<TAP> <Tap> <tap> Is this thing on?

[Phonetek]

Man it really tanked on here. I know it's summer and all but wow! No posts at all except poor Boomer updating his scores for eons. Hopefully it livens up soon.

[RobLV1]

It's like this most every year. Personally, I don't understand it. I've never taken a summer off. I love bowling too much! Some summers, like this year, I just go out to enjoy it more. Other summers, I've worked on my game. For whatever reason, I just can't imagine walking away from bowling for the summer.

[classygranny]

Personally, I am bowling so poorly I don't want it to rub off on anyone, so I'm keeping my negativity to myself regarding bowling.

But, I will say - I really need to see some more postings. I like to read, especially, one's opinions, thoughts, and the different answers to questions. Since the lack of posting on here on the Boards, I now have to read Dear Abby, Ann Landers, and Miss Manners.

PLEASE!!! Help a girl out - Start Posting!

[boatman37]

I'm not bowling summer league and no time for any extra activities. Just had a new roof put on, new siding coming in a few weeks, I'm rebuilding our deck, I'm rebuilding our retaining wall and I just installed a mini split AC unit. I also just tiled my front entry way. Oh, and just got the boat our of the shop so getting it ready to put in. Then there is my 40 hours a week at my desk. Not much time to even think about bowling but I do still pop in here a few times a day to see if there is anything new.

[RobLV1]

Personally, I am bowling so poorly I don't want it to rub off on anyone, so I'm keeping my negativity to myself regarding bowling.

But, I will say - I really need to see some more postings. I like to read, especially, one's opinions, thoughts, and the different answers to questions. Since the lack of posting on here on the Boards, I now have to read Dear Abby, Ann Landers, and Miss Manners.

PLEASE!!! Help a girl out - Start Posting!

With your high series and high game (a long time ago), and your current average, I would guess that there is some aspect of your physical game that is affecting you. Can you post a video? I'd be glad to take a look. Also, what kind of equipment are you using?

[classygranny]

With your high series and high game (a long time ago), and your current average, I would guess that there is some aspect of your physical game that is affecting you. Can you post a video? I'd be glad to take a look. Also, what kind of equipment are you using?

Thanks for the offer. I know I need to get some new video. Little time to practice lately.

I know a lot of my issues have to do with that damn "birthday" thing. In the last 3 years I have faced:
1. Eye surgery - went from mono vision to regular vision (supposedly, but I still use my dominant eye a lot!), and as such the markings on the lanes are not always in the same place.
2. Elbow surgery - had the dead tendons in my right elbow blown out, and building strength and stamina is taking a very, very long time.
3. Foot surgery - still recovering so my left foot is sometimes in pain, and sometimes numb. A bit difficult to post a shot when you can't feel your foot underneath you.

I know these are just excuses, and I can overcome them. I recently decided to eliminate my extended push-away and go for more of a "drop" into my swing slot as I was constantly missing my mark to the outside. After 2 weeks of this, I have decided that was a disastrous move. Realized that the issue may have been opening my shoulder too much. So Friday, I went back to my extended push-away and attempted to keep the shoulder closed a bit more. Not great - not bad. Shot a 490, but couldn't carry. Only had about 6 strikes and about 6 too many opens.

Since the elbow surgery, I have given up my 14#s and gone to 12#s. I currently have 2 Storm Tropical Surges. One I have taken to 5000 with no polish (on your recommendation) and I do like the reaction, especially in the later games. I have another (drilled to move a bit more) that I took to 3000 with no polish and can use it if the lanes appear a bit fresher/oilier. I also have a Storm Alpha Crux, but rarely do I find enough oil to use it any more. All of these balls have the same core as their heavier counterparts. But I believe the RG/Diff all run about the same - due to the lower weight.

[J Anderson]

Personally, I am bowling so poorly I don't want it to rub off on anyone, so I'm keeping my negativity to myself regarding bowling.

