Pretty good article.  I could quibble with some points, but I think the most important point he made was how much bowlers have improved skill wise since I was young.  That seems to be something that very few people want to acknowledge.

As many discussions as we’ve had in the past, and as many times as I’ve been “blown up” for my opinions, I’m going to say this:

BULLSHIT!

 A pro shop guy, talking like a pro shop guy, speaks of gloom and doom to be caused by the new regulations. He also looks to place the blame elsewhere by claiming it isn’t the balls, or the drilling’s that are at fault, it’s those crazy easy shots people are putting out.

 Look, I get it. People are fearful and resist change, but in truth, the proposed changes are, in reality, pretty minimal.

 You can still “swing the cg out positive”, drill it to “go long and flip”, and many other things without having to utilize a balance hole to somewhat circumvent the limitation rules put in place to help control ball reactions in the first place.

 Trust me, a “modern” ball with a “modern” cover on it is geometrically stronger than even the best balls from 25 years ago.

 People have been shooting 300’s and 800’s for decades. Modern lanes, conditioners, and oiling machines make it easier than ever before, and even the most basic reactive resin ball is superior to the old u-dots, thunderbolts, angles, and hammers of yesteryear.

 Point being, stop complaining about how “bad” it might be, and start realizing just how good it actually is.

 You give me a scout reactive with a pancake weightblock, pin in with about 4oz topweight before drilling, allow me to drill it with an ounce of finger and three ounces sideweight and adjust the surface, and I can make your head spin like the exorcist, especially on most THS.

  Trust me, a “modern” ball with a “modern” cover on it is geometrically stronger than even the best balls from 25 years ago.

The friction of the modern resin ball has dramaticly increased carry potential, but it has also made it more difficult to stay in the pocket with the dramatic transitions in oil patterns caused by the balls.  Prior to resin I use to get a 300 every 2 or three years.  After resin I started getting 2 or 3 per year but my average only went up about 5 pins.  Even if I stayed in the pocket during the transitions my carry would be very volatile.  I can't count the number if you times I shot 300 but left 3 or 4 tens either preceding or after the big gane

So if there's this argument about Transitions coming faster and having to be able to adjust quicker, why are old timers unable to admit that the modern elite bowler is *better* than those elite bowlers of the plastic/urethane era?

Ask them all and they'll admit that you rarely had to move once you found the pocket. Not to mention you could get the job done with a Hammer and a White/Yellow Dot for just about everything.

Your average league bowler is "astronomically less accurate". The elite pros aren't. Kegel has recorded multi-hour sessions that prove the modern day PBA's bowler's accuracy. Much like the old wise tales of "not having to move", the same could be said about how accurate the bowlers of years past, *not at the elite level*, were.

The top 1% is always the top 1%, but from a physical game point of view, the modern elite player is just as, if not more accurate with a much more advanced physical game.