Author Topic: Do these words about SOB still hold true? (Read 8955 times)

Mighty Fish · « **on:** July 04, 2011, 09:31:55 PM »

The so-called System of Bowling was unveiled 20 years ago, and I commented on its progress in a column six years later.

Don't the words expressed in that 1997 column still ring true today?

http://www.examiner.com/bowling-in-st-pe...ieve-objectives

Sunshine n Lollipops · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2011, 06:30:23 AM »

Dick Weber said it perfectly in his quote. You should really pay attention to it and change the record you keep playing.

Don't believe in the Uzi, it just went off in my hand. I, I believe in love.

Steven · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2011, 02:03:49 PM »

Fish: I'm disappointed that you're presenting still another simplistic article that tries to tie declining participation numbers to higher scores. I thought that you got the disconnect between the two after the last thread. What happened?

Regardless, here are just a few of the incredibly ignorant snippets from the article:

1) "My editor says anyone can roll 300" (Tell that to the legions of bowlers who never have and never will throw a 300)

2) "If you give a kid a game he can master in 20 minutes, he's going to leave it" (BTW, who can really master the game in 20 minutes -- come on)

You should know better than to pass on stuff like this. Please be more discerning.

Jesse James · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2011, 02:40:49 PM »

Wow! That's deep!

I have friends that have been bowling many years before I ever started, and they have yet to bowl a 300!!!

I started in 1989!! Such a "simple" game......NOT!

Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, but it still holds the universe together.

Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2011, 02:41:39 PM »

This is not the reason for a decline in bowling. I agree that bowling is to the point with technology and the current conditions, that your odds of shooting 300 or other high scores is better now then ever.

I don't have exact numbers but it is easily proven. The number of 300 games per year is a lot higher then the number of 300 games 25 years ago, 20, 15, or 10 years ago. The number 900s PER YEAR, not ever in the history of the game, but PER YEAR is also....well it exist as in 20 years ago that wasn't considered an option. The number of bowlers has decreased over the past 25, 20, 15 and even 10 years.

So now we can conclude, more 300s,800s, and 900s with fewer bowlers means your odds are far better for one of these scores then it has ever been. We all know of houses in our area or state that cater to that. "Jewelery box" is what we call them here because that is were everyone goes to get rings.

USBC in no way wants to change the scores you see today. Anything with pins will be certified, any lane condition that has an honor score, legal or illegal still counts. It is a desperate sport in that since, with a governing body that has no control or actual authority. Most of the rules are mere formalities with no consequences. This is the way bowling is and will continue to be. Get out of it what you want, and enjoy it as much as possible. Just don't expect anyone else to care outside of a few bowlers.

Be good, or be good at it.

Edited by kidlost2000 on 7/5/2011 at 2:42 PM

Bill Thomas · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:14:57 AM »

What he said!

Spider Man · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2011, 11:43:53 AM »

+1.

Just b/c some grumpy old men in Fla. told you doesn't make it so. My experience is if a team is crying about the easy shot they just switch houses. Most guys I know stop bowling due to length of season and cost - given "the economy".

Steven wrote on 7/5/2011 2:03 PM:
Fish: I'm disappointed that you're presenting still another simplistic article that tries to tie declining participation numbers to higher scores. I thought that you got the disconnect between the two after the last thread. What happened?

Regardless, here are just a few of the incredibly ignorant snippets from the article:

1) "My editor says anyone can roll 300" (Tell that to the legions of bowlers who never have and never will throw a 300)

2) "If you give a kid a game he can master in 20 minutes, he's going to leave it" (BTW, who can really master the game in 20 minutes -- come on)

You should know better than to pass on stuff like this. Please be more discerning.

Linger Longer™

Mighty Fish · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2011, 01:56:03 PM »

Instead of commenting about me or my writing, how about considering the ACTUAL IMPACT -- or lack of impact -- that the System of Bowling has had on the game over the past 20 years?

How would any of you RATE the System of Bowling (as per its original objectives -- ESPECIALLY ITEM (C) -- twenty years later). Remember the objectives:

(a) hold the friction allowable on lane surfaces at the level of the synthetic lanes manufactured in 1991

(b) follow the existing procedures for testing pins, which include checking specifications and lab and field testing for scoreability

(c) restrict balls to not being able to hook more, and strike more, than those on the market in 1991

(d) require a minimum of 3 units of dressing across each lane for any distance the lane is dressed.

Mighty Fish · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2011, 01:58:55 PM »

Dear Steven:

You mentioned a couple of items from the column, but keep in mind that the quotes you mentioned ARE QUOTES FROM OTHER BOWLING WRITERS. For instance, I didn't say that someone could learn the game in 20 minutes, but I did quote another writer who DID say that.

If you so desire, I can probably look up and tell you specifically which bowling writers said what ... but except for Dick Weber, most of my readers wouldn't have recognized the names of any other writers, so they weren't mentioned by name.

Edited by Mighty Fish on 7/6/2011 at 2:00 PM

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:25:08 PM »

IMPACT -- or lack of impact -- that the System of Bowling has had on the game over the past 20 years?

None, USBC has sold out to anyone that will pay them to play. Centers, manufactures, ect

How would any of you RATE the System of Bowling (as per its original objectives -- ESPECIALLY ITEM (C) -- twenty years later). Remember the objectives:

(a) hold the friction allowable on lane surfaces at the level of the synthetic lanes manufactured in 1991

Not familiar with lane surfaces, but have seen lanes that were well over 60 years old, wood, missing arrows, gaps in boards, and water damage from a leaky roof get approved yearly because it was money in bowling for USBC.

(b) follow the existing procedures for testing pins, which include checking specifications and lab and field testing for scoreability

Unsure of this, but I love how my local center tries to use cracked pins, and rarely will change them out.

