Author Topic: Is the stereotype really true? (Read 1115 times)

a_ak57 · « **on:** April 11, 2005, 06:45:17 AM »

I was thinking about it...Is the stereotypical teen-hooking the lane really true? From my experience, it is not. From what I've heard older bowlers saying, you all think that 99% of teens are cranking the living daylights out of the ball. But looking at tournaments and my league, I find that that is not really true. The amount of junior crankers is about the same, or a little bit higher, than the adults. Most teens I see don't really crank the ball, they are just using oil monsters. LIke my one friend on my team. If you were to map his ball line going down the lane, you'd think he's at least a tweener (swinging it out, but not cross lane). But if you watch him bowl, he's really a fluffer/tweener. Why does that happen? He uses a dulled up particle ball, on the same lanes I'm using a power groove. It may be true in your area, but at least around here, the sterotypical majority of junior bowlers cranking the ball doesn't seem to exist. Usually the only way they hook the ball is from using a hook monster, but not actual style. What i have noticed though, is the mindset of wanting to crank it and hook the lane. But most kids I've seen bowling don't actually do it (though they may try their hardest).

Reason I post that is because I suppose I fall under the stereotype (well, not mindset since I'm actually trying to get less revs, but actual style), and I just got to thinking about it, and I noticed that in my league, there are maybe 3 or 4 bowlers with an rpm rate even over 300. And at the couple tournaments I've been to, there wasn't the vast majority of crankers that I'd expect to see based on what older bowlers are always talking about. Of course, there are more crankers than what I've seen for adult bowlers, but I could tell that it was simply because the older bowlers switched over to stroker since it was easier on their bodies (In my area, may be different in yours) or because that's what was popular when they learned.

So, let me ask you, if you actually look around leagues and tournaments in your area, is the stereotype true? Ah, but for the floods who'll answer yes, tell me this: How many of them actually take bowling seriously and will keep bowling in the future? I've found the stereotype only applies to teens who are only bowling for something to do, and have no ambitions of continuing. They aren't the future generation of bowlers.

Just something to think about....
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- Andy

Brunswick...........'nuff said.

DP3 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2005, 04:51:25 PM »

I think you need to get out more. Goto Junior Gold and you'll see more kids strapping it up than you can shake a stick at. I watched two of my college teammates who are still youth bowlers goto a JBT in Delaware and with 19 scratch entries, there were only 5 players who weren't whacking the bejesus out of the ball at the bottom. I think that's a true testament to the style of player that's coming up now, especially since 5 different states were respresented. Now on a much bigger level(like Junior Gold where there's some 900 some-odd players) you'll find it's a very high percentage of bowlers with very high revrates compared to the average player.

I'll always say, there's a difference between a "Cranker" a "Power Player" and a "High-RPM player". The cranker doesn't have the physical/natural ability to rev up the ball a ton, so they use poor mechanics, a muscled swing, and-or excess hitting of the ball at the bottom to generate their revs. A Power Player(ie. Eugene McCune) is a natural powerhouse that can rev up the ball without much effort, but whose speed typically overpower's their revrate. These are usually the guys that can rev up the ball alot, but are forced to play alot more up the boards due to excess speed since they can't open up the lanes with a 20mph ball. A High-RPM player(ie. Pete Weber, Chris Barnes) is the natural high revving player who can generate a ton of revs effortlessly with a speed that can matchup perfectly to their revrate. There is no forcing of anything in their swing-or release that can get them into trouble.

...Hope that helps, I just have a problem with the term "Cranker" being associated to everyone with a high revrate.
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-DP3
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a_ak57 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2005, 05:04:19 PM »

DJ, you do bring new light to my post. My post was really in reference to what you describe as the PDW's and McCune's who just have naturally big rev games. You don't see many of them. But, as you said, there are a ton of kids who hit up on the ball. But I don't really consider them real high-rpm players since their revs are all artificial (not from natural style).

