Comments on: High tech hurts bowling's credibility http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 20:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: slywy http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186123 slywy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186123 I dunno, but I liked bowling better when I was a kid—no music, no videos, no strobing lights, no animations, etc. Just a lane, a ball, a beer, and a scorecard. Fogey I dunno, but I liked bowling better when I was a kid—no music, no videos, no strobing lights, no animations, etc. Just a lane, a ball, a beer, and a scorecard.

Fogey

]]> By: Burns! http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186174 Burns! Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186174 I bet you Harry, the robotic ball thrower, will roll on Shabbos. I bet you Harry, the robotic ball thrower, will roll on Shabbos.

]]> By: Jardine http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186189 Jardine Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186189 I think it's time bowlers were introduced to the manly sport of 5-pin bowling. None of this knocking over 1 pin takes out 5 other pins automatically bullshit. I think it’s time bowlers were introduced to the manly sport of 5-pin bowling. None of this knocking over 1 pin takes out 5 other pins automatically bullshit.

]]> By: stovis http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186448 stovis Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186448 #13 <<I dunno, but I liked bowling better when I was a kid—no music, no videos, no strobing lights, no animations, etc. Just a lane, a ball, a beer, and a scorecard. Fogey>> You got to drink beer when you bowled as a kid? No wonder you liked bowling back then. #13

<

Fogey>>

You got to drink beer when you bowled as a kid? No wonder you liked bowling back then.

]]> By: Antinous http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186203 Antinous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186203 So, is <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/moviemystery/bowler.jpg" rel="nofollow">this</a> a regulation ball? So, is this a regulation ball?

]]> By: JulieB http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186206 JulieB Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186206 If drilled correctly, yes. If drilled correctly, yes.

]]> By: mikelotus http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186770 mikelotus Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186770 The bowling alleys spend much time waxing the lanes to increase the number of strikes too. 300 games and scores in general are way up because of this. Its necessary to attract enough bowlers now that the cost of an alley is so high with land costs. The bowling alleys spend much time waxing the lanes to increase the number of strikes too. 300 games and scores in general are way up because of this. Its necessary to attract enough bowlers now that the cost of an alley is so high with land costs.

]]> By: ill lich http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186014 ill lich Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186014 You know what else hurts bowling's image? Bowling. You know what else hurts bowling’s image? Bowling.

]]> By: Tenn http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186019 Tenn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186019 No different from any other sport. You do better with better equipment. No different from any other sport. You do better with better equipment.

]]> By: desp http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186021 desp Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186021 Super C.A.T.S.? All your balls are belong to us! Super C.A.T.S.? All your balls are belong to us!

]]> By: Steaming Pile http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186031 Steaming Pile Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186031 It's about time. The USGA diligently guards its standards on every piece of golf equipment but the tees. The club heads have to be a specific size, the angle of a 7-iron has to be just so, the grooves in the clubs have to be V-shaped, not square, there has to be this many grooves on the club and they have to be exactly this deep, the balls are only allowed to have that many dimples on them, and it goes on and on and on. What are the regulations for bowling balls? As far as I know, you can bring just about any trick ball to any tournament at any level, as long as it weighs no more than 16 pounds. I have one at home. It's a reactive resin ball with ridiculously offset weighting. It breaks seven or eight boards more than I can ever make my old 1977 black ball. Not only that, it breaks that much EVERY TIME I THROW IT. So as long as the ball lands within half a board either way of my mark, I stand at least a 70% chance of making a strike. I throw at least one 200 game every time I go out instead of twice a season, and I used to be a 150-average bowler. Hell, 150 used to be a good average. Not anymore. I don't think bowling was ever meant to be this easy for the non-professional. Note to the ABC - Easy for casual players == no longer a real sport. Cheating is legal == no longer a real sport. It’s about time. The USGA diligently guards its standards on every piece of golf equipment but the tees. The club heads have to be a specific size, the angle of a 7-iron has to be just so, the grooves in the clubs have to be V-shaped, not square, there has to be this many grooves on the club and they have to be exactly this deep, the balls are only allowed to have that many dimples on them, and it goes on and on and on.

What are the regulations for bowling balls? As far as I know, you can bring just about any trick ball to any tournament at any level, as long as it weighs no more than 16 pounds. I have one at home. It’s a reactive resin ball with ridiculously offset weighting. It breaks seven or eight boards more than I can ever make my old 1977 black ball. Not only that, it breaks that much EVERY TIME I THROW IT. So as long as the ball lands within half a board either way of my mark, I stand at least a 70% chance of making a strike. I throw at least one 200 game every time I go out instead of twice a season, and I used to be a 150-average bowler. Hell, 150 used to be a good average. Not anymore.

I don’t think bowling was ever meant to be this easy for the non-professional. Note to the ABC – Easy for casual players == no longer a real sport. Cheating is legal == no longer a real sport.

