It started off with a live broadcast of the PBA Hall of Fame Classic. San Francisco native Darren Tang came into the stepladder as the number 1 seed.
One of the newest inductees into the PBA Hall of Fame was the number 2 seed, Tommy Jones. He defeated Chris Barnes in an ugly game, 190-169 to advance to the final match.
And what a final.
Like mom Oksana Kovalova's first TV match to watch daughter Dasha bowl a 300 last August, Tommy's mom Linda's first TV match was to see her son bowl a perfect game.
The 300 game comes in TJ's 20th professional season, his 20th PBA title in the year 2020.
At about the time the PBA Playoffs began, Focused TV aired a mini-documentary on the PBA Tour. It includes interviews with PBA Commissioner Tom Clark, current PBA members Jason Belmonte, Bill O'Neill, Kyle Troup and Norm Duke.
If you don't follow the PBA, or haven't in some time, the interviews will help you bridge the old versus the new PBA. If you have about 20 minutes, it's worth a watch.
source: Twitter/PBA
L to R: Rob Stone, Kimberly Pressler, Randy Pedersen
UPDATE: Two of my favorites on the PBA tour, Dom Barrett and Marshall Kent made the PBA Clash Finals. Marshall surged back with 4 consecutive strikes (HAMBONE) to defeat Dom 218-215.
Next week, on December 23, the PBA moves from ESPN to Fox Sports. The televised schedule on the PBA website has broadcasts begin next week and go through mid-June.
For this avid PBA fan, this is very exciting. The move to FOX reunites former ESPN PBA sportscaster Rob Stone with Randy Pedersen and Kimberly Pressler.
Congratulations to Dom Barrett on his sixth PBA title, defeating Kyle Troup, 267-204.
Guest commentator Jesper Svensson has close ties to both bowlers. Jesper was Dom's Weber Cup teammate for the past 2 years. With Kyle, they won the Roth-Holman PBA Doubles in 2017.
My Ohio State color blindness couldn't help but notice the scarlet and gray on Dom's jersey and Dexter's HT 9 shoes (see August 27, 2017 blog entry).
This title was especially gratifying for Dom. As it was this year, Dom was the top seed going into the stepladder final 2 years ago. He lost the match to PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli.
Here's the YouTube video of the match.Take a close listen of the ball roll. This bowling center has wood lanes - which are rare these days. My Wednesday night league at Classic Bowl in Daly City converted from wood to synthetic about 4 years ago.
Televised today on ESPN, and streamed live on ESPN3 on November 18 (see November 5 entry), a big congratulations to Liz Johnson for winning her first PBA title, the Chameleon Championship,
The Chameleon Championship was the 2nd of 7 tournaments in PBA's World Series of Bowling at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
2017 has been a terrific year for Liz. She won her 4th consecutive PWBA US Open title (see August 6, 2017 entry). She had to battle way up the stepladder as the 5th seed to defeat 4 bowlers to do it.
Kelly Kulick was the last female to win a PBA title (Tournament of Champions) in 2010. She defeated Chris Barnes, 265-195.
It seems nearly every time PBA announces a tournament winner on Facebook, there is a litany of complaints that the tournaments should be televised live.
As I said in my February 7, 2016 entry, I'll put it gently. The 20th century ended 15 years ago. There are too many other sports venues with larger markets where bowling cannot compete. Not going to happen.
Suggestion: Wait a week or so and watch it on PBA's YouTube channel. Nearly all the televised matches can be found there.
Or, subscribe to xtraframe. Yes, it will cost money. If you're that much of a bowling enthusiast, then it's as much value as a Hulu or Netflix subscription.
I'll close with thoughts on men who comment about opening PWBA events to men for equality's sake.
My rebuttal: it isn't equality.
It's why you don't see men playing women's volleyball, basketball, hockey, or sports. In other words, most women physically cannot match in size and strength to men.
However, when a woman like Kelly or Liz does win, are you threatened by the idea she is better than you?
Below is video of the match. If you watch to the end, you'll see how happy Wes Malott and Anthony Pepe are to see Liz win.
Bowling fans - set your calendars. See below listed schedule.
As it was last year, ESPN3 will stream live (online only) the World Series of Bowling finals from Reno's National Bowling Stadium (cable or satellite subscription required).
If you miss any of them, not to worry. All events on the schedule will be aired on ESPN (dates not yet announced).
Bowlers will include Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts, who participated in his first WSOB in 2015.
It was a big fat goose egg for all my sports teams this weekend.
NCAA - Ohio State, ranked #2 at gametime, lost to #5 Oklahoma, 31-16. The game was close (3-3 at the half) until the 4th quarter. Then Oklahoma took over.
PBA - US lost to Europe for the 5th consecutive year in Weber Cup, 18-12. As a big fan of Team Europe's captain Dom Barrett, the loss didn't sting so much. Of course, it helps to have the entire team return from last year (Martin Larsen, Jesper Svensson and Stu Williams).
There's a lot to be said about having bowled previously in Weber Cup. US newcomer/2017 PBA Player of the Year EJ Tackett was manhandled in a singles match versus Stu Williams.
MLB - In what has been the worst season in 32 years, the San Francisco Giants lost to the Chicago White Sox 13-1, and today, 8-1.
NFL - Kyle Shanahan's coaching debut with the San Francisco 49ers results in a 23-3 loss.
It was an 0-for-4 weekend. Ugh.
Tomorrow's another day. And a new bowling season of Monday night league. You can't win if you haven't experience loss.
Congratulations to E.J.Tackett for winning this year's PBA World Championship. A remarkable feat as this was E.J.'s second straight year in the finals match. He lost to Gary Faulkner Jr. in 2015.
Previous winners Tom Smallwood (2009) and my fave Dom Barrett (2013) finished 2nd and 3rd. Jason Belmonte finished 4th and Anthony Simonsen 5th.
Today's match aired live on ESPN. