Author Topic: PBA membership requirements... (Read 11425 times)

Scolai · « **on:** March 18, 2009, 05:10:07 AM »

This is why earning a PBA card needs to be contingent upon actually cashing in a PBA event or earning a respectable average in PBA Experience or Sport Bowling leagues. To see a PBA member averaging 144 on any pattern is an embarassment to the credibility of the professional level of our sport. I grant you he might be having a bad day, but a 144 average for 5 games shows a lot more than just getting bad breaks, IMO.
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ScolaÃ

)O(

"Get all the fools on your side, and you can be elected to anything." ~Frank Dane

Weighting On 40 - Weight Reduction for the Thirty-something Crowd - and Beyond!

JessN16 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 19, 2009, 01:01:35 AM »

As long as he's not walking around his home alley acting like the expert on all things bowling, I think the money concerns outweigh the performance aspect for now.

I don't think it becomes a problem unless you've got some of these guys getting through to later rounds in tournaments and lucking into wins or TV appearances. And fortunately, most tournament formats are long enough to prevent that.

Bowling isn't alone in this. NASCAR (debate about whether it's a sport or not is another thread) has this same thing happen from time to time in all three of their top national series, with guys in their 60s (even 70s) or teams that don't even have pit crews for race day out there, and some of them actually qualify for televised events.

People are generally more savvy than we give them credit for. Given the opportunity to judge each bowler's (or racer's) talent, they'll know who the pretenders are.

Jess

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #17 on:** March 19, 2009, 07:18:22 AM »

quote:
I DO care about the fact that he's an embarrassment to the PBA for bowling as a "professional".

But the real question is... does anybody care? Does anybody at all outside this forum care if someone is an "embarrassment?" 99.99% of people will never have even noticed him or have heard of him, and if they do see his crappy scores, they won't care.

Scolai · « **Reply #18 on:** March 19, 2009, 07:47:12 AM »

This guy's possession of a PBA card perpetuates the ideology that 4PinHatesMe mentioned earlier - feeding the myth that averaging deuce on the great wall means one is ready for PBA competition. It's just not the case.

If the PBA implemented a cash-first rule before handing out a PBA card then they would actually make money off the amateur's repeated attempts to cash in a regional while paying the higher entry fee - and the rule would actually add to the respectability of the PBA member. As it is, my telling someone I have a PBA card doesn't carry much weight. Millions of bowlers carry an average that qualifies them for PBA membership, and they all know it. PBA members like me, who actually earned their card by cashing in more than 1 PBA event, get no respect because thousands of other 'professionals' just averaged 200 for 66 games on a THS.

Credibility goes right out the window. Which professional would you rather have giving you advice? Me or Mr. Cadoo, Jr.? When I put myself out there for coaching as a PBA member, I'd like to think that my card has some substance. Mr. Cadoo, Jr. (and many like him) just tosses that possibility into the street.
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ScolaÃ

)O(

"Get all the fools on your side, and you can be elected to anything." ~Frank Dane

Weighting On 40 - Weight Reduction for the Thirty-something Crowd - and Beyond!

« **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2009, 05:03:57 PM »

I agree, I would not think of joining the PBA unless I was averaging over 215 on PBA Patterns.

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Up the boards baby!

trash heap · « **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2009, 08:51:58 PM »

Money is definitely the driving force behind this. The PBA will take any dollar they can get....but to me its at a far greater cost.

They (The PBA) dangle that PBA card in front of all these league bowlers. And face it there are some benefits, discounts on equipment and bowling. And for some....bragging about being a professional.

Biggest cost is anyone in the public seeing a score like that. It really doesn't help the PBA with image of the best. We have a sort of an understanding. Someone outside of bowling seeing a score like that says "I bowled a 160 last week with a house ball!, I can beat him!".

Hogsharley · « **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2009, 10:22:13 PM »

Does the PBA place an age limit on these guys. I just ran across this guy who bowled the TQR this week and the guy is 75 years old. There was no way this guy was going to qualify but the PBA said "your money's good here". Why don't they direct him to the Senior Tour?

