BallReviews
General Category => PBA => Topic started by: earlyrolling on December 17, 2015, 07:36:12 PM
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I was disappointed in some of the picks from the PBA League Draft today. I thought the goal was to put together top talent, not just pick your buddies or those you were familiar with. There are others who weren't picked who bowled pretty well at the WSOB. I know that having done so doesn't automatically make them superstars but really, I don't see how picking Dave Wodka over someone like Gary Faulkner Jr. or Kyle Troup makes sense for the game or a marketing standpoint.
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I like the Gary kid idea.The guppy Troup kid would be a dumpster fire,no need for an attention whore on the team.Gary has way more style and class
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I don't understand the Dave Wodka selection either. In the pro ranks his is hardly better than average. Only won one title way back in 1999.
There are so many better players. Like I said I don't get it.
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I started this post earlier this evening, without any thought to the fact that Faulkner Jr. was competing for a title tonight. I just saw on PBA.com that he won. Now I think it looks even worse (in every sense of the word) that he wasn't drafted.
Even if he had not won a title tonight, he was worth drafting above some other folk.
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Dave Wodka seems to choke on tv as well. Here's a recent example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxm9v4CXLvg&list=PLD80C77C7BD590DAF
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I see Dave Wodka bowl a lot locally (Vegas). His game his PBA worthy and all of the pros respect his knowledge of the game. One week he's going to roll everyone. He has been throwing it super duper good the last two years and he's picked up all of the modern "tricks" to keep up with the tour guys.
I wish him well.
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Couch picking Wodka is a better selection than "Team Brunswick" picking Van Hees. Couch and Wodka are best buds that now work together for Ebonite , were on staff together for umpteen years, and roomed together back when they both started on tour. Couch was never going to pick anyone else.
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Which proves the OP's point. It's about who you know, not how well you do. That's not good or bad, just a true observation. And most of us would be hard pressed to do something different in that situation. Personally though, I favor earning the spot by what you do, not who you know....
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I wonder if it might be venue related also.
And after looking at the rosters, I see a lot of brand loyalty on some teams.
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I believe the Motown Muscle picked one of the best bowlers at this time. Great job in picking Danielle McEwan!!!
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And definitely the prettiest bowler on that team,or any of the other ones 😆
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McEwan was a great pick. She can flat out bowl.
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Is she the new Kelly Kulick?
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I agree that Simonsen, McNeil, and McEwan were all great picks. The Wodka pick is the one that really shocked me as being unworthy.
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Don't matter who they draft. Chris Barnes king of team event is gonna win!!!
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Is she the new Kelly Kulick?
She could be. I've been really impressed with what she can do and she did beat Kelly Kulick in the US Open on her way to winning the title.
Wodka- he doesn't deserve to be there. I'm guessing it's because he is a District Sales Manager for EBI and because he and Couch are friends, the buddy system worked here. He can bowl, but there are many people better than Wodka when it comes to PBA tournaments. Amleto Monacelli is a perfect example and he still bowls well.
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Couch picking Wodka is a better selection than "Team Brunswick" picking Van Hees. Couch and Wodka are best buds that now work together for Ebonite , were on staff together for umpteen years, and roomed together back when they both started on tour. Couch was never going to pick anyone else.
There's this, Van Hees just won a national title, I can't remember the last time Wodka was even in contention for one. So, there goes your point out the window. Van Hees can flat out bowl.
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Couch picking Wodka is a better selection than "Team Brunswick" picking Van Hees. Couch and Wodka are best buds that now work together for Ebonite , were on staff together for umpteen years, and roomed together back when they both started on tour. Couch was never going to pick anyone else.
There's this, Van Hees just won a national title, I can't remember the last time Wodka was even in contention for one. So, there goes your point out the window. Van Hees can flat out bowl.
Having bowled in Leagues with Dave, I can guarantee you he can throw down, but I don't think anyone is questioning his bowling bona fides here.
As far as winning goes, I do remember the times when Jurek was chosen, and was either during or shortly after ending that long dry patch he had between titles. So to be honest, number of titles shouldn't be a factor in choosing someone in a draft.
If they can get you some sort of strategic advantage (read: intimidation/awe factor), etc., and can still throw the ball well, anyone is fair game. Hell, I'd think it would be great if one of them drafted Salvino, Voss, Petraglia, or someone from the old old old old school. Yes, they'd be past their prime, but even the new guys coming in would still be in awe, even if just standing in their presence.
BL.
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The bottom line is very few if any truly care...as well as those that actually watch it
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The bottom line is very few if any truly care...as well as those that actually watch it
I'll grant you that one. The PBA still is losing the plot here, especially since they had a good summer season to learn from the PWBA.
I would love to see if someone could pull the numbers together for this PBA season and this coming PWBA season, in regards of spectators to all of the events and viewership of each of the finals.
BL.
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The league is a joke.
