2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

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stevespo
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by stevespo »

Liz won hands down because she had the best execution, best game plan, best ball motion, etc. I'm a big fan and she's very deserving. She bowled an absolutely great step ladder.

I figured Erin McCarthy had a chance to get inside her and cause problems, but it didn't happen. Danielle and Stephanie were going to stay right and even with their ball speed I felt like the carry just wasn't going to be there with Liz to their left. Bad equipment choices and wrong part of the lane spell disaster.

Lots of respect to Chuck Gardner and JVH, but that's the first title for team Brunswick this season. Storm has 2 titles and Ebonite (reps Josh Blanchard, Shawn Ryan, Rob Gotchall) has 5 if my math is correct. Team Ebi has kicked everybody around and sure, it's the bowlers knocking down the pins, but the reps do play a role. I'm sure it varies considerably from player to player and game to game. Paraphrasing Sean Rash "we can be stubborn".

I was able to watch the PWBA in East Hartford, and I was very impressed with the women. I watch a lot of bowling and I particularly like women's bowling because of the emphasis on shot making, accuracy, etc. I don't feel like TV does their skill level justice, in terms of the small adjustments and the things they are doing with their releases. I also thought their ball speed and rev rates were quite good. Obviously not near what the men are doing, but the stronger women are approaching the stroker/tweener men and it's fun to see this in person.

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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by elgavachon »

jdrsuper wrote:I finally watched the telecast of the Women's open final. On this day Liz Kuhlkin was the best. As far as ball reps are concerned, I for one would like to see them gone during the TV finals and let the bowler fend for themselves. During the week they can be there advising and helping. Now this next comment isn't meant to offend anybody. I am 78 and have been bowling since I was 16, so I've seen it all. In my humble opinion, technology has ruined the sport of bowling. I would like to see standardized equipment same cores in all balls same coverstocks and the only variable would be the oiling but no patterns but flat shots with distance and volume varying. Then for each tournament (PBA PWBA) the winner would be the best bowler and it wouldn't come down to equipment choice. I know that this is unrealistic and it will never happen. So in the bay area where I live I see bowling alley closures, not as much as years past but still happening. I can't say what's happening in the rest of the country but bowling as a professional sport will not survive. I hope I'm wrong only time will tell.
Liz really did bowl super. I am sure the other ladys had bowled super also to get there. They must have had a little better reaction than what they were getting here. I saw what Eric saw, but I do not want to take anything away from the people who got them there.
I would have to watch it again to make sure I heard right, but it sounded to me like Carolyn had talked to the EBI ball reps (in about the 6th frame of the last game between Liz and Stephanie) and they told her that they had advised Stephanie to switch balls on the right lane (she had a pretty compfortable look on the left lane), but she told them she was going to square up and keep it in front of her instead (probably her A game). She gave it a very good try and left a 10 pin. There is a lot happening out there that we don't see. Just my opinion, let the ball reps play too.
As far as trying to even out all bowlers by making everyone use the same ball, I think that would only give an advantage to the strong. Crankers don't use the balls you are complaining about. They migrate to weaker balls anyway. Why take the stronger balls away from the weak. That would be like saying we are only going to use 16 lb balls and the heck with small woman and us old bowlers. Just my opinion, but technology is helping us more than them. Limiting the options to 1 core in all balls would also show favoritism to certain styles. Spinners prefer this core V.S. up the back low tilt like that one. How would taking that core away from either one of them make it more fair? Choices is the equalizer that I prefer.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by rrb6699 »

I was there and saw flashes of brilliance from a lot of the players. Gongorra was completely locked in during the match play on Thursday. I expected she had a backswing that's a little too quick and timing is really sensitive with that technique, but, she was definitely hurling great shots that day.

Kulklin, of course, what can you say. Liz Johnson seemed like she didn't have any ball reps or coach supporting her. I wanted to tell her move right 7 boards to improve entry angle because she didn't have enough reaction to play as far in as she was. pin up would have helped too with a different cover.

all in all it was great to see the ladies play and the Asian girls looked like they have potential too.

I'm bowling in their pro-am in Tampa on August 2nd just to have a great experience and see them in action once again.

I recommend getting out to support these very determined athletes when they have a stop near you. they really do appreciate their fans.

I am a big one!

