2007 USBC Queens television show: One of the best bowling shows ever By John Jowdy
05/19/07
In my opinion, the recent ESPN presentation of the 2007 USBC Queens television show was one of the best bowling shows ever. The production crew is deserving of an ESPY award. They more than made up for the so-so production of the Ladies Challenge in Las Vegas.
From a personal standpoint, it wasn't the most exciting or breathtaking bowling event I've ever witnessed. However, the timing and format were innovative and stimulating. The scoring and the end result were not dramatic; nor were they really surprising.
The event hardly resembled some of the PBA's most drama-filled shows, particularly the Dick Ritger-Don Johnson finals of the Firestone Tournament of Champions at Akron April 4, 1970. Johnson defeated Ritger, 299-268 in a match that had to be one of, if not the greatest bowling shows ever on TV. As a matter of fact, the camera shot of Johnson lying face down (after a 10-pin leave that prevented the Kokomo Kid from fashioning a perfect score) is one of the most acclaimed photographs in bowling history.
The score and end result of the 2007 USBC Queens Tournament ran as one might expect. With all due respect to stellar performances by the sharp-looking talented gals that made up the cast, Kelly Kulick had to be the odds-on favorite.
After all, the mere fact she qualified for exemption on the men's PBA regular tour proved, beyond all doubt, her role as favorite over the other finalists in the Queen's tournament. Her bowling savvy was evident in her match against, arguably the greatest amateur female bowler in the world, Diandra Asbaty. Asbaty could not overcome Kulick's experience in this prestigious event.
Nonetheless, Asbaty displayed her superiority in amateur ranks talent a few weeks later when she won the World Ranking Masters at the Kegel Company Training Facilities in Florida. The WRM tournament featured the world's best female players and further established Asbaty as the best amateur woman bowler on the planet.
The ESPN production was superb. The telecast duo of Marshall Holman and Jan Schmidt was enlightening. Holman's analysis was purely professional…insightful and low-keyed, ala ESPN's baseball analyst, Joe Morgan. The timing was near perfect.
The cast, featuring FIVE bowlers in a 90-minute show, never missed a beat. Normally, in most five-player TV bowling shows, participants are subjected to bowling through commercials to conserve time. Furthermore, personal features and interviews consume much of the bowling activities and tend to hasten bowlers in closing frames.
BUT, this was not the case in the 2007 Queens championships. As a matter of fact, TV fans were treated to one of the greatest innovations I have ever seen on any televised bowling show. In addition to displaying each player's choice of equipment, each bowler explained in detail the expected reaction of the selected ball.
Not only were these insights interesting and informative to the viewing audience; it was a long overdue acknowledgement and appreciation to manufacturers who pay HUGE sums of money to register their products.
I'm not sure who deserves credit for the stimulating innovations and fast-paced presentation of the 2007 USBC Queens Tournament. However, if I had to guess, I suspect that Tom Clark, USBC Director of Communications, played a major role in the thought-provoking format.
Chances are, we will witness more of these interesting renovations at the Women's U.S. Open at the National Bowling Stadium August 12-18.
Column
In my opinion, the recent ESPN presentation of the 2007 USBC Queens television show was one of the best bowling shows ever. The production crew is deserving of an ESPY award. They more than made up for the so-so production of the Ladies Challenge in Las Vegas.
From a personal standpoint, it wasn't the most exciting or breathtaking bowling event I've ever witnessed. However, the timing and format were innovative and stimulating. The scoring and the end result were not dramatic; nor were they really surprising.
The event hardly resembled some of the PBA's most drama-filled shows, particularly the Dick Ritger-Don Johnson finals of the Firestone Tournament of Champions at Akron April 4, 1970. Johnson defeated Ritger, 299-268 in a match that had to be one of, if not the greatest bowling shows ever on TV. As a matter of fact, the camera shot of Johnson lying face down (after a 10-pin leave that prevented the Kokomo Kid from fashioning a perfect score) is one of the most acclaimed photographs in bowling history.
The score and end result of the 2007 USBC Queens Tournament ran as one might expect. With all due respect to stellar performances by the sharp-looking talented gals that made up the cast, Kelly Kulick had to be the odds-on favorite.
After all, the mere fact she qualified for exemption on the men's PBA regular tour proved, beyond all doubt, her role as favorite over the other finalists in the Queen's tournament. Her bowling savvy was evident in her match against, arguably the greatest amateur female bowler in the world, Diandra Asbaty. Asbaty could not overcome Kulick's experience in this prestigious event.
Nonetheless, Asbaty displayed her superiority in amateur ranks talent a few weeks later when she won the World Ranking Masters at the Kegel Company Training Facilities in Florida. The WRM tournament featured the world's best female players and further established Asbaty as the best amateur woman bowler on the planet.
The ESPN production was superb. The telecast duo of Marshall Holman and Jan Schmidt was enlightening. Holman's analysis was purely professional…insightful and low-keyed, ala ESPN's baseball analyst, Joe Morgan. The timing was near perfect.
The cast, featuring FIVE bowlers in a 90-minute show, never missed a beat. Normally, in most five-player TV bowling shows, participants are subjected to bowling through commercials to conserve time. Furthermore, personal features and interviews consume much of the bowling activities and tend to hasten bowlers in closing frames.
BUT, this was not the case in the 2007 Queens championships. As a matter of fact, TV fans were treated to one of the greatest innovations I have ever seen on any televised bowling show. In addition to displaying each player's choice of equipment, each bowler explained in detail the expected reaction of the selected ball.
Not only were these insights interesting and informative to the viewing audience; it was a long overdue acknowledgement and appreciation to manufacturers who pay HUGE sums of money to register their products.
I'm not sure who deserves credit for the stimulating innovations and fast-paced presentation of the 2007 USBC Queens Tournament. However, if I had to guess, I suspect that Tom Clark, USBC Director of Communications, played a major role in the thought-provoking format.
Chances are, we will witness more of these interesting renovations at the Women's U.S. Open at the National Bowling Stadium August 12-18.