I'm starting the conversion. Sorry Aslan!

[Terrier]

It doesn't matter what we think about certain people in professional bowling. They are there for only one reason -- they can bowl. Whether anyone thinks they are "good for bowling" is pretty irrelevant. You're allowed not to like some people, but it's ludicrous to insist they conform to your ideals of what a bowler should be doing to bring bowling back to its heyday. I'm pretty sure they're not operating on that premise, anyway.

How any of this relates to one bowler's personal form is lost on me.

I just said in the title sorry because I knew you were going to reply with a strong-sided opinion anyways..

That's a self-fulfilling prophecy, if I've ever heard one.

[Aslan]

That's a self-fulfilling prophecy, if I've ever heard one.

Ya think? If I start a thread entitled "Houston sux...sorry Terrier"....I'd say there's about a 99.999% chance Terrier is going to respond. Actually...I could start ANY topic and it'd still hold true; "Marshmellows are hot!! Sorry Terrier!" I mean, you specifically call someone out in the title and then try to accuse them of hijacking the thread??? I don't know...maybe NOT mentioning them in the title would be a better strategy. I'd have still replied...but the hijacking complaint would have made more sense.

[classygranny]

Okay Zax...I was thinking of what you said and I have a question for you specifically, but also for everyone else on the site (because I don't want a me vs. you thing here). Simple question. If during the next PBA event, Belmo and Sean Rash got into a fist fight on national television....would that be a "good" thing? Or a "bad" thing?

This would actually be a "bad" thing. Yes, in my humble opinion. PBA bowling would lose two great bowlers from the sport. Unlike some of the other professional sports that tend to "promote" fighting (hockey), the PBA has conduct rules - at ALL times when bowling. Also, no matter how badly Sean would want to fight with Belmo, they wouldn't risk the damage to their career.

Would a fight on TV between two bowlers lead to more interest in the sport? Probably not. For the most part, bowlers that know the game and are passionate about it, would look at the fight as detrimental to the sport. People that aren't bowlers aren't going to run out and join a bowling league just because they saw two bowlers fighting on TV.

Actually, Belmo and Osku have probably generated more "activity" and "viewing" of the sport, because people want to see different. I remember when Marshall Holman drew all the crowds because of his "passionate" antics, and the list goes on and on. If every bowler was a Chris Barnes (and don't take this wrong - I love watching Chris) people that are barely interested in the sport would quit watching as they wouldn't understand the intricacies that make him as good as he is.

[noeymc]

well said granny

[bowlerRob2]

I am too old for 2 handed; I tried it once and nearly threw my old back out. One thing that isn't discussed much is the extra strain and stress that the 2 handed style puts on the hip and lower back. I wonder how that will pan out for Belmo and Osku when they hit their 40's? I would not be surprised to see hip replacements there and see them drop out of the sport early. Not to go on 'forever' like the ever-ready bunny PDW.