i would predict IF robert smith suddenly became dominant in bowling much like tiger woods or michael jordan was. Bowling would go up 10fold as would the marketability and popularity of the PBA Tour and league bowling as well. Walter Ray Williams is a great bowler but he just isn't marketable, it isn't fun to watch him for any laymen. Robert smith tho, he is very fun to watch, every shot is more amazing than the next.

Just my opinion, althought i think it is accurate. any disagreements?
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I'm left handed and i've got a ball and a wall.

The forum whore formerly known as leftycrank300

Seems as though you guys have pretty much the same thoughts as I do... It seems with all sports that you have have of course the avid fan and/or participate that will watch the telecasts because they enjoy it. However if you look at Tiger in golf, Agassi in tennis (when he first came out), and Dale Earnhardt in Nascar the sport they competed picked up the casual weekend couch potato....lol. Each of them for different reasons. Tiger for his outstanding ability to dominate, Agassi for his flamboyant style (long hair colorful clothing), Earnhardt for his ability to be loved and hated,some people would tune in to see him win, some would tune in to see him get spun out. With bowling the first thing people try to do half the time is hook the ball. There seems to be a fascination with it. So I believe that the PBA telecasts would do better by knowingly increase the odds of that style (big wheel) of bowling.
 I am not saying that this would tell us who the best bowlers in the world are, but as I said before I have favorites but it really doesn't matter to me who wins on a weekly basis.

What bowling needs is a little emotion in front of the cameras.  Maybe we should encourage those on the show to talk smack to one another during the match.  If it gets a little heated, then all the better!  Feuds bring in people - everyone likes to see a fight.  Look at how they hype a NASCAR race for the next week when a couple of guys get into a shoving match - I don't have any numbers to see if more people actually tune in, but it creates a lot of talk at work.  If WRW and PDW were to get into a little tiff on the telecast, don't you think everyone would be talking about it at the lanes that week?  And how many people might tune in to see if they go at it again?


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Why, WHY won't the last one just fall??  It's WIGGLING for cryin' out loud!!

Wow that link by CCB is pretty much what I was trying to say but written by an actual writer instead of my Hillbonics...=  
 I understand your point Scotts33 and can't say that I disagree with it, however what you and I bowl on has no relation to the PBA's success which is what the post is about. I would watch every week even if WRW was tossing end over end down 10, but to build bowling back into a marketable sport with mega-bucks to be won, and break the image of bowlers being of the Homer Simpson cloth.....It would most certainly make sense to put out the type of shots that the crankers can play. For the record I'm not a cranker. I also have no desire to be one. Few can disagree that boards crossed=ratings.

I don't know  one way or the other if the PBA sets up the shot for anyone in particular now....I doubt it or you would see more appearances by the same people. Granted WRW, Duke, Barnes all make the shows regularly but they each have a lot of variety in their games and play the whole lane just as well from anywhere if needed.
 Each pattern of course swings the odds into a different type of styles wheelhouse, but it is divided up pretty evenly. If they wanted to market Max Bob they would potentially either lay-out pattern E evry week or reshape all the patterns to fit the power game.
 As far as sports go in general America's Team the Cowboys struggled at 5-11 the last 3 years....with all the fans why weren't they better? Answer: Salary Cap.
 Baseball winning pretty much depends on 2 things: Farm team development and money. An example of each would be the Oakland A's and of course the "evil empire" NY Yankees.
 Boxing isn't about what the fans want....It's about what the promoters want, no less...no more.
 That's what's so great about college sports albeit far from being pure, the emotion and fight in not only the players but the fans make the games more enjoyable. Even a Blue fan can see that....
 All in all, I don't doubt that Norm Duke is one hell of a guy, but is his appearance and style going to make the channel surfers stop and say "Hey that guy is awesome, I want to try that". Yes, maybe a few did when he shot 300 on TV, but how many folks said that this week-end while watching Smith???

 I'm not saying it would be fair, or that is what I would want, all I am saying is I think it would be wise to market the big-wheelers as they will make good ratings great ratings and perhaps change the image of bowling from leisure time fun to sport.

Mix, you misunderstood what I was referring to about the other pro sports.  I simply meant that most other professional sports have people at the top pulling some strings.  The marketability of the current "story" that they are writing is the single most important factor in the eyes of those who control things.  Pro sports has become as scripted as a 2-hour special of pro wrestling.  Well, almost
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Brian
MichiganBowling.com
http://www.MichiganBowling.com

Famous Last Words of a Pot Bowler--"Ok, but this is my last game!"

*Argh*..... I think that a few of you guys are misunderstanding what my thoughts were. Also, any references made about Smith were not to mean just Robert Smith but his type of game. Could be Rudi, Dave D'Entremont, etc.
So here I go again, I am not a cranker, I do not wish to be one. I could care less who wins on a week to week basis. I enjoy watching everyone on tour who makes the telecast. I would watch each week of someone were to throw a back-up ball and score. I presume that most here would too. The new owners are there to make a profit. To make a profit you need an exciting product and some name recognition, along with a professional telecast. The PBA does not need saving or a savior.
 
 What I am saying is this.... To make money, gain interest from the either non-bowlers or casual bowlers, you have to create excitement and drama. If you look at even this board and the many mentions of Robert Smith you can see that people are fascinated with his game. Did he win this week....yes. If Norm Duke (one of my favorites) had won this week....would he have gotten this much attention? No not even close. Now if I had to decide between having either of their games, I would take Duke's and bowl in any tourny I could. However, Mr. channel flipper is much rather going to stop and watch Smith or another cranker than say a big, burly man like WRW roll the ball end-over-end down 10.
 
 Not saying it should be that way, just saying it is that way. If say for example Smith went on to be on the telecast 8-10x's this year do you think ratings would be higher or lower than WRW. I like everyone else knows that WRW is the man and respect his game. We avid bowlers would watch regardless. Think about the not-so avid bowler and what they would rather see. What those people want to see = ratings. Ratings = sponsers. Sponsers = money. Money = profit. Profit = bigger payouts. Bigger payouts = more competition, excitement, longevity of the tour.
 
 While it's gotta be frustrating to sometimes play for 2nd on the PGA tour to Tiger, it's been said that 2nd pays better than 1st used to before him. Again, I am not saying this is the only way to go, nor am I saying it is right to emphasize the power game only, just posting a thought I have about the PBA and it's success, and was wondering if others agreed. Obviously, some do, some don't. More of a discussion topic than anything.....