Monday Morning Morphine

Another weekend passed, another TGIF league in the books, and another Monday morning that feels short on coffee...

It feels like the weekends are flying by these days. Between TGIF league bowling on Friday night, my weekend "honey do" list around the house, and of course awesome PBA action on ESPN on Sunday. This past Friday at TGIF was one where you have a chance to execute what you practice, feel like you bowled great, but wind up with a humble 600 even. The goal was to transition my foot work and balance that I worked on in the middle of the week to my fun league that I get to apply it on. It's always good to have a league in the mix that you can just blow off steam, not freak out about not carrying a 230+ average in, but keep it real enough to make you execute your game. This one is exactly that. So what transpired was a great game at the line and lots of spares. Only one open on the night and it was the mental miss we have all made where you "know the first shot was great and you shouldn't even be shooting at this spare" shot. Well, I poo pooed a clean 30 because of a mental break in my temper. Now looking back at the night, I am more upset about missing a clean 30 than rolling the weak 600! As they say, it is what it is and this will help me "build character", not that I need any more of that.

At the Tournament of Champions this Sunday, it was shaping up to be a perfect storm, no pun intended. You had the field of Pete Weber, Dan MacLelland, Wes Malott, Dom Barrett, and the two handed phenom Jason Belmonte.The thing that stood out to me the most about this line up wasn't the power house list of major wins, or PDW attempting to defend his title, or even the fact that Jason Belmonte is taking his two handed game to a whole new level. It was that there was a great representation of bowlers from around the world. Three out of the five bowlers in the finales were from outside the United States. Dan MacLelland hails from Canada, Dom Barret from England, and Jason Belmonte from Australia. This shows that the recent feelings of bowling sliding into obscurity as a sport couldn't be farther from the truth. Bowling is becoming a true international sport at the highest competitive levels. The PBA is reaching the four corners of the world and showcasing talents that take an amazing level of dedication to achieve.

As the match got underway, PDW showed brash confidence in his pre-match interview, but that quickly faded as he struggled to get the pair under control with two opens and it wasn't until about the 7th frame that he settled into his shot. By then, MacLelland had a comfortable lead pounding PDW 259 - 211. In match two, Wes Malott stepped in to see if he could wrestle down the hot McLelland. It was shaping up to be a punch for punch match until the lanes started tightening up on MacLelland. He had been playing a straighter line and didn't have much room for error. That margin finally folded on him when he ran high with his shot and left the big 4-6-7-10 split in the fourth frame. Failing to convert, Malott turned into a strike machine to put MacLelland away with a convincing 248 - 199 win. Canada may have to wait for it's fist PBA Tour Title, but today showed why they have reason for their high hopes in a more than capable Dan MacLelland. Match three featured Malott moving up against Dom Barrett. The highlight of this match was Malott putting on a spare clinic and Barrett showing that you don't have to hit the pocket to strike. It's great to see competitive sportsmanship as Barrett went high into the nose of the rack for a strike and apologizing to Malott for it. Good show old chap. Malott on the other hand was in the pocket every single shot and left the 10 pin in just about every way imaginable. Calling his shot at one point in the game as the ball was on it's way, you could hear a faint 10 pin comment from Malott at the line and sure enough, the 10 pin stood firm in its place. In the end, this match showed why spares win games. Malott's ability to convert all of his 9 counts gave him a 205 - 202 win over Barrett.
With the final match ready to run, Belmonte was looking for some revenge from the 2013 loss he suffered from Malott at the U.S. Open title match. That 214-156 loss is something he will most likely never forget. However, today would yield different results. The match stayed anyone's game until the 10th frame. Like two titans in the ring of battle, both bowlers knew they needed to show up to force pressure and win. Belmonte up first in the 10th, rolled a 9 spare and a strike to put Malott in a position to strike on his first ball for a chance to win. In an all or nothing 10th frame, Malott balked, reset, and rolled a great shot. Unfortunately, like most of his previous game, it was a 9 count. With that, Belmonte sitting on the bench, had won the Tournament of Champions. Smoking the field all week long, it was a deserving and dominating finish for the two hander from down under. His one pin 219 - 218 win put that horrible performance at the U.S. Open far away. To put a cap on the day, Bill O'neal with the skills of a ninja, rewarded Belmo with a Barbasol pie in the face. Who says bowling isn't fun at competitive levels. Congrats Jason Belmonte on a great tournament and a solid win at the 2014 Barbasol Tournament of Champions.

