Well, it's been an interesting week (or two).
First, despite the 5 a.m. wake-up call, I made it to our employee balloon ride and had a good time. Because of the unpredictable winds in Albuquerque, flights often get canceled, but we lucked out and went up on a beautiful day. With the sun barely up, it was awfully cold out there to start, but it eventually warmed up. We started by meeting at a pre-determined site, and then climbed into a van for transport to the ideal launch site.
After a short drive, we arrived at the lauch spot and looked on as the crew unpacked the basket and then the balloons from the trailors. Within minutes, the balloons were unfolded and being filled with air. Not long after, 10 of us climbed into the basket and away we went, about 1,000 feet over Albuquerque and the mountains. Because of my poor navigational skills on the ground, we flew over many of the streets and places I've been lost during the last four months, which definitely was an interesting perspective.
We were in the air for about an hour and a half. We saw kids walking to school and ABQ traffic from above, we were barked at by hundreds of dogs, waved at by many friendly people below and finally, I learned that when I own a house, I will keep my yard neat and tidy because you never know who's going to be flying by.
All in all, it was a unique experience, including a one-of-a-kind, 21 mph horizontal landing. But that just gave us an exciting twist to the story of our first ballon rides. And each time we tell it, we will have flown even higher, traveled even farther and had a water landing in the Rio Grande. Anyway, thanks to the Rainbow Ryders for the opportunity, and I encourage everyone to try this at least once just to say you did it.
Earlier this week, I took two days and went to Arlington to check things out. I saw the building we will be relocating to, which is flanked by Six Flags, Wet 'N Wild, the Texas Rangers ballpark and the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. Oh, and a Wal Mart Super Center. Everything you could ever want or need in a one-mile radius. And before embarking on my tour of Arlington and the start of my house hunt, I also had the chance to meet the folks at BPAA and tour their building. It was nice to put some faces to the names.
It was hard to be away from the tournament, though, but I was kept up to date by cell phone and e-mail. Actually, this two-day trip equaled the amount of days I have not been at the stadium since Feb. 1., but my team handled things very well in my absence, which included a 299 game by Wendy Macpherson and new Classified Doubles leaders.
Overall, the trip was good, the area was nice and the weather was suitable. I know it will be a difficult move for USBC and there are still a lot of questions about who will be doing what, but this definitely is an exciting time.
Now back to reality, we've got a lot going on at the Open Championships. Yesterday, we welcomed Joseph Pursel Jr., who made his 50th tournament appearance. He was joined by his father, Joseph Sr., who made his 55th appearance as the two became the third father and son duo in the 50-year club. Pursel's son Brian also was on hand competing in his 24th tournament.
Tonight, we have Donald Granberry, who will reach 50 years, and Judd Hall, who will compete for the 60th consecutive year. Then tomorrow, we have active participation leader, Les Berry, who will be her for the 65th time and is a few good games away from the 100,000-pin club.
Kind of makes me wonder about what I'll be doing in 40 or 50 years, especially since it's pretty hard to even plan 40 or 50 minutes ahead.
Finally, while we welcome so many great bowlers, we also have to say good-bye to some. Just two weeks prior to making his 60th tournament appearance on May 1, Wallace Weiss died. From talking to him last year in Reno, I know how much he was looking forward to being here. Rest in peace, sir.
We also have a departure of a different sort, as my #1 associate at the tournament this year, John Weisgerber, has accepted a position with the American Cancer Society and will be leaving us soon. I do have to say, it has been a pleasure teaching him about bowling and the Open Championships and really see him take pride in being here. Good luck, John.
A week from tomorrow, I will hit the lanes for my 10th tournament appearance. I've done some practicing and plan to do some more. I also recently bowled in a no-tap tournament at Tenpins and More in Rio Rancho (run by Steve Mackie and Dana Miller-Mackie and her brother Mike Miller). It was a good time, and after a rough start, I left in the lead and will find out tomorrow where I finished. Either way, no-tap or not, I thought I threw the ball well (after the first game), and a win would be a good confidence builder. Plus, getting the chance to take off my tie and get out there and compete was much appreciated.
Actually, knowing that squads are still going on, I feel a little bit like Mike Rose Jr. (or as close as I'll get to waiting for the "call") because I am sitting here wondering if I'm still the leader. I know when the event ends, and I know when the congratulatory phone call should be coming, so now it's a waiting game. I know, no real comparison, but I'm counting it.
