Placebo effect

[Siddy]

How much of how you bowl can be blamed on the placebo effect?

The placebo effect is a term used when someone says a change has been made or you have done something but really no change has been made. Yet you feel that your bowling has improved or got worse because of it.

Most time i think equipment makers do this a lot so they can sell the same product.

[MICHAEL]

I also think that the NEW AND IMPORVED models of bowling balls is a HUGE Placebo effect! When you look at the spec's, in some cases it the same ball with different colors, and new name.... check out some of the DV8's,,, side by side,,,, some arethe same in every catagory! At least Storm give a new scent to its copies!! lol\

Check out the new DV8 nighmare,,, I compared it to one of the other balls, (darn can't remember which it was),,, terror, or HRR,,, it was the same spec. Really people, look at the angles these balls are doing in the last 5 years..... can that angle be any better! The secret is good bowling skills! The key is in the bowlers skills! EXAMPLE: Jason/Dude, can bowl a 240 game with a plastic ball on fresh oil! I have seen it!! Why becase of a magic ball??? NO, SKILL!! There is no magic that can BE PUT INTO A BALL NOW DAYS that hasen't already been there for the last 5 years or so!! Look at the charts!! What more can be put in a ball,,,, ULTRA SOUND that knocks them down with sound waves!!!! LOL
Balls have come a LONG WAY,,,, but I think its to a point now where its just not getting better! You can do so many things with the surface on your ball with a spinner, good and bad, believe me I am finding that out bigh time! But when I made adjustments on my wifes ball two days ago, she almost had her FIRST 600 series,,,, Just one mark away!! LOL

[Zothen]

I beg to differ on the placebo effect! While the balls may be the same the coverstock is completely different and the cores may or may not be altered. For example Roto Grips Defiant & Defiant Edge are the same ball with the exact same core,the only difference is the coverstock. Defiant is dull while the Edge has a pearlized or shiny finish. Defiant is heavy oil while the Edge is for when the lanes break down. Same thing with the DV8 Murader & Murader Madness are the same ball with the same core just a different coverstock. This is how companies like Storm,Brunswick/DV8(Same company different division),Roto Grip,Track,columbia,etc stay in business. The ball you buy today will be improved upon in 1-6 months for more hook because thats what the public wants and as long as their is a demand,the companies will be more then happy to give you 5 of the same ball with the same or slightly modified core with a completely different coverstock. And we will buy it!

Zothen

[MICHAEL]

[QUOTE=Zothen;55504]I beg to differ on the placebo effect! While the balls may be the same the coverstock is completely different and the cores may or may not be altered. For example Roto Grips Defiant & Defiant Edge are the same ball with the exact same core,the only difference is the coverstock. Defiant is dull while the Edge has a pearlized or shiny finish. Defiant is heavy oil while the Edge is for when the lanes break down. Same thing with the DV8 Murader & Murader Madness are the same ball with the same core just a different coverstock. This is how companies like Storm,Brunswick/DV8(Same company different division),Roto Grip,Track,columbia,etc stay in business. The ball you buy today will be improved upon in 1-6 months for more hook because thats what the public wants and as long as their is a demand,the companies will be more then happy to give you 5 of the same ball with the same or slightly modified core with a completely different coverstock. And we will buy it!


Your saying the public wants more hook!? So once we get the ball that does a 90 degree turn, that will be the ultimate!! Maybe a good name for that ball, (ULTIMATE)
More hook is not at all a good thing. The right amount of hook is what were looking for! And in my humble oppinion we have reached that point in time!
Now what a person needs to do, is perfect their game, learn the fundamentals, practice,,, there will not be a magic ball in the future! They are magic now!
99 percent of a bowlers problem is HIMSELF!

