Like Barnes and Pete Weber, I think Rash has started off so poorly in his PBA career that no matter what changes he makes in his life, many of the fans who do not like him now, will not change their opinion of him.
I'll admit, I was that way with Weber. I had known him for a while, as he bowled in my PBA region, but everyone flocked to him as if he was the be all/end all of the PBA even at that time (late 80s/early 90s). He was cocky, brazen, and gave off the impression that he was always an absolute ass. Phenomenal bowler, but a jerk.
Then I watched
A League of Ordinary Gentlemen. That changed my entire outlook on him, especially as up until Dick's passing, he was living up to his father, and in the minds of some people, under his shadow.
I think the opinions people had of Pete would have been drastically different if there were a time when Dick had to bowl Pete for a title. Then we'd see true colours.
Same with Barnes, especially in the fact that he even admits that as good as he is, his wife beats him regularly. That's not only edifying his wife, but that's also being humble. In that same movie, you understand why he does what he does, and it gives you different perspective on his life as well.
It's really worth watching, especially with the four storylines it has going on in it.
People, who are more open minded, will watch him, and if he has truly made some changes in his behavior, they will come to appreciate him and his skill set.
Some people are likeable no matter what they seem to do.
Other people are not likeable no matter how nice they try to be.
True. But that also doesn't mean that they aren't respected for the talent that they have and that they put themselves out there for our entertainment.
On the other hand, some bowlers were Jekyl and Hyde, depending on whether they had a ball in their hand or not:
Not many young people will remember what stars like Dick Weber, Don Carter, and Earl Anthony were like on and off the lanes. On the lanes, no matter who you were, you were their bitter enemy. Once they stepped off the approach, they were your best friend.
Two good cases in point: Mika and Barnes. Best friends, godparents to each other's children, and always playing jokes on eachother. Yet when they are bowling eachother they are fierce rivals.
Duke and Voss. These guys live close to eachother, and go out golfing all the time. Bowled eachother for titles all the time, and I remember one match distinctly where at the end, Voss told Duke that he'd buy him a beer afterwards.
Back to Rash. While Pete is trying to be the elder statesman but still be PDW, Rash was coming up as the PBA's new bad boy. And in a sense, he did become it. Now that they have Kaley, I think that bad boy image got sent packing. He's still in his head when it comes to wanting to win and execution, but I think that if he concentrates more on outside factors (read: baby smiling/cooing/laughing, etc.) he'll not stay in his head as he has and executes without even thinking about it.
BL.