Now hopefully I can have a respectable year at the Open Championships.
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.
I was reading through the message boards the other day and someone pointed out that based on routine, I'd be posting a blog today. I guess it's worked out that since the tournament began, I've been posting a new blog entry every 10 days, which is a little less often than when I first made the trip out to Albuquerque, but just often enough for me to stay on track both behind the scenes and on the front lines here at the tournament.
Today, I'd like to introduce a new feature that I created for USBCopen.com called ON THE LANES WITH. ...
During the next few months, I am going to talk to some of our tournament champions, USBC Hall of Famers and other recognizable folks throughout the bowling community to get their thoughts, memories and secrets about the Open Championships and their time on the championship lanes.
The first official post will be from two-time champion John Janawicz, who rolled the highest-series in tournament history on the way to the 2004 Regular Singles and All-Events titles, but I thought I'd get things started with my own version here. And unless I somehow can win a title, this is where it will stay.
But before I do that, I'd like to wish a speedy recovery to my good friend, Steve Brinkman, who is down for the count after having his appendix removed earlier this week.
On the lanes with Matt Cannizzaro, USBC Open Championships Media Relations Manager
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS APPEARANCES: This year will be No. 10.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES: None
BOWLING BALL WEIGHT: 15
ONE all-time favorite host city: Corpus Christi, Texas
TWO best Open Championships memories: 1. Getting hired to work for USBC and being assigned to the management team at the tournament. 2. Bouncing back from 522 in team and 525 in doubles to shoot 716 in singles in 2006.
THREE keys to success at the Open Championships: 1. Block out all of the obvious distractions (friends, brackets, high ceilings, bright lights, co-workers watching, etc). 2. Relax and stay slow, it's not a house shot out there. 3. Make your spares.
FOURgettable Open Championships moment: I missed a 6 pin to cost me 30 Clean in singles in 2006.
FIVE bowlers in history on your Open Championships fantasy all-star team: Bill Lillard Sr., Steve Fehr, Dick Weber, Nelson Burton Jr. and Mike Aulby.
SIX bowling balls currently in your Open Championships arsenal: Total NV, Complete NV, Gamebreaker (2), The One, Maxim.
SEVEN cities you'd like to see the Open Championships go to/return to: Atlantic City, N.J., Tampa, Fla., Niagara Falls, N.Y., Orlando, Fla., Honolulu, Seattle and Metropolis, Ill.
EIGHT favorite bowling balls ever: Ebonite V2 Pearl, Ebonite TPC Warrior, Ebonite NR2 (re-release in 2005), Columbia Piranha (jade), Columbia Piranha (orange), Columbia Power Torq, Brunswick Danger Zone and Storm Eraser.
NINE other current/eligible bowlers you would choose to join you on your ideal pair of companion teams at the Open Championships: Steve Fehr, Wendy Macpherson, Todd Savoy, Doug Becker, Jeff Richgels, Mike Shady, Lennie Boresch Jr., Steve Brinkman, Derek Eoff.
TEN seconds or less, who is your favorite bowler of all-time?: Mike Aulby
ELEVEN strikes in a row to start a game at the Open Championships, what's going through your head?: I might get the chance to write a story about myself. Get more than seven, get more than seven.
TWELVE years from now, where do you hope to be in your bowling career?: Hopefully averaging more than 200 at the Open Championships. Also, I'd like to have new career highlight besides my runner-up finish at the Hoinke Super Classic in 2006. I think people are tired of hearing that story.
It is weeks like this that make me really enjoy my job.
First, I had the opportunity to call most of the defending Regular Division champions for a story I wrote, and wow, what an amazing group of guys. They were all so gracious and humble and appreciative. They all have inspirational views on what it means to be a USBC Open Championships titlist, and for some, I could really sense their emotion when they talked about their roles in the tournament's history. It was a great reminder that this event is built on 105 years of tradition and being a part of it means something different to every bowler.
The first defending champion to come to Albuquerque was Chip Aki. I met up with him for the first time on Friday, and he was already smiling. He had just seen the banner with his name that is hanging over the lanes, and we did our best to make him feel like a celebrity.
