Author Topic: Tom Clark is a............. (Read 3843 times)

northface28 · « **on:** March 29, 2004, 09:44:06 PM »

Moron. This guy thinks that Mika Kouvineimi has "questionable revs and minimal accuracy". Tom also thinks that Mikas 300 on TV was the easiest of all-time. If it was so easy wouldnt everyone have shot 300? Does Mika benefit from todays equipment? Absolutely, but to portray Kouvineimi as some kind "hack" is totally uncalled for. Tom Clark banters about the bowling balls being too strong nowadays and that bowling should go back to old urethane yet he considers sport bowling "boring and too difficult". I have seen Tom Clark bowl and he is awful. He hits up on the ball way too hard and wonders why his ball hooks early and doesn't hit. Couple that with the fact that his fingers look he was rubbing them across razor blades and we have another angry bowler mad at the "game". But this angry bowler has a pen and writes for USA Today and pollutes the bowling community with his moronic thoughts. My work is done here.
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"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." -George W. Bush

Edited on 3/30/2004 1:40 PM

Edited on 3/30/2004 1:41 PM

Jeffrevs · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2004, 12:46:40 PM »

northface28,

you need to speak your mind, and tell it how it is,...don't beat around the bush, don't hold things in,..it's not healthy!

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JEFF
Better....much better!

Edited on 3/30/2004 2:13 PM

230-n-up-or-bust · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2004, 12:50:21 PM »

Besides, who the he!! is Tom Clark?
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Not all great shots result in strikes and not all strikes are great shots. A Lane #1 distributor since two hours ago.

Urethane Game · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:03:36 PM »

The job of any columnist is to engage the reader in critical thought about the topic at hand. While I don't always agree with his opinions, he is a skilled writer and bowling's only link to the outside world. It is a shame that USA Today would not compensate him for his bowling column.

Would you prefer reading in SI about all of the bowlers in clown shoes shooting 300's?

By the way, I disagree with him about Mika's performance but he is right about the cheater balls.

Edited on 3/30/2004 1:57 PM

northface28 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:18:10 PM »

What is a "cheater" ball? Futhermore, where can I purchase it? Are we as bowlers supposed to purchase equipment that is inferior and obselete? My take on it is you either roll or get rolled over. By no means am I saying buy 4-5 balls a month. But dont get mad when you are throwing a Vector 2 on 44 ft of flat oil and complain that other people are "cheating". Everyone has the availability to equipment so in my mind its not cheating. It's just like a car: Who's going to stick with the crank car when you have a fuel-injected car on the market? That's how I would compare it.
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"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures." -George W. Bush

Jeffrevs · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:20:26 PM »

true, and let's not forget,......some of the golf clubs being used on tour aren't "cheaters" so -to-speak.......
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JEFF
Better....much better!

seadrive · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2004, 02:15:51 PM »

If you think Tom Clark's articles about bowling in USA Today are bad for bowling, then you're, ummmm... well, a moron.

Agree or disagree with him, but Clark is just about the only mainstream sportswriter who gives a hoot about the sport of bowling. Keep writing Tom, keep writing.

I understand what he means when he says that Mika benefits more than many pro's from the strength of modern bowling balls. John Jowdy says the same thing about Walter Ray. You wanna tell me that Jowdy is a moron?
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seadrive
Cogito ergo bowl

Jeffrevs · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2004, 02:32:15 PM »

seadrive, while there was some validity to Tom's article, ....Mika puts twice as much on the ball as WRW...I've bowled with him at the pro-am last year, and he's NO FLUFFER by any stretch....

Tom does give a hoot about bowling, but our issues here in bowling can be reflected elsewhere,...primarily golf technology....

The 2 things that northface mentioned in his post I agree with...Tom's Mika comments, and sport bowling being boring...
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JEFF
Better....much better!

BackToBasics · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2004, 02:56:54 PM »

Why when bowling technology is discused golf is thrown into the mix when the advances are really different? Technology in golf has changed tremendously but the key difference is that it has helped EVERYONE. Even though Fred Funk is driving it further, he's still not driving the ball as far as Tiger woods but David Traber's ball hits as hard as Chris Barnes. In bowling, less is more. Last year, I got down to a 2 handicap. I've worked at trying to get more clubhead speed and more power in order to increase distance. However in bowling, I've done the exact opposite. I've tried to cut down revs because the balls are so agressive. I actually have MORE room at times with lower revs because the ball isn't so sensitive to the lanes. However, there is no way I can hit the ball further with less swing speed. That's the key difference between the two advancement in technologies.

Televised sports has to have some entertainment value. I don't agree with all of Tom's article but it has some merits. What's more exciting, watching Pete Weber, Chris Barnes, Amletto and Robert Smith or David Traber, Walter Ray, Mika, and Steve Jaros?