To glove or not to glove...

Bowling is about as bad as golf when you look at all the gadgets and toys you can buy that can 'assist' you with your game. Gloves, towels, wrist braces, tapes, not to mention shoes (which we already covered). The list goes on and on. Even fashion has come into play with all of the dye sublimated shirts and yes, we now have the crazy pants. Chris Barnes, love you, but damn those things are bright. I digress. What I wanted to talk about today was gloves. This is by no means an effort for me to vilify gloves as something used to cheat and create more lift on the ball or anything like that. It is really meant to look at the different types and what there used for. The bowling glove that has been a mainstay in bowling for years. Going as far back as Don Carter in the 50's to today's Mike Scroggins and his ever present full brace. Hell, I still use my Robby's Rev-I the majority of the time due to a serious wrist injury that happened years ago. Old age sucks kiddos, enjoy it while you can. At any rate, the question of whether to use a glove or not and what they bring to the game is what I would like to explore.

When looking at all of the options that are out there and if you are going to use one, you have to take a look at your own game. This is about as personal as choosing a layout on a ball or what car you drive. What works for you may not work for the next bowler. I would also like to say that as a training aid, nothing is more useful in building proper technique with wrist control like a glove. Yes there are caveats to every rule, but in general they are very helpful. The other extreme is how non bowlers view our use of gloves. In pop-culture, no single item more than the glove has been used to  exemplify the geeky bowler. That's ok, because we know what makes a real bowler and admit it, that stuff is pretty damn funny. Now, to continue to use one as part of your day to day arsenal, again depends on the bowler. Then there are the choices available. Gloves that support the entire hand, create grip on the ball, brace the wrist, or create comfort in our superstitious ways.

Starting with the basic wrist brace, this is probably the most common item you will see out there on the lanes worn by most avid bowlers. Doesn't matter if it is an Ebonite Wrist Wrap or layer of tape wrapped around the wrist, the protection of the bowlers wrist has become just about the most important thing out there. Especially if you wish to extend your years on on the lanes. There really isn't much to say about these other than just like in most sports that involve impact or repeated use of wrist movement, they are designed to re-enforce the joint to provide consistent support and strength and minimize the risk of injury. It also doesn't restrict the bowlers range of movement as much as a full brace would. Allowing you to cock and load your wrist as you go through the release of the ball, maximizing the rev rate that can be generated.

The next group of gloves are truly that... gloves. The important trait of these are that they have high traction surfaces on the index finger, pinky, and palm. Designed to create a consistent feel on the ball, they are similar to the gloves that you see commonly in golf. Used for the same reason, a great investment if you happen to have sweaty palms or just want to avoid any moisture effecting your grip on the ball. In addition to that, there is a certain 'I am a bad ass' look about these things. Not that we as bowlers would EVER make a purchase based on that...

Finally we come to the grand daddy group of them all. Bowling braces, gloves, guards, whatever you call it, this is the category that is designed to lock your hand and wrist in the optimum position to create a consistent release and roll of the ball. It can be something as simple as the Master Wristmaster that is available in just about every pro-shop in America to the scientifically designed metal monsters like the Robby's Rev-I that I mentioned before. Over the years, the variety of gloves that are available on the market that would fit into this category has exploded. Millions of dollars have been invested by just about every bowling company in the industry to find the perfect combination that allows the bowler to be as consistent as possible at the point of release. With that, there really isn't one design that is going to fit all bowlers. So you have a wide variety of options to chose from. As I said before, this is the place that you want to be if you are a new bowler and want to get some help positioning your hand in the right place or like me, get a little bit of help when you simply do not have the strength to endure a 21 game tournament worth of bowling because of years of abuse. Normally these gloves consist of a metal plate or frame that runs the back of your hand to your wrist, wrapped in a comfortable form to allow for several hours of wear.

So this brings us down a long road to answer the question to glove or not to glove. This is something that can only be answered by each individual bowler. Myself, as a former coach, I kept several types of gloves and braces in my bag so that as I was working with the youth bowlers I could leverage them as not only a training aid, but to see if it would even work for them long term. With that, you also have to think of gloves as an investment. Some of them can run as much as $80+ dollars, not something you just want to buy 'to see if you like it' or because 'it looks cool'. Unless you have the money to just toss around, then I say go for it. Buy one of each, see what you like, what works, and what doesn't, but I doubt any of us are in that boat. So ask your pro-shop if they have a 'try it before you buy it' program with the gloves. Or if you are in the position of learning bowling or taking your proven skills to the next level, speak to a coach or your local pro. They may have something to bring to the conversation in the form of additional advice matching your game or even having some of them on hand, like I did, that you can try out. Do what is right for you.