He finished with only one game over 200 and a 167 average. The bowls in 3 leagues with 2 of them having just over a 200 average. Oh yeah. The PBA took his money for next weeks Long Island stop too.

http://www.pba.com/livescoring/Qual_Ind_Results.aspx?ContactId=35315&tournamentId=1586

http://www.ligbtour.com/ligbtour/displayMember.cfm?currentMember=128

Here's a pic^^^
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3 holes of fun!!

Hogsharley · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2009, 10:39:44 PM »

quote:
Is it your money? No, then STFU about it. You f-ing people on this site always have something to b!tch about, it's worse than listening to the old ladies at a bingo hall.

Then go back to the bingo hall and pick up one of the old bitties. You can b_tch to each other.
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3 holes of fun!!

Mike Austin · « **Reply #23 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:31:11 AM »

quote:
quote:
Then go back to the bingo hall and pick up one of the old bitties. You can b_tch to each other.

I stopped going because your mom wouldn't stop hitting on me. I told her to start bowling and join the PBA, they'll take her money.

OOOOOhh Sleepy went to the "your mom" card!! Grow up, what are you, 12??

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THIS SPACE FOR RENT

trash heap · « **Reply #24 on:** March 20, 2009, 10:35:10 AM »

Hey Snooring LaBoof. I think you need to see the previous reply for the real troll.

Jorge300 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:35:33 PM »

Why are we picking on this guy???

There was someone who finsihed worse then he did.

Now for some serious input: This guy isn't at fault for anything. The PBA inadvertently cheapened their own membership when they went to an exempt tour. They are saying these 64 people are the "real" pros and the rest of you are just like this guy basically. Now real bowlers understand the difference between those who just missed the cutline, those that bowl PBA regionals every weekend and are a threat to win, those that bowl a few PBA Regionals here and there and the people who have their cards for other reasons. As Mr. Austin said, at least this guy went out and tried. Stop whining about him. The people who might ask you for coaching Scolai, aren't going to be looking at the TQR qualifying, see these scores at the bottom of the list and change their mind.

There are many reasons to and not to join the PBA. I have thought about joining for a little while now. Under the standard package the savings from the non-menber to member entry fee in the 3 regionals you are allowed basically pays for the yearly membership by itself. I have resisited because along with that comes the "stigma" ( not the right word which is why I have it quotes, not sure what the right word is) of being a pro. You are not allowed to enter some local tournaments anymore, you are forced into a different division in tournaments like the BJI at nationals, you are limited on who can bowl on your team and be your doubles partner in most State tournaments and at Nationals. All because you have a little card with your name on it.

So let's stop whining over this guy, the real answer isn't where Scolai is coming from and it isn't where nospareball is coming from, as usual it's somewhere in the middle.
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Jorge300

mxbowler95 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:53:39 PM »

I personally believe a lot of these bowlers that have pro cards shouldn't. I bowled the TQR this weekend. I am 17 and figured it was worth the experience and a good warm up for Jr. Gold. I had two really bad games that I just was off on my strike balls that kept me from cashing. I ended up in the top half of the field though and averaged 195. I thought this was pretty good for myself, even though it was below what I expected. I saw a lot of the bowlers that were "pros" bowl a lot worse than me. I do not get how these people had pro cards. They were struggling to hit 180 games. Even some of these guys that were in the 170s for an average were being helped out by exempt players. I know a couple of the people that were near the bottom of the list, but they were proud of how they bowled. I do not get how you can be proud of bowling that low and say this to a 17 year old that beat them. These people are like most of the people at houses around my area though. There are a few people that have pro cards just so they can say they have them. These people can't beat me to save their lives when there is sport shot out there, but they can go shoot 220+ on house shot. It is bad that so many of these people have pro cards and can walk around saying that they are a pro. There should be a point system that you earn as an amateur. Once you hit a certain amount of points, then you can get a pro card. This means you actually have to bowl in the TQRs and place pretty good. The points would have to expire though after a year or two so you don't have people bowling in TQRs for 10 years to get the points needed for the card.

