All Numbers should have some meaning......shouldn't they!!!!!!
I listened to a few of the above180.com radio shows in the past year and the show with Neil Stremmel was very interesting to say the least. In case you didn't know Mr. Stremmel is USBC's VP of the NGB which means Vice President of the National Governing Body. He talked about a league that he is bowling in where they bowl on White patterns in the first third of the season (roughly 8-1 oil pattern ratios). Then they bowl on Blue patterns which are similar in oil ratios as Kegel Challenge patterns (4 1/2 to 1). Then for the last third of the league they bowl on the USBC Open Championship Pattern which is less than a 3 to 1 oil ratio. It sounds like a great league for the bowler who wants to test their ability.... But I had some questions so I decided to e-mail Neil for some answers.
Here is my e-mail below:
Neil, I enjoyed the show!!!!!! Have a ton of respect for what you do!!!!! But I have a few questions of concern? This league that you talked about where you bowl on white pattern first, then blue, then sport conditions seems like a good idea to me? But how do you determine a bowlers average fairly, especially if this is the only league he competes in...... because his average will be much lower than on a normal house condition? I e-mailed Wunderlich about all these leagues around the area, (especially Chicago) where they continue to bowl on tougher conditions but don't care to sanction them as a sport league.... Then they come up to bowl handicapped tournaments under a false ability level only for the tournament director in almost every situation to do nothing about it.... Haven't heard anything yet from Steve..... interested in your thoughts and possible answers to my questions... Thanks take care Greg Thomas
Mr. Stremmel's response:
Hi Greg - Tournament managers have the authority to adjust anyone’s average they believe is not conducive to his/her ability – per rule 319c.
I know that doesn’t really answer your question. Actually, I’m not sure why more don’t use rule 319…? From a White and Blue pattern standpoint, the problem is we do not have any definition of what a tough shot league is compared to a normal house condition (Red is considered a house shot) and we do not require tapes to be taken on every pattern that is put out every time.
What we have told associations and tournaments, if they know what leagues typically have bowler’s whose averages do not necessarily reflect their abilities, to specifically state in the rules bowlers from those leagues must report the average from that league for possible adjustment under Rule 319c. The rules must state the leagues they know to be “tough” and cannot state anyone whose average is from a “tough condition” league will be adjusted because, once again, there is no definition of what a tough condition is.
This has been a potential issue long before White and Blue patterns came out and we still must rely upon tournament managers (and league officers) to utilize the tools and rules we have in place. Also we continue to be “lucky” that most people that bowl in Sport or tough leagues do bowl in more than one league – so it has been a relatively small problem. I hope that helps a bit…
This is why the game of bowling can't be considered a sport.... the only rule in place is a rule starting with a number 319 which has no meaning.... I mean in a way his comment is saying..... well all we can do is leave it up to the tournament directors because in essence we don't really know what anyone's true average is...... Lol...... Remember!!!! Neil these tournament directors make up much of the same mindset as all those delegates do that attend USBC's national membership meeting..... remember the meeting where nothing ever gets accomplished.....
I'm sorry to say this but I have to be my truthful self....... But what is USBC actually governing. Aren't they just saying that if a guy is averaging much lower than his ability the tournament director has the right to re-rate. These tournament directors don't know any better and are they going to turn away an entry into their tournament by pissing off a so-called customer eventhough he is really cheating the flawed system.... The problem is that the governing body is leaving it up to the tournament directors who basically are only interested in the bowlers entry and all those brackets they enter to make the tournament a success financially.... USBC and the tournament directors are throwing all integrity out of the game by doing this......Is that why USBC has changed it's Mission statement it used to read...... The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services and enhances the bowling experience. Now USBC has changed it again to this: To provide benefits, resources and programs that enhance the bowling experience... and their Vision is to create lifetime bowlers..... And don't forget that USBC stands forvalues that include: credibility, dedication, excellence, heritage, inclusiveness, integrity, philanthropy and sportsmanship.
If the USBC currently stands for this, how come the governing body has failed to institute a slope rating for the game of bowling so it could truly be called a sport.... Now with Sport bowling they took the time to add a Sport adjustment scale for their Sport Bowling program.... I mean honestly what have they really governed over the past 30 years or so..... They have allowed softer conditions and allowed steroid bowling balls for all those years, which ruined the integrity of the game for so many years without really even trying to do anything to resolve it. And now they have created Sport Bowling and the Red, White and Blue without actually having an accurate way to determine what an average actually is with those patterns...... Now you have a growing list of bowlers each and every year that are fired up about bowling on these tougher patterns to see what kind of level their bowling ability really is...... but you allow the centers not to sanction because they are to lazy to take a tape reading or the bowlers are to cheap to pay the extra cost to have it sanctioned......To me it sounds like the Sport is messed up.....Lol....
I mean shouldn't numbers have some kind of meaning..... Now numbers matter when it comes to money with USBC's financial situation.... Numbers matter when your membership is in jeapardy to dip below the 2 Million mark.... I ask the governing body when an average in the game of bowling will ever have a meaning or when this number will ever matter..... Because right now it means nothing!!!!!!!
Yes Neil...... I guess I should now ask you what USBC has really governed when it comes to the sport of bowling...... Rule 319 is only a number with no really meaning because no one knows exactly how to use it or won't use it for a variety of reasons.... Maybe your delegates will let you change some things.....if they ever come to their senses. Doubt that would happen.....to many dum-dums involved with bowling today. Still hoping for the day when everyone involved with bowling will finally wake up......
I guess I wasn't really straight forward with Mr. Stremmel in a way when I wrote him an e-mail. I mean I respect him as a person.... but what is actually being governed with our Sport. Especially when you know there is a problem with the sport as I stated to you above but nothing has ever been done or even mentioned on how to fix it. Those guys at Kegel are pretty smart. They invented drop brush technology to make those sport patterns play softer than they were designed for in the first place. Maybe they can suggest a method for instituting a slope rating for the Sport of bowling. Would it hurt to even ASK !!!!!
Yeah, there was a time years ago when a 300 game mattered.... Now not so much!!!!
Yeah, there was a time when a 200 average was great..... Now not so much!!!!
Yeah, still wondering what the governing body is actually doing..... Now not to much!!!!
Hopefully sometime down the road, numbers will have a meaning. Hopefully at this rate of time, I will still be alive to see it happen.... See you next time, I hope!!!!!
