That was unexpected

[J Daisy]

All jokes aside, if I could do that then I'd definitely make real money. Stupid stuff like that would bring in business and make big tips. I'm not that coordinated even with two good hands. I'd get fired from dropping too many bottles no doubt about it. Besides, that movie is outdated enough to where the current 21'ers would probably have not seen that movie and be super impressed with the gimmick of it. Not many of that generation is well informed. I had a Weird Al song play at work today and the young employee had no clue who Weird Al was.

Not know who Weird Al is?
Now that's just sad. What is coming of this world? I am just seeing this now, but I had actually posted a link to a Weird Al bowling song on YouTube here the other day. If any of you want to take a look, it's in the Funny Bowling Videos section. I hope y'all get a kick out of it.

By the way, Tom Cruise rocks. Just sayin'.

[Phonetek]

Not know who Weird Al is?
Now that's just sad. What is coming of this world? I am just seeing this now, but I had actually posted a link to a Weird Al bowling song on YouTube here the other day. If any of you want to take a look, it's in the Funny Bowling Videos section. I hope y'all get a kick out of it.

By the way, Tom Cruise rocks. Just sayin'.

Wow this post is from a while ago but yeah the younger generation just gives you the deer in the headlights look when mentioning Weird Al. Very sad considering he's still at it. On the upside, he did get some more recent recognition for doing the Toto cover of "Africa" that Weezer put out last year. I had no idea until I watched the video that it was Weird Al singing with Weezer. Well done remake, it's still being played all the time locally. It was odd seeing him do a song that he didn't spoof.

[J Daisy]

Wow this post is from a while ago but yeah the younger generation just gives you the deer in the headlights look when mentioning Weird Al. Very sad considering he's still at it. On the upside, he did get some more recent recognition for doing the Toto cover of "Africa" that Weezer put out last year. I had no idea until I watched the video that it was Weird Al singing with Weezer. Well done remake, it's still being played all the time locally. It was odd seeing him do a song that he didn't spoof.

I don't listen to a lot of Weird Al's new stuff, mostly his songs from the '90s.

What's even more sad is that the younger folks (millenials like me) don't even know who Elvis and John Wayne are half the time.

At least bowling hasn't completely died yet. (I wonder if all the dead bowling alleys went to Heaven? And here what I thought was thunder might have just been a tournament.)

[Phonetek]

Nah, bowling isn't dying.....it's CHANGING. Competitive bowling has decreased over the years. Finding good serious leagues aren't as easy to come by as they were in the 80's and there are fewer tournaments. Watching the pro's on Saturday afternoon TV isn't the norm for most people anymore. That said, the tides are changing more to it as a "recreation" with the family more and more than in years past. The key is the kids, getting them interested and providing them with opportunities. Making bowling scholarships available and things like "Junior Gold" is what will revive it as a "Sport" rather than "recreation but it's going to take some time.

Sadly, the main reason that most centers seem to be closing is because they aren't changing with the tides. This isn't the 80's anymore. Earl and Dick aren't battling it out on TV and Pete and Norm aren't rookies with full heads of hair. If you own a bowling center and it's ONLY a bowling center then you'd better damn well be top notch and providing excellent service and be up to date if you are going to survive until these youngsters revive the sport. Otherwise, you better have money socked away to invest in a remodel to include a huge arcade, things like bumper cars, laser tag, mini bowling and other gimmicky crap. Sad fact is, if you do that you will have more of a chance of making it through. Even sadder fact is that you will make more money on the gimmicks than you will bring in on the bowling. Bowling just gets them in the door and you have to virtually give that away so they spend the money on the other things.

The days of a bowling alley with a great sports bar or even just a bar thriving are about dead. If a center looks like your walking into 1984 then start playing "Taps" right now because death is in it's near future because of the nearby "Family Fun Center" down the road. As a pretty serious and competitive bowler most of my life this is very depressing to me. As a now career bowling center worker it's a bit frightening. However, these are the facts ladies and gentlemen. As most of us aging folks on here hate to admit it, it all depends on the children at this point so my advice is teach and encourage as many of them as you can or bowling as a "Sport" will be a faded memory.

If perhaps you think this is just an opinion and not a fact then I encourage you to read up on "Wheaton Bowl" in Illinois. They just closed their doors for good July 1st, 2019. They were only a bowling center, they had the original Brunswick scoring tables from the first generation of automatic scorers with the monochrome screens, musty old carpet installed god knows when, nicotine stained ceiling tiles and vintage machinery turquoise painted gutters. They even had replaced the heads of the lanes with synthetic and left the rest wood, absolutely pathetic. In that atmosphere kids would have more fun playing Bingo at a retirement home. R.I.P. Wheaton Bowl but everyone seen it coming besides you. The customers, including the youth (or lack there of) have spoken by never coming in. I'm not sure it went to "Bowling Center Heaven" because I wouldn't think there they have wrecking balls.

[J Daisy]

Nah, bowling isn't dying.....it's CHANGING. Competitive bowling has decreased over the years. Finding good serious leagues aren't as easy to come by as they were in the 80's and there are fewer tournaments. Watching the pro's on Saturday afternoon TV isn't the norm for most people anymore. That said, the tides are changing more to it as a "recreation" with the family more and more than in years past. The key is the kids, getting them interested and providing them with opportunities. Making bowling scholarships available and things like "Junior Gold" is what will revive it as a "Sport" rather than "recreation but it's going to take some time.

