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Author Topic: Prestige of titles  (Read 1472 times)

shelley

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Prestige of titles
« on: March 13, 2008, 04:02:24 PM »
I've been going back and putting the ESPN Classic shows on DVD and I notice that they refer to the Tournament of Champions (sometimes just called the Firestone) as the most prestigious title you could win.  Understandable, as it's an invitational tournament, only winners allowed.

A couple of years ago, when the Microsoft guys bought the PBA, they remade the World Championships into the major of majors.  The whole "march to the World Championships" that they talked about all year long.  That's where the big bucks were, that was the one that awarded the four- and five-year exemptions.

Now it's the US Open.  They moved it to the end of the schedule, it's got the biggest prize fund, arguably the hardest oil pattern, it carries a three-year exemption versus the two-year exemption that the other majors offer.

Why do you think the prestige shifts like that?  The ToC was the real jewel for, what?  40+ years?  What makes one of them so much more prestigious than another?  Why is it that the Masters is not quite in the same league with the other majors?  Will it be the major of majors five years from now?

SH
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jefftaker2002

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2008, 04:04:19 AM »
The Reason The TOC was the jewl was because it was invite only champions but when it was bought they changed the format to where only recent champions. They tried to make the World chapionship the Big major but more people seemed to tresure the US Open More because of the level of dificutly of the pattern. that is the reason for the shifts.
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dpunky

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2008, 11:59:12 AM »
I really miss having the ToC as the crown jewel of bowling majors.  I think they should open it back up to all PBA title champions regardless if they still have their PBA card or not.

To me, it represented that you were the champion of champions for the PBA season.
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pop_1

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2008, 12:06:15 PM »
I think they should go back to the old format for the TofC.  I think it was all champions.
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pop_1

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2008, 12:15:25 PM »
Oh thats right.  Was it open to all past winners though?
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shelley

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2008, 01:36:09 PM »
quote:
The Firestone was not open to every single PBA champion


I know they mentioned it on some old shows on ESPN Classic, that this tournament awarded an N-year exemption for the Firestone.

SH
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DON DRAPER

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Re: Prestige of titles
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2008, 02:01:01 PM »
it's really fitting that the us open is the biggest title that a bowler could win. the tournament was originally called the national matchplay championship back in the 1930's. in the 1940's it was taken over by the bowling proprietors of america association and was called the all-star. up until 1970 when the name was changed to the us open the tournament retained the same tough lane conditions and usually a 100 game format. only the best made it to the finals. this is the toughest tournament to win.
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