Bringing back Intergity

[rabbit_sla]

After reading the post started by v2inferno asking rev_o about his average, it got me thinking.  How can you bring back the integrity of the sport?  Here is my thoughts on how to do it.  First off, you cannot do it by getting the houses to change the shot.  IT must be started by the USBC!  In my opinion, the USBC needs to come up with a minimum guideline for oil patterns.  Not just a minimum for individual boards, but a minimum pattern.  Then if a house wants to change the shot, they have to increase the pattern by adding length and or oil to certain boards or to all boards.  They cannot take oil or length away from the minimum.  Once the USBC sets up this minimum, all proprietors need to follow that guideline in order to get certified for the season.  

Second, if there is an honor score shot, the association must go out after the league is done for the night and do a measurement for oil and length.  Once that is complete then the honor score can be recognized.  If it does not meet the minimum requirement set by USBC, the honor score is not recognized.  Which means the house is at fault for not following guidelines.  If a house keeps putting our an invalid shot they should have their certificate revoked until they can maintain a valid shot.  

Someone stated that the USBC is starting to set a maximum for bowling balls as far as rg and diff.  That is fine, but once again, when an honor score is shot, the bowling ball, or balls used for that score must be inspected for proper weight distribution.  

Yes, this will probably make a few or a lot of people unhappy.  It might even make then want to quit the league and join a different house.  But if all houses are complying with the rules given to them, then the bowler has only 2 choices in front of him, either bowl and adjust, or quit bowling all together.  

I really think that the USBC should do this.  If they do I "will not" be one of the people that looks for a different sport to join.    

[qstick777]

How do you propose to have the association available for doing these weighings and measurements?  Will it just be the league secretary?

I think its funny - we have people that post that the lane conditions are too easy, and then we have people complaining that the lane changed the oil pattern a few weeks before the end of leagues!

People complain that they can go out and shot honor scores with their eyes closed, and people complain that the conditions aren't consistent.

I've only been bowling for a year, and in no way do I find the game easy.  I actually enjoy bowling on different conditions - I think thats the only way to improve your game.  Bowling on fresh lanes during leagues is completely different than bowling Saturday afternoon after hundreds of kids have thrown house balls all morning and afternoon.  That is what makes the game so enjoyable!

I only ask about the measurements because there are so many leagues in my area (http://www.ncaba.org/main_old.htm), how do you make sure you have somebody at each lane each night?  

I don't have a problem with minimum guidelines, but I believe that something like this already exists.  I thought there were certain requirements that had to be met as far as number of times the lanes had to be conditioned per week, being able to provide records of maintenance and cleaning, etc.  My lane switched from wood to synthetic lanes this season and I heard that our averages were going to be "legal" because the lanes had not yet been approved.

I think we have to remember that people will adapt to what they are given.  Put down PBA Pattern A, B, Cheetah, or whatever every week, and eventually people will figure out how to score on it.  So, you put down Pattern B consistently and then you have people averaging 240+, but put down a different pattern and they can't shot 200 - does that make them "house hacks"?  Switch the conditions from week to week and then people complain that the lane guy doesn't know what he's doing and can't lay down a consistent pattern.

Remember, to be a great bowler, you have to be able to adapt to whatever condition you are given.

[tgs300]

Having read numerous posts regarding the integrity of the sport...and how to save the sport...I thought I'd throw my $0.06 in...

Integrity is a personal issue.

As I remember the stories told to me by my father and grandfather....50-60 years ago everyone used the same equipment for the most part. But, there were houses that scored significantly better than others. And, there were bowlers who scored significantly better than others.

In the 60's and 70's, people started looking for an advantage...and soon there was plastic and MEK...Bleeders...LT-48s...But alas, there were houses that scored significantly better than others. And, there were bowlers who scored significantly better than others.

Next came more advances...different coverstocks, cores, balancing ideas and drilling techniques. But still, there were houses that scored significantly better than others. And go figure, there were bowlers who scored significantly better than others.

Starting to notice a trend?

Integrity starts with the individual. Integrity not to go out and buy the latest hook in box to try to score better. Integrity to get a good coach and work on your game. Integrity to practice. But having integrity isn't going to bring scoring down. And bringing scoring down won't fill the leagues up again.

IMHO, bowling is in decline not because of wall shots...diamond cores...or 249.39 averages...(btw...major congrats). Bowling is in decline because of single parent families...families in which both parents work...because of AYSO and Little League and piano lessons and dance classes..because of 120 channels of TV....Ninetendo/Gamecube/Xbox/Etc...and on and on...

Bowling is in decline because it isn't a priority for people like it was 30/40/50 years ago. They're too busy with with other things to make a committment to go bowl league every week. There's not enough personal value in it for them when compared to other things in their lives.


</rant mode off>

[rabbit_sla]

A house is required to be certified before August 31 of each year in order to have sanctioned leagues.  There is a 30 day timeframe for inspections (before and after) when an honor score is bowled.  As far as lane dressing, there is no real set guidelines as far as patterns and how often.  If you read under Chapter 7 of the ABC/WIBC handbook section 4a, all it says is there must a minimum of 3 units in each board for the length of the application.  