Jorge300 · « **Reply #27 on:** March 20, 2009, 02:38:14 PM »

quote:
I personally believe a lot of these bowlers that have pro cards shouldn't. I bowled the TQR this weekend. I am 17 and figured it was worth the experience and a good warm up for Jr. Gold. I had two really bad games that I just was off on my strike balls that kept me from cashing. I ended up in the top half of the field though and averaged 195. I thought this was pretty good for myself, even though it was below what I expected. I saw a lot of the bowlers that were "pros" bowl a lot worse than me. I do not get how these people had pro cards. They were struggling to hit 180 games. Even some of these guys that were in the 170s for an average were being helped out by exempt players. I know a couple of the people that were near the bottom of the list, but they were proud of how they bowled. I do not get how you can be proud of bowling that low and say this to a 17 year old that beat them. These people are like most of the people at houses around my area though. There are a few people that have pro cards just so they can say they have them. These people can't beat me to save their lives when there is sport shot out there, but they can go shoot 220+ on house shot. It is bad that so many of these people have pro cards and can walk around saying that they are a pro. There should be a point system that you earn as an amateur. Once you hit a certain amount of points, then you can get a pro card. This means you actually have to bowl in the TQRs and place pretty good. The points would have to expire though after a year or two so you don't have people bowling in TQRs for 10 years to get the points needed for the card.

Great bowling, keep up the good work!

Now as far as the rest, you aren't thinking big picture. I live in TX we have no tour stops here, it is not economically feasible for me to travel to bowl 2-3 TQR's to get points toget my pro card. With the small number of Tour stops and TQR's this won't work. Even if you throw in the Regional tournaments, I still think this is a bad idea, but then it would be much more feasible for a larger audience. Unfortunately, I think your youth is showing a little in this idea. Also to rail on someone who said they were proud of how they bowled just because they are older then you and happen to have a PBA membership is very immature. So they have never been as good as you, does that mean they can't be proud of their achievement for that tournament??? I appreciate your thoughts and your efforts, but you need to grow up a bit.
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Jorge300

mxbowler95 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 20, 2009, 04:33:19 PM »

Jorge300, first thank you for the compliment. I am sorry you took what I said the wrong way. I didn't mean to make it look like I am railing on another bowler. You would have to really know the person I was refering to, but he is one of those house bowlers who goes around telling everyone how great he is and how he knows everything about bowling. This person also finished 200 pins below me.
Also, I know people around here that have a pro card, but will never even think about bowling a regional or TQR, but they are the ones running around telling people they are pros.

And with the point system, I was just giving an example. It is an idea that came from my other sport, motocross. In there, they have designated races that are all around the country and you need 60 points to be able to get a pro card. For bowling, they could use the TQRs, the Regionals, and other select tournaments that are around the country so everyone can get the points. These tournaments would have to be on sport shot too. I just think that this idea will keep the 220 house bowlers for just getting their cards to say they have one because they won't travel any distance to go to a tournament that wasn't going to be on house shot. So this would seperate the real bowlers from the house bowlers.

NoseofRI · « **Reply #29 on:** March 20, 2009, 04:54:59 PM »

Jorge, to me it sounded like mx was amazed at the fact that someone who has their PBA card was actually proud of averaging 170 in the TQR and finishing near the bottom. Probably said something along the lines of, "well i didn't really shoot that good but i didn't completely suck" in some type of happy manner. To me it actually sounds as though mx has a very mature bowling mind, as many *normal* bowlers wouldn't be proud of shooting -200 for 7 games and finish near the bottom after shelling out $300 to bowl. Then again the US Open wouldn't have that great of a prize fund if it wasn't "open" to all...

Author Topic: PBA membership requirements... (Read 11425 times)

Scolai

PBA membership requirements...

JessN16

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Dan Belcher

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Scolai

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Re: PBA membership requirements...

trash heap

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Hogsharley

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Hogsharley

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Mike Austin

Re: PBA membership requirements...

trash heap

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Jorge300

Re: PBA membership requirements...

mxbowler95

Re: PBA membership requirements...

Jorge300

Re: PBA membership requirements...

mxbowler95

Re: PBA membership requirements...

NoseofRI

Re: PBA membership requirements...