Pro Bowling: Athletes or just an Elite learned skill?

[Deberg_1990]

PBA Bowling on ESPN! The coverage is excellent!


Do you consider these guys athletes?

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

So...bowling was too flashy? That was bowling's problem?

It was overtaking soccer in popularity.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Its not a sport, its a game.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Valiant

You know, I actually enjoy seeing those thoroughbreds run. Muscle in motion is a beautiful, god that sounded gay. But seriously ****ing race horses rock.

Wanna see something beautiful, find and watch the first episode of Luck from HBO. Nick Nolte's Walter has a great horse, and the tells the rider to stretch her out a like in practice.

They used tracking shots over the horse's shoulder and film stock, and it's a masterpiece.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

any "sport" that has a bar that's accessible to the players during a match is not a sport.

There goes baseball

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I think it would be more interesting than bowling.

In fact, now that I think about it, I would be much more likely to watch a video game tournament on TV than I would a bowling, golf, or tennis tournament.

Tennis is fun to watch on TV.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Simply Red]

Bowling yes, Nascar, no.

[FRCDFED]

Bowlers are no more athletes than chess players. I once had a teenager tell me that chess was a sport because he was "exercising" his brain.

It seems that some people categorize an activity that requires some skill as a sport just to help out their own ego. Both are games. Same as golf.

Any activity is going burn calories. That doesn't make you an "athlete."

Bowling is something someone does when their spouse/significant other tells them to get off the couch and go do something. Same as mowing the yard.

[Simply Red]

I think they are due to the usage of the full body and focus on timing.

Those are all athletic things. I would also consider dart throwers athletes. JMO, I can certainly see the argument.

[Simply Red]

CP has some Bowling ass ballers. Wasn't it Pink Floyd that was basically a club pro level bowler?

[otherstar]

Originally Posted by morphius

I've been bowling finger tip for longer than I'd like to admit, lol. I actually had both my fingers bend backwards a couple of years ago, that was some real pain. Took months before I could throw a ball normal.

When I last bowled, I bowled finger tip (the only way to score well, IMHO). There is an element of conditioning involved that most non-bowlers don't think about and that is the arm/hand/finger strength needed to throw a 16 lb. ball down the lanes for at least three games consistently.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by FRCDFED

Bowlers are no more athletes than chess players. I once had a teenager tell me that chess was a sport because he was "exercising" his brain.

It seems that some people categorize an activity that requires some skill as a sport just to help out their own ego. Both are games. Same as golf.

Any activity is going burn calories. That doesn't make you an "athlete."

Bowling is something someone does when their spouse/significant other tells them to get off the couch and go do something. Same as mowing the yard.

Yup, and just because it isn't a sport, doesn't mean that you can't also be athletic or that being athletic doesn't give you an advantage in the game.

[htismaqe]

The word "athlete" comes from the Greek (and Latin via Greek) for "contest" or "competing for prizes".

In that sense, professional bowlers are absolutely athletes.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by otherstar

When I last bowled, I bowled finger tip (the only way to score well, IMHO). There is an element of conditioning involved that most non-bowlers don't think about and that is the arm/hand/finger strength needed to throw a 16 lb. ball down the lanes for at least three games consistently.

Yup, and most people don't throw the ball right. Keeping your hand behind the ball and coming up through it is a lot more work than just tossing a ball out there, and it has a huge effect on consistent pin action.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by morphius

Yup, and just because it isn't a sport, doesn't mean that you can't also be athletic or that being athletic doesn't give you an advantage in the game.

As a reminder - I think I told you - but I have a very unorthodox tennis game - I run around my forehand in order to unleash my one-handed backhand. I hit more winners from my backhand side.

Odd huh? I haven't played in about 3 years

[Jimmya]

So spelling bee kids are athletes? Awesome