Has anybody seen the new scoring recognition for awards in the 2007-2008 season ?  A member who rolls a game that is 100 pins over average , no longer gets a watch.......they get a patch !  Whoopity doo .  The big change is going to be to the 298 and 299 games ........no more rings !!!.......just a cheap crappy looking 11 in a row plaque that costs them about 3 cents !!   I guess you can still purchase rings , but that really sucks !!    USBC should be completely ashamed of themselves !!  What is next ?....a pat on the back for a 300 and a kick in the a$$ for an 800 ? 

I guess it just shows how easy the scoring conditions have become. An honor score isn't worth anything anymore.

Maybe it's a good thing that that's the way it's turning out. The USBC doesn't have to waste money on cheap trinkets, that way they don't have to raise sanction fees again next year for the pitiful few that remain in certified leagues to keep them afloat and in business.

Now, if they only had the "chutzpah" to reel in overinflated scoring with a realistic ideal of what this sport truly entails...............

The problem is that your average league bowler actually thinks these cheap awards are just , and they actually deserve to be awarded for carrying strikes on some "pretend" scoring condition

What no one seems to realize is that the bowlers themselves created this environment years ago, forcing the proprietors to give them what they want or they we're going down the street to where they could score better, hence, putting that center at risk of not making any money and going bankrupt.

I bowl in a house that has few if any honor scores. This year 3 so far, a banner year.  Makes up for the years where there were none. To my knowledge there have been 2 800's since they opened in the 1960's. If they take the 298, 299 ring away, I won't have any real reason to join USBC. I wanted to earn the entire set. At this point in my life, I probably won't steal the league funds. Passing out 140, 160 game awards to adults? they should have left them for the youths only. Not certifiying my leagues would reduce my workload my at least 30%.

This center is not going bankrupt, despite losing about half of its league business. they recently went through  about a 3 million $ upgrade, mostly for open bowlers and nothing for leagues. We did get 'guardian overlay' on the heads but nothing else.

I got the 298 and 300 rings so far this season only a few weeks left for another 299.

In our league 14 teams 4 per I will submit 120+ award applications this year.

300's 8, 299's 2, 298's 1, 800's 4

I miss the good ole days when scores were a little harder to come by.

aged1 - Where do you bowl.

 

Freeway Lanes of Solon, Ohio

Not stupid at all, it's about time. Bowlers today expect to pay only ten bucks and get $300 worth of awards for scores that have become outrageous over the past few years.

Have you noticed that no one in the center even stops to watch someone throw a 300, and only a handful clap when it's accomplished. In one week at the center I bowl at, 7 300's were shot. The center usually puts names up on the marquee above the pinsetters. That week just the words "7 shot". That number by the way is more than were shot an entire season just 20 years ago in my association. Back then we had 8,000 members, today just over 3,000. High scores does not equal more bowlers…..

By the way, remember USBC’s New Philosophy #2 – “Recognition (not rewards) is no more important than coaching, sportsmanship and a passion for the competition”.

jdaryman wrote:

High scores does not equal more bowlers…..

Dear jdaryman:

AMEN to your entire post.

 
 To the people who do bowl big scores every week I would suggest 1 ring for each accomplishment during a lifetime , and just maybe the plaque with little brass plates for each one after .  To all of us who don't bowl those scores every week ( like me ) , keep the rings around until we can get our 1 lifetime ring too .  I myself have 1-ABC 298 and 1-ABC 300 and have been sooo close many many times for more .  I really wanted to get the entire collection of ABC's and USBC's , but after this year I will have no chance unless I pay for them , which is the unfair part in my opinion . 

jdaryman wrote:

Not stupid at all, it's about time. Bowlers today expect to pay only ten bucks and get $300 worth of awards for scores that have become outrageous over the past few years. Have you noticed that no one in the center even stops to watch someone throw a 300, and only a handful clap when it's accomplished. In one week at the center I bowl at, 7 300's were shot. The center usually puts names up on the marquee above the pinsetters. That week just the words "7 shot". That number by the way is more than were shot an entire season just 20 years ago in my association. Back then we had 8,000 members, today just over 3,000. High scores does not equal more bowlers….. By the way, remember USBC’s New Philosophy #2 – “Recognition (not rewards) is no more important than coaching, sportsmanship and a passion for the competition”.