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Last edited by rrb6699 on July 12th, 2018, 6:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by MeNoRevs »

rrb6699 wrote:I was there and saw flashes of brilliance from a lot of the players. Fingers was completely locked in during the match play on Thursday. I expected she had a backswing that's a little too quick and timing is really sensitive with that technique, but, she was definitely hurling great shots that day.

Kulklin, of course, what can you say. Liz Johnson seemed like she didn't have any ball reps or coach supporting her. I wanted to tell her move right 7 boards to improve entry angle because she didn't have enough reaction to play as far in as she was. pin up would have helped too with a different cover.

all in all it was great to see the ladies play and the Asian girls looked like they have potential too.

I'm bowling in their pro-am in Tampa on August 2nd just to have a great experience and see them in action once again.

I recommend getting out to support these athletes when they have a stop near you. they really do appreciate their fans.

I am a big one!

rr
Liz Johnson didn't make the show.

Neither did any of the Asian women. You may be confused on which show they are referring to also.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by stevespo »

He's talking about qualifying and match play.

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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by stevespo »

For people who don't watch Xtraframe, or who haven't seen the 54 games leading up to the stepladder, it's hard to appreciate the pressure and stress the bowlers are under.

The things (strategy, execution, equipment, etc) that have allowed them to be successful and rise to the top, may not work on the TV pair. Two shots of practice and it's time to perform. One errant shot and the title is gone, your livelihood in jeopardy.

They're taking very calculated risks and sometimes they guess right, sometimes wrong. They all deserve respect for being out there competing.

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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by JMerrell »

MegaMav wrote:Lining up and matching up are two separate skill sets.
I do not think both need to be within the same person.
I think Brunswick is onto something with Chuck Gardner and Jon Van Hees.
One person may have an eye for the lane and coaching the other may be good at matching ball motion up to a bowler.
Doing both at the same time is so complex and time-consuming having 2 people may be better.
Lining up = playing the area of the lane that is relative to the pattern length.

Matching up = using the right ball motion shape (layout) and ball surface preparation (based on bowler DNA) to transition the ball through the 3 stages of ball motion properly.

I am headed off to Dallas at 6am tomorrow for Junior Gold. My Golden Rule....Never coach the physical game during competition. I am there as a mentor and ball rep.

Plenty of coaching time leading up to this event, now it's time to perform and enjoy.

I don't find it a daunting task to read the lane and match up ball motion to the bowler.

On that show there was a wealth of experience / talented ladies.

In my opionion the difference in lane topography caused most of the matching up issues.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by rrb6699 »

JMerrell wrote:
In my opionion the difference in lane topography caused most of the matching up issues.
you got that right. I bowled tournaments in there and if you play 12-25, the heads are so worn out your ball will jump a couple boards almost immediately if you're not careful. spares are particularly tricky.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by spmcgivern »

rrb6699 wrote:
you got that right. I bowled tournaments in there and if you play 12-25, the heads are so worn out your ball will jump a couple boards almost immediately if you're not careful. spares are particularly tricky.
You both got it wrong, it is because ball reps suck..... so I'm told.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by gunso »

watched the telecast again with this discussion particularly in mind. It was obvious that Liz ball roll matched up slightly better than the others. slower speed with more rotation which had a bit more miss room right. It was also obvious she caught a few lucky breaks that others didn't which could have swung a couple of matches. there were lots of splits that got broken up at the last moment and a couple of rare messengers that got her weak tens out.

About the EBI ball reps it was obvious that Stefanie was always going to go with her knowledge of the building. its her home center. and with the tight friendship between her and shannon it would not surprise me if that affected shannons strategy as well. there was nobody in the building more knowledgable about the lanes then Stefanie. she just didn't execute correctly on one of the lanes a couple of times.
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by JMerrell »

spmcgivern wrote: You both got it wrong, it is because ball reps suck..... so I'm told.
Love it!
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Re: 2018 US Women's Open Final Observations

Post by rrb6699 »

try bowling there sometime. I bet the lane topography is affected by the million or so games thrown in that place annually. it's an 80 lane center in a populated Orlando.

I live over an hour from there so mostly I bowl in Randy W's tournaments there on sport shots with little or no back-end. Even with those It's tricky to shoot spares because the heads breakdown so quick.

I can't say I've ever bowled on their house shot. Only on super long super heavy patterns. my high game on those conditions is in the 230s and 240s. you do get a lot of lucky strikes in there because of the pin action, so, I imagine if you can line up in there carry is good.

ball reps suck if their products can't match up. maybe the balls suck and the reps know it so they suck as a result. lol.
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