PBA guys you like/hate watch bowl

[NewToBowling]

Yes, this is a very polarizing topic and a very good candidate for banning :)

But to me, I never got into Parker Bohn III and his bowling. Yes, he is a very accomplished and talented bowler and would rip us all to shreds on the lanes. But something about his approach and slow relaxed form just doesn't move the needle for me. But contrast that with Norm Duke whom I do enjoy watching even though he has almost the same slow very fluid form.

I do enjoy watching crankers/high rev guys like EJ Tackett, Ronnie Russell, Ciminelli. Just guys who use a lot of "hand" in their release.

[1VegasBowler]

You could add Earl Anthony (rest his soul) to the Parker Bohn & Norm Duke category.

I'm not all that crazy about watching Belmo, but beyond that I like watching all of them and their contrasting styles, and how they make adjustments when they're playing similar tracks.

To this day, though, I can still watch old telecasts of Mark Roth. Such a shame he had a stroke and can't compete anymore.

[NewToBowling]

I am actually a big Belmo fan but don't like watching him or 2 handers bowl. Nothing against two handers just don't enjoy watching them.

[Huber]

Love watching Tommy Jones, Sean Rash, Dom Barrett, EJ Tacket & Matt Mitchell (great sport and attitude)

Don't like watch Belmo (comes off as a jerk), really any 2 hand bowlers and Liz Johnson lol

[ep1977]

My favorite to watch is Norm Duke. I also like watching EJ Tacket, Pete Weber, Wes Malot. The bowler I like watching the least is Jason Belmonte and all other 2 handed bowlers.

[NewToBowling]

Love watching Tommy Jones, Sean Rash, Dom Barrett, EJ Tacket & Matt Mitchell (great sport and attitude)

Don't like watch Belmo (comes off as a jerk), really any 2 hand bowlers and Liz Johnson lol

Yes, forgot to mention Dom Barrett. Love his form.

[JasonNJ]

I like Norm Duke because when you watch him, you think I can do that. =P

[manke]

You can put Mike Fagan on the list. I wish i could throw like him!

[foreverincamo]

Had to really think about this one. I always enjoyed the smooth bowlers, Earl and Parker and Mike Aulby. Also liked the crankers like Roth and Bob Handley and Wayne Webb. I also liked the ones with flair, like Guppy Troup and Ernie Schlegel.
There was always something about Pete Weber's " crotch chop" that I never cared for.

[1VegasBowler]

Had to really think about this one. I always enjoyed the smooth bowlers, Earl and Parker and Mike Aulby. Also liked the crankers like Roth and Bob Handley and Wayne Webb. I also liked the ones with flair, like Guppy Troup and Ernie Schlegel.
There was always something about Pete Weber's " crotch chop" that I never cared for.

While PDW is a great bowler, I too don't like the crotch chop.

Marshall Holman was another I liked to watch, and my approach has a similarity to it. While it's all 5 steps for me, on a long PBA pattern like the Scorpion, I go a shorter distance to the foul line so that I can throw it much easier. On short PBA patterns like the Viper, or a THS, I'll go a bit longer for a little more speed and revs.

[LOUVIT]

then there's
Pete Weber...quote to a guy in the stands on TV, who seen it?...."who do you think you are........I am" what the hell does that mean?...lol

[LOUVIT]

While PDW is a great bowler, I too don't like the crotch chop.

Marshall Holman was another I liked to watch, and my approach has a similarity to it. While it's all 5 steps for me, on a long PBA pattern like the Scorpion, I go a shorter distance to the foul line so that I can throw it much easier. On short PBA patterns like the Viper, or a THS, I'll go a bit longer for a little more speed and revs.


Marshall Holman lol the hell cat of bowling back in the day. I thought I remember him being a marshall art's black belt....rumor? Roth was my idle and i cranked close to him, that;s why I never spot or arrowed bowled all I had to do was get it out. rubber or plastic ball on wood surface....I like Bellmonte but not a fan of 2 hander http://bowlingtechniques.net/bowling-trick-shots

[foreverincamo]

I was watching Marshall Holman bowl on TV with my Grandmother when he kicked out the foul light. My grandmother looked at me and said " He's really a stinker! ". Those were strong words from that woman!

[Tampabaybob]

For smoothness and technique; lefty...Earl Anthony....righty....Chris Barnes. To me both of those are were/are the best of the best as far as form and function. If you're right handed, watch Chris Barnes and anything you can emulate from him will increase your game.

I had heard, and don't remember from who, that Marshall Holman had quit when all of the new balls came out. Evidently, he was having difficulty getting used to the aggressiveness of the equipment, or whatever, and just decided he'd rather quit than compete. These days he only shoots a few games a year and that only for exhibitions he's at. Monacelli quit for several years and he's just resurfaced in the last couple of years. The transition from the old type of balls we were used to was a tough one. I know, I was in that same PBA era as those guys.

[fortheloveofbowling]

For pure form nobody better than David Ozio. I also have always enjoyed watching Rick Steelsmith, his game has always been just so compact. It would be hard to teach barnes approach though. His push away timing is so late he has to hesitate to let the ball catch up. Don't get me wrong he is great and probably knows more about the technical aspects of the game as any pro ever, just would be tough to teach that timing. Holman decided to go into the tax prep business in oregon where he is from and amleto was shut out for a few years late last decade for the most part when they had that stupid exempt tour system.

