[cutter341975]

what happened to Bowling?? a challenging game...I cant find it on TV anymore...why why why??"!!

[easyliving]

I remember ESPN used to broadcast it back in the day haven't seen it on in a while

[cutter341975]

i used to like watching it.

[stevenash]

I used to bowl, and yes, it once was very challenging.
I used to average 200, when 200 meant something.
(215 average gets you on the tour)

Few things happened.

1) The powers that be, simplified and dumbed down the game.
Bowling centers realize that scoring sells, so they made the oil pattern to the 1-3 (or 1-2 if you are left handed) pocket easy to get to.
By that I mean, all lanes are dressed with a poly-oil to protect the wood. The oil is laid down in a pattern where all you need to do is release the ball into the pattern, and the oil will get you to the pocket.
Doesn't require much skill if you know the fundamentals of bowling, just lay the ball down in the proper groove, with the proper release, and let the oil pattern guide the ball to the pocket.
It made 160 averaged bowlers into 185.
Point being they simplified the game, never used to be like that, back in the day, it was difficult to get to the pocket with a rubber bowling ball and difficult lane conditions.

Also, the equipment has changed.
Used to be the bowling ball was made of two substances, rubber or plastic.
Now they make polysynthetic balls that when the get to the pins, the pins explode.

So, they made the game easier.
So easy there was a guy in Michigan who bowled his 25th perfect 300 game.
The ABC (American Bowling Conference) gives awards for perfect game.
Upon receiving the award, he sent it back to the ABC, quit the game claiming it has become a joke.

That's why I quit, too many ordinary bowlers overachieving because of lane and equipment help.

Then you got the costs.
The game has lost a lot of interest because the common man can't do it anymore.
Due to sky rocketing electrical costs, the price of a line (game bowled) has increased from like 1.25 a game to more than 5 dollars.

Good bowling balls will cost you 300 dollars, shoes, 120 easy.

So, why isn't bowling on TV anymore?
It is, not exposed nearly as much like it used to be though.
ESPN not ABC (like the good old days) televises it these days.
But now it's on Sundays at 1pm, only in the winter, not like the hey day of bowling, when it was on each and every Saturday, all year round.

Hope this helps.

[cutter341975]

I used to bowl, and yes, it once was very challenging.
I used to average 200, when 200 meant something.
(215 average gets you on the tour)

Few things happened.

1) The powers that be, simplified and dumbed down the game.
Bowling centers realize that scoring sells, so they made the oil pattern to the 1-3 (or 1-2 if you are left handed) pocket easy to get to.
By that I mean, all lanes are dressed with a poly-oil to protect the wood. The oil is laid down in a pattern where all you need to do is release the ball into the pattern, and the oil will get you to the pocket.
Doesn't require much skill if you know the fundamentals of bowling, just lay the ball down in the proper groove, with the proper release, and let the oil pattern guide the ball to the pocket.
It made 160 averaged bowlers into 185.
Point being they simplified the game, never used to be like that, back in the day, it was difficult to get to the pocket with a rubber bowling ball and difficult lane conditions.

Also, the equipment has changed.
Used to be the bowling ball was made of two substances, rubber or plastic.
Now they make polysynthetic balls that when the get to the pins, the pins explode.

So, they made the game easier.
So easy there was a guy in Michigan who bowled his 25th perfect 300 game.
The ABC (American Bowling Conference) gives awards for perfect game.
Upon receiving the award, he sent it back to the ABC, quit the game claiming it has become a joke.

That's why I quit, too many ordinary bowlers overachieving because of lane and equipment help.

Then you got the costs.
The game has lost a lot of interest because the common man can't do it anymore.
Due to sky rocketing electrical costs, the price of a line (game bowled) has increased from like 1.25 a game to more than 5 dollars.

Good bowling balls will cost you 300 dollars, shoes, 120 easy.

So, why isn't bowling on TV anymore?
It is, not exposed nearly as much like it used to be though.
ESPN not ABC (like the good old days) televises it these days.
But now it's on Sundays at 1pm, only in the winter, not like the hey day of bowling, when it was on each and every Saturday, all year round.

Hope this helps.

thanks..yep..sums it up..makes sense to me...my best AVG was 189.. so i was just OK.

[TheGuesser]

Bowling, Harness Racing and Roller Derby. Pretty big sports , in both TV and media coverage 40+ years ago. Have virtually disappeared today. Things change.

[gummo]

Usually on late fall on Sundays during football season. At least it was last yer.

[smitch124]

Hate it when the lanes are walled, kind of like watching Golf Tournies where -32 wins, no fun. That's why I like the U.S. open where a birdie means something. There are still plenty of houses with a tough shot, always preferred those, but chicks dig the long ball I guess...

[stevenash]

Hate it when the lanes are walled, kind of like watching Golf Tournies where -32 wins, no fun. That's why I like the U.S. open where a birdie means something. There are still plenty of houses with a tough shot, always preferred those, but chicks dig the long ball I guess...

One week in a house league, everybody with an ounce of talent were shooting 660's, 680's, lights out.
Making regular bowlers big headed and cocky.
The g.m. of the center said to me, I am going to have a reverse block laid down next week, let's see what they shoot?
Sure as shit, half of those hot-shot couldn't reach the head pin. Funny how you can drill the head pin with a first arrow groove.
Take that away, you shooting first arrow, you are not getting near the three pin.

I'm not proud, I got no problem, conditions given, going straight up fourth arrow.