Many coaches, myself included, consider Chris Barnes to be the best bowler on the planet today. So, what does this mean? It's partially his physical game that successfully combines traditional principles with contemporary requirements: he is the ultimate transitional bowler. But, it's really more than than. He is one of very few professionals who can truly play any part of the lane without any change in the way that he throws the ball. He's equally as comfortable playing the ditch as he is lofting the left gutter cap. A few years ago during match play at the Tournament Of Champions, Barnes had the front eleven, when his thumb insert came out of his ball. He went over to Wes Malott and borrowed a wooden mallet, hammered the thumb slug back into his ball, calmly stepped up on the approach some seven or eight minutes later, and threw a perfect strike to finish off his 300. That was impressive!
The thing about Barnes is that he's always there. It's pretty rare to see him crash and burn at any tournament on any lane condition. While his struggles on TV have been well documented, I think that he over-thinks things in pressure situations, which is something that many of the rest of us can certainly relate to. I know I can.
Rob Mautner
"...without any change in the way he throws the ball"
You mean other than speed, RPM and axis rotation?
Other than that I am in complete agreement. I could be wrong too. I does appear to me that his speed and ball roll change when he makes big moves.
Ball speed: 17 - 18.5 mph Rev rate: 400ish
PAP 6 1/8" over 1/4" up
13° axis tilt / 30°-60° axis rotation
Thumbless bowler
High game: 300 High series: 804 High average: 217
I agree Hampe. My point was, you don't win titles by having the "best form". It's not a dog show. There's no judge standing there watching you throw the ball and saying, "Okay...WRW through a 299, Mika a 279, Barnes a 254....winner is Barnes because he had the best form."Originally Posted by Hampe
I like the advice that someone on the boards (talking about this topic awhile ago) made...that when emulating a pro (or high level amateur for that matter), you want to try and find the person with the most success who ALSO is the closest to you in style and physical make-up. If you're a tall righty who is a cranker..find the best tall righty cranker...THATs who you emulate. The trick for me isn't finding a tall righty with success....the trick is finding someone who hasn't transitioned from traditional to modern deliveries. It's hard when you're a "up the right side of the ball traditional bowler" and EVERYONE you see in the PBA has cupped wrists and/or is starting their release from the inside quadrant. Thats why I kinda like the old stuff...watching Hardwick and Limongello throw...because I watch them and think, "I could do that!" But if I watch Rhino Page or Wes Malott..I think, "forget it...I can't do that." I LOVE watching Mika bowl...he's probably 3rd favorite behind Parker and ahead of Barnes...but I see that backswing and it scares the POO out of me! I have nightmares that I'll try that and get to the foul line too soon...then I'm just bent over the foul line with my ball above my head like a bad Bugs Bunny episode.
In Bag: (: .) Motiv Trident Odyssey; (: .) Hammer Scorpion Sting; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Radical Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 186; Lifetime Average = 171;
Ball Speed: 14.4mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 181
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Big Differance between team sports, and bowling
the difference is this:
Your example is a GREAT PlAYER on an average team. I could point out many great NFL football players, like Tony Gonzallas that never made it to the Super Bowl, but were arguably the best at there positions.
Bowling, in singles, does not depend on anyone but yourself. I think a great barometer of who is the best that has ever rolled a ball is. WHO WON THE MOST TITLES, and if they didn't win where in the pack, and how often
A bowler is not like any other team player.... The Pro bowler either gets the job done, or not. He has no one to blame but himself!
Don't walk on Thin Ice!
For me, the "best player" has nothing to do with stats, titles, etc. It has everything to do with how well they personify the sport. for example, Jordan may have gotten more press, but Larry Bird personified the sport more completely. Norm Duke personifies the sport more completely than Pete Weber.
ughhhhhnahhh...no.
Don't get me wrong...I above many appreciate bowlers less who act like jackaholes....like PDW, Belmo, and Rash...and sometimes Fagan. BUT...despite my personal problems with them...PDW has done enough to warrant his place as one of the best ever and both Belmo and Rash could join the club if they continue on the pace they are on.
The other issue, especially with the PBA, is some of those guys may not be as "bad" as they appear...they may be doing a WWF type of thing where they're just trying to get ratings. But, thats a slippery slope.
In Bag: (: .) Motiv Trident Odyssey; (: .) Hammer Scorpion Sting; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Radical Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 186; Lifetime Average = 171;
Ball Speed: 14.4mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 181
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Oh, he deserves his place, all right. So does Jordan. But I'm not talking "raw talent" so much as I am attitude and image.
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