What!?!?!?!? Awards valued at $300? Please take your temperature and get a reality check up. Those patches and other assorted awards ARE MADE IN CHINA! This season I bowled four 700 sets and all I got was ONE patch. Guessing the cost of shipping, it probably cost 30 cents. So for my $18.00 sanction fee ( $10 national, $8 local) I got what probably cost a 30 cent patch.

Regardless of the "scoring conditions" or the number of high-scoring games bowled in a particular house or if anyone claps or not; the INDIVIUAL is the one that has to achieve the game and no one else.   The INDIVIDUAL has the relationship (via dues) with USBC and USBC is CHANGING the rules in this regards towards the INDIVIDUAL.   This is down right CRAPPY!   Since the "merger" (or IPO in business terms) of the four governing bodies; USBC has DOWNSIZED it's recognition towards INDVIDUAL achievements.  In essence, the middle-finger bird is being flipped to us all by this all-powerful "organization" with an increasing attitude of "FU" to everyone involved.

Thanks USBC... you need to change your logo to "Screwed by US"

Many years ago ABC did the same thing. The decided that the rings were costing to much for what we paid in dues so they opted to just give a plaque. If you wanted a ring you had to purchase it yourself. It didn't take them long to find out they lost a lot of dues paying members and decided to again offer the rings. The problem was that, by this time, many had dropped out of ABC and just never returned. Thus ended the double shifts almost every night of the week at most centers and that income for the centers has never returned. Is it any wonder the centers are now catering  more to open bowling than to leagues?

Glenn C.

Hammers_Rule wrote:

Many years ago ABC did the same thing. The decided that the rings were costing to much for what we paid in dues so they opted to just give a plaque. If you wanted a ring you had to purchase it yourself. It didn't take them long to find out they lost a lot of dues paying members and decided to again offer the rings. The problem was that, by this time, many had dropped out of ABC and just never returned. Thus ended the double shifts almost every night of the week at most centers and that income for the centers has never returned. Is it any wonder the centers are now catering  more to open bowling than to leagues? Glenn C.

Really, all those bowlers quit because of the awards cuts.

USBC created the problem by making the awards to easy to get.

USBC did NOT create the problem by making the awards (I guess you meant "too") too easy to get - a 298 / 299 has always been the same.    Technology has made the game "easier" in general.   However, again... it is the relationship between the individual MEMBER and USBC whereby over the years, recognition of 298 / 299 rings has been offered.   So to compensate the evolution of core, cover stock, and equipment in general, USBC has opted to punish the individual by eliminating these awards.   This is total BS.   USBC can take their cheap china-made coffee coasters and stick it... of course they will in turn STICK US with higher membership fees.   Way to go USBC -- it's not Bowl with US... it's SCREWED by US.

dorajason wrote:

USBC did NOT create the problem by making the awards (I guess you meant "too") too easy to get - a 298 / 299 has always been the same.    Technology has made the game "easier" in general.   However, again... it is the relationship between the individual MEMBER and USBC whereby over the years, recognition of 298 / 299 rings has been offered.   So to compensate the evolution of core, cover stock, and equipment in general, USBC has opted to punish the individual by eliminating these awards.   This is total BS.   USBC can take their cheap china-made coffee coasters and stick it... of course they will in turn STICK US with higher membership fees.   Way to go USBC -- it's not Bowl with US... it's SCREWED by US.

Yeah that's what I meant, and they are too easy to get.

Yes technology has made the game much easier, isn't all the equipment and blocked lanes USBC approved.

 

ZMAN300 wrote:

dorajason wrote: USBC did NOT create the problem by making the awards (I guess you meant "too") too easy to get - a 298 / 299 has always been the same.    Technology has made the game "easier" in general.   However, again... it is the relationship between the individual MEMBER and USBC whereby over the years, recognition of 298 / 299 rings has been offered.   So to compensate the evolution of core, cover stock, and equipment in general, USBC has opted to punish the individual by eliminating these awards.   This is total BS.   USBC can take their cheap china-made coffee coasters and stick it... of course they will in turn STICK US with higher membership fees.   Way to go USBC -- it's not Bowl with US... it's SCREWED by US. Yeah that's what I meant, and they are too easy to get. Yes technology has made the game much easier, isn't all the equipment and blocked lanes USBC approved.

 

You got it ZMAN!

Hey, here's a novel idea, tighten up the lane conditions and keep giving free rings for 298-299 games. Now THAT'S what the USBC should approve.