Jason Couch is bitter

[NewToBowling]

This is probably old news but was watching the Belmonte-Rash super clash on YouTube. It was originally broadcasted by ESPN with Randy Peterson, Tommy Jones, Couch, and Chris Barnes.

Boy did Jason Couch come off as being a whiny baby. At least he didn't sugar coat it. He hates Belmonte and his two handed style. Calling it a travesty and his strikes lucky. There are three parts on YouTube, it's fuuny just to hear his commentary.

You don't have to like him or his style but at this point you have to respect him. Jason Couch showed none of that. Even questioned Belmonte's bowling IQ though out the telecast. I guess he is just bitter.

End rant :)

[foreverincamo]

Couch has complained about Jason's two-handed style from day one. He has said it shouldn't be allowed whatsoever. All Jason does is use his left hand longerthan most people . The ball is still turned with one hand. Couch needs to shutup about it simply because it's legal and it's never going to be outlawed.

[NewToBowling]

Yeah Couch made it personal with Belmonte on that telecast which by the way Belmonte did win.

Couch kept saying how much pin carry and reaction he got only due to the speed and revs Belmonte was throwing. Which is true. But keep in mind Belmonte is also hitting the pocket. Honestly if you look at him most of his shots have perfect angle of entry. Add those two and its a deadly combination.

And he is also deadly with spares shooting two handed.

[foreverincamo]

There is no luck involved in Belmo's game. He's deadly accurate, understands his arsenal, reads lanes and oil transitions well, and can play around the competition's lines and dominate. Couch is simply jealous .

[NewToBowling]

I agree. Take a video of just the ball going down the lane and you will see how accurate his throws are. Its amazing how accurate he gets the ball down the lane

[foreverincamo]

Ever try to throw the ball like Belmo? I can't do it accurately at all. Of course I'm not super accurate with one hand like I was when I was younger.

[NewToBowling]

Ever try to throw the ball like Belmo? I can't do it accurately at all. Of course I'm not super accurate with one hand like I was when I was younger.

Agreed, Too many "moving' parts. A one handed bowler can use a relaxed throw. A two hander has to use more muscles

[Mike White]

There is no luck involved in Belmo's game. He's deadly accurate, understands his arsenal, reads lanes and oil transitions well, and can play around the competition's lines and dominate. Couch is simply jealous .

He is far from deadly accurate.

Look at the number of times he leaves a WEAK 10 pin, only to get a messenger to take it out.

The fact that he had a messenger at all indicates that he missed, because the headpin should transfer most of it's energy into the 2 pin, but since he hit light, the head pin just glanced off the 2 pin, and maintained plenty of energy to fly back across the deck.

I blame ABC/USBC for falling asleep when ball companies presented resin balls.

The change in friction between the ball and the lane has completely changed the game from one of art, into pure power. That acheivable increase in effective power is what allows Belmo to launch headpins off of the side walls, and increase his carry %.

Then to make things worse, they put even more oil on the lane to compensate for what would otherwise be an unusable ball, and ALLOW that oil to guide the ball down the lane.

High rev rate was achievable long before the thumbless style was around. It just wasn't as effective due to the lower friction between the ball and the lane. It was actually not hard to over-rev the ball so it skidded further.

What we didn't see was high revs, high speed, and significant ball reaction at the same time.

Using the equipment pre-resin, Belmo's technique (unchanged) would result in a 150-160 bowler, with trouble getting the 5 pin consistently. And that would be with the oil patterns in use pre-resin (much less volume of oil)

His rev rate in the 500's, would only be effective in the 14-15mph range, and at that speed, you can forget launching messengers. That means his weak 10 pin shots would remain weak 10 pins.

[Aslan]

I think Couch is probably more bitter about his own career than Belmo. Not many bowlers had more potential when they debuted than Jason Couch. And while he's had a good career…I think he sees Belmo's success/debut/popularity and recognizes that maybe he hasn't lived up to the hype/expectations.

But, I respect that he spoke his mind. I think too many PBA players are afraid to criticize 2-handed bowling or Belmo because he's the PBA's "golden goose".

[NewToBowling]

I think Couch is probably more bitter about his own career than Belmo. Not many bowlers had more potential when they debuted than Jason Couch. And while he's had a good career…I think he sees Belmo's success/debut/popularity and recognizes that maybe he hasn't lived up to the hype/expectations.

But, I respect that he spoke his mind. I think too many PBA players are afraid to criticize 2-handed bowling or Belmo because he's the PBA's "golden goose".

I can accept constructive criticism. Seems it got too personal with Belmonte.

Calling Belmonte lucky with a very low bowling IQ doesn't do anything except make Couch a whiny kid

[fortheloveofbowling]

I think Couch is probably more bitter about his own career than Belmo. Not many bowlers had more potential when they debuted than Jason Couch. And while he's had a good career…I think he sees Belmo's success/debut/popularity and recognizes that maybe he hasn't lived up to the hype/expectations.

But, I respect that he spoke his mind. I think too many PBA players are afraid to criticize 2-handed bowling or Belmo because he's the PBA's "golden goose".

Jason couch has 16 career national titles including 4 majors and was ranked 24th on the all time list of greatest pba players. All time 21st in wins and 10th in earnings. He has been inducted to the pba and usbc hall of fame as well. I would say that is way beyond a good career.

[Aslan]

Jason couch has 16 career national titles including 4 majors and was ranked 24th on the all time list of greatest pba players. All time 21st in wins and 10th in earnings. He has been inducted to the pba and usbc hall of fame as well. I would say that is way beyond a good career.

