WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO "BAG" THE "SAND"

[barry]

It upset me a little to read that forum about are youths being taught to sandbag. It shouldn't be posted, because if you don't put the idea out there, it probably won't happen. I know some youths in this area and these kids, the Miles boyz, Jake, his sister, and others I know being taught by Jeff Shaw, Jake's parents, Buster Edmonds, Debra Broadie, are all honest, hard working, doing their best to learn and teach. Those kids practice hard on the weekends and these coaches who VOLUNTEER their time work hard with these kids to get good at their sport. Every forum discussion that comes out is about HANDICAP AND SANDBAGGERS. Most times, these cheaters don't win anyway. I just wish we could do away with them and regain the respect of the sport back that these cheaters took away. Isom had a discussion, why get better, Isom we get better cuz that's what you want and I want and a lot of others want. It's the right thing. Is 300....300? Yes it is, and all others above that, who cares, you getz nothing for it. No one cares that you shot 270 with 40 pins and stole a pot that night......CHEATER................. OK, i've vented, so my question is..............WHAT CAN TRULY BE DONE TO LABEL A SANDBAGGING CHEAT and omit them from playing? For years, the things that are done obviously don't work... going back 2-3 years, re-rate, is that the tournament officials don't really apply these rule or is it that this stuff just truly doesn't work. Who has the solution, give it to us please

[Martin "BLUFLAME" Seay]

The problem is for the most part not open bowling but league bowling needs to be on a usbc standard, which usbc needs to make. If they make the shot harder people will adapt and get better.

[jermarace miller]

I am not sayimg that the problem is the open bowling but that is the centers money maker and they are going to cater to them since the avgerage sport bowler visits 2-4 alleys in one week for league only. Now I know that the league bowlers are the centers "constant" money source; yet open bowlers spend more money on different things which boost revenue to the alley. Beer, food, and games are things you know the regular bowler are going to buy.

[Isom]

People still came to the alley, actually more so than now, when the lanes were harder....And I take barry's side. People always talk about, it seems, that either shots have to be as easy as current house shots, or as hard as a pba pattern... Let's split the difference and get the conditions back to very playable, but somewhat challenging like they used to be. That's the way they USED to be and people were content and happy AND they were still being challenged.

Every night I bowl now, there seems to be a perfect game being shot, sometimes 2. Just 5 years ago it was maybe an honor score being shot a week. And guess what, leagues had MORE participation back then, than we do now. People WANT a challenge, trust me. People get bored when they aren't being pushed. I can't imagine ANYONE that would quit bowling if the shot went from having 15 boards to hit down to 7 or 8. Imagine being able to win a pot with 259 instead of 299.

It used to happen folks, just a few years ago and you felt that you accomplished even more shooting 259 on something a little challenging rather than shooting 299 on something so easy you can close your eyes on. There is something wrong with a sport where bowling on a nintendo WII is harder than doing the actual sport in real life.

[Chase]

Your quote:
"...you felt that you accomplished even more shooting 259 on something a little challenging rather than shooting 299 on something so easy you can close your eyes on."

My reply:
Isom, this season I had about 3) 289 games, 1) 300, and I think 2) 299 games...BUT, I got MORE excited...and felt like I accomplished MORE by shooting a 252 game at the last Forest Park Tournament...because the shot was challenging.

There is definitely something wrong. Last week I put someone in 7 brackets...and he shot 791 scratch...and we didn't get $1 because the other scores were sooooo high.

The scoring is out of control. And, it takes away from honoring the sport of bowling. Like you said - every night there are all these crazy high scores....

[F.O.X]

damn!!!! well said. "There is something wrong with a sport where bowling on a nintendo WII is harder than doing the actual sport in real life." whoa.......

[barry]

Hey chase, i should get an award for such a great discussion piece. HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA. It's true, i haven't bowled 300 on wii yet. My high is 278. Damn, i need to practice. On the real bowling note.......... it's pretty sad when u bowl in a league and u shoot 279 and u pretty much know that you won't win any money in dbls or a pot. I hear u chase, i bowled 247, 246, 255 and made $8 bucks last thursday. Maybe we should get together and start the wii bowling league. " Bring yo sticks"

[barry]

yo Randy i hear what you're saying and I agree. I can tell you've been around this game along time like myself. I still love the fact that USBC says go bowl in your leagues and gives the centers the right to put out the easiest shot possible, BUT, when you go to USBC Nat'ls, they don't give a flying flip what your avg is and what you think about the shot, take it or leave it, you either know how to bowl or get embarrassed and go home. I wish more tourneys were like that.