[75lockwood]

99 percent of a bowlers problem is HIMSELF! [/COLOR]

99.99%

and its not himself but their self lol don't forget about the female bowlers iceman

[Tampabaybob]

I'm in agreement with Michael. The ball companies are in business to make money and it's a huge contest that's been going on for at least 20 years. It started with the ball companies competing with the lane oil companies. Every time the ball companies came out with more aggressive equipment, the lane oil companies made a more slipperier oil. I think the oil companies have more or less let up now, because I think they may have thought it was a losing battle. These ball companies "know" there is a segment of the bowling population that will jump at the chance to have the latest and greatest ball on the market. Particularly the massive aggressive balls of the past two or three years. We all know people that fit in this category and have an arsenal that would choke a horse. Many of these bowlers have so many to choose from they will get confused in which ones to bring to a tournament. I have seen guys bring trunk loads of balls with them to tournaments and have a wife or friend running out to the car !

Michael's right. Practice and honing ones' skills will always be better than the newest ball on the market. does it feel good to have a new ball? Sure, but it's like having a new car...it eventually wears off.

Bob

[billf]

I agree Mike BUT the average league bowler who averages 170 or less is always looking for that magic ball. I like collecting balls lol. Many, many, many bowlers think more hook means more pins/strikes. It's not how much hook but where and when it hooks. Most bowlers just don't get that.

[Zothen]

If you take a logical look at the popular balls you will find most have same or simular cores,but,the coverstock will make the ball hook more. Example Brunswick has the neXus,neXXus & neXXXus. All 3 balls have same core,but,the coverstock on them are suppose to make the ball hook more then its predicessor. It's basic demand. The public wants balls for specific lane conditions,so the manufactuers spend millions of dollars trying to create better coverstocks or cores. Bottom line is if we didn't want balls to hook the way we want them to,then we'd still be using rubber balls from the 40's that go straight!

Zothen

[MICHAEL]

I study on bowlingboard.com the side by side graphs of what each ball will do. I sometimes laugh to myself, at how similar they are, for the new and improved model!
Hey,,, I like new stuff, too! Look at the geometry and you soon see, we have covered ever angle you could imagine NOW! What more can be put in a core/cover stock?
I look at the graphs showing what each Storm ball will do, and say to myself, what possible new angle into the pocket can they come up with? I think a better item to spend money on is a Spinner!!

You can dress any of your good-enough balls into whatever you want! I also know that drilling is VERY IMPORTANT!

Have it drilled to complement with your style of bowling!

I am not here to say Don’t buy new balls, Wild Bill, I like that new car/storm smell just as much as you do! I am just saying, get serious all you that think we need MORE HOOK ect….. what all of us need in reality is, Knowledge, and Practice!!

(( And in my case, a new body!!!))

Bad news from the doctor the other day! I know my time is limited,,, so to grab as much gusto as I can, while I can,,, I am now on another league! That makes 4 I bowl on now!! I love the sport, sad that I didn’t discover it till I was broken down!! O well ,,,, I am going out with a FLAME, had a league 275 last night,,, 300, 800 watch out!!! This old Ironworker don’t give up easy!!!

[Tampabaybob]

Michael, hope your Doctor is wrong and you can hang with us here for a long time and get that 300 and 800. Hang tough. I know of what you speak, having had a sudden heart attack a couple of years ago then find out I had cancer after a colonoscopy. Had surgery, they got it all out and now keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't come back. Keep the faith and hang in here with us.

On the ball discussion, I just like everyone else here loves to have a new ball. It's exciting to get out there and 'possibly' see a little different reaction the first few times you throw it. Most times, you'll score better with a new ball, because it may be psychological. I know I have, and have seen others do the same. With that said, I almost gave away a Evil Siege I own because I couldn't figure it out for months after I had it drilled. It sat in the bag for a long tome. Finally was determined to figure it out and now it's the first out of the bag.

Ball companies know the mind set of bowlers and this is why they continue to flood the market every summer with new balls. It's called marketing. They have invested and continue to invest millions to create the next BIG thing, to entice you to part with your hard earned money. We have in the past and we will continue to look at that new improved version of what ever brand you love to use and try to figure out how to save the money to get it. Then the old balls will end up in the closet or garage with all of the rest. But we'll be happy, because we have the latest and greatest. Right?

Bob