This is Sports Center bowling Commercial with PDW

[dnhoffman]

Really enjoyed seeing a TISC commercial on bowling!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xT7GHFf1FSM

[fortheloveofbowling]

Really enjoyed seeing a TISC commercial on bowling!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xT7GHFf1FSM

That was cool to see during the masters show. I hope they run that other times as well. He has made some other appearances on espn shows in the past few years.

[vdubtx]

Cool commercial.

[Bradski9]

I can't believe it took them 20 years to get a bowler in their ESPN commercials! Loved this one.

[foreverincamo]

ESPN has run bowling tournaments on their network for years, but don't admit it. Even their online site doesn't have any place to click to check on our sport. Glad someone still runs bowling on TV, but they could do more to promote it.

[Aslan]

I thought it was cool too...even though it was PDW.

Would have been funnier/better if it was more like the Dikembe Mutombo commercial where PDW rolls something over to a coworker and when it gets there he does his typical over-the-top cross chop/who am I am/title belt nonsense.

What I remember about that commercial...PDW is SHORT.

[NewToBowling]

Should have used Belmo instead. He is the cool new big name in bowling

[dnhoffman]

Should have used Belmo instead. He is the cool new big name in bowling

Shannon O' please...

[Aslan]

Should have used Belmo instead. He is the cool new big name in bowling

Yeah. Because Belmo needs his face plastered on even more things PBA related. :rolleyes:

Is there a "dislike" button??

[NewToBowling]

Belmont should be the face of bowling. He is doing more to promote the sport than anyone else

[Blomer]

They have been showing bowling on tv a lot lately. At least there is no place we can watch it. I enjoyed the commercial.

[Aslan]

Belmont should be the face of bowling. He is doing more to promote the sport than anyone else

His new style has caused a good deal of interest; I agree with that. Probably more so than anything since reactive resin.

But like reactive resin…the jury is still out on whether it's a "good" thing or "bad" thing in the LONG run.

[dnhoffman]

Pretty sure every single person involved with the bowling industry feels he's not just a positive, but a great boon for the sport.

Just because you have your stones in a bunch over two-handers doesn't a make him any less awesome for bowling.

[Aslan]

Pretty sure every single person involved with the bowling industry feels he's not just a positive, but a great boon for the sport.

Just because you have your stones in a bunch over two-handers doesn't a make him any less awesome for bowling.

As I said, yes, he is bringing more interest into the sport. The problem with bowling is…we see changes like resin technology, cores, etc… and yes, even thumbless and 2-handed styles…as we look at the short term. "Oh wow! Something has finally generated interest in bowling!! Hip Hip Hooray!!" Then, a decade later…we find that bowling is even more in decline because the equipment is TOO powerful…and the game has changed too much…and the "fad" styles start disappearing as kids realize it's not as easy as Belmo makes it look…and adults that make the switch can't keep their backs healthy enough.

Not saying Belmo hasn't been a positive…domstically and internationally…I'm just saying bowling has a way of jumping desperately on bandwagons that go nowhere. The fact of the matter is bowling is competing with many, many things these days. Many other things taking the attention of adults and kids. Belmo won't cure that. The 2-handed style won't cure that. Somehow we have to pull the youth in, get them excited about the actual SPORT of bowling (not the cosmic birthday party nonsense). The 2-handed style might help that…because I think kids naturally can throw it 2-handed better than 1-handed…but nobody really understands how hard the 2-handed style actually is to truly master and be competitive with. I worry a LOT of kids will fail…and we'll lose them forever. I think a long term, better, strategy is to teach them the right way to bowl…and as they get better, it gets more interesting/exciting. And they WILL get better. But that takes patience…something our society is greatly lacking.

[NewToBowling]

As I said, yes, he is bringing more interest into the sport. The problem with bowling is…we see changes like resin technology, cores, etc… and yes, even thumbless and 2-handed styles…as we look at the short term. "Oh wow! Something has finally generated interest in bowling!! Hip Hip Hooray!!" Then, a decade later…we find that bowling is even more in decline because the equipment is TOO powerful…and the game has changed too much…and the "fad" styles start disappearing as kids realize it's not as easy as Belmo makes it look…and adults that make the switch can't keep their backs healthy enough.