First of all, the PBA website hasn't even updated the teams yet.
Secondly, Storm staff "owns" what like 90% of the teams? Carolyn Ballard, Del Ballard, Norm Duke, Tim Mack, Andrew Cain. Doesn't seem very fair to everyone else.
Mike Fagan quit bowling. I think you can take him off of a team.
Also the fact that BJ Moore or some of those guys got selected over guys with NATIONAL TITLES (Anthony Pepe, Kyle Troup) is a joke.
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EBI from what I heard had a larger staff but don't quote me
NHL fan...you a Lindros fan or Kane?
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Lindros. Not a fan of rapey kane.
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The league is a joke.
First of all, the PBA website hasn't even updated the teams yet.
Secondly, Storm staff "owns" what like 90% of the teams? Carolyn Ballard, Del Ballard, Norm Duke, Tim Mack, Andrew Cain. Doesn't seem very fair to everyone else.
Mike Fagan quit bowling. I think you can take him off of a team.
Also the fact that BJ Moore or some of those guys got selected over guys with NATIONAL TITLES (Anthony Pepe, Kyle Troup) is a joke.
Mike Fagin quit bowling?
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lol atta boy on Lindros
Fagan is perusing his masters degree at Berkeley...
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The bottom line is very few if any truly care...as well as those that actually watch it
I'll grant you that one. The PBA still is losing the plot here, especially since they had a good summer season to learn from the PWBA.
I would love to see if someone could pull the numbers together for this PBA season and this coming PWBA season, in regards of spectators to all of the events and viewership of each of the finals.
BL.
I think ESPN wants the PBA on prime time again.... just heard this today
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The league is a joke.
First of all, the PBA website hasn't even updated the teams yet.
Secondly, Storm staff "owns" what like 90% of the teams? Carolyn Ballard, Del Ballard, Norm Duke, Tim Mack, Andrew Cain. Doesn't seem very fair to everyone else.
Mike Fagan quit bowling. I think you can take him off of a team.
Also the fact that BJ Moore or some of those guys got selected over guys with NATIONAL TITLES (Anthony Pepe, Kyle Troup) is a joke.
As much as I love Tim and his knowledge of the game...
.. you do realize that he also does not have a national title, correct?
BL.
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Mike Fagin quit bowling?
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I am pretty sure I seen somewhere on his Facebook page that he is returning to bowl in the PBA league events.
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mike fagan quit bowling??? I saw him last thursday at the world championship dam if i knew i would of ask if he was.
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Fagan is perusing his masters degree at Berkeley...
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Fagan is perusing his masters degree at Berkeley...
Fagan will be back at some point. He wanted to get his MBA in Finance at UC-Berkeley (his degree from St. John's is in Business) so he and his family would be set regardless of the tour. The 11th Frame had a whole article on it a while back.
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Fagan is third on wbt men and belmo second n Dom Barrett first. He should be bowling agaisnt belmo http://news.pba.com/post/2015/12/22/PBA-Spare-Shots-2015-World-Bowling-Tour-Mene28099s-and-Womene28099s-Finals-Fields-Set.aspx
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I would pick people I like bowling with. Never had fun bowling with good bowlers I did not get along with for one reason or another.
Dave will do fine and he is a great person
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I would pick people I like bowling with. Never had fun bowling with good bowlers I did not get along with for one reason or another.
Dave will do fine and he is a great person
I was hoping someone would point this out. There is a lot of joy and excitement that comes from winning with your friends. While I agree some bowlers were left out that are currently performing at a high level, picking friends captures the essence of league bowling.
Still, I'd ditch the "league" idea and put more emphasis on the team event that ran on xtra frame a few months ago. No draft, just friends banding together to bowl. It was good tv.
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Still, I'd ditch the "league" idea and put more emphasis on the team event that ran on xtra frame a few months ago. No draft, just friends banding together to bowl. It was good tv.
I agree, there should be more of the team event which was on Xtra Frame. That was good bowling to watch.
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Bowling wants to be considered a professional sport. Show me a NFL, PBA (basketball),
MLB, NHL team that would pick anyone other than the very best players to be on their teams.
In true professional sports there is no room for friends and roommates who are average at best in their abilities.
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Bowling wants to be considered a professional sport. Show me a NFL, PBA (basketball),
MLB, NHL team that would pick anyone other than the very best players to be on their teams.
In true professional sports there is no room for friends and roommates who are average at best in their abilities.
Kobe is about to make the NBA All Star game. That's worse than Wodka, imo.
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Bowling wants to be considered a professional sport. Show me a NFL, PBA (basketball),
MLB, NHL team that would pick anyone other than the very best players to be on their teams.
In true professional sports there is no room for friends and roommates who are average at best in their abilities.
No room for anyone but the best? Somebody should tell the Sixers.
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Bowling wants to be considered a professional sport. Show me a NFL, PBA (basketball),
MLB, NHL team that would pick anyone other than the very best players to be on their teams.