I suppose that's why I've never agreed with anyone about the cranker kids of today, since I've always thought of it different than everyone else. I suppose I should rephrase my original post to say that there aren't as many real power players as people make there out to be. But, there are many fake crankers, who are really strokers/tweeners by design.
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- Andy

Brunswick...........'nuff said.

a_ak57 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2005, 05:17:55 PM »

quote:
but the simple fact remains there are tons of kids (be it artificial or talent) who feel unless they can rip the cover off, they are not perfoming to their max. Thus a lot of the older bowlers feel that they are all trying to do it. natural style aside, there are far too many trying to play deep and rip the cover, even tho this is not what isbest for their natural abilities
--------------------
Triggerman
Official member Fellowship of the Saws
Captain of the Bomb Squad
Chicks Dig guys who throw the Diamonds
we fight Dirty.

Nothing left to discuss

While a lot of them try, most fail to actually do it successfully, which is what I'm getting at. I have contradicted myself a lot, but my REAL thoughts were in the last sentence of the first paragraph, something about the kids of today have the mindset to hook the lane, but a lot don't do it successfully. And that seems to be where the differences arise, since to me, I consider what DJ said about natural ability to be TRULY hooking the ball. I don't really take into consideration the fake crankers and stereotypical no-thumbers (Don't worry NOTHUMB

).

DJ is right about the majority of big-tourney bowlers to be crankers (fake or real), but that's really because they are successful at it and they have natural talent. They are the ones who actually make the mentality a reality.

Since I'm running loops around myself in contradiction, let me just say this. I see a lot of teens trying to crank the ball, proving the mentality part to be true, but for ME, that's just it. They're trying. I just don't consider them to be real power players, which is why I have problems buying the "teens are crankers" stereotype. I only consider natural power players to be actual crankers, others who hit up on the ball like mad (coughBKcough)

, I don't consider to be true "crankers", just "freaks".

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- Andy

Brunswick...........'nuff said.

a_ak57 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2005, 06:59:35 PM »

quote:
but by trying the sterotype gets cast upon them simple as that. they may not be able to truely do it, but they try and everyone sees them try, and see them look terrible doing it. And thus the sterotype gets cast
--------------------
Triggerman
Official member Fellowship of the Saws
Captain of the Bomb Squad
Chicks Dig guys who throw the Diamonds
we fight Dirty.

Nothing left to discuss

Hmm, true, but if you think about it, the ones who can't do it, eventually will realize that and switch. Either that, or they get frustrated and quit. Only the ones who actually can will do it for an extended time, so the "gene pool" evens out by the time that we get to the adult level.
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- Andy

Brunswick...........'nuff said.

a_ak57 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2005, 07:02:47 PM »

And also, keep in mind, my post is in reference to the fact that anytime someone sees a teen bowler, you automatically expect them to try to hook the lane, which is unfair to say.
--------------------
- Andy

Brunswick...........'nuff said.

janderson · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2005, 07:05:54 PM »

Watched a JBT event here two months back because I like to watch the kids bowl. At this particular event, they have a wide array of ages from 6-year-olds through 21 year-olds, both male and female.

There was some real talent represented and not all of it was the high-rev approach to the game. It was sad to see a 7-year-old, small for his age, trying to turn the daylights out of the ball and physically struggling to do so. To be blunt, it looked like the little guy was in pain. All the while, his parents are and smiling and cheering him on to turn the ball even more. I just hope the kid doesn't self-inflict any injuries trying to appease his (IMO) jerk parents.

Open bowling is a mixed bag. For every teenager I see trying to crank the ball I see another trying to throw the ball 30 miles an hour. Although it makes me sound like a butthead to say it, I don't remember the last time I saw a teenager with some real talent (regardless of style) open bowling.

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Kill the back row (or maybe this should read "make your spares, dummy")

Author Topic: Is the stereotype really true? (Read 1115 times)

a_ak57

Is the stereotype really true?

DP3

Re: Is the stereotype really true?

a_ak57

Re: Is the stereotype really true?

a_ak57

Re: Is the stereotype really true?

a_ak57

Re: Is the stereotype really true?

a_ak57

Re: Is the stereotype really true?

janderson

Re: Is the stereotype really true?