Last night, before his team event, Chip was announced as a champion for the first time in the squad room, and then we did something special. We arranged for his equipment to be brought out to his lane, and we let the other 239 bowlers March out the their lanes. At that point, we shut the curtain at the end of Center Aisle, introduced Chip with a short speech about his accomplishment last year in Reno, and we marched him out with an escort (Associate Tournament Manager Mindy Corr) so that all eyes would be on him. It was his moment to enjoy, and at the end of the march, he finally got to see the orange eagle next to his name on the scoreboard for the first time.
I wish I could describe the excitement and appreciation in his eyes through all of this, but I cannot find the words. He worked toward this for 26 years. To put it into perspective, though, Chip now has an eagle tattoo on his arm to symbolize his accomplishment. It is not there to be cocky, however. It was put there with a great sense of pride for a dream come true. When he showed it to me, he simply said, "Matt, winning was something I've always dreamed of, and no matter what happens after this, it's something I will always have with me."
Good luck tonight in your title defense, Chip.
The weekend also included a few more of the most inspirational people I have ever met. First, USBC Hall of Famers Jimmy Schroeder and Glenn Allison bowled on Saturday and Sunday, and they were joined by Bill Lillard Sr., who bowls Monday and Tuesday. All three men are bowling pioneers and among the greatest who have ever laced up a pair of bowling shoes. Individually, they have each made their marks on the history of the Open Championships, and seeing them here as competitors, ambassadors, champions and long-time participants makes me want to be a better bowler and a better person.
As a lifelong bowler, I am familiar with the history of the sport, and now the inner workings of the Open Championships. I've had the opportunity to meet so many great people in general as well as some of the all-time greats and players I grew up watching on TV. While I may never match their accomplishments on the lanes, I am proud to know them and share their stories.
In all, Allison, Lillard and Schroeder have combined to knock down more than 323,000 pins and win 13 titles in 178 tournament appearances. To know them is a pleasure, and to hear their stories from the last 60+ years is inspirational. Their passion for the sport and the tournament is unrivaled. And since I've been working at the Open Championships, Lillard and Schroeder have done everything in their power to help promote the tournament.
In 2006, Lillard joined me in Corpus Christi for a special media event to help kick off construction, and he returns each year to be a part of Opening Ceremonies and now Bowlfest. Schroeder continues his work with the Special Olympics and joins us each year for their opening-week event and then stays for opening day. Thanks for everything gentlemen.
Finally, I got to see an old friend from Florida roll a 300 game yesterday, and I had the pleasure of writing about it for USBCopen.com and for the Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, Fla.), where I worked for four years before joining USBC. And while I truly enjoy meeting new people each day and telling their stories, it's even better seeing a friend succeed out here.
Anyway, this week reminded me that I truly do have the job of a lifetime. In fact, my high school yearbook said I planned to be a bowler or a sportswriter, with the stipulation that if I couldn't be a full-time bowler, I'd write about it. So here I am, a former PBA member/sportswriter turned bowling writer. I guess in a way, my dream came true at the Open Championships, too.
Hey everyone,
We are now at full speed, which means squads from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. every day until July 7.
So far, scores have been good, but we have not seen our first 300. Now that I said that, though, there's going to be a handful on the next squad.
It's probably a good thing that there hasn't been too much action, as those of you who read the message boards already know, I have had my hands full over there too. I do my best to provide prompt and accurate answers about our event, our rules, the venue, the city, etc. I usually spend about 30-45 minutes each morning reading the threads and answering where I can, providing information whenever possible and of course, putting an end to any rumors before they get out of hand.
And while there are thousands of bowlers who read and/or post on the message boards, I know most of them only by screen name. Luckily, I am in the venue at some point every day, so I often get the chance to meet some of the folks whom I've corresponded with online. It makes me realize the value in what I do each day in providing a daily account of the action at the USBC Open Championships. And it definitely makes me feel like a celebrity in my own mind.
I also recently had the chance to talk about the tournament on the "Let's Go Bowling!" show, which I believe is broadcast in Florida, but can be heard on the Internet. Here's the link, which also features interviews with some of the most famous and influential people in our sport. I am thankful for the opportunity to have been included among them (for 10 minutes at least).
Let's Go Bowling Show
I know I mentioned it in an earlier post, but I really enjoy getting to see so many great bowlers and good friends each day at the tournament. Last week for example, Bryan Komornik, Mitch Sacks, Ed Gallagher and their teams were in town and they all bowled great, which was fun to watch and write about.
