| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Welcome to this special chat with 1998 PBA Rookie of the Year Chris Barnes .... |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | . |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | As you know, he is here to talk about and |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | answer your questions regarding the PBA tour. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | . |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Tonight we will be taking your questions via a |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | special form. Please click on the graphic on |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | the right to send your questions. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | . |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Questions will be answered in the ordered they've |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | been received. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | . |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | *** Our guests will not be able to answer questions |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | asked in the room. *** |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | . |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Please help me welcome Chris this evening! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | :::applause::: |
| Chris Barnes: | thank you everyone -- I am glad to be here!!! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Hiya Chris, before we start grilling you, is there anything you'd like to talk about? |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | We know you've been pretty busy these last few weeks. |
| Chris Barnes: | It has been busy -- for a good reason but I do have a fan club |
| Chris Barnes: | that has started recently |
| Chris Barnes: | the web address is http://www.bowlingfans.com/barnes |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Cool beans. Since Rick brought it up, "Chris"Toe"pher what do you have ?" |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Chris"Toe"pher what do you have to say about your Toe |
| Chris Barnes: | a broken toe |
| Chris Barnes: | a ball fell off a locker about 3 1/2 ft high |
| Chris Barnes: | and landed on my left big toe breaking it in two places |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | ouch! |
| Chris Barnes: | and after removing the nail, put 5 stitches in it to close the cut to the bone |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | PLEASE no pictures! |
| Chris Barnes: | it is much better now and am able to bowl fairly normally |
| Chris Barnes: | which may or may not be a good thing :) |
| Chris Barnes: | have been able to get on one of my roomier casual shoes for the last two days |
| Chris Barnes: | still using the cut out bowling shoe though |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Okay lets start with a question from Pokemonbowler. He writes what would you do if you |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | shot a televised 300 game? |
| Chris Barnes: | smile more than usual..../g |
| Chris Barnes: | I would probably be very excited especially. if it was the title game |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | OK, back to how you've been bowling.... |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | How could you POSSIBLY overcome the pain of a double |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | broken toe to come through and jump from 15th to make the telecast? |
| Chris Barnes: | I think sometimes if you get out of the way of your body it is able |
| Chris Barnes: | to do more than we think is possible |
| Chris Barnes: | but the lanes were very slick that week and I had to be slow which was an |
| Chris Barnes: | advantage because that was the only speed at which I could walk/g |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Taz737 asks, Chris, I have been thinking about bowling some regionals in my area, is there |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | any advice you can give me before I try this? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | just work on spares -- the conditions will most likely hook more than the league conditions and the spares |
| Chris Barnes: | will be tougher to make especially. if you hook at them |
| Chris Barnes: | find the toughest house in your area and practice there |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | LaninaStorm writes: Chris, so what kinda bowling balls do you throw?? |
| Chris Barnes: | Brunswick |
| Chris Barnes: | I am fond of the MVP line that we have as well as the newer proactives |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Strikeup85 asks, how many perfect games did you bowl? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | in tourneys and abc/pba comp. I have around 38-40 |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Squire816 asks Where do you see the PBA in 5 years? |
| Chris Barnes: | With the pending news of our merger it is hard to say... |
