Tim Mack....Amateur or Professional?

[micky_macca]

Yeh lets just haul all our best bowlers over to America that's a great idea!!! NOT

Steve's idea was heading in the right direction, we need a pro tour here on OUR continent most likely including Asia.

Wayne you say that bowlers are only considered the best when they are at the top of the PBA! That's the whole idea of World Championships or something similiar, where all the best bowlers in the world compete together for the crown of 'Best bowler in the world'

We cant have all our best bowlers going over to the PBA, it leaves us with nothing and our fellow junior and youth bowlers no one to look up to. Because lets face it, PBA gets not coverage over here!!!

With a Australasian pro tour they do!!!

Just my Oppinion...
Michael McDonald

 

[Graham]

That's the whole idea of World Championships or something similiar, where all the best bowlers in the world compete together for the crown of 'Best bowler in the world'

How can you say the World Championships are the best bowlers in the world when pros (or not quite pros) arent allowed to bowl ?

Ask any of our guys who have been to America and bowled against the PBA guys (US Open etc etc) and most of them will say THEY ARE THE BEST HANDS DOWN !

 

[micky_macca]

Sorry Graham I didn't mean like the current world championships.

You know how Football (soccer) has the worldcup and all the best players rep there country.

That's what I was getting out, and by no means am i saying that the guys on the PBA aren't the best, just the idea of getting our best over there makes no sense to me when we could have a pro tour of our own, remember those bowlers got that way because of how bowling is treated in that country.

Having an Australasian Pro Tour would leed to the sport becoming much more popular in Australia.

I'm not saying instantly our up and coming bowlers are going to hit PBA status...but over time it would happen, there not better just coz there yanks, its because they can justify bowling for a living which means where our best bowlers would work and practise in spare time the yanks bowl for work. This is obviously going to make them better!

Michael.

 

[wchester]

Yeh lets just haul all our best bowlers over to America that's a great idea!!! NOT

Our guys won't go because they are afraid they will lose their money.

Steve's idea was heading in the right direction, we need a pro tour here on OUR continent most likely including Asia.

Let's compare bowling to tennis and golf. The main tours in those two sports are the ATP or WTA and PGA Tours, based in...the USA. Although the Australasian and European Tours attract some top notch players, I'm sure if you asked them, that the vast majority of players would rather be playing on the major tour. There are satellit tours all around the world. However the main purpose of these tours is to enable the competitors to improve their ranking thus gaining entry to the big tour.

Wayne you say that bowlers are only considered the best when they are at the top of the PBA! That's the whole idea of World Championships or something similiar, where all the best bowlers in the world compete together for the crown of 'Best bowler in the world'

The upcoming tournament in Malaysia is for amateurs only (as defined by the FIQ & WTBA) Not only that, but Israel has been excluded from competing in the predominantly Muslim nation of Malaysia. Lets keep politic and religion out of our sport please!
The best bowler in the world right now is Walter ray Williams Jr. Or maybe you think it is Gery Verbruggen..I'll let you decide.

We cant have all our best bowlers going over to the PBA, it leaves us with nothing and our fellow junior and youth bowlers no one to look up to. Because lets face it, PBA gets not coverage over here!!!

IPlease rethink your stance on this..are you trying to tell us that no one in Australia looks up to Cara Honeychurch or Carol Giannotti?

With a Australasian pro tour they do!!!

I'll put up $1,000 of my own money into buying TV time for an Australian tour..let's see who else isn't afraid to contribute to the good of the sport without being concerned about what's in it for them..

Wayne Chester

 

[micky_macca]

Wayne, quick reply here!

Remember I don't want them to go

I already said i meant a tournament where the BEST BOWLERS (pros) from each country go!

Is it my fault that Israel has been excluded from competing?

We bowlers look up to them, but Walkter Ray and the likes are known by everyday people over in the US.


Although $100 would get you maybe 1 game on air thats not the point, a sport has to be proven to popular or exciting. An Australasian tour with high money stakes makes bowlers that much more passionate. The likes of Belmo, Frilingos and Frawley all getting pumped over their game, everyday people would see it and go hey that looks fun!

Later

 

[Mankind_JS]

An Australian "pro" Tour, would be extremely hard to accomplish, for something like that to happen sponspership and i mean a huge amount of it would need to be secured!!!

Sponsers are businesses and businesses are not only looking to promote the thing they sponser, but they want to promote themselves, the bottom line of sponsership is the business will recieve a increase in sales or TV time or whatever, they are in it mostly to increase there profits, that what a business is. When sponsering something they ask how can we increase OUR exposure

Bowling in this country isnt all that popular we are a small nation with a big heart in the tenpin bowling world, our biggest tournament gets 150 entries and the prize money is $4000

Over seas in Asia and the US there are first prize checks of $100,000! There are upwards of 300 entries and the bonuses for a 300 game are bigger then our first prize checks.

If I ever get good enough, in this sport I'll be on the next plane to Asia or the US i'll back myself all the way. But until that day I'll continue to improve through tournaments here.