Not saying Belmo hasn't been a positive…domstically and internationally…I'm just saying bowling has a way of jumping desperately on bandwagons that go nowhere. The fact of the matter is bowling is competing with many, many things these days. Many other things taking the attention of adults and kids. Belmo won't cure that. The 2-handed style won't cure that. Somehow we have to pull the youth in, get them excited about the actual SPORT of bowling (not the cosmic birthday party nonsense). The 2-handed style might help that…because I think kids naturally can throw it 2-handed better than 1-handed…but nobody really understands how hard the 2-handed style actually is to truly master and be competitive with. I worry a LOT of kids will fail…and we'll lose them forever. I think a long term, better, strategy is to teach them the right way to bowl…and as they get better, it gets more interesting/exciting. And they WILL get better. But that takes patience…something our society is greatly lacking.

As opposed to the wrong way. The wrong way has been beating every one else on tour.

[zdawg]

As opposed to the wrong way. The wrong way has been beating every one else on tour.

Not to mention he's rewriting the record books and changing what people thought was possible in this sport.

I find myself wondering if it's really his "style" that makes him that much better than everyone else, or if he's just that much better than everyone else (attitude, perseverance, work ethic, mental strength, etc etc).

I haven't seen a single 2 hander come close to his achievements, Oksu is an accomplished professional, but he's nowhere near Belmonte's level. The last two tourneys when I found out Belmo was in the top 2 or 3 seeding, I KNEW before I even watched that he would win - even when he appeared to be struggling early against Rash I never considered for a second that he would lose.

I think you're seeing something truly special with Belmonte, something that has never been done before, regardless of how many hands he uses to throw the ball. He's basically become the Tiger Woods (pre complete and utter meltdown) of bowling, the PBA would be stupid not to use him in any/every way possible to further the popularity of the sport.

[fortheloveofbowling]

First of all, belmo and osku are unbelievable with what they do. I got a chance to bowl on the same pair as palermaa quite a few years back and to see it close up is beyond amazing. Most of the posters on here understand it is the game evolving but it is not like the game is ever going to change to the point you see a ton of 2 handers. I personally don't care for it but that is because i'm just old school and that doesn't mean i would degrade someone for doing it. I've always said there is no wrong way to bowl and if you can be successful at your unique style more power to you.

The things i wonder about are where is the publicity and what do non bowlers who run across a telecast with a 2 hander on it think about it? Why have we not seen all kinds of crossover stories on fox sports or espn or whatever sports news broadcast if this is such a great new innovation and transformational time for the sport? Do some people who see it for the first time just add the 2 hand game to their existing list of stereotypes? These people out there think bowlers are not athletes and some are just fat beer drinkers and on and on. Now these people that don't know what we do in regards to how impressive it really is have more fodder to justify there poor opinion of our game. They tune in and see some guy hurling a ball through the air with 2 hands and think to themselves bowling just keeps giving me more to joke about.

[NewToBowling]

Bowling just doesn't move the needle. It really isn't that interesting to watch for casuals (but I enjoy it). To the casual it is a simple concept. Swing a heavy ball and knock down pins. And lets be honest, there are a lot of out-of-shape and old bowlers.

The newer wave is changing it a bit. Rash, Belmonte, Ronnie Russell, Chris Barnes should be the face. They are fit and athletic. Belmo and Rash have some personality

[J Anderson]

The last two tourneys when I found out Belmo was in the top 2 or 3 seeding, I KNEW before I even watched that he would win - even when he appeared to be struggling early against Rash I never considered for a second that he would lose.

I think you're seeing something truly special with Belmonte, something that has never been done before, regardless of how many hands he uses to throw the ball. He's basically become the Tiger Woods (pre complete and utter meltdown) of bowling, the PBA would be stupid not to use him in any/every way possible to further the popularity of the sport.

This is a big danger for pro bowling; Why should I bother watching if I know who's going to win? Belmo needs a true rival, like Marshall Holman was to Mark Roth, not just a bowler like Rash who doesn't like him very much.
Secondly, what happens if the PBA does "use him in any/every way possible to further the popularity of the sport" and something happens to him like Tiger's now chronic back problems? The PGA made tons of money off Tiger in his prime but now any tourney that he's not on the leader board gets mediocre ratings.

[zdawg]

This is a big danger for pro bowling; Why should I bother watching if I know who's going to win? Belmo needs a true rival, like Marshall Holman was to Mark Roth, not just a bowler like Rash who doesn't like him very much.
Secondly, what happens if the PBA does "use him in any/every way possible to further the popularity of the sport" and something happens to him like Tiger's now chronic back problems? The PGA made tons of money off Tiger in his prime but now any tourney that he's not on the leader board gets mediocre ratings.

To your first point - that would be nice if somebody who could provide him a legitimate challenge in each and every tournament could step up - but right now that doesn't appear to be happening. Sure he loses here and there, but I don't see anybody routinely stepping up to the challenge, Randy Pedersen is kinda right with his whole "only an act of God can stop Belmo" comment.