| Chris Barnes: | but I believe we will be bowling for larger prize funds and you will see more pros bowling out on the nat. tour |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Bbzbop writes, Chris, I am glad to see you are having a fan club. I would love to see more |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | of the bowlers having fan clubs. I also think it would be nice if you guys had T-shirts of |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | yourselves that fans could purchase to sport their favorite players like Nascar does so well. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Do you have any plans in the works to produce and item like this to your fan club |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | members? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | there are plans in the works for items like that |
| Chris Barnes: | currently the plan is to get the fan club off the ground |
| Chris Barnes: | and improve everything as we go along |
| Chris Barnes: | for those that don't know the website is http://www.bowlingfans.com/barnes |
| Chris Barnes: | take a look and if you have ideas feel free to share |
| GSTDMaul: | MityQuackr asks : First, congratulations on your success thus far. My question is with the number of balls |
| GSTDMaul: | that manufacturers keep shoving out to the public, do you have any advice to the average bowler? |
| Chris Barnes: | first and foremost -- keep it simple |
| Chris Barnes: | find a benchmark ball that works on most everything |
| Chris Barnes: | and fit in balls that hook more and less around it |
| Chris Barnes: | keep it to around 6-8 balls /g |
| Chris Barnes: | and ask your local pro shop lots of questions |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Pdbenwa writes... Can you get me an autographed pic of Lynda Barnes? |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | (speaking of fan clubs) |
| Chris Barnes: | I just might be able to do that for you pd/g |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Strikeup85 asks, do you feel a difference in your pin action when you bowl on TV with the |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | gold pins, then with the regular pins during qualifying? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | sometimes there is a big diff on the show |
| Chris Barnes: | the oil tends to carry down a lot on the show and if that a happens |
| Chris Barnes: | and the entry angle is decreased there can be a big diff. |
| Chris Barnes: | if you still have a lot of entry angle though there is not as much diff. /g |
| GSTDMaul: | Rbenwa asks: Chris the number of fans you seem to have each week is really increasing, did you expect that? |
| Chris Barnes: | not really -- it isn't something I can really control. |
| Chris Barnes: | When I am bowling, what you see is pretty much what you get -- good and bad |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Squire816 asks, What's the most important thing you've learned in your time on Tour? |
| Chris Barnes: | patience |
| Chris Barnes: | have to be to win out here and control the impulse to have to win the tournament on every shot |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | DerekB1057 asks, who do you look up to? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | there have been 4 that have had a great influence on me |
| Chris Barnes: | Marshall for his intensity.. |
| Chris Barnes: | Fred Borden, bob Goike, and rick Steelsmith for their talent, knowledge, and leadership by example |
| GSTDMaul: | BIGBOWLR300 asks: can your wife kick your butt on a regular basis? lol go Linda!!!!! |
| Chris Barnes: | she has beaten me on occasion..... I plead the 5th after that |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Pokemonbowler asks, Are you in the new PBA bowling video game? |
| Chris Barnes: | yes i am pokemon |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Nicstillz asks, Chris, which did you enjoy more, bowling for school or bowling on the pba |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | tour ? I know college bowling is very hype |
| Chris Barnes: | bowling for college and team USA has a very big pull for me |
| Chris Barnes: | I enjoy bowling team things a lot and it has always been fun for me |
| Chris Barnes: | bowling on tour offers a different challenge and that has always gotten my adrenaline going |
| Chris Barnes: | not a real answer I guess -- I like both a lot for very different reasons/g |
| GSTDMaul: | BAW 1398 asks: Chris, what is your favorite drilling on a ball? |
| Chris Barnes: | probably 5 1/2 by 3 with a hole on the axis |
| Chris Barnes: | pin under my middle finger |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | DerekB1057 asks...how old were you when you started bowling? |
| Chris Barnes: | introduced at 6 started leagues at 7 |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Nike759 asks, I have a good amount of hand in the ball....So my question is how do you |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | drill your balls so they don't "burn out" down the lane? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | almost all of my pins are 5" or more from my axis |
| Chris Barnes: | and I use surface instead of stronger pins to get it to hook/g |
| GSTDMaul: | MVPBowler asks: Which Brunswick bowling ball is your favorite? |
| Chris Barnes: | all the MVP's and riot zone |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | We're getting quite a few questions on the proposed buyout, can you share your feelings on it? |
