Serious question from a new USBC board member

[mumzie]

I bowl league with a woman who has been elected to the new USBC board of directors. Last night she asked me a really important question:

What do you think USBC should do differently (than WIBC/ABC) to support the bowlers? What do the bowlers want?

I told her that I would pose it to the board, then email her the results.

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All things are difficult
before they are easy.
---- Thomas Fuller

[hotwire13]

quote:How about putting some integrity back into the oil patterns allowed (for all sanctioned play - not just sport leagues)? I would think capping ratios at about 4:1 would be about right for non-sport approved leagues. I do believe they need to keep supporting sport bowling conditions, but at the same time, some reigns are needed to define (& improve) just what a THS can be.
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"Where are the Snowdens of yesteryear?"

Edited on 7/28/2004 4:50 PM

Applaud!!!
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RED STRIPE

ITS BEER
HOORAY BEER!

[tenpinspro]

quote: How about putting some integrity back into the oil patterns allowed (for all sanctioned play - not just sport leagues)? I would think capping ratios at about 4:1 would be about right for non-sport approved leagues. I do believe they need to keep supporting sport bowling conditions, but at the same time, some reigns are needed to define (& improve) just what a THS can be.

"Standing up and applauding!!"

Let's also try and put a better limit on equipment(coverstocks mainly).  If we can try and put a better limitation to hook monsters and oil densities still continue to increase, it may bring some skill back into the game.

Rick

[hotwire13]

quote:

Let's also try and put a better limit on equipment(coverstocks mainly).  If we can try and put a better limitation to hook monsters and oil densities still continue to increase, it may bring some skill back into the game.

Rick

did you see the new joke AMF is trying to market?...some new coverstock that hooks to the gutter on a 48' shot?
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RED STRIPE

ITS BEER
HOORAY BEER!

[DanH78]

While I too applaud these ideas, the bowling industry and the bowlers have too much money invested in the way things are now for this to ever happen.  Technology evolved too fast for the rules to keep up.  

In my opinion, these need to be applied to the concept of Sport bowling.  Your typical "230" average bowler, will not give up his top hat and hook monster.

[stormerjip]

how about actualy even enforcing the rules that are there now

[mumzie]

I made a suggestion last night to somehow track cumulative averages, maybe tournament averages - to possibly keep enough records that sandbagging might have a chance to get caught.


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All things are difficult
before they are easy.
---- Thomas Fuller

[TwoFourEightNineNine]

Mumzie, do me a favor... what does the USBC plan to do with the YABA now it has "tapped out" to the powers of the USBC. Will the SMART Scholarship program be continuing? Will there be a Junior Gold tournament? Also, what will happen to USA Bowling? What will happen to the USA bowling National Championships? Who will plan out how a Team USA is chosen? What is the role of the youth in the USBC, too?


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-Jeremy Vitug

[mumzie]

Jeremy, I will certainly ask those specific questions.

Keep the feedback coming, folks!!! There are some great items of discussion. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to let them truly know what we think BEFORE the organization starts in as "business as usual". I was thrilled to even be asked.
I am going to forward everyone's comments to her after a few days of receiving your guys feedback.

If I remember correctly, the new USBC board of directors is 25 people. 6 from WIBC, 6 from ABC, 2 or 3 from YABA, 2 or 3 from the proprietors, and I believe the rest of the members are athletes.

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All things are difficult
before they are easy.
---- Thomas Fuller

[da Shiv]

I'm going to depart from the norm and not call for changes in lane conditions or balls.

My first idea is for the USBC to promote changes in league secretary software to enable league secretaries to easily list not only the bowlers' cumulative average for the season to date, but also list the averages for the most recent 21 games (or some other number as chosen by the league).  This idea was brought up (by SrKegler I think) a few weeks ago and stimulated much positive discussion.  It is a good way to limit the effects of sandbagging, and it also limits the advantage that teams of improving novice bowlers have in handicapped leagues.

