Inside the 2008 WTBA Men's World Championships

Team USA's Chris Barnes blogs about his experience in Bangkok

Wednesday

The final day of team event is here and with Kobe and LeBron firing on all cylinders again, we quickly run down Norway in the first game.  Only a few out of first, we make the flip to the higher hooking end and get caught a little.  We stay within striking range of Norway, but Finalnd is close now and Korea has once again pounded the short for 2400 for the first 2 games.  We close game 3 out with 1180 and run solidly into 2nd but 150 behind Korea.  Norway is 3rd and Finland is 4th. 

The semis are pretty chaotic as some very unusual things occur.  After a pair of 7-10's by Rhino and I, we miss 4 single pins to keep it relatively close.  A strong 9th and 10th, which has been our hallmark this week, and we lock them out and another short oil showdown with Korea.  Between our match with Norway and Korea, there have been 15 balls and a total of 2 of them have been reactive - if you count my Pro Hook.  Three of the Koreans are throwing plastic (sort of).  They are not soft enough to have been "soaked" with MEK, but judging by the amount they hook, some sort of "surface management" has occurred.  Only a durometer test exists now so nothing illegal.  The point of a pattern that forces even the softest of hands to throw urethane or plastic is....????  Not for me to decide.  :)

Once again we start off pretty good and they make a few uncharacteristic mistakes.  We expect to have to shoot 1150 or so to have a chance.  For us that pretty much means that bill, TJ, and I have to get 650 and Kobe and LeBron have to get the other 100 over.  Not the case this time as the right lane gets very tight down lane for both sides and Billy and I each leave 3 single pins between 3 strikes.  Bill has one open for 185 and I have one double in one of the best games I bowled all week for a measly 205.  Earlier in the game PA got fired up and celebrated a little and the Korean coach took offense.  Ironic after all the shenanigans they pulled at the World Championships in their home country in 2006.  In the 10th with us up by 16 TJ pocket 7-10's and the coach slaps it off.  Classy...

Coming down to Rhino it is 10 pins and Rhino is on the right and not so good lane.  He throws two pure ones and we get some help as their anchor throws two flush but ring 10 on the 2nd.  Rhino can strike for the win but ends up with a fortunate 9 and a tie. 

A prime example of why bowlers hate administrators, the roll-off is a 9th and 10th frame by ONE bowler on each team.  Who comes up with these things???  Not sure, but probably works to our advantage as we have been playing 2 on 5 all night anyway.  PA says Rhino got us here, he should take us home so he is our man for the roll off.  Their guy starts with a strike and Rhino gets a spare on the right lane.  He then steps up and throws two HUGE strikes on the left lane followed by a 7 on the fill to force the Korean to get the first 2.  I have thrown some big shots in my career, but I am not sure my heart has ever beat faster than it did for the shots that Rhino threw.  That kid can flat get it done!  Well as you know by now, the Korean kid 4 pins and the 3 guys that didn't win the trios will  not get their life long stipend and on top of it, will probably get caned or some other form of torture tonight for not winning.   

What a great feeling it is to win a gold medal in the World Championships!!!!  A long wait and one that I thought I would never get another chance at.  Nothing better than winning for your country with a bunch of guys that you like!!!!


Friday

Singles ends today and wouldn't you know, that horseshoe found its way back to WRW!  He goes out in the first squad and shoots 1316 on the long which basically plays like the US open pattern.  He spends the next day and a half watching upwards of 20 guys implode or get tough breaks down the stretch to stay in 2nd the rest of the way and qualify for the singles final.  What else would you expect from the best bowler of all time?  Wasn't going to struggle forever was he???  :)

The rest of us didn't do so well as 3 were under and TJ and I were 25 and 35 over respectively.  It goes better for me after a 168 game 2.  At that point I switch to a Arch Rival and have a pretty good look but just couldn't strike enough to catch back up.  My tournament ends as only the top 16 qualify for the Masters.  Rhino ends up 2nd for all events, TJ 12th, WRW 15th, and PA 16th.  25% of the field gives us a pretty fair chance.  WRW and Rhino will bowl each other as it is a bracket best of 5 instead of a total pins format that might actually determine the best bowler.  Administrators.....

WRW bowls France in the first match.  On the long with only 2 practice balls the lanes are very hard and walter plays right to left - laying it down on 3 and crossing 4-5.  He keeps it in play, makes great shots as usual and wins pretty handily 211-169.
Next he takes on Germany.  He crossed next to the lefty in the very first squad in qualifying and the lefty ended up in front by a pin.  Four squads later, they were still 1-2.   Pretty good stuff from Kai Gunther as the lefties have really struggled on the long.  This was a great match with both getting an early double.  Walter gets a string of ten pins and then a couple of light 2 pins and doesn't have another strike going into the 10th.  Kai leaves the 2-4-6-7 and gets three to give WRW the lead but throws a 3 bagger to set up the 10th.  WRW does what he does, throw great shots in the 10th.  He slices the rack for an opening strike and then throws his best shot of the match for the key double.  He follows with a 10 pin that forces the German to throw the first strike in the 10th to win The World Championship in the singles.  The pressure that WRW put on him is too much as his next shot sails wide and USA has another gold medal this week!!!!!   The only gold we haven't one is the trios when both teams qualified for the finals.   It's been a great week!  Only the Masters to go!!!