Weber Cup 2016

source: Twitter @WeberCup
L: Parker Bohn III, R: Dom Barrett

On Friday, August 5, Weber Cup 2016 begins a series of bowling matches between Team Europe (host team) versus Team USA. First match is Baker format (each team member bowls 2 or more frames).

For Team Europe, Dom Barrett (captain), Martin Larsen, and Stuart Williams return from 2015. Sweden's Jesper Svensson will be making his Weber Cup debut. Earlier this year, Jesper was the youngest player at age 20 to win the PBA Tournament of Champions (see February 6, 2016 blog entry)

Team USA will have 2 returning members, Parker Bohn III (captain) and Wes Malott. Making their Weber Cup debuts are Marshall Kent and Kyle Troup.
NOTE: To the Weber Cup webmaster, the US states Marshall and Kyle are incorrectly listed. Marshall is from Washington, Kyle is from North Carolina.

I like that new blood has been brought in. Jesper is 21, Marshall is 23 and Kyle is 24. Last year, Team Europe pulverized (17-8, see October 21, 2015 entry) Team USA and I don't see that it'll be any different this year. Team Europe retained 3 of their 4 from 2015, which gives them a considerable advantage in depth and experience. However, I'd never count out Team USA as underdogs, especially with Marshall Kent.

The other notable change to Weber Cup this year is the World Bowling Tour point system. It was first shown on ESPN in February for the World Bowling Tour Championship (see February 21, 2016 entry).

As explained on Weber Cup's website:
World Bowling Scoring maintains the traditional 10-frame scoring format but awards 30 pins for a strike, 10 pins for a spare plus the pin fall of the first shot in the frame, and actual pin fall after two shots in an open frame. The maximum score is still 300 and this figure is based on the player receiving 10 consecutive strikes with no bonus pins being awarded in the 10th frame.

Like the 2-handed delivery, the WBT point system has its detractors. In my opinion, the sport needs to evolve in order to survive. With the PWBA in its second season and the PBA League now considered a success, evolution of the sport is happening whether you like it or not.

Team Colombia - 2 PWBA Titles in 2016

source: PWBA
Clara Guerrero, 2016 PWBA Players Championship

source: PWBA
Rocio Restrepo, 2016 PWBA Greater Detroit Open

The international presence on this year's PWBA tour continues. Last month, it was Singapore's Cherie Tan and Bernice Lim (see July 3, 2016 blog entry). This month, Clara Guerrero and Rocio Restrepo.

From YouTube's HappyBowlers.com, PWBA Go Bowling Players Championship:


And from bowlingvideos4all, here's the PWBA Greater Detroit Open:

The Identity Theft of Mitch Mustain - Sports Documentary

source: sportinglifearkansas.com

If you're a regular follower of this blog, it's obvious sports takes up a lot of my time.

An itinerary of my last 3 weekends:

• Birthday night at the Giants - A's game at the Oakland Coliseum. 
• Drove 89 miles to Modesto in 100 degree heat for a 5-game bowling tournament. 
• Watched ESPN's 30 for 30's latest feature on "Doc and Darryl", a story about New York Mets teammates Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Darryl Strawberry.

After the Padres swept the Giants and no longer in the mood for a movie repeat, I switched to Amazon Prime video. Scrolled the not-so-great choices for over 15 minutes to look for something decent to watch. Finally, a sports documentary caught my eye: "The Identity Theft of Mitch Mustain".

Directed by Matthew Wolfe and narrated by former University of Arkansas men's basketball coach Nolan Richardson, the film examines the promising football career of quarterback Mitch Mustain. His career went completely bust after his first year with the Razorbacks.

For sports fans and Amazon Prime subscribers (statistically almost half of all US households), it's a fascinating look at how difficult it is to pursue a sports career at the elite level. Too many missteps from the "adults" he relied upon for guidance.

As of 2014, Mitch is no longer playing football at any competitive level.

Sneak peek:

Danielle McEwan, 2016 PWBA Wichita Open Champion

source: Bowl.com

Congratulations to Danielle McEwan on winning last week's PWBA Wichita Open, her first PWBA title for 2016.

Here's the championship match (thanks YouTube's HappyBowlers.com)

Team Singapore - 2 PWBA Titles in 2016

source: Bowl.com
Bernice Lim, 2016 USBC Queens Champion

source: PWBA
Cherie Tan, 2016 PWBA Storm Sacramento Open Champion

These women are at it again. For a country with a population of just under 5.5 million (San Francisco Bay Area is over 6 million), they are dominating women's bowling. Two more from the Singapore Women's National Bowling team took 2 PWBA titles this season.

Congratulations Bernice Lim and Cherie Tan.

Here's Bernice in action
Source: YouTube's bosares


And here's lefty Cherie Tan:
Source: YouTube's Mousa Abdullah


Take careful watch of the audience in both matches. Teammates Jazreel Tan  (see June 3, 2013 entry) and Shayna Ng  (see May 20, 2013 entry) can be seen and heard cheering on their teammates.