Author Topic: Is he really a pro? (Read 3251 times)

MegaMav · « **on:** August 29, 2006, 10:27:47 AM »

Heres the story:

my league starts tomorrow, unexpectedly after i get a phone call yesterday.

I pick up the phone and dial the pro shop i go to for all of my needs.

He is an avid golfer, he can be sporadic at this time of year regarding being in the shop, it was rainy today, so i called to check if he was there.

Eric: Hi (Pro) I was just checking to see if you're in the shop today.
Pro: Yes <sigh> im here all day.
Eric: busy today (pro)?
Pro: yes, very busy.
Eric: ok, ill stop in.

so i grab my equipment (plastic that needs drilling & reslug/regrip ball)
i get in the car and stop by on my way to work.
hes outside talking to a customer, I waive, he doesnt waive back.
whatever, i go into the shop.

<shakes hand>
Pro: Hi Eric, how have you been?
Eric: im doing great, how are you?
Pro: eh...
Eric: I bet you're excited to get the season started
Pro: Not really
Eric: How come? Personally I'm thrilled to get back on the lanes.
Pro: too much work to do, too much crap for this stupid game.
Eric: <silence>
Pro: So, whatcha got?
Eric: Plastic and a regrip, a bigger slug should fix the 1/16" span difference.
Pro: OK.
Pro: Come back on thursday
Eric: OK, will do.
Pro: Say hi to dad for me.
Eric: I will, see you thursday.
<walks out>

what the hell was with the "stupid game" comment?

this guy was a pro for 18 years and the game has given him everything he has and all the people he knows, his pro shop, his knowledge, everything.

It just irritates me to hear comments like that, i have such a passion for the game, and to hear that from someone with great talent, just eats me alive inside.

I'd kill to have the talent that he does (or did).
To take the game for granted like that, to me shows disrespect.

Eric
--------------------
USBC Certified Bowler
Average: 197 (Non-THS)

Arsenal Details

leftehh- LG · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2006, 06:35:30 PM »

ehh, can't blame him. there's probably so much going on he just doesn't want to do it anymore. One's opinion of something may not be anothers.
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Bowl to Win!

BowlingWolf · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2006, 06:43:52 PM »

Maybe he's feeling a little burnt out, although he shouldn't give his customers that appearance while he's still in the business (especially customers that obviously exude a great passion for the game).
He's only adding to the woes that malign this great sport of ours.
As they say: "Either ***t or get off the pot!
Regards,
BowlingWolf

a_ak57 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2006, 06:48:55 PM »

You say he's an avid golfer...Perhaps he is regreting not becoming a pro in that instead of bowling? Since the journeymen on the PGA probably make more than the PBA's top season earnings winner.
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- Andy

DP3 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2006, 06:53:54 PM »

quote:
The game gave him 18 years, that has led him no where. Would resent be a good word? Saying that he is a golfer probably makes him think how much more was out there to get.

After those 18 years he still works in a pro shop. He still works hard. he deals with the same things day in and day out. After all those years he gave to the game, look at what he really got out of it? Everyone's love would diminish a little.
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Search for teeth and plaque conspiracy....and Metallica.

Edited on 8/29/2006 6:27 PM

Wow man, that was an excellent reply.
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- DP3
Hoss Central Inc.
Respect the Game

"Only Chuck Norris can prevent forest fires."

MegaMav · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2006, 07:02:29 PM »

quote:
Everyone's love would diminish a little.

Love is NOT something that fades, its something that grows with time.

MegaMav · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2006, 07:04:55 PM »

quote:
Not when you get hammered every time you give back.

where would you get that idea from?

how is he getting hammered by running a business?

