Will the 300's ever stop

[TMK]

That was a memorable final alright,and both you guys (Tony/Brenton) threw that Final game like 237 average bowlers would or should..both with big strings of strikes..it was entertaining and exciting.
Im a real advocate for big scoring lanes,the more 300,s the better.
When you read the scores coming from Bahrain,then look at the scores from the SA cup..i know which t,ment appeals more.
I think its harder to win on big scoring lanes,because your equipment plays a more vital role..rap V carry.
On tough lanes you can make more errors and get away with it..because you know everyone in the field is going to throw a few 160,s,170,s or 180,s.
Throw a 160 on easy conditions and unless you can back it up next two games..your gone.
You can play safe on tough conditions..keep clean with spares..on easy ..you have only one choice..pound the pocket..playing safe will get you nowhere.
From a crowd/promotion perspective..260 V 250..has a lot more appeal then 190 V 180.
So much talk goes on about Aust.wanting to be competitive when it comes to FIQ or overseas t,ments..therefore we should really slick up the lanes and be prepared.
We are talking about less then 0.1% of the bowling competitors who will compete overseas..so im bemused when i read that t,ment conditions try to duplicate what you might get overseas..when 99.95 % of the winners on the Oz circuit wont travel overseas.
When you have FIQ trials..fair enough..slick em up..and those that can handle that condition get selected.
Your on the right track Bin Al,bet your conditions arent overly slick and there is an area as big as the Sahara desert..and i bet next year you,ll double your entries.
Cant imagine many getting a rush of blood to head back to the same SA condition.
I bowled in about 6 Coca Cola Classics.(televised during the cricket break)..and each time the intention was to set up the highest scoring condition possible..and why..because people want to see strikes..and bowlers love to get strikes.
Tournament directors have been conned by the the minority.
Want more proof..Rosemount (reputation oil) cup..is having real difficulty filling the required numbers..why...because only a handfull of bowlers will have a shot..its catering for a minority..so the majority dont enter.

 

[GeorgeF]

Tom

Good point, I'm not too fussed on what tournaments dish out to me anymore, just get out there, shut up and bowl. If you average 240 to win or 200 to win, it doesn't matter, you just play to win and do your best.

Caboolture for years have put up wide open ditches for it's tournaments, people complain every year, but year after year they get heaps of entries and those people who complain just keep coming back. The easy conditions also attracts the 180-190 avg bowler, because they don't win but bowling against the guns and averaging 220 makes them very satisfied, and keen for more tournaments as they come up.

If shut the condition down, the guns still win, the scores are way lower and your 180-190 bowler averages 170 and doesn't want to play anymore.

It's a fine line, what should the benchmark be?

Your right about bowlers travelling overseas, I can only think of about 10 bowlers who travelled overseas last year in Australia. I think Warren Stewart has the right idea (even though it didn't work in SA), make the lanes easy but make it an oily ditch. That way we learn to bowl on oil and we still keep the scores high. For the bowlers who want to travel overseas, practise at your home centre on a tougher condition.

When picking the australian team, well ok, make them tough and your good guys will come to the top. Apart from that, the winners of our National stops should be averaging 220-230 every event.

As for now, our main priority should be getting the sport back on TV asap.

This is just my opinion...........

 

[SCOOPS]

Well its funny you mention me into this picture Bin Thomas

You're pretty well right though, personally i have hated the condition set down over here, however after opening up the lanes for the ARAB Games it had to be like that for the Open

Last year the Bahrain Open was held the day the centre opened , they brought a tech in from Dubai and his Machine, they had 1300 qualifying entries

With the way the lanes played here in the ARAB gaMES 4 300'S 250 AVE WINNING SINGLES i laid down a similar condition just went down the lane an extra foot and put a few more untis on the first 10 boards

We had the highest ever number of qualifying entries in the 18yr tournament history with 2052 entries. HUGE

Like i said personally it wasnt for me, I'm in that small minority Tom talked about and would prefer to see 190's slugging it out rather than 250's but hey you bowl on what they give you as long as there is some oil on the lanes it still boils down to the guy who knocks the most pins over

 

[baron]

Well I think I know what Tom bought with his little windfall from Wed night. I reckon he's been down the hardware store and bought the biggest wooden spoon he could find to stir the pot. Either that or a big lump of chain to rattle the bucket. But who could dis-agree with my well travelled friend. Basically 99% of Joe Public couldnt care less about FIQ and the condition it brings with it. Leave that condition for the AO and the NTS. And with Rosemount struggling this year for entries it can only mean that the higher average player that would normally jump at the chance to play in a scratch tournament are suddenly having second thoughts about making the climb up those stairs and suffer through 16 games of torture. Most of them certainly would not have the equipment to combat the oil that's for sure. Now I agree our lanes are most certainly dry and need "more" oil but when is more oil too much??? Rosemount has the reputation of being the wettest centre in Australia and we're having trouble getting 48 bowlers. Lets not get too carried here with all this talk on oil, its already having a negative affect. Baron

 

[Graham]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, ">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by George:

As for now, our main priority should be getting the sport back on TV asap.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was actually thinking of how this could occur - what is required .. how did the telecasts of old work ? I know there was a lot of time and money put in by the people who supported the TV Shows, and maybe we should be talking to them ? No use in reinventing the wheel - there is so much knowledge and know how out there that there is no reason why we couldn't make a combined effort to try and get it to happen. It just has to happen through the right channels and the people that got together the events of the past would be invaluable for information regarding how the TV thing works.