As for point 2, it's tied in to point 1. If nobody can step up there's not much the PBA can do, they can promote the crap out of the younger guys but until someone else steps up you have to go with the guy who's just destroying everyone on the entire tour and making it look easy.

And I will admit, had my buddy not got me into bowling a year and a half ago, I wouldn't even know that bowling on TV still existed - I have vague memories as a little kid of it being on Saturday morning before or after pro wrestling, but thought it had completely disappeared. So, mainstream publicity anyway you cut it is still SEVERELY lacking for bowling especially as compared to other sports.

[rv driver]

The problem with bowling as a public image is simply this: Sports bars.

Whenever I go into a sports bar, I see basketballs, catcher's mitts, football jerseys, golf clubs, hockey sticks, tennis racquets, skis and Nascar caps. Businesses have their names all over these sports: Rawlings, Nike, Riddell, Wilson, Ping, Scott, Head. Even Nascar has Pep Boys, the Tide car, the Budweiser car, the Cat car, the Mars Bar car, the Texaco car, and any other business that wants to pimp itself out to have its logo slapped on a car door. I see autographed pictures and posters of Michael Jordan, George Brett, Jack Nicklaus, John Elway, Bobby Orr, John McEnroe, Picabo Street, and heck, even Mary Lou Retton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Sean White, Michael Phelps and the Canadian Curling Team. And the pictures of Danica Patrick in a bikini and Richard Petty with Red Man bulging in his cheek. I even sometimes see pool cues and racks.

What I don't see are bowling balls, bowling pins, or any pictures of Earl Anthony, Mark Roth, Mike Durbin, Don Carter, PDW, Norm Duke or Belmo. Golf doesn't need beer advertising; golf has the ultimate snob appeal. Tennis doesn't need help from Anheuser-Busch; they get plenty of backing from Evian. The Cardinals, Suns, Packers, and Maple Leafs have the advantage of identifying with a city. What's bowling got? Brunswick? Which more people associate with billiards than with bowling.

Guaranteed, if more sports bars would slap up a poster of Belmo, Rash, Barnes, and Haugen, bolt a few pins to their walls, and set a few bowling balls on the bar -- if the PBA would get some serious Budweiser, Miller and Coors advertising, instead of Odor-eaters, Liquid Wrench, and Preparation H, the sport would get more recognition as a sport and more people would be drawn to it.

[NewToBowling]

The biggest hurdle is perception of how easy the sport is (we all know it's not easy). People go play on the weekends and string a few strikes and consider them as good or a step below the pros. You don't have that perception in other sports. Nobody playing hoops at the park is thinking to themselves that they can hang with NBA pros. Same with football, hockey, etc.

Even weekend golfers know they would never be able to compete with Phil or Tiger.

Most weekend bowlers think they can hang with PDW and Belmo because they have bowled 300 before.

[zdawg]

Guaranteed, if more sports bars would slap up a poster of Belmo, Rash, Barnes, and Haugen, bolt a few pins to their walls, and set a few bowling balls on the bar -- if the PBA would get some serious Budweiser, Miller and Coors advertising, instead of Odor-eaters, Liquid Wrench, and Preparation H, the sport would get more recognition as a sport and more people would be drawn to it.

Couldn't agree more

[rv driver]

The biggest hurdle is perception of how easy the sport is (we all know it's not easy). People go play on the weekends and string a few strikes and consider them as good or a step below the pros. You don't have that perception in other sports. Nobody playing hoops at the park is thinking to themselves that they can hang with NBA pros. Same with football, hockey, etc.

Even weekend golfers know they would never be able to compete with Phil or Tiger.

Most weekend bowlers think they can hang with PDW and Belmo because they have bowled 300 before.
Yeah, but every sport is "easy" when you're just horsing around. In that regard, I don't think bowling is any different from tennis or golf.

[NewToBowling]

Yeah, but every sport is "easy" when you're just horsing around. In that regard, I don't think bowling is any different from tennis or golf.

Well bowling (like golf) is one of the few sports you don't combat another opponent but rather the lane/course. The main difference between golf and bowling is with golf every course is different. We're talking distance to hole, greens, etc. With bowling you do have different oil patterns but that is not the same level as playing a whole different course.

Golf I believe is inherently more difficult to "master"

[rv driver]

Well bowling (like golf) is one of the few sports you don't combat another opponent but rather the lane/course. The main difference between golf and bowling is with golf every course is different. We're talking distance to hole, greens, etc. With bowling you do have different oil patterns but that is not the same level as playing a whole different course.