I'd also like to see the USBC put together a cogent, well-written yet mathematically simple group of alternative methods for teams to acquire points in their nightly competitions.  The old standby seven and four points systems are outdated and boring.  There are many interesting alternatives, some including points accrued by individual bowlers versus their correspondent in the same lineup spot on the other team.  The difficulty in instituting any of these systems is that in bowling league meetings no one has the patience or attention span to attempt to understand something different and perhaps a bit more complicated.  I've also frequently heard concerns expressed about whether more unusual points systems are legal, and they therefore get voted down due not only to lack of understanding of the system, but worries over whether they are within "the rules."  If a well written (and as short as possible) explanation of some of the other point systems--with advantages and disadvantages--was distributed by the governing body, it would eliminate questions of "legality" and if the secretaries could get sheets of such info distributed to team captains before league meetings, maybe more of these more interesting point systems could be adopted and increase the bowlers' interest in the competition.  I've seen slapdash blurbs from ABC about how leagues might consider alternative point systems, but nothing that would catch the attention of anyone other than obsessive readers of everything such as myself.

Actually, I can't read everything.  I just got back from out of town and when I opened up this site for the first time in about 10 days I had 24 pages of "Latest Posts" looking at me.  I couldn't deal with trying to catch up on all of that, so I just started fresh with today.  It'll have to do.

Shiv
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Listening to the monotonous staccato of rain on my desk top

[SrKegler]

Here’s what I would like to see:

Issue the ABC card with a magnetic strip just like a credit card.  My association already gives us the same number each year, makes it easier to track averages.

Calculate the averages for the previous 21 games, also continue the average from year to year instead of reestablishing an average at the start of each league session.

The card will have to be presented at each tournament.  It would be a simple download then to update tournament averages and winnings.

Change the minimum oil from the current 3 units to 7 units minimum, eventually ramping it up to 10 units.

Post the names of suspended bowlers in our bowling magazine and give the reason.  We used to have this years ago.

Merge the men and the women.  Have just two divisions, Adult and Youth.  A 170 average woman is just as capable as a 170 average male.  Right now its no problem, the women can bowl everything, just make it equal for both sexes.

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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

1st law of combat, "Bullets always have the right of way"

[jimsey]

mumzie

great post, I'm glad to hear that a usbc board member is interested in getting opinions from the bowlers.

Certainly a lane condition rating system would be a big help in helping to make sense out of the current scoring conditions.  I don't think we will ever get to the point that everyone will agree on what is a fair condition for all, if such a thing exists.  However, knowing that a specific oil pattern on a specific lane surface is a +25 from a spot compliant pattern might make a lot of sense.

One big goal that I see for USBC is to get more involved with the proprietors.  Having them represented on the new board is a great first step.  Yes, over the years the number of sanctioned bowlers has seriously declined as people have found other ways to spend their time and money.  But during that time, there has also been an increase in non sanctioned leagues. USBC needs to relook at tiered membership and the fees and services that they can provide to the every other week and once a month league bowler.  They need to make a strong effort to join with the proprietors and sanction all league bowlers.

Please thank our new USBC board member for her efforts and congratulate her on her election.

Jim Seyller
Elgin Bowling Association

[livespive]

I agree with Sr's average tracking, and doing something to improve on the THS.
Also, and I don't know if they have the power to mandate it, but requiring all
ball manufactures to use the same scale as far as hook, backend, etc.  They
all conform to the same scale for hardness, so I don't think this should be a problem.  If all balls have to be submitted to the USBC (ABC) anyway to get measured for hardness, then they can put them on a throw-bot and measure hook,
and backend.
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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
 Visionary Test Staff Member
http://www.visionarybowling.com

[9andaWiggle]

Good suggestions so far.  I wonder, since the cat is already out of the bag on the equipment, if we could do something to the pins?  Maybe more weight, or lower the center of gravity a bit to help offset the more powerful balls currently on the market?

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9~

Yawn! Did you say something?

[J_Mac]

The problem with making pin characteristic changes is that it then falls on the proprietors shoulders to buy new pins for their centers.  

I'm not sure that would leave a pleasant taste in the mouth's of proprietors that are already looking at the possible headache the USBC may cause in the upcoming months and years.

The USBC has a lot to consider towards the future of bowling.  For everyone's sake I hope that they make wise decisions.
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The summer...  time to get my ARSEnal in gear!