But, I will say - I really need to see some more postings. I like to read, especially, one's opinions, thoughts, and the different answers to questions. Since the lack of posting on here on the Boards, I now have to read Dear Abby, Ann Landers, and Miss Manners.

PLEASE!!! Help a girl out - Start Posting!

Just posted my first two weeks of summer league. I hadn't posted right after the first week because the scores, at least for the first set were just so embarrassing. I'll try to post every week, even though my posts are no where near as interesting as Phonetek's or Aslan's.

[classygranny]

Just posted my first two weeks of summer league. I hadn't posted right after the first week because the scores, at least for the first set were just so embarrassing. I'll try to post every week, even though my posts are no where near as interesting as Phonetek's or Aslan's.

I enjoy seeing your posts. Maybe I'll post mine as well....been a very long time since I did.

I sure do miss those two! They can post about anything in life and it would be interesting.

[boatman37]

Well I just got a text I'll be subbing Tuesday night so I'll be posting my scores Tuesday night...lol. Just hope they are good ones. The 2 guys on this team are 225 averages so I have big shoes to fill. I subbed for them the first week and only rolled 693 4 game series. To be fair though there were 3 pairs with practically no oil at all on them so I rolled 217, 191 then we moved to one of those pairs and rolled 146 and 140. Even my Raw Hammer pearl was crossing the head pin. And the guys before us on that pair are 235 averages and they were rolling around 170 on that pair.

[Phonetek]

Just posted my first two weeks of summer league. I hadn't posted right after the first week because the scores, at least for the first set were just so embarrassing. I'll try to post every week, even though my posts are no where near as interesting as Phonetek's or Aslan's.

Thank you John, I'll take that as high praise. 😁 I'm just so busy all the time I don't have the time nor energy these days. A lot going on at work and quadruple at home. The one thing I don't get is down time or time to relax.

I do get out to bowl twice a week though. Sadly in my two days off I'm at work bowling so I am there 7 days a week. The one downfall. However, my wife and I are enjoying our first league together ever. It's something we finally get to do together. The other league is a sport doubles league with my son. That's more for him than me. Either way it's fun. Other than that the rest is just life, nothing too interesting.

[Phonetek]

By the way though, just because Aslan and I aren't around much these days, don't let it stop you guys from posting. This isn't "Phonetek & Aslan boards", it's bowling boards and everyone here bowls, I'm sure you can think of something to talk about. Don't make it "boring boards" because we're not here. 😜 I'm sure he'll pop in as well I when I have time.

[boatman37]

Posted my scores but pretty embarrassed by them....lol

[djp1080]

Hello Phoney, I don't check in very often, but still bowling. Have been taking some pads to my equipment and finding that going to 3000 or 4000 grit things have improved reaction now at least for the mid lane. The miss room I have on my Hy-Road is better especially on both the left and the right. I had tried this before several years ago and didn't see as much difference as I have now. Tried to simulate what Storm calls their 4K-Fast surface and then took the 3000 grit pad to it afterwards. On medium to dry lanes it's working pretty well... Hope you have a great summer...

[Aslan]

By the way though, just because Aslan and I aren't around much these days, don't let it stop you guys from posting. This isn't "Phonetek & Aslan boards", it's bowling boards and everyone here bowls, I'm sure you can think of something to talk about. Don't make it "boring boards" because we're not here. 😜 I'm sure he'll pop in as well I when I have time.

It IS kind've amazing...and worrisome...to see how BBoards activity has dropped off so significantly.

I mean, in the "hay days" of this forum, you could barely keep up with all the posts. There were "debates"...the mods were busy with their spam patrol in addition to trying to keep everyone happy and making sure folks are being respectful and civil.

What I WILL say...is...I don't think this has anything to do with me or my opinions/posts. And, I know a lot of folks read that and say, "Why would it?" Well, back in the "hay days", a small segment of the forum left for other forums and blamed it on Iceman, me, and MikeW and our "strong opinions" and claimed that we dominated the forums. And I totally get that. But, MikeW got booted years ago...a little unfairly in my opinion...but whatever. With Mike W gone, it opened the door for Rob M to participate more...which I think is great. Then Iceman left...mainly because people were throwing shade about his belief in vitamins, herbs, and supplements that was a little "out there". It stunk to see him go, but it happens. Unfortunately, with the major players gone...it was really just me posting and very little responses.

