Bowling Philosophy-U. S. Open

PBA Tour-United States Open Live Diary


Live bowling?
U. S. Open?
Shot-by-shot diary?

Done, done and done!!!


6:25 PM: Whew...sorry folks, got in late due to some snow.  Did you know it snows in New England...a lot?  Anyway, we come into Mike J. Laneside talking to Tommy Jones just after his match play win over Norm Duke.  The PBA is doing an unprecedented 3 day, live coverage telecast featuring match play round 1 right now.  I'm so giddy right now...I need help.

6:29 PM: I bowl with USBC...for the torture!  Oh, and the Sport Bowling.  Cannot pass that up.  The only reason to be bowling if you good and wanna see your game improve.  

6:30 PM: Know the Wood time!  42 feet and flat, a slight change to past Opens where the pattern has been 40 feet, but it is the flatness.  As we see Pete Weber (sans shades) lofting the cap and striking.

6:33 PM: Cut to Bill O'Niell vs. Jones as Mike J. reports that Jones' left hip appears to be giving him trouble again on spares.  They are covering 4 matches at a time so this might be a little hard to keep track of.  As Jones projects the ball a mile in the air, Randy Pedersen reports that it is bone spurs that is afflicting Jones.  Rare injury to see for a player but probably not a shock to a bowler. Usually Jones only gets stopped by bad ball reaction or some other form of recreational activity.


6:36 PM: Jones vs. O'Neill, Duke vs. Belmo, Weber vs. Szczerbinski, and Shafer vs. Rash are the feature matches.  Hmm...all righties, 7 power strokers/crankers and Duke going right up 10, with no lefties in sight.


6:40 PM: Randy recalls the Wheelchair event that they had at Carolier Lanes in 1994 while Johnny Petraglia shot 300 at the PBA National Championship.  Top 10 PBA moment easily.


6:42 PM: Cut to an exasperated Weber and a cool and calm Belmo.  The facial expressions of these players just trying to make a good shot on this pattern is worth the price of admission, which is for me, free.


6:45 PM: Pedersen: "You can see the look of wear and tear on Norm Duke's face.  That is what this tournament does do you."  That, and for Norm, many nights of action bowling, tequila shots, and Malboro Reds.


6:47 PM: Uh-oh...bankruptcy liquidation sale at the DCU Center this weekend!  Now that's what I call a Public Service Announcement.


6:48 PM: Back to Jones whiffing the head pin shooting 200.  O'Neill needs only a mark...TRIP FOUR for the wheat!


6:49 PM: To lanes 23-24 and the Belmo-Duke match.  When Belmo hits the pocket, you ever wonder how the hell pins stand.  It is almost unreal.  


6:51 PM: Belmo gets 9 on his fill; Duke needs all 3 to win the match by a stick.  One down...


6:52 PM: Stubborn dime as the messenger fails to comply.  Shows you how tough this tournament is: Duke shoots 204 and threw one questionable shot in the match and still lost.


6:54 PM: Ahhh, Randy "Big Unit" Johnson...no explanation needed I suppose.  Glad to see the PBA trying to usher in an younger audience with a Just For Men commercial.  Although seeing the 'stache of Keith Hernandez is epic.


6:56 PM: Clip of Tommy Hess' Masters win, excellent win for Hess coupled with all of the emotion during the victory celebration. 


6:57 PM: Top 10: Duke, Jones, O'Neill, Belmo, Marcus Berndt, Shafer, Mika, Barnes, Danny Mac, and Brian Valenta.  Two two handers in the top 10.  Duke finishes off interview with Mike J. saying, "That's all you got?"  God Bless the Duke!  Hopefully, we'll do this again tomorrow night, folks!