Days of power and accuracy are gone Pro bowler Robert Smiths bowling ball does things that make your eyes open wide. It rolls with an astounding number of revolutions at a high rate of speed and curves as if controlled by a joystick, hitting the pins with wild force. The biggest packs of fans congregate behind Smiths lanes during qualifying, trying to get a glimpse of his raw power. The highest ratings the PBAs ESPN broadcasts got this year werent coincidentally the week Smith made the finals. But hes only made the finals once. His game just isnt conducive to todays conditions. The combination of power and accuracy should be the key for bowling success on the PBA Tour. If it were, the most deserving players would usually win and the excitement level of the competition would rise. But the evolution of the conditions of the game has not allowed the growth of this art. Smith is one power player who attempts to fight through the inconducive conditions while maintaining his power, while other power players tone down their game to compete. The days of accuracy and power are gone, says Hall of Famer Marshall Holman, who dominated and helped revolutionize the sport in the late 70s and early 80s with his textbook blend of man-made revs on the ball and pinpoint precision. Now, less is more. The less you do to the ball, the harder it hits (the pins). Its sad but true. Modern bowling ball technology and lane conditioning has balls hooking on their own, diminishing the skill of the bowler to create his own power. Straighter players with less revolutions can generate enough power through the equipment to knock over 10 pins, leveling the playing field. Generating high revolutions on the ball is now a detriment, rather than an advantage, to scoring in most cases. By taking that talent out of the bowlers hand, success on the PBA Tour is determined by mastering less exciting elements of the game, such as ball selection, tempered hand releases, consistent ball speed, accuracy and the mental game. All the above are vital and certainly make the sport a great test at the highest level. But those skills dont translate on TV and dont inspire people to watch or learn about bowling. If power and natural physical talent remain out of the equation, the sport will not grow. When Holman talks about bowlings evolution to the technical game its become, he isnt pining away for the good old days. Hes just being matter-of-fact. He understands all sports change over time and the players that can adapt and perform no matter the conditions rightly move to the top. But most sports have evolved to demand more power from the athletes. Stronger, faster, longer. Sports fans want to watch athletes do things they can only imagine being able to do. If there was one guy Id want to watch its Robert Smith, Holman says. Its like watching John Daly rip a drive — its fascinating. Robert Smith is like Marshall Holman on steroids. I love watching him bowl...he does things other people cant do. Problem is, the nature of the current game doesnt allow Smith to be Smith for long. After a few games, sometimes even from the start of competition, the lanes oil breaks down under the power of the new equipment churning it up. This forces Smith to move first to the extreme inside part of the lane searching for fresh oil, then ultimately he begins lofting the ball way down the lane to avoid the dry early part of the lane. It is spectacular, but these moves ruin Smiths chance for consistency and sink his ship. Make no mistake, the Tour is full of powerful players, but most of them have to tone down their talent to succeed. Players like Pete Weber, who have the ability to rev the ball and could score on any condition with any kind of bowling ball due to his great release and ability to read lanes, actually let up on their shots, allowing the ball to react on its own. Instead of the players physical skill, using the right equipment is the most important aspect of the game. Today, its like being a racecar driver. If you are not set up right with the right car, it doesnt matter how well you drive, Holman says. If you dont have the right (bowling equipment) you cannot throw it good enough. There are two ways to promote the combination of power and accuracy once again being a top ingredient for success on the PBA Tour. 1) Place drastic limits on how powerful bowling ball coverstocks and weight blocks can be. 2) Reinvent lane conditioning to combat the current and future advancement of bowling balls. Namely, use more and/or better oil to demand the bowler generates his own power, and the lanes wont break down as dramatically. Balls dont figure to be reigned in anytime soon. As Holman says, How can you stop manufacturers from making bowling balls stronger and stronger? Its capitalism. Golf, which is experiencing a similar inundation of technology that is altering the game, has better defense systems. For one, the USGA has a bit stricter guidelines for equipment than bowlings agencies have. Secondly, the game self-protects itself with the added element of putting and the short game, which means simply being a long driver does not mean low scores. Finally, golfs technology has made the game more exciting while maintaining its integrity. Using Holmans language, Tiger Woods is Jack Nicklaus on steroids and Nicklaus was Bobby Jones on steroids. The players are better, stronger, faster and utilizing enhanced technology to its fullest. In bowling, it should be good to be Marshall Holman on steroids, and the game should continue on that pace, but it isnt. One way the governing bodies of bowling are trying to fight ball technology is the sport bowling lane condition. While that idea has its heart in the right place, those lane oiling patterns make the ability to read lanes, be accurate and to control speed the priorities. The lane condition is not inspiring to watch bowlers attack. Its boring and too often lesser-talented bowlers rise to the top. Changing the current game to encourage power would be a controversial decision. Many in bowling would be concerned that it would turn the sport into nothing more than a power contest, shutting out those talented players who stroke the ball or play straight lines to the pocket. They shouldnt worry. It is not easy to bowl like Marshall Holman. There are plenty of guys who can simply hook the ball or rev it up, but many lack the accuracy, consistency or spare-making ability to succeed in my perfect PBA world. Straight players, or strokers, will just have to be supremely accurate and not rely on equipment for striking power. Back in Holmans day, bowlers like Gary Dickinson and George Pappas relied on accuracy and had great careers. If the sport is to grow in respect and attention, leading to more money in the game, it must be exciting. So the best players in the world should have to perform in a way that generates interest — in bowling, that means power. The blend of power and accuracy will demand athleticism from bowlers and inspire kids to take up the game. Should be on TV: Before this season began, Marshall Holman was unceremoniously dumped as lead color commentator on ESPN bowling broadcasts by the new PBA. The new regime wanted a fresh face and hired 12-time champion Randy Pedersen, who has improved and grown into the position despite lots of distractions. Holman understands why he lost his job and is very diplomatic about it. But I think it was a poor move by the PBA. How often does a sport possess an all-time legend that is a good speaker and effective presence on TV? If Willie Mays were a good announcer, baseball would have had him in the booth all the years since his retirement. Well, Holman is bowlings Willie Mays, has the ability and wants to work the broadcasts, yet is out in the cold. Pedersen doesnt deserve to be dropped. In the right situation, he can be great for bowling. My solution: If the show is going to continue with the format it has shown this year, forget the ideal situation of having a traditional play-by-play voice and put Holman and Pedersen in the booth together. Tom Clark. USA Today
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 05:55:17 +0000
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