New Ball Alert!: Hammer Deadly Aim

Put today’s toughest bowling ball in your hand with Hammer’s new Deadly Aim! The Deadly Aim features a new flex-resin poured Dead-center core system that positions a super dense mass near the center of the ball, creating better energy flow throughout the ball. Then we reinforced the outer core with one of the most durable products in the world, carbon-fiber, to create extreme energy recoil upon impact at the pins. With that increased reinforcement, Hammer’s been able to set the industry standard on quality and durability by introducing a new 3-year manufacturer’s warranty best in class. World wide release February 11, 2014.

 The Specs:
- Color: Red/Orange/Yellow
- Coverstock: Primer Reactive Solid
- Core: Dead Center Core
- Core Type: Assymetrical
- Factory Finish: 500 Abralon®/1000 Abralon®/ 2000 Abralon®/4000 Abralon® with Powerhouse™ Clean N’ Sheen
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.48**
- Differential (Diff): 0.054**
- Inter. Diff: .008
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy Oil

New Ball Alert!: Hammer Black Widow Assassin

It’s the return of a Legend. Black Widows are the most popular series of bowling balls ever produced by Hammer, and now they’re back to bite medium to heavy oil lane conditions. The Black Widow Assassin pairs up two of our most popular components ever - the Widow core and the First Blood coverstock. Sanded in a 1000 grit polished finish, the Black Widow Assassin is one of the most aggressive and continuous hooking balls in the market today. Combine that signature Widow core motion with today’s coverstocks, and you’ve got one of the TOUGHEST rolling products in the marketplace! World wide release February 11, 2014.

 The Specs:
- Color: Red/Navy/Purple
- Coverstock: NBT Solid
- Core: Gas Mask Core
- Core Type: Assymetrical
- Factory Finish: 500/500/500/1000 Abralon® with Powerhouse™ Factory Finish Polish
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.50**
- Differential (Diff): 0.058**
- Inter. Diff: .014
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy Oil

New Ball Alert!: Track Mx10

The new Track Mx10 is designed with medium-rev rate bowlers in mind.  The new MR-6 Hybrid coverstock provides a smooth easy motion through the front part of the lane with a slightly more aggressive move to the pocket through the break point providing a versatile ball for most conditions. World wide release date TBD.

The Specs:
- Color: Purple Pearl / Gold Pearl
- Coverstock: MR-6 Hybrid
- Core: Face
- Core Type: Assymetrical
- Factory Finish: 500/1000 grit Abralon® Polished w/Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.50**
- Differential (Diff): 0.049**
- Inter. Diff: .010
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium Oil

New Ball Alert!: Track Hx05

The new Track Hx05 is designed for the higher rev player providing a balance between a proven Modified Kenetic core covered by the new DR-4 Pearl coverstock that is designed to store energy through the break point into the pocket. World wide release date TBD.

The Specs:
- Color: Purple Pearl / Gold Pearl
- Coverstock: DR-4 Pearl
- Core: Modified Kenetic
- Core Type: Assymetrical
- Factory Finish: 500/1000 grit Abralon® Polished w/Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish
- Reaction: Strong
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.49**
- Differential (Diff): 0.038**
- Inter. Diff: .005
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Light Oil

New Ball Alert!: Track Lx16

The new Track Lx16 is designed for the low rev player in mind. Providing an aggressive coverstock to give the bowler plenty of grab on the lane warped around an all new I-Core.World wide release February 18, 2014.

The Specs:
- Color: Red/Plum/Smoke
- Coverstock: QR-8 Pearl
- Core: I-Core (Dual Density)
- Core Type: Assymetrical
- Factory Finish: 800/1000/2000/3000 Abralon®
- Reaction: Strong
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.49**
- Differential (Diff): 0.053**
- Inter. Diff: .016
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy Oil

New Ball Alert!: 900 Global Network

With a newly developed coverstock blend and our strongest asymmetric core to date, the Network has everything you need to conquer the lanes. A strong midlane read, powerful backend motion and endless continuation are at your disposal! The new XPT74 coverstock is chemically engineered to have more uniquely shaped porosity structures that extend deeper in the shell, allowing for quicker oil absorption yet maintaining responsiveness down the lane. The re-engineered CFT2 core features modified densities that have created a lower RG, higher Differential and 900 Global's strongest Intermediate Differential to date, enabling unprecedented power and energy through the pins! Use the Network on moderately heavy lane conditions and GET CONNECTED! World wide release on
February 5, 2014.