Other folks sort of filled in the voids...like Phonetek...but we just never got that activity level back to where it was.

Now, 2 points:

1) If I honestly felt that leaving the site would bring multiple people into the site to participate...it wouldn't even be a difficult decision. I'd definitely leave if I felt it would increase participation. But, I don't think that would help at this stage. I've "calmed down" quite a bit and it hasn't increased participation.

2) I, UNFORTUNATELY, think this is just the end result of the decline in the sport. The "old timers" are dying off. I don't even know if Bowl1820, Iceman, RobM, or MikeW are even still alive. I hope so...but given the number of health issues I deal with most league nights...those guys are all older than me. Just sayin.

It's too bad. This has been a great forum and relatively calm, normal, non-confrontational, etc... It would be interesting to hear ideas for improvement. Like, "what would attract bowlers to the forum to participate?" Unfortunately, I don't think bowlingball.com is getting enough business from the forum to justify more investment in the forums. To bring in pro bowlers as moderators and/or to create a coaching section where people can upload videos and get free feedback from actual experts...maybe even have expert moderators that post daily or weekly tips/topics. Sort of tying bowlversity in with the forums, etc...

But, yeah, the sport in general has changed so, so much in the last 40 years. A lot of the younger folks have moved from forums to TikTok/Instagram/Youtube, etc... Older bowlers are dying off or getting so injured that they just can't bowl anymore. The herd is just thinning out.

[J Anderson]

Aslan, I don’t have any answers. I will say that the sport is not dying. Our local youth program’s numbers have gone back up to pre COVID levels and our local association has started a new youth program in a second bowling center.

As for Bowlingboards, I think we’re just seeing the change in what’s popular on the internet. I suspect that all forums are down in terms of site traffic. The younger demographic is probably asking the kinds of question that used to occur here on some other form of social media.

[boatman37]

I think it's just other avenues. I joined a couple of bowling discord channels but haven't been on them for months. Being summer definitely hurts site participation but yeah even before summer there were only 4 or 5 of us posting regularly. As for Phoney...who knows. I have his cell # if its still the same. Maybe i'll shoot him a text and see what he's up to. to be totally honest i kind of quit posting here and went to the Discords cause of the way some were 'talked to' here. Seemed every question was answered by saying 'get a coach'. While that might work for some we have 1 coach within 2 hours of here and i did get lessons from him and my average dropped about 15-20 pins. I did get some good answers to some questions and feel overall I gained some knowledge from those here i just would have liked to see more friendly chat here and alot of it seemed to be adversarial. not gonna name names and no grudges cause that person did help me out overall but the delivery sucked...lol.
BTW-the discords were no better...lol

[Aslan]

I suspect that all forums are down in terms of site traffic.


BTW-the discords were no better...lol

Pretty much.

I used to go on a weight loss forum every day...just more of a chat room...and that forum no longer exists. They folded it up back, shortly after I left...probably 2015 or so. In some ways, the internet and bowling side of things are kinda linked. More options online and more options for leisure activities. Tennis, ice hockey, paintball, softball, shooting sports...to some degree even golf. The only sport/activity that seems to have gained momentum is pickelball...and that's largely for the older folks. And, like you guys said, its not unique to this forum.

[Timmyb]

I spend most of my summer shooting sporting clays, so bowling has to take a back seat. Considering I've shot 1700 rounds since league ended, I've been busy. There's a house right down the street from me that does a sport shot tourney every Wednesday, so i may hit that one or two times before league starts. State sporting clays tournament is in 2 weeks, so that has all my attention right now. I moved up a class last year, so I really want to do well this year.

[J Anderson]

We look forward to hearing how you do. Good luck!