Greetings again from Albuquerque. I do believe it has rained once since I've been here, so I am anticipating some beautiful flowers and green grass around town.
We've officially passed the halfway point at the 2008 USBC Open Championships, and things continue to go well. We've seen a lot of great bowlers come through as well as a lot of terrific scores, and I've personally met many really nice people. I've also had the opportunity to write about some friends and sharing in their success makes this even more enjoyable.
On the lanes, I've begun my preparations for my upcoming appearance at the "Big Show." Along with my four-game employee league on Mondays and the occasional opportunity to sub in another league in a different house on Wednesdays, I spent my last day off at the Bowlers Journal Championships. Needless to say, it was a bit of a rude awakening and proved that averaging more than 230 on a house shot will never prepare you for a major event like the Open Championships.
While I did a relatively good job with spares, there weren't very many strikes. I did not cash in on the Instant Payback at the Bowlers Journal, and at this point I am not in position to hoist a championship trophy. And it wasn't because the lanes were too tough, it was because I wasn't ready. And as soon as I was done at the Bowlers Journal, I called and signed my team up for a practice session with USBC Silver coach Mike Jasnau. Many bowlers have told me how beneficial the sessions were for them, and I hope the session helps my team, too.
In the days since, I have thought about the things I would like to work on and spent much of last night's league session working on my armswing and timing. I felt like I threw the ball better and shot 957, but I'm not sure how many were truly quality shots. With that said, I have my equipment in the car, and I will be practicing a little bit after work tonight.
On another note, tomorrow at 6:15 a.m., I will lift off for my first hot air balloon ride. The trip is courtesy of one of our tournament sponsors, Rainbow Ryders. Many of the tournament employees already have taken advantage of this generous opportunity this week, and I'm looking forward to my chance to check it out, weather permitting. Apparently, the wind is supposed to be so bad tomorrow that we might get rescheduled. If we make it, it will be a nice chance to relax and enjoy what Albuquerque has to offer, and it's a great way to celebrate the halfway point.
Anyway, I just want to say thank you to all of the bowlers who have been through, along with extra gratitude to those who have stopped by to say hello. For those getting ready to join us, we'll see you soon. Travel safely, and good luck on the lanes.
It was brought to my attention today that I haven't written anything on here in a while. Time just seems to fly by at the tournament. It turns out that Saturday, April 26 is the offical halfway point. That means that by then, nearly 30,000 bowlers will have been here and gone.
We recently had a relatively slow news week, which followed a week with all kinds of news and stories, so I wasn't too upset with the chance to sit back and take a look at what's coming up. My friend David Bartlett from Ebonite and his girlfriend Michelle came to town yesterday, and we had a nice lunch during one of the doubles and singles squads. And tomorrow night, I will get the opportunity to step out of the office and spend some time with my friends Leanne and Gary Hulsenberg. As always, one of the best part of this job is seeing old friends and making new ones.
Back in the trenches, I've spent a lot of time getting ready for some great bowlers to come through. Sam Lantto and his team will be here on April 22 and 23, followed by Steve Fehr and the defending Team All-Events champions on April 23 and 24. This also makes for some very good On the Lanes segments. I've also spent time trying to settle some things that have gotten out of hand on the message boards. Sometimes people only hear what they want to hear, and things get blown out of proportion. Here's something that occurred to me recently: How come so many posts are negative? I understand that people sometimes have bad experiences and want to vent/share their thoughts, but I wish more people would be just as quick to share the good things and their positive experiences. I know some do already, but it would be great if the ratios were reversed.
Last night, someone asked what we usually write about and why. Typically, early in the tournament, we write about anyone who takes the lead or rolls a 298, 299, 300 or 800. As the scores begin to settle, we start writing about anyone who cracks the top three. Because of the frequency of big scores and other features/news items, we hold steady there for a while so we don't get overwhelmed. This is where we are right now, and there has been no shortage of news. Expanding the coverage too soon could result in too many stories since there are nearly 1,000 bowlers between press releases. Soon, we will expand the coverage to the top five, and eventually the top 10 as we get toward the end.
Anyway, it is exactly 30 days until I take to the lanes for the Open Championships. I think that my preparations will begin this week. My arsenal is complete, so it's time to try my luck at the Bowlers Journal and Roto Grip Sport Bowling Challenge. Two different challenging conditions that will help prepare me for making good shots and spares, something that is difficult during league on a house shot.
On a completely unrelated note, we are moving forward with the move to Arlington. While I don't know what my role will be after the move, or even when we will be relocating, I am already looking for a place to live. It is an exciting time. And while I'm used to moving every six months, I've thought about the possibility of a permanent residence, even if I am only there for half the year. Right now, I have very little personal stuff besides clothes, and my furniture is always rented or inflatable. I think it might finally be time to grow up. I'll be heading to Texas on my day off during the first week in May (that's going to be tough, since I've only stayed away from the convention center one day since Feb 1), which will give me a chance to check out the area and the new building.
