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Author Topic: Not sure what to do  (Read 7338 times)

Current Exempt

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Not sure what to do
« on: March 11, 2008, 11:36:52 AM »
I am a current exempt pro that really enjoys my job but I have to start thinking of my family and the big picture more.  I do not wish to give my name or bash the pba in any way because I do think they're doing the best they can for us. I also wanted to make this post on a non pba website because it may come off as negative to some.  My guess is that I'm about 90% sure I'll make the cut line this year but less than 50% of accepting the exemption spot for next season.  I have invested about $25,000 so far this season for a return of about $40,000.  Now, I did not have a dream season like Rhino or a dominant season like Barnes but I can't maintain a fulltime job when off the tour with only a $15,000 profit, I need to.  After reviewing the stats from others who I think have had great seasons and seasons that any other former touring pro would die for it just doesn't match up.  An example, 14 cashes 2 shows,$45,000?  That is not saying much when you invest over $25,000.  I have a lot of friends who chose not to go the pba route and now are IT professionals,Technicians,Blue collar/White collar doesn't matter because all of them make more than 7th on our money list and they have invested nothing.  I'll be back later in the week because we are off but I just wanted some opinions from bowlers about my situation and once again i am in no way trying to trash the pba because it has been my dream come true I'm just saying that maybe being an exempt bowler isn't for me.
Thanks
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se7en

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #31 on: March 14, 2008, 01:22:59 PM »
Sounds an awful lot like poker.

I spent hundreds of dollars in entry fees for multi-tables that took 5-6 hours to reach the cash line, only to bust out with a best of 27th out of 600 players. The return was about 50% of my buy-in on average. Not very lucrative. That's 75$ back for a 50$ buy in for 6 hours of grinding.

To really make it worth it, you gotta get to the final table in at least one, and hit top 3 to cash big.

But there's no overhead. Sucks to hear that it costs so much to be out there. There's gotta be a way to cut that down? Does Motel 6 offer free lodging? =--------------------
There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.
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GOLF IS BETTER

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #32 on: March 14, 2008, 02:06:41 PM »
Who is Current Exempt?  Anybody have any guesses?
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jefftaker2002

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #33 on: March 14, 2008, 02:25:37 PM »
i have a pretty good idea but im not gonna say just look at what he says.
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Joe Jr

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #34 on: March 14, 2008, 02:33:13 PM »
It's a real shame that even the greatest in our sport can't make a living at it. Especially when you look at other sports like Golf where even the lowest spot on tour is what $40K?
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My Vid
Formerly Brunswick Lefty & Richard Cranium
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tommygn

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #35 on: March 14, 2008, 03:12:47 PM »
Current Exempt,

It is always easier to view things from the other side, and say you should or should not do this or that.
The point I have to make is, everything we do in life costs something.
Hypothetical time:
If you go to school to be a doctor, or lawyer, you have all those years of school and working dead end jobs just to make ends meet until school is done. Then you spend years trying to pay off the student loans that you have now created. So you finally paid off your loans, and now the firm you worked for has relocated to somewhere else, now you have to make other decsions about finding a new job or commutting the 2 hours to the new job. Or on the doctor side, you make all this money, but never have time to be with your family because you are always on call. Everything costs money.
The bottom line is, at the end of the day, are you happy. If you are not happy with who you are and what you do, no amount of money will ever bring you happiness.
I went to culinary school to be a chef, so that I had a backup plan if bowling didn't work out. I graduated at the top of my class, had a great postion right out of school, and made my way up to an Executive Chef by the time I was 21. I made good money, but worked like a dog. I tried differant avenues of the culinary world, but could not find a postion that also allowed me to bowl or have a life outside of the field. I fell behind everyone else in the area, beacuse I could not practice or bowl tournaments. At the end of the day, I was not happy. I ended up taking a huge pay cut and a job that allowes me to bowl regionals. I have since started working in a pro shop, met and married my wife, and am happier than I ever thought possible, without making alot of money.

God creates use with a blank canvas, and the "picture" we paint is up to use. Just make sure you "paint" a picture you like, and can live with.
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Tommy Gollick
Storm Regional/Pro Shop staff
Red Crown Pro Shop Harrisburg, PA
stormbowling.com
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God creates us with a blank canvas, and the "picture" we paint is up to us. Paint a picture you like and love!