Greens Pro Shop · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2006, 08:19:35 PM »

Your post is a perfect example of being hammered. The guy makes an honest reply to your question and hours later you are posting this on the web questioning if he is a pro or not with absolutely no knowledge of what he dealt with earlier in the day that could have set the mood for his response. The reality is no matter what a person does for a living they will have good days and bad days..my guess is today was one of his bad days and instead of thinking about what positive dealings or interactions you may have had with him your reaction was to post about todays conversation on a public forum basically painting him in a not so positive light questioning his professionalism. Just in browsing through these boards you will get a taste of the varying attitudes and personalities that shops deal with on a daily basis...while most obviously are good there are alot who feel that shops don't deserve anykind of markup and basically are 'ripping folks off" when charging fairly for their services/products, this attitude can wear a person down if they are unlucky enough to be in a market where that mentality is prevelant.

NateNice · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2006, 10:46:58 PM »

Maybe you wake up one day and you realize you gave everything you have to bowling.

That's a depressing thought....

Can you imagine all the time he's spent playing, talking about and working in this sport? It maybe gets sick after awhile.

I mean, I loved video games at a point. After working in a video game store for some time you become jaded and cynical. You just see idiots everywhere, everyone has the same stupid complaints and questions. Everyone that comes in just wants to talk about video games. It gets sickening. You just get cynical after awhile. And being that this is the beginning of a new season, it's probably tiring thinking about it.

Cut him some slack. He's a human too. He's not some corporate, fake scum. He's a guy running a store for a game he enjoys. He could have been depressed that it was raining when he had a tee time at a great course?

NateNice · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2006, 11:13:12 PM »

quote:
Stories like this have got to make people wonder why they bother, doesn't it?

Our sport (unfortunately) has probably the least chance of most sports to make anything out of. Not only that, it requires one to keep up with the newest gear all the time, stay up to date with technical knowlege, and put in the hard yards for such little return. We also have to put up with elitist attitudes, and negative people that pour doubt apon our abilities and potential.

Even though I love the sport, it's often damn hard to justify why I bother, and i've only been around it for 7-8 years. I understand where this 'pro' is comming from.

Thanks for the topic.

Yup, I just do it for the chicks.

BrunsMike · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2006, 11:14:08 PM »

I can kinda see what this guy meant by that.

I used to be into the hooby of car audio. The cars with the loud bass ratteling everything in a 60 foot radius. I started car audio when I was 17 just starting out with a few cheap things. Then with each year I wanted to be louder and then I learned about car audio sound pressure competitions. I was a serious competitor for 9 years straight. No money involved for the kind of money I put into the hobby. After a while it got boring. Spending thousands a month to get 1 decibel louder on the Sound Pressure meter. Last year I got bored with spending $65 for the day to compete in 1 show, this year ive done very few car audio shows, I have not talked about car audio much as im burnt out on it.

Now that I look back at all the money I spent, i wish I would have saved that money into a savings account, I would have roughly $56,000 in the bank! Its depressing to think about! Now I know this isnt quite like being a pro as he made some money but in car audio theres nothing for money.

He had a rough life and is probably board of it wishing he could do something different in the past. I feel bad for him but dont blame him.
--------------------
Mike Zadler
NE Lake County IL
Sanctioned Highs:
775 Series/288 Game
Sanct. Ave. (Ending 2006) 198 (THS)
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
PBA/Sport Highs: Game 257, Series 838 (4game). Wed. nite offical ending average: 179.8

BallsDeep · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2006, 11:22:10 PM »

People have bad days and concerns can bridge the gap between the various "lives" one leads. I would take it as that and nothing more. He didn't give you an entire disertation as to why the game is "stupid" it was just said in passing.

As far as making money in the sport, its pretty hard. Golf is a game that is many times more lucerative (spelling) than bowling and that is something that should be understood and fought against. The bowlers in todays game take just as much time as the top flite golfers out there. Its a shame that bowlers don't get the same recognition. Prize funds are going up with a bit more pace than a few years ago, but there is a long way to go until it even comes remotely close to golf.

