Many lower average guys will disagree but I'm kinda leaning on Sr. Keglers ideas.

1) The PBA and  ABC need to be under one association. One united front.
2) All sanctioned leagues must use a PBA approved pattern. These patterns should be labelled by scoring level which should be determined by offical heads under the newly formed duo of associations (See idea 1). 1 being easy 5 being hard
 A) This gives a greater respect for the pro and less variation around the country also helping to promote a better bowler will rise to the top on tougher conditions.
3) Fine proprietors who knowingly promote a non sanctioned pattern. The responsibility should be regulated through local association officials.

4) Regulation of bowling balls and lane surfaces should be looked at in greater detail with revamping such as static weight restrictions and also including pin weight and void location.

5) Work harder on promoting youth bowling. We have great coached fundamental systems for most every sport but bowling. (Football- pee wee, Baseball- Mickey Mantle, babe Ruth, Etc. etc.) Rarely walking in houses with a youth program do i see more than one or two coaches working with kids. Compare that to the level of coaching in any other sport, it is sad.

6) Study the migration of bowlers to the ABC tournament and also the Eliminators or High Rollers and why are they such a big hit?


To discuss some statements which I have heard.
1) oil-less lanes - You will not get bowling manufacturers to stop production over-night of current issue equipment and you would be killing some lane surfaces till they changed. I don't believe the cost of these would be at all cheap currently with no success stories ever even making the light of day. (Bill Hall's work for a long time)
2)Lane surfaces - they also should have to be monitored to acceptance level. No only level but also surface quality.
 A)The newly formed association should lean on lane manufacturers to make a very durable product and also to lessen costs to proprietors if they can. A lot of small house have a tough time with cost.

My idea is not to force bowling alleys to make all their leagues tougher.

The idea, is to establish some integrity back into the game of bowling.  To me, that means having sometime of yardstick so we can realistically compare ourselves to the pros.  With todays THS, there just isn’t anyway possible.

At first, I thought the sports league might catch on.  There was 3 flaws in the program the way ABC set it up.

1st, they had the additional cost to be sanctioned.
2d is someone only bowled a sport league, their average was adjusted to reflect the tougher shot.  Most of us feel that was unfair, kind of a slap in the face to be penalized by having to give the people that stayed on the house shot more handicap.

3d, the pros don’t bowl on a sport shot, nothing is really gained by comparing averages by the top amateurs and the pros.

Whatever changes are decided upon to restore integrity boils down to one thing.  LOWER SCORES.  The ball manufacturers are not going to allow any type legislation that hurts their business.  Bowling alleys are not going to allow anything that affects their lineage.

The one place ABC can make an impact is in the tournaments.  There is a ton of large tournaments around, Hoinke, TAC, etc.  People are going to bowl them regardless of the conditions.  If we have the requirement that they be shot on a PBA pattern it doesn’t affect the local houses at all.  The people is does affect is the ones who attend the tournaments.

If they want to stay in their wall shot leagues, fine.  Their handicap will be based upon that average.  How well will they compare when matched up to someone that has an average based on a PBA pattern league.

Lets think in “baby steps”.  The first year ABC has the requirement that all tournaments be shot on a PBA pattern.  

2d year the people that shot some of the big money tournaments are going to want to have some experience on it, they tell their house they need a PBA league to practice on.  House may only have 1 league but at least it is a start.

3rd year, Joe Bowler has to make a decision.  Stay on his wall shot, maintain that high average and be uncompetitive at the tournaments or switch over to the other leagues.

There has to be an incentive for people to want to shoot the tougher leagues.  This is the only way I can think of to apply pressure on the houses and the bowlers to want the tougher conditions.

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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

Old bowlers never die, we just don't score as often

Somebody said that the ball manufacturers and the bowling centers would not allow changes to be made...

In a true capitalistic "free market", being all you can be takes precedence over everything.  In other words, why the hell do we care what the ball manufacturers and what ABC will let us do?  In order to do what's best for the sport of bowling, steps A, B, C...Z need to happen, and probably over a period of time.  It would be nice to soften the blow for the ball manufacturers if possible, but if not, so be it.  Furthermore, why in God's name would a bowling center tell you "no, you may NOT start a league in my bowling center!"  If you are interested in starting a bowling league with limits on bowling balls, and limits on the lane condition, then who is ABC...who are the ball manufacturers, and who is the bowling center that is going to say "NO!"

While I agree if we force them to make big changes right now, they have every right to say no and probably will.  Example--if we say they must go back to single voided pins by next season, limit their house shot to a 4-1 ratio, and limit the equipment that may be used on the lanes, then of course they're going to laugh at you and unsanction all of their leagues and continue running business as usual.

Again, I think forcing tournaments to put out tougher shots is just not the answer.  I know of a lot of little local tournaments here in Michigan that get good turnouts.  They're handicap tournaments that get upwards of 120 people per event.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  We need to realize that competetive style bowling is NOT for everyone.  For those who love the easy shots and will refuse to bowl on tougher conditions, so be it.  Ignorance is bilss.  That is their choice.

Thank you all so very much for replying to this thread.  I am going to put our ideas together and post them in another thread, and I will ask once again for your feedback.  We have tossed ideas around, and quite a few still think it's not a reality.  Perhaps when you see the whole plan and see how ABC answers to my questions and statements, then we'll be able to look to a brighter future.  Please realize that the ABC, ball manufacturers and other organizations are NOT holding all of the cards here.  We ultimately outnumber them, and if enough of us can form a plan based on a vision of what could happen down the road, then we will find a way to get it done.  

The only real obstacles are the ones that don't exist (they're in our heads).
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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!"