Jeffrevs · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2004, 02:59:44 PM »

quote:
Even though Fred Funk is driving it further, he's still not driving the ball as far as Tiger woods but David Traber's ball hits as hard as Chris Barnes.

Anthony, good points in your post, ...but the same result still....Tiger and Barnes have better games than Funk and Traber......
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JEFF
Better....much better!

seadrive · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:09:39 PM »

This topic has been beaten to death over on pba.com.

Tom Clark's position is that the power of the modern bowling ball is ruining the sport, even at the professional level. Many of the top guys are now throwing the high hard one, and allowing the power of the ball cores to splatter pins around.

As more and more pro's come to realize that this is now the best way to play the game, we will see more and more of this. Fastball, fastball, fastball, fastball, fastball, fastball, fastball, fastball... gets a little boring.

Good example: Brian Himmler won his only title this year, throwing the ball pretty much straight up the 8 board. Any of you who've watched the Chief bowl in past years know that that is very unusual for him. The rats learn quickly, especially when their survival is at stake.

Someone on pba.com quoted Carmen Salvino as saying that Steve Jaros had so much success this year because he figured out a way to simply go through the oil pattern, rather than worrying about going around it.

I think Clark's problem is that it isn't pretty or fun to watch, and on that, I agree with him.
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seadrive
Cogito ergo bowl

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2004, 03:41:52 PM »

Mr. Chapman,

Congratulations on being a 2 handicapper. I was marginally one until I got to longer and harder courses then I beat ALL the two handicappers and scratch players usually. Different strokes for different folks.

Surprisingly while you in bowling are high rev high speed and in golf short on clubhead speed I'm the opposite soft speed in bowling with high clubhead speed in golf. Funny. (of course I bowl with my uncoordinated left side while in golf I play with my coordinated right hand).

I believe that it is possible to still win on the protour with higher than average revs, I think Chris Barnes demonstrates that well. However it does seem that less axis rotation is working much better than more. Was it not Kimbo who had changed from a 60 degree axis rotation down to a 40 to 45 degree axis rotation.

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS I agree with Tom Clark thesis that bowling is not as pretty to watch right now compared to the area conditions of the past. It does seem that the less swing oftentimes the better!
PPS there is no doubt that in my mind if swing was required Mika could do it by just slowing down slightly and setting the ball down earlier. Don't fool yourself, this guy has quite a bit of revs, but even more speed and loft! He is one hell of a bowler and would be even under conditions where more hook is called for!

Rock77 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2004, 04:30:01 PM »

Saying that Mika is @#$% good is an understatement. They guy had his breakout year and SHOULD win the Player of the Year (IMHO). Either way, he is one of the elite bowlers on tour now and will be for a while. This Tom Clark is a dumbass and doesnt know what he is talking about!! Nuff Said!
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"I am the most consistent bowler in my house....

I consistently SUCK!!"

BackToBasics · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2004, 05:25:52 PM »

quote:
Anthony, good points in your post, ...but the same result still....Tiger and Barnes have better games than Funk and Traber......

No doubt. I was just talking purely about the differences from a technology standpoint. I am also not questiong Mika's ability or any other of the PBA pros.

LuckyLefty:
I'm by no means low in the clubhead speed but of course I could always use more

My problem now is that I'm like that new Tiger Woods Buick commercial..."Oh, is this what the rough looks like"...except I could declare it as my primary residence for tax purposes

pin-chaser · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2004, 06:36:32 PM »

northface,

While Mika did it, if you watch the tape, he sprayed the ball 5 boards at his break point and 3 boards at his target. The ball, condition and surface gave that much area to him. When the ball entered the pocket, they all looked flush. Mika is certianly NOT a hack, but the truth be told, he was "matched up" and used it. While others did not. As well, not being able to see all the 300 games that have been on TV as clearly as Mika's I cant state nor can I dispute the fact that it may have been the easiest, but certianly, for the pro's it was one that was able to strike without requiring the normal amount of percision.

Clarks opinion about balls is certianly being echo'd in many forums and I for you am an advocate for that mentality. Clark maybe a bad bowler, but that does not reflect on his ability to see bowlings bigger picture nor does it invalidate his thoughts and opinions. Just as you can express yours he has the right to express his and I mine.

I dont know if you get PBA's Strike Pass, but Gutter Talk had Mika on just after the show. He admitted to the fact that while he did make adjustments in his eyes he did have "more room than normal". There was even a slight joke between him and Dell Ballard and they were noticibly carefull not to admitt that it was simply "too" easy.
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Getting all the pins I can.

Author Topic: Tom Clark is a............. (Read 3843 times)

northface28

Tom Clark is a.............

Jeffrevs

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230-n-up-or-bust

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Urethane Game

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northface28

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Jeffrevs

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seadrive

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Jeffrevs

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BackToBasics

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Jeffrevs

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seadrive

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LuckyLefty

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Rock77

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BackToBasics

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pin-chaser

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