]]> By: Enochrewt http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186033 Enochrewt Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186033 #2 But with many other sports there's strict regulation of equipment specs. Football the player's pads have to be a certain size (ex: players like Jerry Rice would choose the smallest shoulder pads legally allowed for mobility), The sticks in Hockey have length/size/blade curve limit, baseball you can't use metal bats, etc. I'm don't think bowling has any of these. To show what a nerd I am I would compare it to using mods and hacks in Counterstrike. But now I know that when I go bowling with my mother and she bowls a 185 I can blame it on her new ball. #2 But with many other sports there’s strict regulation of equipment specs. Football the player’s pads have to be a certain size (ex: players like Jerry Rice would choose the smallest shoulder pads legally allowed for mobility), The sticks in Hockey have length/size/blade curve limit, baseball you can’t use metal bats, etc. I’m don’t think bowling has any of these.

To show what a nerd I am I would compare it to using mods and hacks in Counterstrike.

But now I know that when I go bowling with my mother and she bowls a 185 I can blame it on her new ball.

]]> By: Steaming Pile http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186040 Steaming Pile Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186040 Re. my last post, I had a 155 average my last year of youth bowling, and that made me about the sixth best bowler under 17 in the house. This was about 1979. I got selected as the sixth man on the traveling team, which meant I got to bowl twice about every other Saturday. It was then that I learned that every house's lanes broke different, especially those that used Formica instead of wood. I think I had the most embarrassing series of the season on Formica and my team got clobbered as a result. Of course, most of this goes out the window when I break out my cheater ball. Re. my last post, I had a 155 average my last year of youth bowling, and that made me about the sixth best bowler under 17 in the house. This was about 1979. I got selected as the sixth man on the traveling team, which meant I got to bowl twice about every other Saturday. It was then that I learned that every house’s lanes broke different, especially those that used Formica instead of wood. I think I had the most embarrassing series of the season on Formica and my team got clobbered as a result.

Of course, most of this goes out the window when I break out my cheater ball.

]]> By: Rickmccl http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-188105 Rickmccl Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-188105 How are you gentlemen! Please not to invoke rule 34 in the bowling alley! For those interested in this new kind of CATS, Google found this video. Here is "When Harry Met Alley" http://www.controldesign.com/multimedia/2008/002.html the "Throw" button is my favorite part. I look forward to a new "System of the Bowling" brought by our new robotic bowling overlords. How are you gentlemen! Please not to invoke rule 34 in the bowling alley!

For those interested in this new kind of CATS, Google found this video. Here is “When Harry Met Alley” http://www.controldesign.com/multimedia/2008/002.html

the “Throw” button is my favorite part.

I look forward to a new “System of the Bowling” brought by our new robotic bowling overlords.

]]> By: Santa's Knee http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186058 Santa's Knee Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186058 Unsure how this will play out in the leagues, the Dude abides.... Unsure how this will play out in the leagues, the Dude abides….

]]> By: Jamie Sue http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186063 Jamie Sue Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186063 I didn't even know they made trick balls. Where would I get one? I didn’t even know they made trick balls. Where would I get one?

]]> By: Jamie Sue http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186067 Jamie Sue Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186067 I didn't even know they made trick balls. Where would I get one? I didn’t even know they made trick balls. Where would I get one?

]]> By: JulieB http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186070 JulieB Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186070 There are strict regulations in bowling, but who checks equipment below the pro level any more? If I suspected someone on my league had non-regulation equipment I could take it to the league secretary, I suppose. I don't think it's worth raising a stink unless I can absolutely prove it. @#6: Yep, there's something to be said about varying house conditions. I know plenty of people who do well in one or two houses and can't bowl worth a flip anywhere else. I am probably one of those people. There are strict regulations in bowling, but who checks equipment below the pro level any more? If I suspected someone on my league had non-regulation equipment I could take it to the league secretary, I suppose. I don’t think it’s worth raising a stink unless I can absolutely prove it.

@#6: Yep, there’s something to be said about varying house conditions. I know plenty of people who do well in one or two houses and can’t bowl worth a flip anywhere else. I am probably one of those people.

]]> By: pauldrye http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186088 pauldrye Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186088 I was going to say "this is why the athletes in the ancient Olympic Games did all events in the nude". It guarantees that the person himself is the only factor. But then I realized we were talking about professional bowling and the image made me feel vaguely ill. I was going to say “this is why the athletes in the ancient Olympic Games did all events in the nude”. It guarantees that the person himself is the only factor.

But then I realized we were talking about professional bowling and the image made me feel vaguely ill.

]]> By: The Unusual Suspect http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186089 The Unusual Suspect Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186089 @ #7: "The Dude abides." I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. @ #7: “The Dude abides.”

I don’t know about you but I take comfort in that.

]]> By: Kestral http://boingboing.net/2008/05/13/high-tech-hurts-bowl.html#comment-186367 Kestral Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-186367 Antinous: Not only is it legal if drilled and weighted properly, as a design, it was pretty popular for a while among amateurs and some leagues. Apparently, when Mystery Men came out, people started asking for the skull ball to the ball makers and the ones who made the original broke out the mold again and made a licensed version. It was pretty much the first popular clear resin ball, as far as I remember. Antinous: Not only is it legal if drilled and weighted properly, as a design, it was pretty popular for a while among amateurs and some leagues. Apparently, when Mystery Men came out, people started asking for the skull ball to the ball makers and the ones who made the original broke out the mold again and made a licensed version. It was pretty much the first popular clear resin ball, as far as I remember.

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