2015 Weber Cup

[NewToBowling]

Just catching up on it right now on YouTube. How serious do the bowlers take this? It's kind of like the Ryder Cup in Golf and Fed Cup in Tennis but do they kind of just shrug if they lose. Not a big deal.

Would love for this format with the big pros to come to the US.

[Aslan]

Whether they care probably is determined by how much money is on the table.

That argument has been happening since back when I was a kid...the US originally didn't send professional athletes to the Olympics. But they got tired of having the best basketball players and some of the best baseball and hockey players...yet they couldn't even really medal in those events because the other countries were sending their pros.

So, then the US created the Dream Team and virtually destroyed the competition...then the rest of the pro athletes followed suit. Then...one day, as was inevitable...those dream teams started to not win by quite so much...and eventually even lost. Why? Well, while there is something to be said for competition getting better...the main reason why is the athletes didn't care about it. They weren't going to risk millions of dollars in salary to give it 100% in some exhibition game.

And that's one of the reasons the US used to always send amateurs...because amateurs CARED about the Olympics...it was their goal and their dream since an early age. And for most other countries...the Olympics is the biggest sporting event they take part in...in some countries that was their "job". We get up and go to work and they get up and go train.

It also means less to US athletes because SO many foreign athletes actually train and compete in the US. Look at all the NBA players that are foreign. Most of MLB baseball is foreign. Ice hockey is primarily Canadian. And you can even look at bowling. Clara Guererro is from Columbia but lives and works in Texas. Diana Z (my future wife) is Latvian but lives in Ohio. Mika was from Finland...but ever since I can remember lived in Michigan. It almost makes me wonder if it's fair to let athletes go play for their home countries in these kinds of events if they haven't actually resided in their country in the last 3 years.

[NYMIKE]

Whether they care probably is determined by how much money is on the table.

That argument has been happening since back when I was a kid...the US originally didn't send professional athletes to the Olympics. But they got tired of having the best basketball players and some of the best baseball and hockey players...yet they couldn't even really medal in those events because the other countries were sending their pros.

So, then the US created the Dream Team and virtually destroyed the competition...then the rest of the pro athletes followed suit. Then...one day, as was inevitable...those dream teams started to not win by quite so much...and eventually even lost. Why? Well, while there is something to be said for competition getting better...the main reason why is the athletes didn't care about it. They weren't going to risk millions of dollars in salary to give it 100% in some exhibition game.

And that's one of the reasons the US used to always send amateurs...because amateurs CARED about the Olympics...it was their goal and their dream since an early age. And for most other countries...the Olympics is the biggest sporting event they take part in...in some countries that was their "job". We get up and go to work and they get up and go train.

It also means less to US athletes because SO many foreign athletes actually train and compete in the US. Look at all the NBA players that are foreign. Most of MLB baseball is foreign. Ice hockey is primarily Canadian. And you can even look at bowling. Clara Guererro is from Columbia but lives and works in Texas. Diana Z (my future wife) is Latvian but lives in Ohio. Mika was from Finland...but ever since I can remember lived in Michigan. It almost makes me wonder if it's fair to let athletes go play for their home countries in these kinds of events if they haven't actually resided in their country in the last 3 years.

I agree with what you wrote, but some factual inaccuracies, in MLB foreign born players comprise 30%, so no they are not majority. In basketball US never failed to medal, but in 1972 Soviet Union won a controversial match against them,
in 1988 Soviet Union again beat US in semi final, so we settled for bronze. In 2004 Argentina won the gold, US took bronze, yes pros were there, but not A level pros. Afterwards Coach Mike Krzyzewski took over the program, and most top pros been playing, we won 2008 and 2012.

I also think the rules are too liberal concerning players representing countries.

[Aslan]

My point was more that it's hard to motivate multi-millionaires to care about things like "national pride" or "medals" because they've already reached the pinnacle of their sport and their lives and livelihood are completely tied to their professional team/league. It's like All-Star games. They are essentially a joke. Nobody plays defense. Finally the leagues had to offer some caveat (like winner gets home field advantage in the championship game) just to get athletes to even "try".

[NewToBowling]

But bowlers aren't millionaires.

[fortheloveofbowling]

My point was more that it's hard to motivate multi-millionaires to care about things like "national pride" or "medals" because they've already reached the pinnacle of their sport and their lives and livelihood are completely tied to their professional team/league. It's like All-Star games. They are essentially a joke. Nobody plays defense. Finally the leagues had to offer some caveat (like winner gets home field advantage in the championship game) just to get athletes to even "try".

Actually Team USA Trials entries continue to increase every year. The selection process allows a certain amount of players to be selected for the team without participating in the trials. These picks are generally the top pros but still many many pros from the mens and womens side enter each year. One of the reasons is the winner represents the USA at the AMF World Cup. I am actually very proud of the national pride the men and women of Team USA display. Some of the best tournaments to watch are the World Championships and The World Cup. Very intense competitions and great desire to win for our country.

[billf]

Actually it is national pride that drives the multi-millionaires to play in the Olympics. It sure isn't the money because that's almost non-existent. Now getting them to put forth maximum effort for the games prior to the World Championships and Olympics is a different story. Why would they want to jeopardize their livelihood for what amounts to basically being scrimmage games?

Bowling is altogether different. The bowlers I've met are very driven to win for Team USA.

Aslan, Diana is even more beautiful in person and her fiance, Dave Wodka is much smaller in person. He looks like he is 6', 230lbs on TV. Reality 5'8" 170lbs (both guesses)

[fordman1]

Tell me if I am wrong. Isn't Team USA mostly supported by the USBC? Which is taking money from league bowlers all over and giving them very little back. The bonding is a joke. 10 grand would barely cover 5 weeks in my league. There are no awards anymore. Only for never earned before people. They are cheap anyway. All they do is keep records of averages and 300 & 800 scores. Now the averages are not all there because you can request the not be published and no one would ever be the wiser. Basically they do so little for the people who actually pay the bills it is becoming worthless to certify you league. Don't forget all the pro tournaments the Spenser too. And the jobs given out to the ones in the click.
To become an Olympic sport you have to grease the right palms. Bowling can't afford to bribe that many people.

[billf]

And they charge for Team USA trials

[Aslan]

Aslan, Diana is even more beautiful in person and her fiance, Dave Wodka is much smaller in person. He looks like he is 6', 230lbs on TV. Reality 5'8" 170lbs (both guesses)

Well....I don't need a negative Nancy. If you see her...tell her to hold off on the wedding plans...because there's a gorgeous man right on the cusp of bowling greatness that wants to put his hat in the ring. And...I can actually speak a little bit of Latvian...and...I've actually visited her hometown (Riga, not Beavercreek, OH).

Really? Dave Wodka? I mean...Sean Rash....Belmo....Ronnie Russell...I could see that. But Dave Wodka??

Maybe I should just switch directions and go for Kelly Kullick. She's much closer to my age and not as far out of my league. Besides...foreign chicks are trouble. She's impressed with Wodka because he's nice to her and isn't drunk 78% of the time. The bar is lower for men in Eastern Europe. It's like the South....as long as the husband doesn't hit you in front of other people....he's still a solid mate. But once DZ realizes that she COULD HAVE HAD a guy that is nice, and sober, AND looks way better than Dave Wodka....and she WILL eventually figure that out....well, then his days are numbered.