But, as much as I enjoy work, I also enjoyed having some time off.
On Monday, we started our USBC Open Championships employee league at Leisure Lanes. This year we have 10 lanes, so the league is trios. And because it is so late in the season, we bowl four games so that the folks who travel to the tournament and may not participate in any leagues at home, are are able to get at least 21 games in for an official average. Although I don't get to bowl much this half of the year, I still felt relatively sharp and shot 218, 236, 242 and 279 for 975. I also had 40 clean frames. Not a bad start to the season and a great opportunity to relax and unwind away from work.
I was thinking about testing my skills at the PBA regional event that will be in town on March 15 and 16, but I knew it would never work with my schedule, which requires me to be in the venue from 9 a.m. on every day but Wednesday. I had anticipated sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what was going on at the regional and wondering how I would have done, but I just looked it up, and they will be bowling on the Cheetah pattern. Ever since my PBA regional days in 2003 and 2004, the Cheetah has been my nemesis. At this point, I think it's all mental more than anything, but now I won't worry so much about not being there. I did recently spend about three hours at the Turbo 2n1 Training Center in Michigan practicing on this pattern with USBC Gold coach Lou Marquez, but I've never tested the results of that session in actual competition.
I definitely did see some drastic improvement in my game while I was bowling in the regionals every week back then, and I saw similar results in my two PBA Experience leagues this fall in Milwaukee. There really is no better way to prepare for events like the Open Championships than to challenge yourself week in and week out on tougher conditions that force you to be more accurate, make better shots and convert spares to be successful. And I also think the recent addition of PBA Experience tournaments will be a great thing too.
With that said, I'm going to go watch some bowling.
Just a heads up, we will have some real celebrities in the building in the coming weeks.
First, USBC Hall of Famers Jimmy Schroeder and Glenn Allison will be here on March 15 and 16. Both are members of the 100,000-pin club, and Jimmy will be participating in his 60th Open Championships. Along the same lines, active pinfall leader and hall of famer Bill Lillard will be in town on the 17th and 18th. He will be making his 61st consecutive tournament appearance. It's always a pleasure to sit and talk to these gentlemen. They have so much knowledge and so many memories about the sport and our event.
On March 16, we'll welcome Chip Aki, the first of our defending champions. Chip won Regular Singles last year with 814. He also will be the first champion to see the new championship banners that we've added to the long list of tournament traditions.
Pretty soon we will be at full schedule, and the tournament lanes will be running nearly non-stop from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. We did get a taste of it during the first two weekends, but luckily, there are a few slow days early on to ease into it and take some time to catch our breath.
Today, we had just three doubles and singles squads, and while they were eventful with John Gaines taking the all-events lead, I was able to escape from the venue early to share a tasty sushi dinner with my brother and some good friends. Then we made a spontaneous trip out to the Santa Ana Star Casino, one of our major sponsors for 2008. We had the opportunity to unwind a little and meet some of the nice folks at the casino. One of the pit bosses turned out to be a bowler and even had his very own PBA Experience 300 ring on.
Tomorrow, the only squad is the 2:30 p.m. team event , which gives me some time to run some errands and see something besides the tournament venue and my apartment. Actually, yesterday I made it to the gym, and tomorrow I get to bowl league at Mike Miller and Dana Miller-Mackie's center in Rio Rancho. As much as I enjoy being at the tournament and being around the bowlers, I do occasionally enjoy a chance to see some of the host city. Albuquerque has a lot to offer and a brand new culture to experience, and some day soon, I'll make it up in a hot air balloon.
Back to business now....
So far, we've enjoyed regular lead changes at the tournament, and we've been averaging two stories a day for USBCopen.com and the bowlers' hometown media. The best part has been the variety of bowlers from Regular to Classified, novice to experienced, local to well-traveled, first-timers to long-time participants, etc. I honestly believe that beyond just high scores, each of our 63,000 bowlers has a story to tell, and I wish I had time to hear them all.
Each day at the tournament has been like a reunion. I get to see people I've written about in the past, old friends, bowlers I competed against in college (I bowled for the University of Florida), people I met during my two years as a PBA member in the South Region or on the lanes in Milwaukee and even people who know me only from the message boards or this blog and just want to say hello. You never know who you're going to run into.
