The Big Lebowski, starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Julianne Moore, and produced and directed by Ethen and Joel Coen, recently was released by Gramercy Pictures.

I read a short review in Bowlers Journal International and another more lengthy assessment by Paula Dion in Bowling Industry. Dion attended a screening of the film at the Gramercy Pictures complex in California. The movie is not about bowling, but its main characters are league bowlers, and bowling scenes run throughout the film.

From a bowling viewpoint, Dion did not find this film worthy of endorsement.

"Unfortunately, like others, this movie perpetuates those bad images that our industry is working so hard to change," she wrote. "It depicts bowlers as somewhat seedy characters."

In one scene, according to Dion, John Goodman's character, Walter, actually threatens a team member with a gun because he crossed the foul line and refused to admit it.

"When people see that, they may think twice about taking their kids to a bowling center," Dion added.

However, this film, like Kingpin, was not filmed in a bowling center. Both films were shot on location in old style bowling alleys, because apparently, that is the stereotype image filmmakers want to portray.

Which brings me to the February/March issue of Bowling Magazine. Just as they did when Kingpin was released, that publication’s editors chose to devote the entire front cover and 4½ pages inside to a description of this film.

This bothers me—a lot. Why? Because Bowling Magazine is the official publication of the American Bowling Congress, and it should be in the business of promoting a positive image, not one that’s negative. The magazine is subsidized by ABC-sanctioned league bowlers like you and me.

One of the most important duties of the ABC, along with its partners, USA Bowling and the FIQ, is promoting the sport of bowling as a serious sport worthy of Olympic medal status. When the ABC, through its own magazine, devotes such a huge amount of space to films that reflect badly on our sport, it is guilty of perpetuating an image we desperately need to change.

I know that Bowling’s editors, Rory Gillespie and Bill Vint, truly love bowling. I also believe that they think people like me take subjects like this too seriously. They probably believe that bad bowling films like The Big Lebowski and Kingpin—and before that, Greedy and Dreamer—are just harmless fun. They may even believe that any depiction of bowling in the movies or on television is good.

I don’t see it that way. I don’t believe a bad image is better than no image at all. How is bowling ever going to reach its goal of becoming a serious sport if we continue to tolerate those who use our game as a backdrop for their sick and disgusting humor?

If people who have not been to a modern bowling center or witnessed the athletic prowess of today’s top pros see films like these, that becomes their only impression of the game. And if those of us in this industry do nothing to protest these bad images, we are not doing our job.

We are the guardians of the game—all of us: bowlers, proprietors, coaches, equipment makers, professional players, publishers, and association officials on all levels. If we don’t take it seriously, then no one else will, and we may as well forget the Olympics or future success for the professionals and collegiate bowlers.

Evidence of my point surfaced recently following the PWBA Lubbock (Texas) Open. On February 6, the day following the conclusion of that event, a large color photo of the champion, Tish Johnson, along with Tammy Turner, who finished third, appeared on the top of the front page of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal sports section.

The photo, taken by a staff photographer, shows Tish and Tammy frowning at each other in a moment when they were clowning around during the trophy presentation. Above the photo is the caption, "Pin Heads."

My question: Why did the editors chose this photo? They didn’t chose an action photo depicting the grace, speed, and power of the champion and her peers. They didn’t even choose a trophy shot. They chose a silly photo and labeled it "Pin Heads" because that is probably their strongest perception of bowling.

The event story, which appeared on page 2, obviously was written by someone who understands little about the sport. It failed to mention that this was a hard-earned victory for Tish, who had not won in over two years. It didn’t even say that this was her 22nd title. It simply was a blow-by-blow account of the championship round.

Furthermore, in all of the stories written during the week, not one mention was made about Turner’s incredible comeback to the tour after major back surgery.

It’s not their fault that they missed all of these things or that they inadvertently insulted our sport with the silly photo. It’s our fault. The blame has to fall on the shoulders of anyone in our industry who tolerates insults or does nothing to enhance our image.

As I have asked many times before, if those of us who love and understand this sport don’t protect it, who will? It goes without saying that anyone reading this bowling publication would like to see our sport’s image improve. But are we willing to fight for our sport? Do we actively promote it and defend it against negative attacks?

Obviously, some of us do not, or articles like those appearing in Bowling Magazine promoting trashy movies would not be published. If you truly love bowling and would like to see it taken seriously as a legitimate sport, then fight for it!

You don’t have to put on boxing gloves. Just write a letter to any publication that insults our sport, and call or write those TV stations that refuse to show the pro tours. Finally, don’t buy tickets to these terrible movies that do so much harm to our sport’s image.

Enough is enough! Either stand up for bowling as a serious sport or go buy a ticket to yet another bad bowling movie.

Jim Goodwin, a BWAA director and LPBT's regional program director, is the award-winning editor/publisher of Stars & Strikes, in which the preceding originally appeared. Subscription rates are $20 per year (Pin Point Publishing, 2850 Red Valley Run, Rockwall, Texas 75087 ... voice/fax: 972/771-0069).