The Specs:
- Color: Caramel/Gold All colors do vary somewhat from the picture shown.
- Coverstock: XPT74 Pearl
- Core: Composite Flow Technology 2 Core (Asymmetric)
- Factory Finish: NEAT "T" (4,000 Grit)
- Reaction: Strong
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.49**
- Differential (Diff): 0.051**
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy Oil

Monday Morning Morphine

Another weekend passed, another TGIF league in the books, and another Monday morning that feels short on coffee...

Nothing like a bit of Monday morning morphine to pump into your system as you reflect on the weekends events. My TGIF league was a challenge to say the least. Nothing like going into position rounds while fighting one of the worst weeks of allergies you can remember. Focusing on timing, balance, and not sneezing on your ball on the approach brings a whole new challenge to the game. None the less, I posted a weak 609, but was enough to pull 6 of 8 points. I guess my opponents were feeling sorry for me. On a positive note, the new SST Tanks were amazing. They felt like I had been wearing them for years they were so comfortable. I struggled with some slide issues early on due to finding the right combination of heel and sole (which ended up being H2/S10 for those keeping track), but overall I have to say that I am very impressed with how they feel and performed. Saturday passed in a medication induced fog, but Sunday gave me the chance to watch the PBA Regional Players Invitational Finals, PBA50 Tour Finals, and the Teen Masters Championship. Even though they were recorded telecasts, it's always fun to watch bowling. Well, for me it is anyway.

The RPI Invitational Finals kicked off the day with some familiar names in bowling as well as a few relatively unknown bowlers outside of their region. The great thing about these type of evens is that it isn't absolutely dominated by the PBA Tour players that you see week in and week out when matches do happen to be televised. Sure Chris Barnes (PBA Tour player since 1998) represented the Southwest Region, but posted a humbling 163 after running high on several of his shots. In the end, the unknown Ben Laughlin from Chandler, Arizona took the top prize of $6,000 and a PBA Tournament of Champions entry defeating Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Florida 225-187. Just goes to show you that anyone on any day can have an amazing run no matter who they are bowling against. Laughlin looked cold as ice on the lanes, not letting a rough start in the semi-finals phase him at all. Pushing through, posting a 222 and 225 the first time he had ever been on tv. Hats off good sir, you earned it!

The PBA50 Tour Finals followed up the RPI Invitational which looked like a who's who of bowlers that have truly shaped the sport and dominated the game. Pete Weber, Amleto Monacelli, and the great Walter Ray Williams Jr. made up the show. This amazing trio represent the heart of the sport covering just about every subject. Pete with his pedigree in the sport and his bad boy attitude, Amleto carrying the torch of the world on his back as the most prolific international bowler to ever hit the scene,  and dead-eye himself, Walter Ray. The record holder for most PBA wins in the history of the sport. His 47 titles are a feat that many believe will never be broken. The match started with a playful PDW, noticeably missing his sun glasses,  going up against the ageless Monacelli. Punch for punch the game was what you would expect out of the two great bowlers. The tipping point came when Weber rolled high for a 2-4-10 split. Converting it and forcing Monacelli to stay on the mark, it appeared to just fuel him bringing the match to a dominating 243-208 win. In the finals, a frustrated W.R. Williams Jr was trying his best to keep his game face on, rolling on a pattern he was obviously not a fan of, the PBA50 Cheetah. Strike for strike the finals match was everything you could have wished for in a head to head battle between two titans like this.  Williams led most of the match with a slight margin before Monacelli made a late charge with a three-bagger heading into the 10th frame. In what can only be described as an epic break, Monacelli needing a strike to force a pressure crushing 10th frame for Williams, left the 4 pin on his first ball in and missed the spare to all but hand the win to his opponent. With disbelief on Williams' face, he knew he had just been given a gift by Monacelli.