| Chris Barnes: | unfortunately I don't know many details |
| Chris Barnes: | but from what I have heard it can be a great thing for the PBA and bowling in general |
| Chris Barnes: | Microsoft name brings automatic credibility to anything they are involved with |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | RVanderbil asks, As with any sport the youth are it's foundation and future. What do you |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | think the PBA can do to get more youth involved in the sport? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | that should come from the proprietor level as it is in their best interest as well but |
| Chris Barnes: | I think that we can do a better job with youth clinics every week to e\encourage youth |
| Chris Barnes: | I also think high school bowling can do a lot for retention |
| GSTDMaul: | TAZ737 asks: Chris, what league average do you think a woman should have in order to compete on the regional |
| GSTDMaul: | level? |
| Chris Barnes: | around a 200 average at least |
| Chris Barnes: | on house conditions |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Rbenwa asks: Who's your room mate and how difficult is it to have a room mate while out on tour |
| Chris Barnes: | my roommate is Bryon Smith and if you get along with each other as well |
| Chris Barnes: | as we do then it is a bonus |
| Chris Barnes: | having a good roommate is essential out here/g |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | MityQuackr asks, With all of the travelling you do, do you have any suggestions for |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | bowlers who travel across the country for tournaments such as ABC Nationals and the High |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Rollers? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | just have a diverse array of equip since you will be limited to no more than 8 balls |
| Chris Barnes: | spares are always important and practice at the toughest place you can find |
| Chris Barnes: | as well as from every arrow/g |
| GSTDMaul: | Some dork named Maul asks: Do you have any superstitions or pre tournament routine that you stick to from week |
| GSTDMaul: | to week? |
| Chris Barnes: | not too many --- I don't drink at any time during a tourney... |
| Chris Barnes: | and for a while I always wore a yellow shirt for the first day of qualifying/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | LaNinaStorm asks, How do you go about getting a sponsor, do they come up to you, or do you have to prove |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | yourself first? |
| Chris Barnes: | i solicited my first sponsor |
| Chris Barnes: | as well as the first time I signed a contract with a ball company |
| Chris Barnes: | you will have to prove yourself to some extent though |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | ShockMe300 asks, How is your golf game coming? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | little hard to walk in golf shoes at the moment |
| Chris Barnes: | but I could still beat shock hobbling on one foot....:)/g |
| GSTDMaul: | Rbenwa asks: Do you get a picture of your ball rep if I am a member of your fan club? |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | LOL |
| GSTDMaul: | For darts? |
| Chris Barnes: | LOL I wouldn't subject my members to that kind of punishment/g |
| GSTDMaul: | kidding |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | CJmustangGT asks, how close did you ever come to winning the high roller???? |
| Chris Barnes: | I made the top8 in the superbowl the same year I made the won the shootout |
| Chris Barnes: | top 16 a couple of times and the top 32 once\g |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | RalphrC asks, What is more difficult for you: Bowling in the Finals, or watching |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | your wife in the Finals? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | it is definitely more difficult to watch!!!!!! I would rather throw it for the wheat than watch any day/g |
| GSTDMaul: | YABAMaster asks: what is your opinion on wrist devices that are supposed to help you turn the ball? |
| Chris Barnes: | I think they can be helpful training devices although I haven't ever used one |
| Chris Barnes: | I think they can be shoo tout helpful to those who can use them to provide additional wrist strength |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | From YanksFanJP, Do you have any favorite cities on tour that you look forward to visiting (Besides Wichita)? |
| Chris Barnes: | Erie is always a great stop --- the fan support is 2nd to none |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Baw1398 asks, Chris, what made you decide to go with the Brunswick staff. I mean you all the |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | talent in the world and anyone would have been more than happy to have you aboard. What set |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Brunswick apart from all the others? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | the main reason is that although "B" has the rep for early hooking balls, they also have |