That should wrap things up for today. I'm headed out to Center Desk to watch Rhino Page, Bill Hoffman and David Haynes.
Just got back from watching some bowling. What a cool job.
Actually, I really just got done writing this entire blog entry, but I hit a key by accident and deleted the whole thing. So I'm writing it again.
Anyway, I was out on the lanes watching a group of bowlers/friends from USBC Headquarters, along with two teams of current/former Wichita State bowlers who throw the ball very well and just shot 1,161 to move into the top 10 with 3,145. When I saw their rosters, I guaranteed them 3,100 or better. It's fun to look at the squad lists for the day and see who's coming in and try to guess what they're going to shoot. And when I make a prediction and leave it for my night guy, John, or the folks in Bowler Information, they sometimes seem pretty impressed when I'm right. Or at least I think they are. Either way, it keeps me entertained.
On tonight's squad, we have John Socha, the only bowler who owns two 800 series at the Open Championships, on one team, and Open Championships Lane Maintenance Manager/MOD Eric Pierson on another. On Wednesday, we have a bowler reaching 50 years, along with a visit from 20-year average leader, Lennie Boresch Jr., whose team won the Team All-Events title when the tournament was here in 2000. Then on Thursday, we have another bowler reaching 50 years, followed by one who will hit 60 next year in Las Vegas. This just proves that on any given day, there are great bowlers to meet and watch at the Open Championships.
Also today, I had the opportunity to be in the squad room to hand out the awards for bowlers who have competed in 25 tournaments or more. This is always fun because it reminds me that for many bowlers, this event isn't necessarily about the money or winning. It's about being a part of a team, having something to look forward to each year, traveling to new place or old favorites, competing, spending time with friends, etc. I'm sure I've mentioned this many times over, but it's nice to see people come back each year for so many different reasons.
Each time I handed out an award, I thought about my time here as a bowler. This will be my 10th tournament, and I can't imagine being on the receiving end of a 30-year plaque. Of course I plan to get that someday, but it seems so far away, even though I feel like I've come a long way at the same time.
I come to this tournament, ok, let me rephrase that, since I come to this tournament now because it's my job. I BOWL in this tournament for all of the reasons mentioned above. And yes, I do think that I have the ability to win a title here, assuming I have the day of my life.
And, in a little more than a month, I will take my shot on the tournament lanes. Some people think that being here every day gives me some great insight, but for the whole 100 days, I'm typically thinking about how I would play the lanes, what balls I would bring/throw, how many people will be watching, how many brackets I should get in, etc. I am a worrier, and love to put unnecessary pressure on myself.
As the big day approaches, I will be thinking about how to help my friends/teammates with airport runs, hotel accomodations, restaurant info, things to do and see, what side tournaments to bowl, when to be here, what equipment to buy, etc., all while I worry about how my department will survive without me for two days, even though I know full well that everything will be fine.
And finally, I get to start thinking the things that most bowlers think about when they come here....
"I wish I was one of the bowlers they recognized in the squad room."
"I hope I don't need the one ball I didn't bring."
"I wonder who I have in brackets."
"I wonder how many brackets I just got knocked out of."
"I need this one to stay in the 1-5-9."
"There goes my 30 Clean."
"That shot would've come back in my Monday league."
"Where are we going to eat after this?"
"Wow, is the celing high."
"How did someone shoot 817 out here?"
"My scores certainly weren't my fault, so who can I blame?"
While some of those questions are funny and even true, I bowl in this tournament every year because I enjoy being around the people I bowl with. I enjoy the atmosphere and the venue. I enjoy the march and goosebumps. I like seeing my friends, who took me under their wings 10 years ago and helped me appreciate this tournament, and I enjoy the challenging lanes conditions because if I bowl well, I know I earned it. And if I bowl poorly, I know it's because I made bad shots and missed spares and wasn't as prepared as I should've been.
I enjoy the fact that I get to try again next year. I look forward to doing so in a new city with a different culture and exciting things to do. I look forward to sharing those things with my good friends, and it's fun even if we never come close to winning an eagle. Despite the pressure I put on myself, I enjoy the challenge of the event itself, the side events and the brackets products. I have developed an appreciation for the bowlers who join me on the lanes and make my job possible and a respect for the bowlers who come here, perform and win the prestigious eagles.
My goals for this year are simple. I would like to shoot 1,800. I would like to earn a 30 Clean award. I would like to shoot 1,300 in doubles and 3,000 in team.
But even if none of those things happen, I will leave with a smile and give it my best again next year in Las Vegas.
See you on the lanes on May 18 and 19.