[fortheloveofbowling]

I was watching Marshall Holman bowl on TV with my Grandmother when he kicked out the foul light. My grandmother looked at me and said " He's really a stinker! ". Those were strong words from that woman!

Holman was an intimidator and i loved his passion on the lanes. A guy i know who bowled full time on the tour in the mid 80's had a funny story. He said the first time he bowled with him holman had his hand out probably over the hand dryer but my friend thought marshall was putting his hand out for a mark. He touched his hand and holman told him after not in a mean or mad way but just that he never wanted to be touched while they were bowling. Completely serious and focused on his job at hand is was that man was. That is just the way some guys are, just watch duke during qualifying sometime. He is so completely concentrated on what he is doing the entire block.

[stargell1]

My favorite to watch is Norm Duke. I also like watching EJ Tacket, Pete Weber, Wes Malot. The bowler I like watching the least is Jason Belmonte and all other 2 handed bowlers.

I have no interest watching 2 handed bowlers.

I miss the old Saturday afternoon telecasts of the 70's and 80's. Anthony, Shlegell, Trupe, Roth, Webb, Genalo, Ritger, etc. I also like to watch the old legends like Don Carter and Billy Hardwick. Watching bowling on TV today is a joke.

Tennis on tv in the 70's and 80's was also fantastic. Today is a yawn fest.

[1VegasBowler]

Holman was an intimidator and i loved his passion on the lanes. A guy i know who bowled full time on the tour in the mid 80's had a funny story. He said the first time he bowled with him holman had his hand out probably over the hand dryer but my friend thought marshall was putting his hand out for a mark. He touched his hand and holman told him after not in a mean or mad way but just that he never wanted to be touched while they were bowling. Completely serious and focused on his job at hand is was that man was. That is just the way some guys are, just watch duke during qualifying sometime. He is so completely concentrated on what he is doing the entire block.

I'll be seeing him and many others this week for the PBA50 USBC Masters. I'll be working for the USBC Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

[Aslan]

I have no interest watching 2 handed bowlers.

I miss the old Saturday afternoon telecasts of the 70's and 80's. Anthony, Shlegell, Trupe, Roth, Webb, Genalo, Ritger, etc. I also like to watch the old legends like Don Carter and Billy Hardwick. Watching bowling on TV today is a joke.

Tennis on tv in the 70's and 80's was also fantastic. Today is a yawn fest.

Gotta agree with that!!

I have no interest in the PBA League. I'd have more interest if it was a real league and the teams were tied directly to a brand. I think over time, with brand loyalty, you'd have more attention, more exposure to the brands, more loyalists to brands, and more enthusiasm. Or, make the team from Brooklyn have the best 5 guys with Brooklyn as their home town. Nobody is loyal enough to a brand to be loyal to a player...and they can't be loyal to a team from some random place, UNLESS they are loyal to a player. The PBA needs to just end the nightmare. Start working with the USBC and get an upper echelan league together and try to get it out on XtraFrame and Bowl.tv and maybe eventually on TV.

I don't like watching 2-handed style bowlers. I'm sure it'll be a dominant style for many years...I just don't like it.

I'm not a great fan of crankers nor non-traditional styles (WRW JR is the exception to this rule). I like to watch the pros and emulate them. I'd like to emulate the right things.

As to what I like to watch. Any WRW footage, any Earl Anthony footage, Parker Bohn III, Mika Koivuniemi....and other than that....the older the better. Old Billy Welu, Bob Strampe, Dick Ritger, Dick Weber, Mike Liomongello, Carmen Salvino, etc... I liked how passionate the older guys were are for the game yet were able to do it in a classy and exciting way.

[LOUVIT]

Asian, I agree with most you said....

[Amyers]

Gotta agree with that!!

I have no interest in the PBA League. I'd have more interest if it was a real league and the teams were tied directly to a brand. I think over time, with brand loyalty, you'd have more attention, more exposure to the brands, more loyalists to brands, and more enthusiasm. Or, make the team from Brooklyn have the best 5 guys with Brooklyn as their home town. Nobody is loyal enough to a brand to be loyal to a player...and they can't be loyal to a team from some random place, UNLESS they are loyal to a player. The PBA needs to just end the nightmare. Start working with the USBC and get an upper echelan league together and try to get it out on XtraFrame and Bowl.tv and maybe eventually on TV.

I don't like watching 2-handed style bowlers. I'm sure it'll be a dominant style for many years...I just don't like it.

I'm not a great fan of crankers nor non-traditional styles (WRW JR is the exception to this rule). I like to watch the pros and emulate them. I'd like to emulate the right things.

As to what I like to watch. Any WRW footage, any Earl Anthony footage, Parker Bohn III, Mika Koivuniemi....and other than that....the older the better. Old Billy Welu, Bob Strampe, Dick Ritger, Dick Weber, Mike Liomongello, Carmen Salvino, etc... I liked how passionate the older guys were are for the game yet were able to do it in a classy and exciting way.

Nailed it.

[fordman1]

Ryan Shafer and Patrick Allen not on my list of favorites. Other than a few lefties also. I liked Earl. Duke is fun to watch.

[Tampabaybob]

In case you missed this on another thread, along the same lines as Asian said, check out this blog by a former PBA member: http://www.machugabowling.com/blog/