(c) restrict balls to not being able to hook more, and strike more, than those on the market in 1991

Epic fail, fewer bowlers, more honor scores, yearly 900 series, not a 900, but multiple yearly.

According to wiki,

900s

On July 1, 1982, Glenn Allison bowled the first 900 series in sanctioned league play it get an *

Jeremy Sonnenfeld (R), Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 2, 1997

Tony Roventini (L), Greenfield, Wis., Nov. 9, 1998

Vince Wood (R), Moreno Valley, Calif., Sept, 29, 1999

Robby Portalatin (L), Jackson, Mich., Dec. 28, 2000

James Hylton (R), Salem, Ore., May 2, 2001

Jeff Campbell II (R), New Castle, Pa., June 12, 2004

Darin Pomije (R), New Prague, Minn., Dec. 9, 2004

Robert Mushtare (R), Fort Drum, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2005 and Feb. 19, 2006

Lonnie Billiter Jr. (R), Fairfield, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2006

Mark Wukoman (R), Greenfield, Wis., April 22, 2006

P.J. Giesfeldt (R), Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 23, 2006

Rich Jerome Jr. (R), Baltimore, Dec. 22, 2008

Chris Aker (L), Winnemucca, Nev., Oct. 30, 2009

Andrew Teall (R), Medford, N.J., Nov. 2, 2009

Andrew Mank (R), Bellevue, Ill., March 18, 2010

William Howell III (L), Middletown, N.Y., Oct. 21, 2010

Matt Latarski (R), Medina, Ohio, Nov. 28, 2010

Bob Kammer Jr (R). Crown Point, Ind., Jan. 8, 2011

(d) require a minimum of 3 units of dressing across each lane for any distance the lane is dressed.

Not sure on this.

Be good, or be good at it.

Sunshine n Lollipops · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2011, 09:33:16 AM »

Ya know, kid, you're the biggest one-trick pony on here. You'll bitch and bitch how the USBC spends money on this and that but not awards. House and lane conditions are under the jurisdiction of your local association, not USBC HQ. Get off it already. Tell you what, you want to make a difference? Report conditions like that to the association. Better yet, volunteer to help out at your local association. Be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

Don't believe in the Uzi, it just went off in my hand. I, I believe in love.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2011, 09:44:59 AM »

It was reported to USBC once, they notified the local association of my complaint, who then notified the center of my complaint, who then almost banned me from bowling there for complaining. I bowled on a sport condition a few times before they closed years later. It was called rain on the lanes. Those score were "USBC certified". Happenned a few times.

Last time I checked, wasn't it a USBC certification? So if it goes from local to national that means they still approve. Stick to your one trick and I will stick to mine.

Be good, or be good at it.

Edited by kidlost2000 on 7/7/2011 at 9:52 AM

Sunshine n Lollipops · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2011, 10:48:46 AM »

What a joke. Reported once and then they almost "banned" me. And you gave up. Says a lot. You can have your one trick if that's how you play it.

kidlost2000 wrote on 7/7/2011 9:44 AM:
It was reported to USBC once, they notified the local association of my complaint, who then notified the center of my complaint, who then almost banned me from bowling there for complaining. I bowled on a sport condition a few times before they closed years later. It was called rain on the lanes. Those score were "USBC certified". Happenned a few times.

Last time I checked, wasn't it a USBC certification? So if it goes from local to national that means they still approve. Stick to your one trick and I will stick to mine.

Be good, or be good at it.

Edited by kidlost2000 on 7/7/2011 at 9:52 AM

Don't believe in the Uzi, it just went off in my hand. I, I believe in love.

kidlost2000 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2011, 01:30:30 PM »

Center is closed, but USBC responded by doing nothing at all except continue to sanction the place.

Water on the lanes, missing arrows, large gaps in between boards, nails coming through the lanes, are not what USBC check for yearly in certifying their lanes. The only thing USBC cares about is collecting money, no matter what the bowling condition is, as long as they are getting USBC dues then it will be certified.

Let me drop everything to volunteer for that orginazation.

If you think I would do anything to help USBC you can replace your uzi with some more crack, a pipe and some brillo and keep taking hits because thats how dumb you would have to be to volunteer for that bullsh#t. Yes after USBC continues to show its true colors of not caring about bowling, or bowlers I have learned not to care about it. You keep flying that USBC flag and sucking their lollipop I'm not buying into the one trick dog and pony show.

Be good, or be good at it.

notsohotshot · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2011, 05:07:12 PM »

Guys, I am very familiar with the places the KID is talking about and what he says is true. The local association would come out and check a couple of lanes,with several days notice, and on occasion they would have the center change something about the way those 2 lanes were oiled before the lanes were sactioned for the season.

Back when we were under ABC lanes were certified in a totally different way. They were checked several times a season and shortly after any 300 games. They never seemed to address how bad the shape of 2 of our local centers were,and at the time we didn't have much of a choice as to where we could go bowl. It was either at one of these run down houses or a Ring City 30+ miles away and if you bowled travel league you still ended up in those houses. The numbers go up for some and down for others depending on what they are use to bowling on or what condition they like. There is still no standard from house to house as to how the lanes should be dressed. I hear about Red,White and Blue but have never even heard them mentioned by the current owners or lane men around here and I know most of them because I had the pro shop in one of those BAD houses.

Author Topic: Do these words about SOB still hold true? (Read 8955 times)

Mighty Fish

Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Sunshine n Lollipops

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Steven

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Jesse James

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

kidlost2000

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Bill Thomas

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Spider Man

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Mighty Fish

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Mighty Fish

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

kidlost2000

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Sunshine n Lollipops

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

kidlost2000

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

Sunshine n Lollipops

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

kidlost2000

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?

notsohotshot

Re: Do these words about SOB still hold true?