| Chris Barnes: | the most lessor hooking options of any company |
| Chris Barnes: | they design equip not only for the majority that wants more hook but also for the competition player that need |
| GSTDMaul: | They got a good ball rep too :) |
| Chris Barnes: | all types of equip. they also had the most to offer internationally where I have some pull/g |
| GSTDMaul: | DerekB1057 asks: Marshall ended his career with 22 titles mark Williams with 7 how many titles would you like |
| GSTDMaul: | at the end of your career? |
| Chris Barnes: | more than anyone... I do not want to put a ceiling on anything at this stage of my career/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | CYZone300 asks, What is your best suggestion on flattening out the ball for spares. |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | I use a Blue Dot but still tend to hook at the spare!!! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | I can't seem to teach myself to "break" my wrist when |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | trying to pick up single pin spares!! |
| Chris Barnes: | break your wrist back and loosen your hand pressure to the same amount it takes to pick up a pencil/g |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | LaNina Storm asks, how do you like the new format in the championship matches?? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | lead with your thumb diva |
| Chris Barnes: | I think it favors the higher qualifiers more which is how it should be |
| Chris Barnes: | it also provides more close matches with a faster pace, more exposure for the players and a traditional fin |
| Chris Barnes: | I think it is the best of all options |
| GSTDMaul: | DerekB1057 asks: how does the whole roommate thing work do you get a new roommate every year or do you pick who |
| GSTDMaul: | you want to room with? |
| Chris Barnes: | everyone chooses who they want to room with or if they want to not room with anyone/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Rbenwa would like to know, Chris, what does it take to become a member of your fan club? |
| Chris Barnes: | go to the website at http://www.bowlingfans.com/barnes |
| Chris Barnes: | The cost is $20 plus S&H |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Chris, would you like to take a breather here? |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | You've been typing for an hour straight |
| Chris Barnes: | a couple of minutes to stretch my fingers |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | OK, folks, we're going to take a 5 minute break, so grab a beverage of choice |
| GSTDMaul: | He's like the Energizer bunny, he keeps going and going |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | We have 3 asking the questions, and he's only one person answering :) |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | And for the record, Chris does his own typing. |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Among the chat guests, that's not the usual. |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Looks like Barry Asher will be next. You guys need to write to us and tell us who you'd like to |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | chat with! |
| Chris Barnes: | I am ready when you are |
| GSTDMaul: | Andy Varipapa |
| GSTDMaul: | BBzbop asks: Were your parents league bowlers and that is how you were introduced to bowling and do you have |
| GSTDMaul: | brothers or sisters who bowl? |
| Chris Barnes: | my father introduced me to bowling and my mother and sister all bowl |
| Chris Barnes: | as a matter of fact my sister and I shot 300 on the same night 120 miles apart |
| GSTDMaul: | Cool |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Strikeup85 asks, what was your qualifying average when you first entered your first PBA |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | tourney? |
| Chris Barnes: | I Varian over 225 for a couple of years before I went out/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Rbenwa asks, Is there any bowler that intimidates you? |
| Chris Barnes: | I am not intimidated by him -- I think that one is the other way around |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | PB3WebGuy asks, How will you stay sharp between the winter and fall tours? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | regionals and practice mostly |
| Chris Barnes: | if I get bored I can always bowl and try to beat my wife :) /g |
| GSTDMaul: | YanksFanJP asks, Marshall Holman will be remembered for his competitive intensity, Mark Roth for the way he |
| GSTDMaul: | revolutionized the release, What legacy do you want to leave behind? |
| Chris Barnes: | for the versatility of Norm Duke, the intensity of Holman, and the consistency of Walter intensity |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | RalphC asks, How did you support yourself while you were an amateur? |
| Chris Barnes: | I bowled in money tourneys from my sophomore year in college (89) to pay for college and support myself |
