What separates winners from also-rans when talent is equal?
For example, baseball players with "can’t miss" tags tear apart minor league pitchers, both in average and power ... then perform like donkeys when they hit the big show.
Likewise, pitchers in the minors who throw in excess of 90 miles per hour experience difficulty in throwing strikes in the majors and get clobbered when they sacrifice speed for control.
College football has a long history of failures for Heisman Trophy winners who fail to live up to their notices after turning professional.
Standout collegiate quarterbacks seldom succeed in their rookie years because they are unable to read defensive formations set up by professional coaches.
Collegiate stars who cart off Lombardi Trophies as top linemen more than meet their matches in size and speed and usually require several years of experience to compete with their counterparts.
Linebackers who earn Dick Butkus Awards usually fail to live up to press notices when matched with professional players of equal strength and speed. They later gain stature through experience.
Bowling has had more than its share of disappointments in players who have all the tools to become stars. They possess the physical games and seemingly have the determination to join the ranks of super-stardom... but they remain winless.
Heading this group, but no longer a regular touring pro, is Kelly Coffman. Kelly, a perennial member of the Jowdy All-Miss Team, came close on several occasions but failed to join the winner’s circle. Kelly’s failure to win a title can be attributed to his poor spare shooting, a lesson to be learned by youngsters who place great emphasis on applying super revolutions on strike shots and aspire to become elite players. Coffman, generally acknowledged as possessor of the highest revolution strike ball on tour, spent over 10 years on the circuit and never captured a title.
Ryan Shafer was PBA Rookie of the Year in 1987. Shafer does not possess the smooth, free armswing of Brian Voss, the flowing follow-through of David Ozio, or the great balance of David Husted.
Nevertheless, he does it in his own fashion. The 33-year-old Elmira, N.Y., native, who throws one of the most potent strike balls on tour, exerts great energy in his release, has little or no knee bend, and rears up on all shots.
Shafer’s numerous TV appearances have never resulted in victory. This can be the result of a lot of bad luck and, in no small part, his difficult manner of execution.
Curtis Odom joined the tour in 1981 and is still winless. He has a simple game and, unlike Coffman and Shafer, depends on accuracy rather than power. Odom has earned several opportunities to perform on television, but due to his less-than-potent strike ball, he has failed to shoot a winning score.
Eugene McCune has bowled professionally for 13 years. The Indiana native is unequivocally one of the most talented players on tour. He can hook a ball with the best of them. He can throw straight. He can throw hard. He possesses all the skills that are required to be a winner—with one exception: His mental game leaves a lot to be desired. After 13 years on tour, he has failed to master a violent temper that seems to consume him. It has undoubtedly contributed to his failure to win a championship.
Tommy DeLutz has become one of the most improved players on tour. He has a tremendous work ethic, and he practices on his game vigorously. Tommy has become one of the most steady bowlers on tour and has made numerous appearances on television during the past two years. However, he has sorely failed to execute under pressure and has not performed up to his capabilities on TV championship rounds. He is still searching for his first victory.
Dave Wodka has really come into his own during the past three years. He throws one of the strongest strike balls on the circuit. He has a great game, intense desire, and a good mental attitude. Wodka has performed rather well on TV, but on several occasions he committed costly mistakes at the most inopportune times. After 10 years on tour, he remains winless.
Brian LeClair has been on tour since 1984. He has a great release, a smooth approach, and near-perfect balance. His failure to be more successful can only be attributed to his mental attitude, his failure to comply with changing lane conditions, or his inability to perform under extreme pressure. To date, he has yet to win.
Rich Wolfe is a true enigma, an absolute mystery. He has been a touring pro for over 12 years and has little to show for his efforts.
According to bowling coaches, experts, and fellow PBA players, Wolfe possesses one of the greatest, if not the greatest, physical games on the tour, including that of Parker Bohn III, Jason Couch, Eric Forkel, and any other left-hander on the circuit. Wolfe has one of the loosest armswings on tour, a tremendous release, near-perfect balance, and a fluid, unimpeded follow-through. The only thing he lacks that these other left-handers on the tour have is a PBA title.
Inasmuch as he is blessed with all the talent to be a winner, there can be but one deduction in the Rich Wolfe puzzle: Obviously, it is a mental dilemma.
PBA Hall of Famer John Jowdy is a past president of the Bowling Writers Association of America.