I don't really know how such a major change could take place, however. Golf seems to have much better tv contracts and more of an audience. There have been many reports that have said a great # of people bowl, a greater # than those that golf, but there doesn't seem to be that level of interest as far as audiences. Bowling is a game that is unknown to many people. The lane conditions aren't visable, and few people would know the level of difficulty if it was shown and described. I just don't know its hard to say how a change could be made to push bowling more to the forefront before the game becomes extinct.
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four fried chickens and a coke[/size=4]

How can you have any pudding if you've dirtied your feet?

Mike Austin · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2006, 12:24:45 AM »

Megamav,
You have said previously that your driller was one of your college buddies and he is so great and only charges $25 bucks to drill a ball with grips and slug and everything? Maybe he is tired of working his tail off and not making any money, and then he sees the golf pro shop guy not doing a single thing making much money on fewer total sales because he is allowed to mark up his products and make a profit?

Or maybe he bowled bad the night before and lost some money in brackets or pot games, or is just having a bad day.

--------------------
Mike Austin's Precision Pro Shop
Houston, TX

Driller to many "Stars" and Tony Melendez too!

"So Many Balls, only ONE drill press!!"

Chuck Norris is the only person to ever count to infinity..........twice!

Rev_O · « **Reply #13 on:** August 30, 2006, 03:12:38 AM »

quote:
I hope my friends/clients don't trash me on a travel message board
I'm sure I've said things to them that made then think that I wasn't interested in their business.

Here is how the travel industry works. Our agency doesn't make on red cent from booking and selling a domestic plane ticket. We now charge 25.00 to issue that ticket, which is a service fee. Some can be easy and only take a few minutes, to some that take hours upon hours to deal with because of people changing their tickets, which we make nothing.

I had some friends/clients that use to use me and I didn't even charge them. They had some stuff that required several hours of research on my part and I charged them the 25.00. I hadn't heard from them in a while and called to see if everything was OK. My friend said that he wasn't happy about me charging them the fee and they decided to use someone else. So, I'd not charged him as I should have for years and saving him a ton of money, yet the one time I did charge, he felt like I was "getting to him".

The proshop guy has been giving you a great deal, as I'm sure he has others that want it for nothing.

Maybe he's tired of it or just burnt out.

Give the guy a break. Go back into his shop and tell him how much you appriciate his help and give him a tip every now and then.

Most people just want to have someone say nice things to them and a little respect.
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Drinking provides a beautiful excuse to pursue the one activity that truly gives me pleasure, hooking up with fat, hairy girls.

I have to say that I agree with the merkin man on this one!
--------------------
Rev-O
Track International Regional Staff Member
http://www.trackbowling.com/
Vise Inserts Staff

check out www.absolutebowling.com

MegaMav · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2006, 06:28:52 AM »

quote:
You have said previously that your driller was one of your college buddies and he is so great and only charges $25 bucks to drill a ball with grips and slug and everything?

that would be an incorrect statement.

i hope i didnt go to college with him, im 26 and hes in his early 50's

and its $35 with grips, $45 with slug, $35 resurface, $17 regrip & reslug.
top of the line equipment is $210 + tax, mid-line $195 + tax.

i dont use a slug, so its $35, i like the tip idea, hes going to charge me $52 so, i may give him $60 this time, as im set for the season now, so i hope!

thanks for the replies guys, i appreciate them all.

Author Topic: Is he really a pro? (Read 3251 times)

MegaMav

Is he really a pro?

leftehh- LG

Re: Is he really a pro?

BowlingWolf

Re: Is he really a pro?

a_ak57

Re: Is he really a pro?

DP3

Re: Is he really a pro?

MegaMav

Re: Is he really a pro?

MegaMav

Re: Is he really a pro?

Greens Pro Shop

Re: Is he really a pro?

NateNice

Re: Is he really a pro?

NateNice

Re: Is he really a pro?

BrunsMike

Re: Is he really a pro?

BallsDeep

Re: Is he really a pro?

Mike Austin

Re: Is he really a pro?

Rev_O

Re: Is he really a pro?

MegaMav

Re: Is he really a pro?