In true professional sports there is no room for friends and roommates who are average at best in their abilities.
The best players are not always the best team players. Many "best" players get traded or dumped because they're a "me first, last and always" type of person. You can see that all day long in Pro baseball, football and basketball, as well as league bowling, both local and pro.
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Yes, but the players who replace the non-team players in major league sports are still very high quality. I have nothing against Dave Wodka, but he only won 1 title way back in 1999. There are a lot of better players than Dave out of the 60 who registered for the draft. If you compare Dave to his peers he is average at best based on his record.
If Jason wants him for the reasons he mentioned so be it. But, out of the 60 in my opinion there were much better choices available. If you see it differently that's fine with me.
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Yes, but the players who replace the non-team players in major league sports are still very high quality. I have nothing against Dave Wodka, but he only won 1 title way back in 1999. There are a lot of better players than Dave out of the 60 who registered for the draft. If you compare Dave to his peers he is average at best based on his record.
If Jason wants him for the reasons he mentioned so be it. But, out of the 60 in my opinion there were much better choices available. If you see it differently that's fine with me.
FWIW I am slightly disappointed that Wodka has not won more titles. I see him as a very skilled player who has only gotten more wise and more versatile as the years have progressed.
I am not sure of all the reasons (I understand many of them) why different players have been selected, but as you may see from my next post, I also have questions, which may or may not be understood by all or even many of us.
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I'm just catching up on this thread and read the PBA summary of what's going on:
http://news.pba.com/post/2015/12/17/Two-Women-Drafted-for-2016-PBA-League-Competition3b-Late-Trade-Adds-Drama-to-Draft-Day.aspx (http://news.pba.com/post/2015/12/17/Two-Women-Drafted-for-2016-PBA-League-Competition3b-Late-Trade-Adds-Drama-to-Draft-Day.aspx)
Of all this the thing that shocks, surprises me most of all is this:
"Dallas Strikers’ player-manager Norm Duke pulled off a trade with Portland, sending red-hot lefthander Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Johnson to Portland in exchange for Texas two-hander Shawn Maldonado and North Carolina’s B. J. Moore III."
While I have nothing but respect for what Maldonado and Moore have accomplished, I cannot understand Duke's rationale in trading Ciminelli, one of the hottest bowlers on Tour right now (not one of the hottest lefties; one of the hottest bowlers) and Liz Johnson, one of the most consistent, best bowlers ever (man or woman) for Maldonado and Moore.
Maybe he thinks the two younger men will fit in better with his current members??
I don't understand. Can someone clarify the reasoning behind this?
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Out of eight teams, five now have a two handed bowler. The Dallas Strikers (Duke) traded a lefty Ciminelli for a two hander Maldonado.
Portland already had a two hander in Palermma and then pickup a lefty with Ciminelli.
Frankly I think Portland scored big in the trade compared to the Strikers.
One of the kind of funny happenings was Norm Duke picking Liz Johnson and stating all her accomplishments and welcoming
her to the Strikers. Then a few minutes later he trades her along with Ciminelli. If I was Liz, I would have been......what the hell just happened?
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Maldonado and Moore are both Storm staffers.
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Makes sense why Duke choose them.
The whole draft thing is becoming more a Storm vs. Brunswick vs. EBI, etc, then a true team selection based on the best players available from the field of the 60. Oh well, regardless I will still watch them and support them because I love bowling.
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Makes sense why Duke choose them.
The whole draft thing is becoming more a Storm vs. Brunswick vs. EBI, etc, then a true team selection based on the best players available from the field of the 60. Oh well, regardless I will still watch them and support them because I love bowling.
Agreed on that they have become more exciting and interesting, even if it seems to have become more a matter of Manufacturer vs. Manufacturer.
Still interesting that Duke traded Liz Johnson as I believe she has been a Storm user for a long time now. AND she and he (Duke, not sure if he wil bowl of just be a coach) could line up off one another.
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The PBA league would actually make a lot more sense if they emphasized manufacturer vs manufacturer rather than arbitrarily assigning teams to cities. Many bowlers are loyal to the brands, but their "city's" team means nothing to them when the team members never actually bowl in that city.
Yes, Storm and Roto pay many of the best players and would have an advantage. Personally, I don't care.
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Where can you find the actual rosters?
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Where can you find the actual rosters?
At the end of this article seems to be a/the listing:
http://news.pba.com/post/2015/12/17/Two-Women-Drafted-for-2016-PBA-League-Competition3b-Late-Trade-Adds-Drama-to-Draft-Day.aspx (http://news.pba.com/post/2015/12/17/Two-Women-Drafted-for-2016-PBA-League-Competition3b-Late-Trade-Adds-Drama-to-Draft-Day.aspx)
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Is there a listing of the PBA players who were actually available (willing) to be drafted?