Author Topic: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish ) (Read 4371 times)

Juggernaut · « **on:** November 15, 2008, 04:28:03 AM »

Like it says, been thinking about quitting bowling a lot lately. It may sound like whining, but I think the game/sport has sort of passed me by

.

Just in the past few years balls have gotten so particular and oil sensitive while oils have gotten more and more viscous. Oiling machines now have to be computerized just to be able to put out the shot consistently. I have tried to keep up with technological advances, but am tired of being told I need to buy 5 new balls a year just to stay competitive.

Ball companies haven't been any help. They design their latest missiles for top performance with no regards to longevity, and raising their prices to pay for their "R&D" to develop these "SUPER SPONGEBALLS". That's kind of like Ford motor company deciding to build and sell only top fuel dragsters and getting us to pay them to do it. Top performance with no regards for longevity. Lets see them persuade us that we need to go that route and buy at least 2-3 dragsters every couple of years.

So, after buying at least 3 balls a year, for at least the last 7 years and always being told I am throwing an "antique" that isn't designed to handle "todays" oil patterns, I have just about had all I want. Last league night did me in. I've been shooting really good this year, working very hard at it and got my average back into the 220's ( after a couple of years ), only to have the lane machine "malfunction" just prior to our league. It proceeded to put out a reverse blocked shot that I have absolutely no way of hitting with what's currently in my bag. And WHY should I carry a ball designed for that shot when I am never supposed to see it? I get tired of carrying 8 balls into my home house just to bowl 1 league. That was getting ridiculous.

Burn out? Maybe, but I don't know if this is the kind of burn out you can recover from or not. I've really tried to do the best I can. I've worked very hard to get good over the years, learning all I could about the game/sport, trying to keep pace with technology and was/am considered one of the good bowlers here, but I am tired of the never ending chase.

I'm not looking for validation here, just wondering why I should keep trying to perfect skills that can be/have been taken away at a moments notice by a vengeful laneman or a "malfunctioning" lane machine. If the ability to score well depends on such a tenuous thing as the pattern of lane conditioner on the surface of the lane, and NOBODY can guarantee that it is put out properly, or if I happened to have the "right" ball at the "right" time with the "right" drilling on it, why should I continue to spend my hard earned money on something that is fast becoming a fruitless endeavour, much like a dog endlessly chasing his tail and never catching up to it?
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Jock · « **Reply #31 on:** November 17, 2008, 06:20:18 AM »

quote:
yeah, .......Cie la vie!

I'm sorry, but having lived in France for the past 25 years and speaking fluent French I have to chip in here.

It's C'est la vie and not Cie la vie!

As for the OP, I can definately see where your coming from, but unfortunately I don't have any magic answers for you. I'm feeling about the same myself lately.
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I've upped my average, so up yours!

9andaWiggle · « **Reply #32 on:** November 17, 2008, 10:30:33 AM »

Burnout I understand. What I don't get are bowlers like Juggernaut here, who make statements that lane conditions should not be challenging for amateur leagues. Or that they should be the same week after week, yet they go out and buy the latest and greatest every year to bowl on the same lane pattern week in and week out for league?

Maybe it's different where ya'll live, but around here all you need is a mild reactive and maybe a spare ball. Dump it up 10 board all night and you're in the hole. No need for hook monsters, 8 ball rollers, or any of that other BS.

So why do bowlers do this? Out one side of their mouth they say their league is "just for fun" and as such, they don't show up for a "challenging lane condition". That they should be given the same, easy or at least manageable shot week after week with zero changes to it. After all, it's just for fun right? But they come in dragging a variety of rolling ball bags containing anywhere between $1500 and $3000 worth of equipment for a fun league? All that equipment and they don't have anything in the bag for control on a hard pattern? Don't make no sense to me...

If you buy 3 new balls a year, why are you not covering holes in your arsenal for the chance happening that the lane condition will be less than pristine?