Back in the office, my two local Media Relations co-workers John and David, are quickly picking up on the ins and outs of the sport and the tournament. Sometimes I take for granted how much I've learned and experienced in my 21 years on the lanes, but it is rewarding to see them learn or understand something new. And I do believe David has become addicted to the webcams. With all that said, it's time for some much-needed rest.
For those of you about to leave for Albuquerque, please travel safely.
Wow, has it been a crazy week.
While working feverishly to put the finishing touches on the tournament venue, we hosted the New Mexico Activities Association High School Bowling State Championships, the Special Olympics National Unified Tournament, USBC Bowlfest and a tournament for more than 200 local USBC Youth members. All of the events went well and gave so many bowlers a chance to enjoy the Open Championships experience when they otherwise wouldn't be able to compete on the tournament lanes.
Bowlfest was the highlight of the opening-week festivities and featured PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss, USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard, Team USA member Stefanie Nation, former PBA standouts Bob Learn Jr. and Rudy Kasamakis, local favorite Dana Miller-Mackie and Jim Cripps, the Backwards Bowlers. The group participated in an autograph session, some exhibition matches and a trick shot showdown. Even though I work with these folks regularly, I still get a little bit starstruck. Within the next week, the event should available for viewing on BowlTV.
On Saturday, we had our traditional opening ceremonies and the first two team squads of the year. Although we are still working out some kinks in general and there might be a few stumbles early on, we'll hit our stride soon and everything will run like clockwork. The opening ceremonies, Mass Ball Shots, crowning of Joe Bowler and the entertainment were excellent as always and also will be available on BowlTV.
Just walking around the venue you can feel the excitement. You can see it in the bowlers' eyes while walking the lanes. There's $5.5 million and a convocation of eagles up for grabs, and every bowler wants a piece of the action.
All around the city there are signs welcoming the bowlers. The people of Albuquerque have been great. The media attention has been great, too. During this week, we've had visits from Channel 4, 7 and 13 as well as the Albuquerque Journal and Albuquerque Tribune. In fact, I was at a store buying something, and the guy at the counter said he recognized me from the news the day before. The word is really getting out about the 63,000 bowlers and their 30,000+ guests coming to town. Overall, we expect to have a $75-100 million economic impact in New Mexico.
Although the days are long now, it's rewarding to see how excited the bowlers get after they've bowled well and we approach them for a picture and an interview. Typically, we meet them on the lanes as soon as they get done. We immediately take a picture and escort them back to the new Media interview room. Within a day, the story appears on bowl.com and gets sent out as a press release. It goes to thousands of bowling writers, newspaper editors and the person's hometown media.
Scores have been high so far today. We had our first honor score (a 290), the Regular Doubles mark has been set at 1,328, Regular Singles is at 729 and Regular All-Events is 1,937.
As I write this, I have my eye on a Classified team that has 1,905 after two games. There's also two Regular teams battling for the first 3,000 of the year.
This is what it's all about.
Time to get back to work. A few potential stories on the lanes, and Channel 13 on the way to do an economic impact story.
Sometime tomorrow, the Kegel lane machines will make the first of more than 425 trips down the Open Championships lanes at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Lane Maintenance Manager Eric Pierson, his staff and some folks from Kegel in Florida will begin the week-long task of testing a variety of patterns in search of the one that will be put out three times each day until July 7.
This year's event will be Sport certified for the first time. Despite the new designation, though, bowlers must understand that the conditions in many recent events also have fallen into the 3:1 (oil in the middle of the lane compared to oil on the outside of the lane) Sport parameters, so the conditions will seem familiar to Open Championships veterans.
Since this year features a familiar lane surface, the same types of lane machines and the same kind of oil, Eric has some pretty good starting points and good plans for how he wants the pattern to look.
Ideally, he would like a pattern with a fair amount of oil to start with and enough in the right places to hold up for the required number of games between oilings. The lanes also have to be fair and playable on the left and the right and challenging enough to make sure the winners truly have earned their eagles on bowling's biggest stage.
Once the pattern is finalized, about two days before the Open Championships begins,it will be the only one programmed into the machines, which are rotated in and out and used on different areas of the house each squad.
Eric and his crew then will repeat the process for the Roto Grip Sport Bowling Challenge located adjacent to the main tournament lanes and the nearby USBC/Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, which is being held just down the road at Holiday Bowl.
In order to test the brand new Brunswick lanes, pinsetters and the tournament's own scoring system, a series of events have been scheduled to take place on the tournament lanes in the coming week.
