season.  Also, when it comes to the PBA Derby; it is not like you are getting the guys that maybe make 1 show each year to participate.  We see Troup, Simonsen, Tackett, Prather, Jones, Duke, Rash, and a few others. Obviously we are seeing mostly top echelon bowlers in the sport.

The fact is this....The IOC just sucks.  End of story.   
Steven Vance
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