There are a few people here in this country how could go out on the PBA and do decently...... but you need the financial support...... when you bowl fulltime you dont cash you dont eat...... you are bowling to live.... so you need extra money as a safety net while your "learning the tour"

I'm not trying to putting a downer on the possibilty of an Australian Pro tour..... I would full support one and bowl every event I could which I do now, but simply looking at it from a realistic perspective...... If we were to get a Tour it would have to be a Australasian Tour with 2 or 3 "Tour Stops" In each country but mainly since of the exposure in Asia it would have to hold the Tours Major Tournaments


As for the original point of this post....... Tim bowls for a living, that makes him a a fulltime bowler, but does not belong to any professional organisation, that makes an amatuer. To be sponsered by Storm, you have to get results. He does that. I'd give my left nut to be able to do what he does.


See you at The surfs up Classic.

James Sitters

 

[da_cowman]

Ok, the people that have replied have said, that my idea is unrealistic, but yet at times missed a few key points.

How can you say the World Championships are the best bowlers in the world when pros (or not quite pros) arent allowed to bowl ?

This was in my first post, or here...

could be imposed to find the best 2/5/10/whatever bowlers from their region to represent both that region and their country in a World Championship sometime through the year. But yet, still have the World Cup and other big tournaments that enable people to represent their country, but allow them to be Professional, which, now would have all the best bowlers from each country in them anyway, similar to what they have now

Read closely, the answer is hidden there.
Now, anyways, this is probably thinking a tad far ahead atm, ill admit that. Most people have said that my ideas are unrealistic.
I, sadly, somewhat agree, they are, in some areas over the top... for now anyway, in some aspect of my ideas. But now, I ask EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS APART OF THIS FORUM TO COME ON AND PROPOSE THEIR OWN IDEAS FOR AUSTRALIAN BOWLING! Until someone else gets on here and proposes their own idea, mine stands as the best, and the worst and everything in between. I'd love to for you to make changes to my idea, its what we need to do! Do you Agree or Disagree??
Mankind_JS is right by saying 'An Australian "pro" Tour, would be extremely hard to accomplish' But how hard? We will never know if we never try and thats all i am honestly proposing, give it a go!

Later Da Cowman!

 

[The Ref]

Professionalism

I think the big answer to this question is " Who Cares ".
Who cares what Tim is and who cares what George is, the main thing we should be asking is "Why the WTBA dont allow people who are PROFESSIONALS to compete.
There wouldnt be to many sports left that a persons professional status prevents them from competing with the amateur's.
Now this doesnt mean that they would even get a full team of PRO'S from the USA as they might decide not to roll off but wouldnt it be great to see that the BEST are allowed to compete.

And to micky_macca,
I dont really think its got to do with being scared to lose there money but more so they dont have enough as if you ask any of our 3 Women who bowl over there then they will tell you how tough that is.

And while this " PROFESSIONALISM TAG " hangs over our sport then how bout calling it the "AUSTRALIAN BOWLING TOUR"

All The Best
8)

 

[wchester]

Time to get this discussion going again.

 

[Halo05]

Right what i have all read about it, u see the US as PBA it is where the professional, i have been bowl for many years from my junior, i never think that i am professional enough to go to US for biggest tournment, for many years i have seen australia tournment was small prize money least $5,000 or whatever, i cant say weather tim mack is professional or amuter. yes i would like to see the world to play tournment in australia but it lack of prize because they backed it off and they think that prize money is not enough for cover much example if german bowler who won the tournment in australia the problem is cause they spend too much money on airfare, hotel etc, Eupore is very expensive place to live, the people around the world love to see the prize money should be over $10,000 it not my reason to say but i have few friends from oversea they find how amazing the bowler in australia was work so well but the lack of prizemoney, but i still support it, why aussie work so hard for years as they try to keep up the work, but however it is shame we didnt have enough for it, u see how lucky like we have olympic honor it feel speical to all of australian people, what else can i say but it all there,

 

[Levithian]

that has got to be the most confusing posts i have ever read on these forums A little bit of punctuation wouldnt go a stray

Hmm, it doesnt really bother me either way what tim is classified as, i do wonder though, if he was to indeed turn professional would he still be eligible for tournaments down here, the european circuit, and throughout asia? the last thing i want to see if less of tim mack bowling, he's great to watch, both on tv and in person.

Mmm, just had a thought, what about somebody of the likes of bill hoffman? (a team mate on numerous occaisions) even though you dont see him here (and most people would never have heard of him before) would he fall into the same class as tim? i hope to god he is still an amature otherwise id look like an ass

 

[Levithian]

mmm, could you add a few well known names to the list? like tomas and tore for instance? what constitutes a professional anyway, membership wise i mean. Affiliation with the PBA?

 

[micky_macca]

Tim Mack is bowling the PBA week in week out now so he is classed as a professional. He can no longer bowl amatuar tournaments down here unless the tournament allows professionals to bowl, most of the super 6 series do not.

 

[Graham]

He can no longer bowl amatuar tournaments down here unless the tournament allows professionals to bowl, most of the super 6 series do not.

Ummmm I think you had better check that statement .. how do you think Cara, Carol, Maxine and Michelle Feldman have been able to bowl in Australian Super Six Events ??

 

[micky_macca]

I thaught the super six series was an amatuer event, my bad!

Thanks for clearing that up.