Golf I believe is inherently more difficult to "master"
Plus golfers have much smaller balls. :o I'm not a golfer, so I wouldn't know about the relative difficulties. Bowling uses different balls with different properties, different oil patterns (unless you're just bowling on THS), lane inconsistencies, and the random action of the pins. Plus, with bowling, you're trying to hit a very narrow target area and repeat the shot every time. Golf has no equivalent (until you get on the green). They're just two different sports with different physical demands.

[NewToBowling]

Plus golfers have much smaller balls. :o I'm not a golfer, so I wouldn't know about the relative difficulties. Bowling uses different balls with different properties, different oil patterns (unless you're just bowling on THS), lane inconsistencies, and the random action of the pins. Plus, with bowling, you're trying to hit a very narrow target area and repeat the shot every time. Golf has no equivalent (until you get on the green). They're just two different sports with different physical demands.

I also don't play golf but lets put it this way. You can get lucky and get 3-4 strikes a game just by winging it and throwing down the lane. If you just "wing" it in golf you'll probably not come close to getting par.

[Aslan]

The biggest hurdle is perception of how easy the sport is (we all know it's not easy). People go play on the weekends and string a few strikes and consider them as good or a step below the pros. You don't have that perception in other sports. Nobody playing hoops at the park is thinking to themselves that they can hang with NBA pros. Same with football, hockey, etc.

Even weekend golfers know they would never be able to compete with Phil or Tiger.

Most weekend bowlers think they can hang with PDW and Belmo because they have bowled 300 before.

Bowling IS inherently easier than the other sports you mentioned.

Obviously it's not easy and people don't really understand lane conditions and such that pro bowlers deal with that house bowlers don't....BUT....most any other sport you can come up with...it is FAR mor difficult to beat a professional than it would be at bowling. FAR more. Not a "little" more.. FAR more.

As to Belmo...again, I think we're doing that whole..."Whoa Ma! Look at that bandwagon!! I need to jump on it!!"

Yes, he's the hottest bowler on the tour right now. He's a shoe in for player of the year. But he simply doesn't have the number of titles that other PBA bowlers do. When I say that, people point to how he's newer...okay...I guess if he continues at the rate he's on...he could be seen as the best of all time eventually. But the key word is "eventually". I think he's a shoe in for the Hall of Fame...eventually. Not NOW....eventually.

The Tiger Woods comparison is a good one. Nobody thought Tiger would be failing to qualify in tournaments. People figured he'd have re-written the record books by now. Because there was a time...he was THAT good. Now he's not. Belmo is amazingly talented...it's that simple. It has little to do with his 2-handed style....because none of the other 2-handers are AS good as he is. Most fail to qualify for nearly every show. Belmo has taken his unique style and perfected it to a point that I honestly don't think any other folks wanting to bowl 2-handed ever could. And THATs the BIG LIE. Too many people are falling for the "maybe if I learn to throw 2-handed...it's an automatic 20+ pins more in carry each game!?" Then...they realize....it aint that easy. You're playing angles the game was never designed for. You're using your back WAY more than 1-handed competition. Spare shooting tends to suffer. Accuracy tends to suffer. But yes...carry increases.

Whats frustrating in dealing with the youngsters...is, we've seen all this before. This isn't new. Mark Roth burst on the scene ripping the cover off the ball...and even the great Earl Anthony said had he not dealt with health issues (and had the technology not changed so much)...he'd have surpassed everyone. We saw the era of the "cranker"...then the "thumbless era"...and now the 2-handed era. We may someday see a backwards era...where bowlers approach the lane in reverse and bend at the waist rather than the knee (I've seen a bowler do this and score quite well). So no...Belmo isn't like "nothing we've ever seen before"...he's just the newest version. And until he catches up to the true greats of the sport (many of whom are still competing for and winning titles)...I'm gonna reserve my praise. Jason Couch is another one that burst on the scene...looked unbeatable...Chris Barnes has long been considered the technically best bowler ever...but neither have transcended from "great" to "Earl/WRW great"...or even Bohn/PDW/Mika/Duke great for that matter. People forget...Tommy Jones and Chris Barnes both have more PBA titles than Belmo does. The water-mark for "greatness" is 30 titles. Belmo has less than half that. Will he make 30? Or will he be more like Tiger Woods??

I will say that the last event may have been the last we here from PDW. I think the symbolic torch was passed...and maybe PDW is going to think long and hard about whether he still wants to try and run the gauntlet or if he wants to follow WRW into the PBA50 and Hall of Fame. PDW has looked great in the WSOB and TOC...he was right there in the hunt a lot of the time. But this is the first time he really looked outmatched and uncomfortable on TV...almost like he wasn't confident in his abilities anymore.