On Sunday, invited local bowlers will participate in simulated team and doubles/singles events to test the features mentioned above as well as help train scale room folks, lane monitors and Tournament Services staff members who will be working on check-in, brackets and scoresheets. It is this type of training that helps our staff become as efficient as it has.
On Tuesday, mid to high average bowlers will return for some special sweeper squads and help continue the testing and training with the potential of making some money as incentive to come out.
On Wednesday, more than 350 high school bowlers will be on the tournament lanes with their sights set on becoming state champions at the 2008 New Mexico High School State Championships. During the 2005-06 season, New Mexico became the 17th state to offer bowling as a varsity sport, and the program continues to grow each year. This time, 22 schools in two classifications will be represented, just the second time that a high school event will take place on the championship lanes (2005). This will be the first official state championship event on the tournament lanes.
On Thursday and Friday, the Special Olympics National Unified Tournament will be held on the tournament lanes for the 18th time. To see these bowlers compete each year is inspirational, while the competition is as fierce as any other event around. To have them on our lanes each year means a lot, and there aren't words to describe the enthusiasm and pride the bowler exhibit during the two days.
And on Friday evening, we will host our second USBC Bowlfest on the tournament lanes. While Bowlfest originated as part of the USBC Masters celebration in Milwaukee a few years back, we've adapted the event to make it a part of our opening-week festivities. This time, Stefanie Nation, Brian Voss, Bill Lillard, Bob Learn Jr. and Jim Cripps (the Backwards Bowler) will be on hand for a series of exhibition, challenge matches, a trick-shot showdown and autograph session, which will be followed by our annual youth tournament, which gives local youth bowlers a chance to experience the Open Championships even though they aren't yet old enough to bowl in the actual tournament.
With only nine days until Opening Day, crews are putting the final touches on the venue and the vendor areas are nearly complete. Once all of the artwork is up, there won't be a white wall in the building.
And as I might have mentioned before, I held a beginning-of-construction press conference on Dec. 16 to show off the empty convention center to local media and sponsors. Yesterday, I invited them back for a near-the-end-of-construction open house to see how far we've come in our transformation. Channel 4, 7, 13, Eagle 98.7 (radio), the Albuquerque Journal and Rio Rancho Observer all took advantage of the opportunity. It's so hard to describe what we do. It's so much better to let them see it for themselves and see the look of disbelief on their faces when they don't recognize the venue. I truly believe that this particular moment is our greatest selling point.
With that said, I believe that we will see many members of the local media in the coming months to help share our story with the people of Albuquerque. Not only are we a sporting event, but we also impact the local hotels, airports, restaurants, shops, tourist attractions, etc, so there are so many possible story angles. And I can't wait to share them all.
Super Bowl Sunday is always an important day for us here at the USBC Open Championships because it means that everyone is in town and Opening Day is right around the corner.
Today, all 42 travelers, the leadership team and a few folks from USBC Headquarters in Greendale, Wis., got together for the first of three days of team building/orientation. After so much traveling and unpacking, it was nice to see everyone together and enthusiastic about getting down to business. Today's agenda included some introductions and updates, followed by a social function/Super Bowl party at JC's New York Pizza Department, just a short walk from the convention center.
The next two days will be spent discussing any changes to the event, like the creation of Tournament Services, which was formerly Registration, Brackets and Bowler Services. We also will be discussing bowler and employee surveys from the 2007 event to see what people said before we strategize about how to make this event better. Some of the time will be spent refreshing everyone about the tournament rules, procedures and policies, while some will be set aside for setting goals for 2008.
During the orientation today, one of the new travelers, Brian Whitman, mentioned that he's been reading my blog and thought it was interesting to hear about some of the behind the scenes stuff that he was about to experience while traveling across the country. Hopefully others are reading along and enjoying the chance to see what it takes to make this tournament happen. It truly is an amazing process and experience.
By Wednesday, we will be in our respective departments to finish setting up and further train any new travelers.
While this is going on, our on-site HR folks from Employment Source have been taking applications and interviewing candidates, hoping to hire 60 locals to help us while we are here. One positive thing I've heard is that a lot of the local bowlers and association members have shown an interest in being part of the 2008 Open Championships and soon will become a valuable part of our tournament staff.
Each day we look more and more forward to the start of the event. Each day the venue looks a little different and a little more complete. The pins will be crashing in no time.