Sadly, the main reason that most centers seem to be closing is because they aren't changing with the tides. This isn't the 80's anymore. Earl and Dick aren't battling it out on TV and Pete and Norm aren't rookies with full heads of hair. If you own a bowling center and it's ONLY a bowling center then you'd better damn well be top notch and providing excellent service and be up to date if you are going to survive until these youngsters revive the sport. Otherwise, you better have money socked away to invest in a remodel to include a huge arcade, things like bumper cars, laser tag, mini bowling and other gimmicky crap. Sad fact is, if you do that you will have more of a chance of making it through. Even sadder fact is that you will make more money on the gimmicks than you will bring in on the bowling. Bowling just gets them in the door and you have to virtually give that away so they spend the money on the other things.

The days of a bowling alley with a great sports bar or even just a bar thriving are about dead. If a center looks like your walking into 1984 then start playing "Taps" right now because death is in it's near future because of the nearby "Family Fun Center" down the road. As a pretty serious and competitive bowler most of my life this is very depressing to me. As a now career bowling center worker it's a bit frightening. However, these are the facts ladies and gentlemen. As most of us aging folks on here hate to admit it, it all depends on the children at this point so my advice is teach and encourage as many of them as you can or bowling as a "Sport" will be a faded memory.

If perhaps you think this is just an opinion and not a fact then I encourage you to read up on "Wheaton Bowl" in Illinois. They just closed their doors for good July 1st, 2019. They were only a bowling center, they had the original Brunswick scoring tables from the first generation of automatic scorers with the monochrome screens, musty old carpet installed god knows when, nicotine stained ceiling tiles and vintage machinery turquoise painted gutters. They even had replaced the heads of the lanes with synthetic and left the rest wood, absolutely pathetic. In that atmosphere kids would have more fun playing Bingo at a retirement home. R.I.P. Wheaton Bowl but everyone seen it coming besides you. The customers, including the youth (or lack there of) have spoken by never coming in. I'm not sure it went to "Bowling Center Heaven" because I wouldn't think there they have wrecking balls.

I agree with you on the changes being sad ones. As a young person myself, I missed out on a lot of the cool stuff that used to be. I'm just glad that some things have survived the massive Fall from Cool that started in the '80s or '90s.

Bowling is changing but is still around, pinball cost twice as much but is still around, classic hot rods aren't seen on the streets much but are still around, and good ol' rock and roll isn't at all like it used to be but is still around.

These things have not died yet, but they are mortally ill in my opinion. I don't see them coming back. I wonder what will be left of coolness for the grandchildren of today's young folks?

[Phonetek]

I agree with you on the changes being sad ones. As a young person myself, I missed out on a lot of the cool stuff that used to be. I'm just glad that some things have survived the massive Fall from Cool that started in the '80s or '90s.

Bowling is changing but is still around, pinball cost twice as much but is still around, classic hot rods aren't seen on the streets much but are still around, and good ol' rock and roll isn't at all like it used to be but is still around.

These things have not died yet, but they are mortally ill in my opinion. I don't see them coming back. I wonder what will be left of coolness for the grandchildren of today's young folks?

What will be left? That's a question I can't answer. However, I find it hard to believe that in 40 years from now at future car shows there will be many people standing their with pride next to their freshly restored Ford Focus or Chevy Equinox while jamming the new Country rap song "Old Town Road" thumping from the speakers. Augh! LMAO

[J Daisy]

What will be left? That's a question I can't answer. However, I find it hard to believe that in 40 years from now at future car shows there will be many people standing their with pride next to their freshly restored Ford Focus or Chevy Equinox while jamming the new Country rap song "Old Town Road" thumping from the speakers. Augh! LMAO

You find that hard to believe? I don't, haha. I have already heard people call their '90s piece of junk cars “classics” and seen them take them to car shows. No joke. Really, at this point I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

[Phonetek]

You find that hard to believe? I don't, haha. I have already heard people call their '90s piece of junk cars “classics” and seen them take them to car shows. No joke. Really, at this point I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

Well with the newer cars all you have to do is throw some 20 inch rims on them, LED lights behind the wheels and underneath, a fart can exhaust and a 10 billion watt car stereo and BAM! Instant show car! Fast and Furious baby! You'll get more oooo's and ahhhh's from the young people than the guy with the pristine 57 Chevy. To answer your question......cry. =)

[J Daisy]

Well with the newer cars all you have to do is throw some 20 inch rims on them, LED lights behind the wheels and underneath, a fart can exhaust and a 10 billion watt car stereo and BAM! Instant show car! Fast and Furious baby! You'll get more oooo's and ahhhh's from the young people than the guy with the pristine 57 Chevy. To answer your question......cry. =)

Waaah!

Not from this young person they wouldn't. I might point and laugh, though, and act like I'm waving away bees when they start up their goofy rice-burners.

Funny you mention a '57 Chevy. Tri-five Chevies are my favorite cars. Can't beat the classic '50s bodylines.

[Phonetek]

You'll fit in just fine here. I'm way too nostalgic for a 48yr old for my own good to be honest. When I hear my kids ask questions like "What's a VHS tape or a CD? How do you read a clock with Roman Numerals on it? Dad....can you help me with this new Math?" When I ask the teens and 20's people who I work with which way "North" is and they have no clue and say "Who cares which way North is, only old people give directions that way." All I can do is "Face Palm" and shake my head. I think to myself, if the US ever gets hit by the electromagnetic pulse which by the way could very well happen and disable anything with a computer chip. You will see nothing but a rash of missing persons reports because so many under the age of 30 won't have a clue how to get home without GPS. Which unless they have that 57 Chevy they will have to do while getting picked up by Uber on a bicycle.

On the upside (I think) I'm happy to report (I guess) I finally cut off my long hair. No more mullet. My trademark got donated to "Locks for Love". No not a buzz cut, no "high and tight" for me but significantly short. However, since I am moving down to TN and that's sorta "the south" I could probably get away with regrowing it again and fitting in. Then again, I am saving a ton of money on shampoo & conditioner.