Originally Posted by Aslan
Ok, I'll bite Aslan, what do you have against Ronnie Russell?
Wow, what a show.....
Ok, I'll bite Aslan, what do you have against Ronnie Russell?
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He's just not the typical type of bowler I root for. I tend to root for the ole timers, straighter players. Thats all. Nothing against him personally and I don't root against him.
I'm the opposite. Love the new blood such as Belmonte, Russell, Rash, Fagan, etc. Basically ones with modern releases or in Belmo two handed.
WRW and PDW are great but I think you need people like above to be faces of bowling. Belmonte should be the face of bowling. He is a great ambassador to the sport.
He talks or does more things to get people interested in the sport than anyone. From his IAB to him winning basically every other PBA event to his youtube videos.
I can't stand the two-handed and thumbless bowlers. It's hard to argue with Belmo's success, and I think he's a good guy.
I just like watching the varied styles on today's PBA tour. You have everything from two-handed guys, to huge backswings (Fagan, Russell), to Norm Duke......throw in guys with weird approaches like Mellott and Stu....it just shows you that shot repeatability matters more than anything.
I think that it's easy to forget that this is just bowling; knocking down the most pins with a bowling ball. One handed, two handed, thumb in, thumb out, it really doesn't matter. Yesterday's double event was a perfect example. I was rooting for Norm and Wes, but only because I know them. It had nothing to do with their styles. I was rooting against Belmonte, but again not because of his style, but because the couple of times I met him, I got the impression that he is extremely arrogant. Everyone else on the show, I really didn't care about one way or another, other than the fact that, however they bowl, they have reached an elite level that very few bowlers on the planet ever attain. Kudos to all of them for that!
All that matters is....Norm Duke is now #3 in titles!!
Way to go Norm!! Now THATs a good day of bowling! Belmo loses...and Norm Duke moves to 3rd all-time ahead of Pete Weber. Come on PBIII!! You're next!! I want my favorite bowlers to be on top the list!! I don't think Mika is close enough to make it...but PBIII is right there...just needs a good season or 2.
Now...my PBA bowling watching on ESPN is done for 2015. I anxiously await the start of next year...and I'll be as active as possible watching Bowl.TV and PBAXTra Frame...but since I'm boycotting "The League" due to it's idiotic format...my ESPN time is done for 2015.
Although...I AM tempted to watch The League to root for the Styles and Atom Splitters since my favorite players are on those teams. WRW/PBIII on the Styles and Barnes/Mika on the Atom Splitters. Plus the Atom Splitters are Chris Hardwick's team...and I like him. So maybe I'll watch if those 2 teams are alive.
How about watching to learn about how elite bowlers make lane adjustments?
I should have clarified: Rob, you are absolutely right regarding styles. If you develop something consistent and are good enough to be a pro, it doesn't matter if it's one-handed, thumbless....if they want to throw it overhand--I respect that greatly.
My comment was more toward league: There are several folks in my league who bowl two-handed and thumbless. The first game or two, they'll be in the 230s, 240s.....and then when things break down, they're literally in the 130s/140s because they have no idea how to adjust and can't control the ball. The first frame, they'll come through the nose and get a split.....next up is Brooklyn.....and then they barely get a solid hit on the 2-pin. So, they average in the 190-200 range, but their low scores are some of the lowest in the league.
The fact that they are in the 230's or 40's for the first two games is a great start. It's a hell-uv-a-lot easier to learn to adjust, than it is to up your rev rate and ball speed.
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