| Chris Barnes: | like the high roller -- superhoinke, holiday tourneys in Dallas, TX challenges, etc. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | MityQuackr asks, what do you think about the Internet being a forum for wholesalers to sell |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | their wares to the public? Is that going to help or hurt the sale of equipment, and how do |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | you think that will effect pro shops? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | I think it makes it tough on the pro shops -- but the rebound play for them is going to be to charge more for |
| Chris Barnes: | drilling so that the consumer realizes how important the service they perform is./g |
| GSTDMaul: | Taz737 asks, Chris, how do you get through a "slump"? |
| Chris Barnes: | practice, practice, practice, |
| Chris Barnes: | back to the basics |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | DerekB1057 asks, Who is your favorite bowler to play against? |
| Chris Barnes: | I like to bowl the top players out here PBIII, Walter, norm, and lots others |
| Chris Barnes: | the challenge is what drives me |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | KLH300GM asks, Money aside which of your two very different careers ( amateur |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | representing your country) or now as a pro has provided the most personal |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | satisfaction. ga |
| Chris Barnes: | representing my country while bowling with 3-5 other guys is more wholly satisfying |
| Chris Barnes: | I get great enjoyment out of personal success but the best is when your team succeeds |
| GSTDMaul: | Rbenwa asks, :If your balance is not as good as it is now is it alright if I drop a ball on your toe again? |
| Chris Barnes: | NO!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Bigbwlr300 asks, how did you and Lynda meet? |
| Chris Barnes: | we met in college first |
| Chris Barnes: | then after some years and relationships we were on Team USA together |
| Chris Barnes: | and were "free" and got together then |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Hanibal300 asks, Chris many top professionals throw 15lb equipment for better deflection, |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | do you? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | no -- I leave enough 10's without the deflection I believe 16 gives me the best advantage/g |
| GSTDMaul: | LaNineStor, asks, Chris, was it hard for yourself, to get started in the Regionals, and pro tour, and is it |
| GSTDMaul: | hard for someone new to the tour? |
| Chris Barnes: | I think I was as prepared as anyone for the tour, but there is no place to learn some of the things |
| Chris Barnes: | that happen out here |
| Chris Barnes: | there is a learning curve for everyone/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Folks, let's get those last few questions in, so that we can let this guy get some rest |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | BIGBWLR300 asks, what is the best advice you have for a youth with dreams of pba? |
| Chris Barnes: | repetition, and a good STRAIGHT spare game |
| Chris Barnes: | watch the guys on TV -- they are there for a reason/g |
| GSTDMaul: | GSTDMaul asks, Is there anything you would have done differently in your career if you had the chance to do it |
| GSTDMaul: | over again? |
| Chris Barnes: | I would have loved to have won the FIQ masters |
| Chris Barnes: | but most of the things that I would like to change have probably helped make me what I am today/g |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | MityQuackr asks, This is an odd question, but in most of the professional sports |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | the rookies tend to get "hazed." Does anything like that happen |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | in the PBA and if so, can you share any of those experiences? |
| Chris Barnes: | usual amount of kidding and joking and "carry my bags rookie" |
| Chris Barnes: | but nothing that could be considered hazing |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | We're going to wrap up the chat with this one last question. |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | PB3WebGuy asks, My friends say I show no emotion on the lanes, and I'm terrible at "running out |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | shots". Who should I watch to be the best at that? ga |
| Chris Barnes: | I think I am okay at it, but Mike Miller and Weber are probably great examples |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | We'd like to thank Chris Barnes for joining us tonight! |
| GSTDMaul: | Thanks Chris :) |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | *applause* |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | And we appreciate all the wonderful fan support! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | :::applause::: |
| MOBETTA4U: | Chris, thanks for joining us again! =) |
| Chris Barnes: | my pleasure --- http://www.bowlingfans.com/barnes |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Watch for the PBA on Sundays on ESPN! |
| HOST GSTD Diva: | Oh, and thank YOU Rick for being Chris' stand in |
| Chris Barnes: | rick is bored and has too much time on his hands |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | LOL |
| Chris Barnes: | I think penny needs to be out here more often |
| HOSTGSTDSteveM: | Thanks again for joining us this evening! |
