Bowling only for the socially awkward

[NewToBowling]

Saw this from reddit but they had a thread asking people what activities where you were considered socially awkward if you took it too serious or were really good at. Bowling was one of them. If you avg under 100 hey you're a drunk and having a good time. Avg above 180-200 and you're just "weird" who takes bowling way too serious. You have your own ball and shoes and no friends

I guess this is why bowling will never truly catch on again and be a mainstream sport with this mentality.

I personally find bowling relaxing and very rewarding.

[Lt Tom]

So people that gather with friends to play a game together might be considered social awkward by people sitting at home alone on Reddit? I can live with that.

[vdubtx]

So people that gather with friends to play a game together might be considered social awkward by people sitting at home alone on Reddit? I can live with that.

So true!

Have lots of bowling friends of all skill levels. Sure, there are some people that think they are a gift to the center they choose to bowl in, but the good WAY outweigh the bad eggs from my experience. I certainly don't think I am weird because I bowl at a higher level, and don't think my friends think so either.

I bowl on a team Thursdays with people that average between 110 and 140. They always wonder why I bowl with them. I always tell them it's the quarters and dollar bills I win from the games/cards we play that I am using to put my daughter through college. :D

[LyalC52]

our Thursday team name is "Something Awkward"

[John Anderson]

I don't believe this to be true one bit. I know lot's of other very normal people that are good bowlers. I probably can't speak about myself without being biased, but I am a relatively normal person as well. If you saw me in public, you probably wouldn't realize it because I don't stand out. My same group of friends that will bowl with me also will basketball with me as well. Does that make us all weird for playing Basketball? No. So why would the same people bowling being weird?

[NYMIKE]

Person that made that post must suck at bowling, and probably too stupid to be able to tally up numbers without the machine on his own.

[NewToBowling]

I think the whole thread was tongue in cheek. Paint balling was another popular choice

[Aslan]

Are Iceman and I allowed to comment or is that gonna hurt the cause??? :o


So people that gather with friends to play a game together might be considered social awkward by people sitting at home alone on Reddit? I can live with that.
THIS

Unfortuntaly….this happens to me ALOT.

1) Because I'm weird to start with…so I gotta actually be far less weird just to get even.

2) Because when I'm put on a team…it's almost ALWAYS with people that only bowl once in a while , once a week, they may be good, bad, horrible, or maybe used to be good in high school or something…or have just been doing it for forever…

So they see ME…which I am definitely more "into it" than many others…keeping track of stats on my phone, a 5-ball arsenal, a guy who actually PRACTICES regularly AND takes lessons, keeping notes in a notebook, posting 4000 times, etc…but they see me and think it's funny. Yet usually, the same people that think that don't think it would be as "weird" if it was surfing, or golf, fishing, or tennis. Or the crazy weirdos into WWE wrestling and/or Nascar.

So I think there's definitely a stigma. I just think the vast majority of people consider bowling like going to the movies or to a carnival. It's not a 'sport', it's just somewhere to take the kids on a Saturday afternoon to get them out of the house or a place teenagers can go on a date that isn't the same ole dinner/movie.

[rv driver]

Anyone who participates too deeply in any activity is labeled as a "nerd." Apparently, we're all just supposed to be surface-dwellers, lining up at the smorgasbord of human activity to try a little here, a little there, without actually learning anything about what we're sampling. IOW: Life is "supposed" to be a frat party with lots of cheap beer, cheap music, and cheap women.

[Lt Tom]

So the socially awkward ones are just the ones who are into it enough to say, join a bowling forum? I'm still not buying it. I was just looking at the "Post a picture of yourself" thread. Many posted pictures of themselves with their wives and girlfriends. If it's not rude to say so, bowlers be doing pretty well for themselves...........

[Amyers]

I personally am just fine with the idea that "general society" may think I'm weird. Myself I consider most other people certifiably insane.

[bubba809]

Link to this article Mr. NewtoBowling?

[NewToBowling]

Link to this article Mr. NewtoBowling?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3hpxbx/what_is_cool_to_be_good_at_yet_uncool_to_be/

Response from reddit bowling subforum
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bowling/comments/3hrgbi/sadly_relevant/

It's actually an amusing read. Some things may be on point.

Karaoke, Rubiks Cube, DDR, GH, Juggling were some of the other suggestions.

[bubba809]

The bowling one is ridiculous. I've never looked at one REALLY good bowler and thought, "Boy they sure are really socially impaired".

I bowl with a doctor and two lawyers along with a garbage man and two unemployed people. The diverse field is what makes bowling a great sport. I think these types of posts are by people jealous that they cannot perform like the people they see doing these activities.

[GeoLes]

it has been my experience that many times people who are insecure in themselves need outside stimulaiton to keep themselves engaged. They are the thrill seekers, as well as those addicted to social media. Anything that does not give an immediate thrill is just boring to them (they used to call that lack of personal motivation.). It is deeply engraved in the person of 20th and 21st. centry.

Because an easily bored person say something does not make it true.

I recall hearing a comedian joking about bowling being the most boring of sports. She cited bowlers just sitting, staring, sipping water, and scratching between bowls. She kept referring to "Earl-Freaking-Anthony" as driving her crazy.

If you don't like something, why can't you just move on to something else? Why all the contempt?

Just another perosona non grata. I think is is safe to ignore them and not waste any energy on it.

[Tony]

The bowling one is ridiculous. I've never looked at one REALLY good bowler and thought, "Boy they sure are really socially impaired".

I bowl with a doctor and two lawyers along with a garbage man and two unemployed people. The diverse field is what makes bowling a great sport. I think these types of posts are by people jealous that they cannot perform like the people they see doing these activities.

Yes, I also bowl with a group of people that represent nearly all walks of life, A dentist, Banker, CPA, Sales professionals, roofer, lawn service , govt employee, unemployed, retired, business owners and like any other group some are introverts and others are extroverts .... the article was clearly written by someone who has never hung around a bowling center.

[Jessiewoodard57]

You could set your calendar by our bowling days. My son, daughter in law and I, bowl on a league Tuesday nights and have a standing reservation for a pair of lanes Saturday night. usually we do a few games after league then about 10 on Saturday. Some in the family think us weird because between us we have 14 balls and various other equipment. They look at us even worst knowing that we are about to add a ball spinner to the collection. They ask "Why do you clean and polish the balls so often they are just going to get dirty again?" They are just clueless. Oh well we have fun and that's all that counts. Its a lot cheaper than my last hobby radio controlled airplanes!