The televised bowling day on ESPN was wrapped up with the Teen Masters Championship. In this unique format, the tournament is designed to level the playing field of insane oil patterns and the crazy technology that is embedded into the bowling balls of today. Each bowler is given a polyester (plastic ball) and a urethane and that is all they are allowed to use. In addition to that little twist, the finals pair were oiled at different lengths. The left lane held 36' and the right a mere 26' of oil. Also the volume was a throw back to the 80's with only 7ml. of oil. For all of you non bowling geeks out there, a typical house shot (THS) is in the range of 38'-40' with about 14ml of oil. The PBA and Team USA bowlers are normally on patterns that can range from 33'-47' and a whopping 26ml of wet stuff! Sorry, I get excited about the details... at any rate, to put it simply, these kids were pushed to be amazingly accurate with their game. In a rematch of the 2013 finals between Ashley Dunn of Palmdale, California and Greg Young or Viera, Florida, the two talented bowlers went at it again for another great show. The two game format came down to a single frame roll off after the two bowlers posted scores of 160-179 in game one and a 184-153 in game two. In the end, Young's strike bested Dunn's 7 count to take the tile and it's $64,000 scholarship for the second year in a row. These two have shown that the sport of bowling is going strong and has a bright future.

New Ball Alert!: Ebonite Pivot Point Folds of Honor Foundation Edition

**Ebonite is pledging $5 from every sale of the Pivot Point to Folds of Honor, a foundation that provides educational scholarships to the families of our military servicemen and servicewomen who have been disabled or killed on active duty.**

To learn more about the Folds of Honor foundation, head over here. [LINK]

Following the Pivot, Ebonite has introduced the Pivot Point. The Pivot Point is designed for lanes that are cleaner. This ball is cleaner, is strong in the mid lane, and has the strength and power to continue through the pin deck.  World wide release January 28th, 2014.

The Specs:
- Color: Purple/Gold/Black 
- Coverstock: RCP MAX
- Core: CB-2 Asymmetric
- Factory Finish: 500, 1500 Abranet™ Polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish
- Reaction: Strong Backend Continuation
- RG: 2.48**
- Differential: .049**
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls 
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium to Heavy Oil

Do shoes really matter?

Dexter SST Tank

Let me start off by saying, yes they do! This is of course if you actually care about bowling. I bring this up because last night as I received my new SST Tanks by Dexter and was comparing them to my Etonic Pros which have been abused for the past few years.

First off, to the point of shoes being important, they are your foundation. Bowling is all about muscle memory and balance. Being smooth over having raw power. There is just no other way to say it, than if you have a faulty foundation, the house will fall. Now having said that, your league bowler will certainly buy based on looks and price. There just isn't a need to fine tune the feel on the approach as you would if you were a competitive bowler. In any case, I have to say that if you can find a shoe that works for you AND allow you to look fabulous? I say buy it up and strut your stuff.  This interestingly comes into play when buy balls, gloves, towels, and other gear, but that is a discussion for another day. Back to shoes.

Now that's style

I see shoes in four categories. House shoes (those stylish rentals owned by the center), Entry Level, Performance, and finally Pro. House shoes are the ones that bring back nostalgic feelings of  birthday parties, Friday nights when there was nothing else to do, and an innocence of simple clean fun. When a bowler makes that jump from casual bowling to joining a league, that is when you are in the market for your own gear. Shoes are a great place to start. For $30-$50 you can get something that only your feet will be inside of. Plus, there are tons of styles and colors to choose from. By all means, express yourself.

Soles make a difference

When you have outgrown the need to be flashy and are focusing more on your slide on the approach, this is the time to start exploring the ranks of performance shoes. You will have fewer options on looks, but have shoes that are focused on the soles. As well as dedicated shoes for left or right handed bowlers. Giving the bowler a chance to have great traction on the pivot foot and even consistent motion on the slide foot.  The construction of these shoes are also noticeably better. Sitting in the $75-$100 range, they are a bit more expensive, but like any shoe, it is an investment. At this point you are probably bowling more than once a month or even once a week. Your feet are important, take care of them. Not to mention, as your game advances, you will be generating more power and need to ensure that you have the tools needed to keep you stable at the line. Finally we have come to the Pro lines of shoes. These puppies can set a bowler back anywhere from $150-$200+. Looks are not what it's about at this level, it is about function. Pro quality shoes and even some of the top end performance shoes give you the option of replacing the sole and in some cases the heel of the shoes to match up perfectly with your style of play and the conditions of the approach.