With those numbers, it would appear he's better than Belmo. But I bet if you posted a oll on that topic; the percentages would be:

Belmo is better = 98%
Couch is better = 1%
Who is Jason Couch? = 1%

Thats what I meant by why a guy like Couch might be bitter. And I agree with him. Far too many people have crowned Belmo before he's paid his dues…and there are a lot of great, great bowlers that have been forgotten prematurely.

[swingset]

He is far from deadly accurate.

Look at the number of times he leaves a WEAK 10 pin, only to get a messenger to take it out.

The fact that he had a messenger at all indicates that he missed, because the headpin should transfer most of it's energy into the 2 pin, but since he hit light, the head pin just glanced off the 2 pin, and maintained plenty of energy to fly back across the deck.

I blame ABC/USBC for falling asleep when ball companies presented resin balls.

The change in friction between the ball and the lane has completely changed the game from one of art, into pure power. That acheivable increase in effective power is what allows Belmo to launch headpins off of the side walls, and increase his carry %.

Then to make things worse, they put even more oil on the lane to compensate for what would otherwise be an unusable ball, and ALLOW that oil to guide the ball down the lane.

High rev rate was achievable long before the thumbless style was around. It just wasn't as effective due to the lower friction between the ball and the lane. It was actually not hard to over-rev the ball so it skidded further.

What we didn't see was high revs, high speed, and significant ball reaction at the same time.

Using the equipment pre-resin, Belmo's technique (unchanged) would result in a 150-160 bowler, with trouble getting the 5 pin consistently. And that would be with the oil patterns in use pre-resin (much less volume of oil)

His rev rate in the 500's, would only be effective in the 14-15mph range, and at that speed, you can forget launching messengers. That means his weak 10 pin shots would remain weak 10 pins.

Belmonte is thriving in a condition that he had no hand in setting up, he's just brought his talent to the table and is winning with it. It's not 2-hands producing all those wins, or Osku and the other 2-handers would be dominating. They're not.

The power players are usually at the top of the leaderboards, on that we agree and today's game is a power game at the highest level, but then was it preferable that years ago it was a low-friction game? If so, why? Why is one better than the other?

Isn't the point still beating the field? It is, the conditions and equipment are merely the tools you use to achieve that, so every player starting out on resin has to build his skillset with that in mind.

I'm not seeing a problem. In fact, I think every player out there has the same opportunity to be Belmo that Belmo does. Why aren't they?

[RobLV1]

I agree completely. He's not dominating because he uses two hands, he dominating because he uses two hands and HE'S THAT GOOD!

[NewToBowling]

I agree completely. He's not dominating because he uses two hands, he dominating because he uses two hands and HE'S THAT GOOD!

Yep

I can understand some resentment towards him because of his style. Heck it's not for everyone. But you have to respect what he has done. I think he's gotten into a lot of the other bowlers heads. When you get to the pro level where most of the pros can strike 70-80% of the time it's that extra mental edge that decides who the champion is.

[foreverincamo]

Anyone else old enough to remember New Orleans Saints place kicker Tom Dempsey? Other kickers wanted him booted out of the league because he was " cheating " by only having half a foot that he kicked with. He offered them all the opportunity to lose half their foot and kick like him. No one did it, obviously.
Anyone can bowl like Belmo. Quit biatching and join him, or use one hand and defeat him.

[NewToBowling]

Belmo "cheats" the same way Couch "cheats" by using his left hand and having that part of the lane all to himself. In other words use what you got. We're all (mostly) born with two hands.

Heck, if someone can bowl with their right foot more power to them.

[Ryster]

He is far from deadly accurate.

Look at the number of times he leaves a WEAK 10 pin, only to get a messenger to take it out.

The fact that he had a messenger at all indicates that he missed, because the headpin should transfer most of it's energy into the 2 pin, but since he hit light, the head pin just glanced off the 2 pin, and maintained plenty of energy to fly back across the deck.

I blame ABC/USBC for falling asleep when ball companies presented resin balls.

The change in friction between the ball and the lane has completely changed the game from one of art, into pure power. That acheivable increase in effective power is what allows Belmo to launch headpins off of the side walls, and increase his carry %.

Then to make things worse, they put even more oil on the lane to compensate for what would otherwise be an unusable ball, and ALLOW that oil to guide the ball down the lane.

High rev rate was achievable long before the thumbless style was around. It just wasn't as effective due to the lower friction between the ball and the lane. It was actually not hard to over-rev the ball so it skidded further.

What we didn't see was high revs, high speed, and significant ball reaction at the same time.

Using the equipment pre-resin, Belmo's technique (unchanged) would result in a 150-160 bowler, with trouble getting the 5 pin consistently. And that would be with the oil patterns in use pre-resin (much less volume of oil)

His rev rate in the 500's, would only be effective in the 14-15mph range, and at that speed, you can forget launching messengers. That means his weak 10 pin shots would remain weak 10 pins.

Belmonte has some of the best CATS data ever recorded. There is no question that he is one of, if the not the most, accurate bowlers currently on tour.

https://www.11thframe.com/news/article/6452

[fortheloveofbowling]

Belmo "cheats" the same way Couch "cheats" by using his left hand and having that part of the lane all to himself. In other words use what you got. We're all (mostly) born with two hands.

Heck, if someone can bowl with their right foot more power to them.

Funny you mention that. Ever think of the fact that so many right handers are so deep they actually burn up lay down areas of left handers? That is starting to happen more and more and causes problems for lefties in that regard in the later part of qualifying blocks.