It's finally tournament time, that exciting time of the year when we all gear up for city and state tournaments, and of course, the USBC Open Championships. Since I will be busy at the Open Championships in Albuquerque for the next six months, my time on the lanes will be limited, but this weekend I had an opportunity to travel back to Milwaukee for a couple of prestigious events.
On Saturday, I bowled the team event of the Wisconsin State Tournament with Kristin Warzinski, Lucas Wiseman and Nick Siefers (also employees at USBC Headquarters) and Greg Thomas, who used to work at the USBC/Storm Bowlers Journal Championships. Despite a slow start, we finished with a 3,317 scratch total, and most of us were pretty satisfied with the overall effort. Although our score likely won't win, it was exciting just to participate in the event for the second consecutive year. Bowling in these tournaments is one of the main benefits of being a USBC member.
On Sunday, I bowled in the GMBA Classic Team Tournament with Team USA member and recent USBC Team USA Trials winner Derek Eoff and Bryan O'Keefe (also USBC employees), two-time Open Championships titlist Steve Brinkman and fellow left-hander Eric Fritton. Two years ago we won the event, but this year things just didn't go our way. With 26 teams, it was twice the size of the previous two events, and there were a lot of talented players from Wisconsin, Illinois and even Iowa. Honestly, I have no idea where were ended up, but we were far from making the cut to the top six.
Personally, at one point I thought I'd figured things out and started one of the four qualifying games with the front five, only to follow it up with an 8 pin and four splits for 190. Not the finish I was hoping for, but it was good for a laugh or two. I still have not heard who won, but whomever it was definitely earned it. The conditions were challenging and spares were VERY important, as it should have been. Definitely worth the trip just for the experience. Shot making, spare shooting and accuracy were the keys to success, just like the Open Championships, the Bowlers Journal Championships and the Roto Grip Sport Bowling Challenge in Albuquerque. Events like these are a great test of progress and ability and a great warm-up for the next event.
Anyway, after the tournament, a handful of us went off to the second big event of the day, an exciting all-you-can-eat sushi session. It was a good opportunity to have a nice meal and spend time with some really good friends before heading back to Albuquerque. You can bet I won't miss the freezing temperatures and piles of snow in Wisconsin, but I have met a lot of really great people in my time up there.
But with the fun weekend behind me, it's back to business. Things are continuing to come together at the convention center. In fact, last night they hung the new test scoreboards over the 12 side-event lanes. So far they look amazing and the graphics are sharp. I would encourage anyone who has time to check them out on the webcams. Also check out the seating areas, Center Aisle, Center Desk, the vendor booths, etc. It's really beginning to look like the one-of-a-kind stadium that we are so proud of each year.
With the venue almost ready, it's time to get the staff in place. Our managers and supervisors have been hard at work setting up their areas and training schedules and many of our travelers are in town, helping out and ready for the main event to begin. Orientation starts this coming weekend, and we'll all be hard at work early next week.
As of right now, I have planned an end-of-construction open house for sponsors and media on Feb. 6. The days after will be filled with our sweepers and practice sessions for local bowlers to test the lanes, machines and scoreboards, the high school tournament, Special Olympics, Bowlfest, youth tournament and finally opening day! Only 18 more days.
It's really something to be here and see this all come together and see the pride in everyone's eyes as the start of the tournament approaches. We are all glad to be here and to be able to put on such a memorable show for the bowlers each year.
Right now, I am sitting at my desk in our spacious Media Relations office at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The walls that surround me were not here when I came to visit in December. The transformations that our crews do to these buildings continue to amaze me year after year. In fact, a guy just walked by my office saying that he's taken care of this building for 14 years and can't believe what we've done to it. Parts of the venue are unrecognizable, and he's even had trouble distinguishing between the new walls and the previously existing ones. Also, between the colors and the Adobe design, the setup really says Albuquerque.
Aside from my office being nearly completed, this week has been like one big reunion. Tournament managers and supervisors have been arriving in town all week, and many of our travelers will be here next week. So far, I've seen Steven (Day Manager) from Kansas, Rita (MOD) from Oklahoma, Kevin (Registration Manager) from Milwaukee, Gabe and Lon (Tournament Services) from Florida, Steve (Employment Source) and Merri (Tournament Services) from Montana, Jerry (Bowlers Journal) from Colorado, Danny (Scale Room) and Jeff (Center Desk) from Alabama, Horse (Lane Maintenance) from New York, Jen (Tournament Services) from California, Big John (Scale Room) from Ohio and Daniel (BBE) and David (Lane Monitor/Maintenance) from Reno.
