Seriously think about where bowling has been, where it is now, and where you think it will be in 10 years?  Do you see even more powerful equipment?  Maybe lane conditioner that is more dense or maybe more slippery to combat the hook monsters?  The return of short/long oil?  Do you think there will be more/less open bowling, league bowling, or tournament bowling?  Are you a total pessimist and think bowling will be dead, or are you forever the optimist and feel it will come back and flourish once again?

Here's what I think: most of this hinges on the issues we face as a society.  If things stay pretty much unchanged (think of the "me" generation), then I see more leagues lost, fewer tourneys, and possibly more open/cosmic bowling.

However, if society swings back to a value system of "togetherness" where camaraderie, weekly socializing with friends/neighbors, and freindly competition makes a comeback, then it is possible for league bowling to gain popularity again.

As for tournament bowling, I see this as a sinking ship - unless integrity is restored.  There will have to be better documentation and enforcement of tournament averages to reduce the current assumption that only "blatant sandbaggers have any chance to win" in handicap tournaments.  On the scratch side they are going to have to reign in the strike-fest, either through lane conditioning advances or pin technology, and bring accurate spareshooting back into the game without making the whole thing a disgruntling "grind out" where the guy shooting 570 wins. If this is not done, and the current tournament trend continues, I feel there will not be many tournaments in the future.


One side note:  My wife and I were in an antique store the other day, and I saw a bowling trophy from the 1972-73 season.  The award was for high series for a men's league.  Any guess what that series was? Take a guess, I'll tell you later.


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9~

Keep your balls on the lane and your mind in the gutter!

And what makes the world go 'round?

I love the comparison of the bowling world to the real world.  I think you guys are dead on with that.  But I notice that you both seem to think the bowling world will follow the lead of the rest of the world.  Why can't it be the other way around?  Why can't we lead the way?

"I cant think of anything that once became easy to revert to being hard", said Bones.

But just because you can't remember it ever happening doesn't mean it never happened.  While you joke around about being an old fart, the world itself is A LOT older than any of us here.  The worst thing we can do is let the world trick us into believing something never existed when in fact it more than likely did (like a fair game of bowling).

Why does it have to be a question of difficulty though.  Why can't it become a question of fairness?

I know this seems far fetched to most, but I really think we have an opportunity with our bowling community to learn and teach.  While I agree that the bowling world has followed suit with the greediness and the overall ugliness of society today, as one of the last real communities left in this country, do we not have a chance to learn something here?  I mean, if we can find a way to save our bowling community, then isn't there hope for the rest of the world?

Doesn't seem so far fetched to me.  Just gotta get people to care.  That's all!
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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!"

Edited on 11/16/2004 0:34 AM

You can forget about any integrity coming back into the game. It is what it is. The ABC allowed it to get that way and they will not do anything to stop it. As long as money comes in to support them, that is all they care about. Heck, they don't even follow the lane condition rules in the rule book now. Some centers are oiling 46 feet. Do you really think that there is 3 units of oil all the way across the lane at the end of the pattern. Your lucky if there is "any" oil right of the 12 board anywhere. If you think that I am wrong call up Roger Dalkin, himself, and see how he skates around it. The WALL will only get bigger.

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EvEryOnE rOlls OvEr thE lanE bEd

9 my boy, bowling centers will be the minature golf of the future, run down places that people go to for outings and birthday parties.   Sorry but that is where it is headed!

I suppose I am an optimist. I think there will be more of a division between bowling as a sport and bowling as an activity. I foresee that the sport of bowling will redefine the lane conditioning parameters and the reduce the differential ratings in bowling balls to provide a higher level of sport competition. Why? Because there is an out cry from bowlers across the community to restore some integrity for the higher level competition.

Look for example at the PBA who is providing more demanding conditions. Look at the big Tournaments, ABC Nationals and High Roller's. More and more tournaments are realizing that high scores are prohibiting bowlers attendance.

The BPAA is taking an active role as well we have nearly all big name coaches advocating change (listen to Phatom Radio). Not to mention PBA bowlers are becoming out spoken against what has happened. I could go on and on listing but change is happening already we just have to look at it and realize it. It might not be happening as fast as some of us want but I think it will continue in the direction it is already going.
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Bowling Tips and Articles at: www.bowlingknowledge.com
IRC: Internet Relay Chat on Dalnet #striketalk. 24x7x365

The high series for the year was 567?  While there is no doubt todays bowlers are heavily helped by balls and wall shots, I know I could take a plastic ball to a house and fire a 567 throwing a pocket rocket up the outside.  Not saying it's easy or could be done anytime, but I know I could do it.  This is why I can't help but wonder if a lot of the proliferaiton of today's game is because of sites like this which get the proper knowledge out to people who are seeking it.

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D <~~~~ Used to be terrible wiffing 10 pins.  Now through much practice, can wiff any single pin spare at any time.

Darrell Guzman
guzmand19 - Yahoo IM and MSN screen names