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9~

Internet Tough Guy

Cyberspace Sheep Lover

janderson · « **Reply #33 on:** November 17, 2008, 11:17:31 AM »

quote:
NO SHOT, just oil randomly scattered on the lane by a wild, mindless, rampaging oil machine that nobody botheres to maintain properly in the first place to prevent it from going haywire.

Just a couple of constructive suggestions: Use it as a test center to prepare for the Petersen Classic and go make yourself some money. Challenge yourself to develop a straight game so when the machine does go "haywire" you can still shoot 190.

quote:
am tired of being told I need to buy 5 new balls a year just to stay competitive

Most bowlers would be better served buy 1 new ball every other year and spending the rest of the money on a good coach.
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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson - "Better than Jello" - Kill the back row

911chilli · « **Reply #34 on:** November 18, 2008, 06:31:33 PM »

CURIOUS jug did you man up or did you quit?

Kid Jete · « **Reply #35 on:** November 18, 2008, 09:43:41 PM »

quote:
Juggernaut has some valid points. I think handicap bowling needs to be eliminated. That is why a lot of people I know who don't bowl make fun of bowling. It is also the reason why I know one guy who gave up leagues just to bowl regionals and scratch tournaments.

THE ONLY REASON I BOWL IN A LEAGUE IS FOR FUN AND THE HOPES I WILL ACTUALLY GET AN HONOR SCORE SANCTIONED. I have 3 unsanctioned and my non league bowling buddy says in his opinion if they were witnessed, they count. He says basically the heck with the USBC. They have allowed the THS for so long, league bowling means nothing, and the bowling ball industry has convinced and lied enough to make people think a bowling ball is actually worth the $229 some of the new ones cost.

Friends of mine who play softball, golf, semi-pro basketball leagues etc... ask me why in the heck does someone get pins handicap because they are not as good as you?

Well, I would like to know that too! In my summer scratch doubles league I averaged 205 and won 75% of my matches. The last scratch tournament I was in I averaged 220, so why in a handicap league do I barely average 195-200?

Face it! The ball companies have a scam going, and people have bought into it. Well I ain't buying no more!
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"When the doors of perception are cleansed, everything appears to man as it is...infinite."

Aldous Huxley

"When a man stares out into the abyss, and nothing stares back at him, that is when he finds his character."

Nikos Kazantzakis

You have many other options. Sport leagues, PBAX leagues, SCRATCH leagues... oh and horseshoes. Take your pick.

Kid Jete · « **Reply #36 on:** November 18, 2008, 10:08:47 PM »

quote:
I think handicap leagues have hurt our sport in the long run. People don't have to actually get better, they just buy a $250 bowling ball and join a handicap league to bowl rather than actually do something to get better.

Believe me, I would bowl PBAX if my center offered it, but its too hard so people don't want it...poor babies, its too hard so they don't want to even try.
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"When the doors of perception are cleansed, everything appears to man as it is...infinite."

Aldous Huxley

"When a man stares out into the abyss, and nothing stares back at him, that is when he finds his character."

Nikos Kazantzakis

Sounds like you're speaking from the minority standpoint. Bummer.

Why criticize what others want to do? For most bowling is recreation. Nothing is stopping YOU from practicing and getting better.

Edited on 11/18/2008 11:09 PM

911chilli · « **Reply #37 on:** November 19, 2008, 04:38:44 AM »

turguois your comparing a 220 avg. for one tourney to a year long league avg.maybe you just bowled good that day. most golf leagues have handicap

Edited on 11/19/2008 5:41 AM

Edited on 11/19/2008 5:42 AM

Author Topic: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish ) (Read 4371 times)

Juggernaut

Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

Jock

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

9andaWiggle

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

janderson

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

911chilli

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

Kid Jete

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

Kid Jete

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )

911chilli

Re: Been thinking about quitting lately...... ( longish & rantish )