As far as doing measurements of bowling equipment and lane cert., it only needs to be done when an honor score is shot.  Just a represenative of your association needs to be present to check the ball for specs and the lane pair for specs.

I guess what I am trying to say is that You certify the lanes before the season starts.  When an honor score is shot, you come and check the lane that night to make sure it meets the requirements.  You also ask the bowler that shot the honor score which ball or balls he used and check them to make sure they fall within specs.  If everything is good, then the honor score is valid.  If not, he receives no recognition from the association or the USBC for the score shot.  You do not need the association present all the time unless there are multiple honor scores shot each and every night.  

I like bowling on different conditions also and do not mind when they change the shot.  But I believe that we should have a little bit more challenging condition to bowl on because I know one person in particular that does complain a little when he has 5 or more boards of area to play with.  He is a good bowler and does think the conditions are a little too easy.
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It does not matter what type of shot you throw, it's the results on the scoresheet that counts.

[pin-chaser]

TGS,

   Without question your response is not the common response but alas is not the only one either. There are indeed many factors in the decline of bowling. And without question, integrity is one factor. The percentages involved would take a scientific community to determine.

   The issue at hand is resolving those issues that can be addressed. Those issues that you mention the bowling community cannot be addressed. But with respect to others the bowling community can.

    For example and not limited to:
1. Integrity (technology/conditions), defining and requiring specified skills to measure against.
2. Expense - No point money reducing weekly fees
3. Shortening leagues from 36 weeks (2 x 18 weeks or 3 x 12 weeks or 4 x 9 weeks).
4. Establishing better training starting with youth and through adults.. perhaps utilizing local professionals.

Rabbit,

   For what it is worth, addressing any one of the intregal parts of integrity (ie. pins, condition, ball technology...etc) would not do much to restore the integrity. Addressing any of them or all of them would simply chase away bowlers at a fast pace then they are leaving today and those in power are not willing to suffer through the rebuilding (and perhaps there would not be anything left). Things are completely out of control as the power of the industry is in the hands of the manufacturers and not in the hands of the governing body. It is falsly believed that the power is in the proprietors, however, they are in the mercy of matching what everyone else is doing in there area by applying enough conditioner to offset the ball technology.

    In order to truely develop bowling as a sport with integrity, we would have to define the skills that should be required (ie. ball speed maintained within .5mph, accruacy within 2degrees, rotation consistancy (axis tilt and rotation and rev rate) within some specified limitations. Using this method we could clearly define the skills required to support several layers of competition (ie... fun/open, moderate, skilled and expert), providing a clear and consistant path of improving at every bowling center. This is then becomes a sport.


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[tgs300]

I'll agree with the statements about the governing body and proprietors... "Things are completely out of control as the power of the industry is in the hands of the manufacturers and not in the hands of the governing body. It is falsly believed that the power is in the proprietors, however, they are in the mercy of matching what everyone else is doing in there area by applying enough conditioner to offset the ball technology."

And I'll agree that there needs to be better definition of specifications....in order to control the technology advances.

But there will always be advances that are made outside of the defined specifications....and how quickly those advances are either outlawed or accepted is a large part of creating integrity for the sport.

[pin-chaser]

TGS,

   As always you bring another good point. I have been an advocate that a completely separate organization, non-profit, funded by all parties concerned (ie... ball manufacturers, proprietors, and the governing bodies) should be regulating and approving all technology (ie... pins, balls (cores, surface and layouts), surface materials (synthetic or finishes) and conditions (patterns). The primary goal of this organization should be to maintain integrity.

   As it is today, the governing body recieves money for its approval or sanctioning of new technology. There is an incentive to make money and not protect the integrity. A separate orgainization would break this cycle.

   In the past, I dont think governing bodies had the experince to project the impact of techonology on integrity or scoring. Nor do I honestly believe it was a true consideration. Now understanding that the bowling community at large thinks things are out of hand they are appearing to make some changes to protect the future by limiting factors that could make it even worse. But they are clearly not addressing what is already out of control. I believe they are saving face by not threatening the status quo and yet doing something (which has little real effect).
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[tloy]

I totally agree with you . I bowl in an association where house readings are done once a year. I think this makes it too easy for a house to put down an illegal walled shot. I feel we need integrity back in this sport we all love.
The house I bowl in averages 1 to 2 honor scores a week!!!
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Todd Loy

[pin-chaser]

I think that the majority of bowlers would agree that bowling needs an integrity adjustment. Just how to do it without threatening an already fagile community is the issue. From every sport I know, policy is controlled/mandated by the experts in that industry. The real experts in our industry is the top bowlers who know how to exploit the technology and conditions. They should be the ones that play a significant role in policy.

A few months back, a husband, wife, and daughter all shot 300 on the same night and they were all on the same team. To make matter even worse, there son shot 300 that week as well. So one family had 4 300's in one week. Dont get me wrong these are really good bowlers, without question some of the best bowlers man or women in the state. But when there was only 1000 300 games with 4,000,000 bowlers back in the early 70's and now there is 500,000 with 2,000,000 it is a apparent something has changed. A 4 by one family in one week is astromincal.
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