 

[SCOOPS]

Well I forgot to post the final and BEST perfect gamer of them all

When I arrived here some 10months ago i was asked my a few of the boys from back home who can play and is there any talent over here

I quickly replied yes there is quite a bit of talent and One young man especially caught my eye - Sami Noor - remember this name

The following month I sponosred him into a sweeper and the first night he got a money back - Now the boy was only 15 at the time and since turned 16 and he is something else to watch

His attitude is something that all bowlers could learn from, he frequently gets a zillion in a row cause at his early stage he's not looking to the scoreboard hes just Smacking the crap out of it and wants to throw a zillion more

But he is always smiling and to this i hope stays in his demeanor forever

Anyways the 2nd last night of qualifying and he starts up with spare, spare spare then off the sheet 258 then throws a PERFECTO then opens up the next game with the front 9 then got a bit slow for the first in the tenth and left the Greeeeeek church took 2 for a - 259 thats a 817 and had 30 strikes in a row.

HE THEN HAD TO THROW A DOUBLE IN THE TENTH FRAME of the positional game to make the step ladder - HE DID

He won his first 2 matches fairly comfortably then he was up against the might of QATAR IN Ahmed Shaheen - Now this guy is a living God in this part ofthe world, he attracts crowds like Jack Wong does in Singapore, Paeng does in Phillipines, Carol does in Perth - Everyone watches him in absolute awe
Anyway back to the match Ahmed started with the first 5 and little Sammy started with spare spare spare double
Then he threw the next 2 and Shaheen went spare spare then Sammy threw the next 2 and Shaheen threw spare spare. Everyone in the centre, maybe 200people had their heart in the mouth for Sam's first shot in the tenth. Well he got up like a seasoned pro and nailed all 3 in the tenth to shut out what i would believe be his idol for many years.

The final was a diferent story - Sam was now up against by far the bst bowler ever to have come out of UAE and arguably the best bowler to have come out of the Middle East

I spoke with Qubaisi WHEN HE ARRIVED AND ASKED HIM HOW MUCH BOWLING HE HAD DONE - ver little was the answer. but within half a day he had drilled up another 3 bowling balls of which 1 or 2 were 14lb - thats 2lb less than he uses as he thought there was a chance to carry the lighter pins better with the lighter ball, Well to be honest the way he throws the ball you couldnt tell whether he was using the 14 or 16 it made no difference to his game at all - Perfect

Well the final started one way and finished like that - Qubaisi was all over Sam from the first frame and whether Sam's conscious mind woke up but he look tense and not the same guy - I think the brain woke up and said "Hey your playing the final now you better concentrate" but as we all know when your shooting well everything happens for you

But a big lerning curve for the exceptional young man and US$8000.00 in the back pocket at least it wasnt an expensive lesson to have learnt - At the age of 16 I'm sure there will be more finals and championships for this young man in the future -

As for Mohammed Al Qubaisi - well this man is a true professional - was humble with his win had admiration more for his young counterpart than for himself. Was overall a worthy champion and will be an absolute delight to have him back next year to defend his title once again
(He won the BAhrain Open in 1995, 96 & 97)

 

[SCOOPS]

Bowling on TV

How do we get it, keep it and most of all make it viable?

I think everyone in the country that has this sport in their blood agrees we need to see our sport on TV, but how do we get it on the air and make it interesting enough for people to watch it

I always believed its a chiken or the egg scenario - To get TV we need sponsors and to get sponsors we need TV?

For years the Gold Pin group along with AMF and I think Coke injected alot of cash into the series held in QLD (Tom and some others would have more knowledge about this than myself)

My question who did this series benefit? Some years the bowling was so bad that all I kept hearing from bowlers is that i can do better than them, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR

I agree we need to make the lanes super easy for the show but it also needs to be made attractive for people to want to come down and join the game


I remember once they tried a trios format of baker system, i personally thought it was on the right track - the idea of outting thousands into a TV show for our game is to attract people into oour sport and 99% of people when they join bowl in a team situation

Is there no possible way of creating a format to have a team from each state to participate, personally i would also like to see a couple of matches at the same time - It might help create a bit more whoo haa and atmosphere

Personally i really dont know what the answers are but i would like to see a team situation - that perhaps the team in each state can go from Centre to centre putting up exhibition matches to raise money for their trip and attract sponsors.
Could you imagine every night for 10 nights travelling around centre to centre palying against challengers - would be fun get the whole state involved - Would be some sort of marketing tool for each centre to promote
Here is out best against the states best

Only a quick thought and Im sure others out there have other ideas so put them on the "table" and lets all work together and get our sport the coverage it deserves