Storm/USBC???

[boatman37]

Geez. I had been a B7 user since about 1981 but this year got a new Altered Reality (now illegal) and Helios (still not drilled). Sure, for now the AR is legal for leagues as far as I can tell but sounds like they will offer me another ball off their list. Problem is it sounds like about 1/2 the balls they produce are now not legal? I have heard of some that sent in their forms for a replacement for the Spectre just last week and now find that the ball they requested as a replacement is now not legal

[Ryster]

This whole thing is so silly.

If a ball is illegal, it's illegal. Ban it outright in all USBC sanctioned events. This game they are playing where it is banned in tournaments but still legal in leagues is just nonsense. Either it is illegal or it isn't. Are they suggesting that sanctioned league bowling isn't important enough to enforce their own rules? That's kind of how it looks.

I get that a softer bowling ball has a wider footprint on the lane and can hypothetically provide a competitive advantage. However, someone still has to drive the ball. The ball doesn't strike all by itself. Doesn't matter who is throwing the ball, if they don't know what they are doing they aren't going to magically start throwing strikes when they pick up one of these balls. They still have to figure out where on the lane to play and consistently repeat shots.

The USBC certification of the six additional balls isn't being revoked like the Spectre. I am betting that Storm is only going to offer replacements to bowlers that participate in one of the tournaments specifically mentioned in the ruling. That would make more sense than replacing balls that are still technically legal for league play and still USBC approved for league play. Storm and the USBC worked together on this latest ruling, and I am betting the part about not revoking certification for these additional balls was at Storm's request to prevent them from having to replace all of these balls in addition to the Spectre. We will just have to see what happens when the latest replacement program is announced in the next day or two.

I am seeing online that a lot of bowlers want nothing to do with Storm Bowling products at this point. Many have asked for Storm to give them a voucher to allow them to replace their ball with non Storm products. I doubt Storm would go that far, but it is interesting to see a backlash starting.

[boatman37]

Agreed. I am pretty sure I would not be able to tell the difference in a 70D ball compared to a 73D ball so to me it makes no difference in that sense. Just that someone is going to lose alot of credibility here. So far seems like it is Storm but USBC isn't off the hook either. Belmo sent a post out that no bowlers were permitted to watch these balls be tested and it was done behind a black curtain so nobody could see.
If they have to replace all of these balls I couldn't imagine the financial impact this would have on Storm.
And yeah, I was wondering how many will leave Storm for other brands now.

[SRB57]

This whole thing is so silly.

If a ball is illegal, it's illegal. Ban it outright in all USBC sanctioned events. This game they are playing where it is banned in tournaments but still legal in leagues is just nonsense. Either it is illegal or it isn't. Are they suggesting that sanctioned league bowling isn't important enough to enforce their own rules? That's kind of how it looks.

I get that a softer bowling ball has a wider footprint on the lane and can hypothetically provide a competitive advantage. However, someone still has to drive the ball. The ball doesn't strike all by itself. Doesn't matter who is throwing the ball, if they don't know what they are doing they aren't going to magically start throwing strikes when they pick up one of these balls. They still have to figure out where on the lane to play and consistently repeat shots.

The USBC certification of the six additional balls isn't being revoked like the Spectre. I am betting that Storm is only going to offer replacements to bowlers that participate in one of the tournaments specifically mentioned in the ruling. That would make more sense than replacing balls that are still technically legal for league play and still USBC approved for league play. Storm and the USBC worked together on this latest ruling, and I am betting the part about not revoking certification for these additional balls was at Storm's request to prevent them from having to replace all of these balls in addition to the Spectre. We will just have to see what happens when the latest replacement program is announced in the next day or two.

I am seeing online that a lot of bowlers want nothing to do with Storm Bowling products at this point. Many have asked for Storm to give them a voucher to allow them to replace their ball with non Storm products. I doubt Storm would go that far, but it is interesting to see a backlash starting.

I am with you Ryster it's either legal or not no in-between. You are also right more traction don't equal higher scores. You still have to be consistent. I still don't know with all the R and D they do Storm did not know this. Just a bad situation all way around. Steve

[boatman37]

So was Storm aware of this? Was their testing equipment not calibrated? Did the USBC ever test them prior to certifying them?

I agree with not enforcing this right now in league play. With only a few weeks left it would knock quite a few league bowlers out completely so I see that side of it. Now will they take it a step further after leagues are over and completely ban these balls? Who knows.

[boomer]

I still find it hinkey that a Purple Hammer (Ebonite) series that everyone KNEW was an issue and was MADE to be an issue by Storm personnel (900 Global) brings out this vast banning of balls from Storm especially when none of those balls exacted any complaints from anyone, anywhere.

[Ryster]

When the manufacturers sends the new, pre-production balls to the USBC for testing and certification, they make sure they will pass all tests. The USBC approves the balls before they are mass produced by the manufacturers. After they get USBC approval, they ramp up production knowing full well the USBC can randomly spot check production balls out in the real world.

The USBC passed all of these balls based on the perfect testing samples provided to them by Storm. All manufacturers do this. They aren't going to send balls to the USBC and not know they are perfect for testing.

Seems to me like Storm either got lazy with QC, or just started manufacturing too many balls too quickly to meet demand and tried cutting some corners. Or they got a bad batch of materials for their covers and didn't know [again, bad QC.]

I agree that a full ban could be coming to coincide with the end of the regular bowling season. The USBC did say that leagues could establish by-laws to also ban these balls at the league level but I don't think any league would have the gall to try such a thing [or even cares to that extreme unless it is an ultra high-dollar scratch league or something.]

[Ryster]

I still find it hinkey that a Purple Hammer (Ebonite) series that everyone KNEW was an issue and was MADE to be an issue by Storm personnel (900 Global) brings out this vast banning of balls from Storm especially when none of those balls exacted any complaints from anyone, anywhere.

Chad Murphy, the head of the USBC, just so happened to work for Columbia and Ebonite at one point before his role at the USBC. 900G [Storm Products] staffer complains about the Purple Hammer and integrity. Purple Hammer from the 2016/2017 Ebonite days gets banned. Now 7 balls [1 totally banned, 6 others banned from national tournaments] from Storm Products get put under the microscope? The press release from the USBC specifically uses the word "integrity"? Coincidence? Just saying...

[Ryster]

And there you have it, Storm just announced on Facebook that they will replace balls for tournament bowlers only. Not everyone gets a replacement:

The ball models mentioned in the official USBC Press Release remain USBC approved.
For those participating in the national events listed we will offer you an exchange. For those who are unaffected by the national tournament exclusion rule, you can continue to use these products in league and approved tournament play.
The models affected by the national tournament exclusion rule include:
– Storm Phaze 4
– Storm Electrify Solid
– Storm Trend 2
– 900 Global Altered Reality
– 900 Global Wolverine
– Roto Grip UFO Alert
Information about the exchange program will be published later this week on stormbowling.com.

[boomer]

Chad Murphy, the head of the USBC, just so happened to work for Columbia and Ebonite at one point before his role at the USBC. 900G [Storm Products] staffer complains about the Purple Hammer and integrity. Purple Hammer from the 2016/2017 Ebonite days gets banned. Now 7 balls [1 totally banned, 6 others banned from national tournaments] from Storm Products get put under the microscope? The press release from the USBC specifically uses the word "integrity"? Coincidence? Just saying...

yep - just sayin.

That's why I was saying we need someone independent at the top.

OR - here's a revolutionary concept - get an independent agency to do the testing. Random, NOT AFTER HOURS, drop-in testing, plus required periodic company testing with records.

Sigh. Too much to ask, though.