This group is in addition to Tournament Director Brian Lewis and his family, Associate Tournament Director Mindy Corr and Chris and Shannon Chartier and their family, who all spend a year in each city and move from one tournament site to the next.
And then the computer guys, Mike from Colorado, Dave and his wife Madonna from Florida, Mike from New York and Gary from Headquarters in Milwaukee have been in and out since Dec. 16 to set up the computer nextworks and more than six miles of wiring.
It's amazing to see people of all ages and points in their careers come together from all corners of the country to help run this prestigious event. Each person has his/her area of expertise, but all share a love of the sport and the dedication to make this event bigger and better each year. Of course, it's difficult to pack and move every six months, but the rewards far out-weigh the stresses.
Anyway, it's great to be back and see everyone again.
I've been in Albuquerque for three days now, and I seem to be settled in. Everything is unpacked, I know my way to the main places I need to go and things are coming along nicely at the convention center.
Today, I had the chance to meet the two gentlemen who will be working with me in the Media Relations department this year, John and Damon. They are both from the Albuquerque area, so their experience with the local media definitely will be welcomed. My former wingman, David Ellis, is taking the year off to get married. All of us here at the tournament wish him the best, and maybe he'll return for the 2009 event in Las Vegas.
I also had the opportunity to talk to my brother, Casey, who will be working in the Ebonite booth for the second consecutive year. Tomorrow he will begin his 2,000-mile journey from Fort Lauderdale. While the trip is long, it's all part of the experience. So much of the Open Championships is about traveling around the country and seeing new places. Spending six months in a place also gives you the chance to experience a lot of culture and diversity. And while we all work closely at the tournament and consider ourselves to be a big family, it's always nice to spend some extra time with my brother too.
Back in the venue, the Brunswick folks and the construction crew continue to work feverishly on the lanes, vendor areas and offices. The highlight of the day was the hoisting of the first scoreboards, one of the most recognizable features of the tournament. I encourage everyone to check out the webcams on USBCopen.com to see the progress of this one-of-a-kind bowling stadium.
SAFE AND SOUND
A little more than 33 hours and 1,450 miles ago, I was having lunch in Milwaukee and watching the snow begin to fall. Now, I am safe and sound in Albuquerque and ready to get to work. Tomorrow will be spent unloading the car into my new apartment, followed by a trip to New Mexico Sports and Wellness to apply for membership. I have one month to work off the damage from my two-day drive-thru diet to make sure my suits still fit for the start of the Open Championships, where we like to "dress for success."
While the trip was relatively uneventful, I was amazed by what a huge role technology plays during travel these days. With all of the gadgets and chargers, my car was like Best Buy on wheels. The best feature of the trip had to be the device that connects to the power source and allows the iPod to play through the radio. What brilliant way to bring 548 songs along and keep things moving with offerings from Hip Hop to Honky Tonk, Air Supply to Xzibit.
I also was able to keep in touch with USBC Headquarters in Milwaukee thanks to my Bluetooth headset. I was able to make sure the USBC/Storm Bowlers Journal Championships page is up and running, finalize the details for Open Championships Tournament Director Brian Lewis to appear on Phantom Radio (an Internet radio show accessible through bowlersjournal.com) at the end of the month and answer some questions about the tournament program and participation displays. Add in the e-mail capable phone, and I could technically work out of my car for the next six months without missing a beat.
At one point this morning, I also got a call from Carolyn Dorin-Ballard. Even though it was just to discuss a project we are working on, how cool is it to talk/work so closely with someone you've looked up to and watched on TV for so many years? Getting to meet and work with so many great bowlers definitely is one of the perks of this job.
On any given day at the Open Championships, it is possible to run into a hall of famer, a tournament champion or record holder or one of the sport's biggest stars. But at the same time, I get to hear and share the stories of so many other bowlers and tournament regulars, which is rewarding in itself. Any person I meet or write about could be the next big star or the future tournament pinfall leader. Every day is an adventure. Every day is a reward.
Now that I'm here, I won't waste any time getting to work. There's already a function scheduled for Thursday. ...