Platypus22

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #36 on: March 14, 2008, 05:57:29 PM »
PEOPLE ARE MISSING A VITAL STATISTIC

Current Exempt is telling us that he has a roi (return on investment) of 60%

That tells me that he's doing it right! The system is what's screwing him. He's getting a 60% roi playing against the best of the best.

I still believe that a lot of the problems facing professional bowlers today could be fixed by:

increasing entry fees on some tourneys and adding additional tourneys (pros like Current Exempt need more opportunities to get their 60% return!)

eliminating qualifications to compete (if Joe Blow thinks he's good enough to roll against Chris Barnes, let him try. There could be qualifying satelite tourneys to help fill the tourney with plenty of players)

decreasing restrictions on the bowlers regarding sponsorships (Nascar isn't retarded. They know exactly what they're doing. Tide laundry detergent might not want to invest 100 grand to sponsor an entire tourney, but if Current Exempt makes a tv show, Tide might pay him $2000 to wear a polo shirt)

adding some type of "luck" element to the structure (enough "luck" to attract some 200 avg league bowler. The professionals will still come out on top in the long run...just like poker)

Professional bowling needs a makeover.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got. (and in this case, that's a decreasing audience for as long as I can remember)


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Bowling and Poker degenerate
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O RLY?

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Monster Pike

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #37 on: March 15, 2008, 12:09:07 AM »
What can the PBA do to make it better?  Are they like MLB but w/out the owners?  Are they making more money but not giving it back to the bowlers?  I'm just asking because I don't know.  I don't know the money coming in vs. the money going out.  Do they open their books so you guys know why the prize money is so low compared to previous yrs.?  I mean, ESPN really doesn't do any marketing to promote the PBA tour.  You don't read any of the weeks highlights in the sports section.  It seems that they are just relying on league bowlers just to up & tune in.  Nobody on my team except me even cares that it's on & what happens.  Some of them know the household names but I tell them a Rhino Page, Sean Rash or a Mike Scroggins won whatever week & they're all like "who?".  Tell them Norm Duke or WRWIII won & they  them.  I think the powers that be need a makeover starting at the top thru mid level.  They need some young fresh enthusiastic execs to get the snowball rolling.
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"The last time I saw a face like that, it had a hook in it's mouth." Rodney Dangerfield
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Fatboy8

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #38 on: March 15, 2008, 07:58:35 AM »
It just comes down to what you feel that will be best in the long run. You've obviously dedicated alot of time, money, pratice, etc. to get to the level you're at.

I've always wondered how the guys out of the top 5 or 10 in money can really get by all year. Golf and bowling are apples and oranges. Golf has sooo many sponsors, and people looking to give money and endorsements out it's unreal. There just isn't that much backing and support in the bowling world.

You just have to break it all down, and maybe pick a 2 year plan, 5 year plan, etc., and see where you could be at. I wish you the best in making these decisions, and hope everything goes well for you.
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Hammer-Lane #1
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novawagonmaster

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #39 on: March 15, 2008, 08:37:49 PM »
Current Exempt,

Congratulations on making PBA exempt status. It is a goal that many of us can only dream about. You truly are one of a select few.

Personally, if I qualified for exempt status, I would go out and do it for one year. I would do it just to be able to say "I made the Big League". After that, I would have to find a career that paid the bills. Earning 15K will only work if your spouse is the breadwinner and can support the two of you. As much as the "bowler" in me wants to tell you to keep living the dream, the "realist" in me is going to tell you to start living the rest of your life.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the very best of luck, and I want to personally thank you for contributing to our sport.


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Jon (in Ohio)
aka: Rico Swerve~

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jlc

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Re: Not sure what to do
« Reply #40 on: March 15, 2008, 11:12:27 PM »
If I was in your position I would give up my exemption. The PBA as it is today is a sinking ship. The entire organization needs to be dismantled and rebuilt as a new organization with different managment if it has any chance to survive.

Even if it does go on for many years you still have to think about the long term. The pba has no pention plain, there is barely even a senior tour any more. So what happens when you cant compete at that level anymore you'd have spent your life bowling for a living what job skills would you have when it ends. I know of one former pba player that lives in my area that was on tour over 20 years and had won titles. Now he is well into his 50's and is a stock guy at a grocery store. I think this is a very sad situation and I've been told that it is not uncommon.
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