We have to be careful crowning the next Earl Anthony or WRW. I've heard Ronnie Russell, E. J. Tackett, Dom Barrett, Stu Williams, Sean Rash, and Belmo...and thus far all of the first 4 are a sad second to Rash and Belmo. And Rash/Belmo aren't anywhere near Earl or WRW in titles.

[rv driver]

Bowling IS inherently easier than the other sports you mentioned.

Obviously it's not easy and people don't really understand lane conditions and such that pro bowlers deal with that house bowlers don't....BUT....most any other sport you can come up with...it is FAR mor difficult to beat a professional than it would be at bowling. FAR more. Not a "little" more.. FAR more.

As to Belmo...again, I think we're doing that whole..."Whoa Ma! Look at that bandwagon!! I need to jump on it!!"

Yes, he's the hottest bowler on the tour right now. He's a shoe in for player of the year. But he simply doesn't have the number of titles that other PBA bowlers do. When I say that, people point to how he's newer...okay...I guess if he continues at the rate he's on...he could be seen as the best of all time eventually. But the key word is "eventually". I think he's a shoe in for the Hall of Fame...eventually. Not NOW....eventually.

The Tiger Woods comparison is a good one. Nobody thought Tiger would be failing to qualify in tournaments. People figured he'd have re-written the record books by now. Because there was a time...he was THAT good. Now he's not. Belmo is amazingly talented...it's that simple. It has little to do with his 2-handed style....because none of the other 2-handers are AS good as he is. Most fail to qualify for nearly every show. Belmo has taken his unique style and perfected it to a point that I honestly don't think any other folks wanting to bowl 2-handed ever could. And THATs the BIG LIE. Too many people are falling for the "maybe if I learn to throw 2-handed...it's an automatic 20+ pins more in carry each game!?" Then...they realize....it aint that easy. You're playing angles the game was never designed for. You're using your back WAY more than 1-handed competition. Spare shooting tends to suffer. Accuracy tends to suffer. But yes...carry increases.

Whats frustrating in dealing with the youngsters...is, we've seen all this before. This isn't new. Mark Roth burst on the scene ripping the cover off the ball...and even the great Earl Anthony said had he not dealt with health issues (and had the technology not changed so much)...he'd have surpassed everyone. We saw the era of the "cranker"...then the "thumbless era"...and now the 2-handed era. We may someday see a backwards era...where bowlers approach the lane in reverse and bend at the waist rather than the knee (I've seen a bowler do this and score quite well). So no...Belmo isn't like "nothing we've ever seen before"...he's just the newest version. And until he catches up to the true greats of the sport (many of whom are still competing for and winning titles)...I'm gonna reserve my praise. Jason Couch is another one that burst on the scene...looked unbeatable...Chris Barnes has long been considered the technically best bowler ever...but neither have transcended from "great" to "Earl/WRW great"...or even Bohn/PDW/Mika/Duke great for that matter. People forget...Tommy Jones and Chris Barnes both have more PBA titles than Belmo does. The water-mark for "greatness" is 30 titles. Belmo has less than half that. Will he make 30? Or will he be more like Tiger Woods??

I will say that the last event may have been the last we here from PDW. I think the symbolic torch was passed...and maybe PDW is going to think long and hard about whether he still wants to try and run the gauntlet or if he wants to follow WRW into the PBA50 and Hall of Fame. PDW has looked great in the WSOB and TOC...he was right there in the hunt a lot of the time. But this is the first time he really looked outmatched and uncomfortable on TV...almost like he wasn't confident in his abilities anymore.

We have to be careful crowning the next Earl Anthony or WRW. I've heard Ronnie Russell, E. J. Tackett, Dom Barrett, Stu Williams, Sean Rash, and Belmo...and thus far all of the first 4 are a sad second to Rash and Belmo. And Rash/Belmo aren't anywhere near Earl or WRW in titles.
Belmo's good -- but Belmo's also ripping the holy hell out of his back. All that twisting is going to cause BIG problems for him down the line. In spite of the fact that he may be doing specialized training, and doing the nutrition thing, he's only getting older and throwing the ball more. One of these days, he's going to pull a Tiger and really wrench his back and it's going to permanently sideline him -- mark my words. Tiger's not coming back, and neither will Belmo. And I just don't think he'll have amassed the titles. Part of being "great" at bowling is longevity -- being able to do it again and again and again consistently. I just don't think the human body can take that kind of abuse for the kind of time we're talking about.

[NewToBowling]

True he does torque his back.