Etonic E-Pro Tournament Action

This brings me to my own shoe situation. I was a long time fan of Dexter shoes, to the tune of about 20 years. I still remember my first pair of SST8's I purchased. Struggling with having to spend so much on shoes that would only be used when on the lanes. It was the right choice for sure. Being able to change out the sole to a surface that allowed me to slide when the approaches were tacky to being able to reduce my slide when I felt like I was on ice gave me an edge that I saw other bowlers enjoy time and time again. About four years ago I had a year old pair of SST8's split right where the slide velcro started on the bottom of the shoe. Thinking nothing of it, I took advantage of the warranty and got them replaced. Six months later, same thing. By this time I am getting pretty upset, because it blew out on me in the middle of a tournament. Hearing that I was not alone with this particular issue, I made the jump to another manufacturer, Etonic. The E-Pro Tournament Action was my weapon of choice. They were amazingly comfortable and I was able to cut down the Dexter soles to fit them (I'm not a brand fan-boy, I do what works). With my mixed brand set up, I was able to bowl without issue for several years, until last week. Sadly, the upper part of shoe was separating from the sole. I knew the day would come, but unfortunately as time went by, Etonic had made the decision to no longer manufacture bowling shoes, shifting their attention to their golf line. With a heavy sigh and not many options at the top level of bowling shoes, I went to take a look at Dexter again. Days of research later, I found that Dexter had in fact fixed their issues as well as released a new SST called the Tank. What better name for a shoe for the abusive bowler such as myself. Like a kid at Christmas, I was tearing through the box and looking at my options on the slides and heels. I was also quickly falling in love with the military issue look of the shoe itself. Instantly reminding me of my issued jungle boots from back in the day. After a full inspection, you can tell that Dexter put some serious time into the design and construction of these shoes. They have the proven foundation of the interchangeable soles, a much lighter and more flexible upper portion, and look like they will take the beating they are about to receive. Mission one completed, replaced the stock laces with my ever present checker-boards. Mission two scheduled, hit the lanes and score big...

New Ball Alert!: MOTIV Covert Revolt

Take control with a Covert Revolt. It has been weaponized for medium-heavy oil conditions enlisting completely new technology from MOTIV. Turmoil HFS cover stock and the Vanquish core enable the Covert Revolt to attack with a very strong smooth motion and undeniable continuation. 

The new Vanquish core produces an explosive 2.47 RG to increase rev potential and .056 differential for aggressive track flare. This combination provides devastating hooking power.

The Covert Revolt also features new Turmoil HFS (High Friction Solid) cover stock, which mobilizes the ball to make an earlier move on the lane and drive through the pin deck with unstoppable force.

Competitive bowlers building an arsenal will find the Covert Revolt to provide a tactical advantage on fresh, higher volume patterns. Low-rev and high ball speed bowlers will find it to be a more versatile weapon that performs on a wider variety of conditions. Available world wide February 14th, 2014

The Specs:
- Color: Black Smoke All colors do vary somewhat from the picture shown.
- Coverstock: Turmoil HFS
- Core: Vanquish
- Factory Finish: 3000 Grit Sanded
- Reaction: Very strong motion and undeniable continuation
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.47**
- Differential (Diff): 0.056**
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy Oil

New Ball Alert!: Brunswick Vintage LT-48

The Vintage LT-48 combines old-school styling with new technology to make this ball an instant classic. This solid black ball takes the 3C solid reactive coverstock and combines it with the Medium RG symmetric core to create extra control, carry, and consistency of a variety of lane conditions. The length and versatility of this ball match up well with bowlers that have a slower ball speed and higher rev rates. Available world wide February 6th, 2014.

The Specs:
- Color: Black Solid All colors do vary somewhat from the picture shown.
- Core: LT-48 Medium RG Symmetric
- Coverstock: 3C Solid Reactive
- Factory Finish: 500 Siaair Micro Pad, Royal Compound, Royal Shine
- Reaction: length with entry angle
- Radius of Gyration (RG): 2.603**
- Differential (Diff): 0.038**
- ** RG and Diff are based off of 15 lb. balls
- Hook Potential: 120 (scale: 10-225)
- Length: 190 (scale: 25-235)
- Breakpoint Shape: Angular
- Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Oily

And so it begins...

And so it begins. For a little background on myself and my life in bowling, it goes back to about 1984. Being a military brat and traveling the world, there is one consistent thing no matter where you are stationed and that is they all have a bowling center. So as a strapping young lad, with lots of time on my hands, I joined a youth league and so my journey began. Back in those days it was referred to as YABA (Young American Bowling Alliance). You could win patches and awards for just about everything. Over average, high scores, number of strikes... you name it. It was a great way to keep kids involved in the sport and give them goals to achieve. For me, it was a little more. At a young age I wanted to be the best kid on the lanes. Even at 10 years old, I looked around the lanes for the next person I was going to bowl better than. Egotistical, yes, but I was 10... go easy on me. As I continued to grow in my game I learned that my grandmother was very skilled and recognized bowler in Japan. Winning several tournaments and always a threat to take it all on the lanes. This gave me the drive that I needed. By the time I was in high school, urethane balls were dominating the market and fancy cores were becoming all the rave. My Yellow Dot and Brunswick Phantom had taken me to the next level. Top 10 in the nation for team scores, league high games, and still carrying that attitude of 'I can beat anyone' everywhere I rolled. Even though I was averaging about 180-190, at the time I was very proud of it. I was at the point in my life where I had to make the choice to pursue bowling or pay bills because I was starting my adult life. Bills won... for the next 10 years.

Time marches on as they say and I was well into my military career. Not having much time on my hands due to my job, I was able to make one season in a local league. I missed the reactive revolution and knew I needed an upgrade to my old gear. My first new ball out of the gate, the Columbia Out Rage. This was the most frustrating season of my life. Mentally, I was still a competitive bowler. My game, nothing short of a travesty on the lanes. I managed to pull out a high 170 average, but I was upset beyond belief. Using the excuse of deployments and working long hours, I accepted the fact that I would be nothing more than a casual open bowler. 

About 10 more years roll by and my gear collects more dust. Problem is, I get the itch again to hit the lanes. Once again, the gear has changed as time went by. Reactive resin, particle, solid, pearl... my head was spinning with all of this new technology. So I jumped right into another set of Columbia balls, the Action and Action Max. You might start to see a theme here. I was still approaching bowling with a teenagers mind. That being, it can't be the bowler, it must be the ball. I was sucked into that trap like quicksand. It takes about 3 seasons of me floundering around a 180 avg to finally get it into my thick skull that I need to have my game evaluated and get some coaching. Now out of the military and having a bit of stability in my life, I quickly immersed myself into the community. Reading and researching everything about the game. Equipment, oil patterns, and coaching techniques engulfed my spare time. I even got to the point of pursuing my Bronze level coaching certification and taking over head coaching duties for a high school team and leading them to the state championships for the first time. I was now ok with my lack of game and enjoying seeing the success of others, until I found out that the PBA Experience league was going to be available at my home house. 

A new found love of the game inside of me grew as I challenged myself on Team USA Sport shots and PBA Experience leagues. I was to the point where all I wanted to bowl on was the most difficult patterns I could find. Carrying about a 180-190 sport average, I was again finding that fire inside to compete. I was ready for tournaments. Looking for something to ease myself back into competition, I found a small tourney in my home turf that I knew I could do well in. What happened was a mess. I barely rolled a 615 in the opening shift. The cut, 690. Day 2, I post a 590. The cut now moved to about 715. I knew I was done. Demoralized, I didn't enter another tournament for about 3 years. I wanted to make sure the next time I did, I was a real threat to win. 

Christmas of 2012 was upon me. I had gotten my mental and physical game where I wanted it to be. A couple of practice 300's had been notched on my belt, several 279 games paired with 700's every few weeks, and my mental game as strong as it ever was. Now I am where my mental game was solid and my body was feeling the toll of years of hard living. If it's not one thing, it is another. However, still wanting to prove that I could do it, I entered the last big tournament of the year. All the high rollers in town were there. I saw names and faces that I hadn't seen since the '90s that used to be my rivals on the lanes. Problem is, I stopped bowling and it was obvious that they stuck with it. With my new resolve, I went in focused. The end result was an avg of 232 over 31 games and a 9th place finish. I was very pleased. I went head to head with the guys that everyone 'feared' and beat some of them. 

Life took the front seat for the next year, which brings me to today. Looking back at my game and skills, I know for a fact that I am a schlub bowler. Better than the average Joe, but no where near where I need to be to compete. Bad thing is, I still have something to prove to myself. So this brings me to this blog. Some of my goals are to roll the US Open, Team USA Trials, and Nationals to prove that I can compete and not come in last. I plan on sharing bowling news in the industry, track my progress, and share what is on my mind about the sport. In short, this is where I will document my new endeavor in life and bowling...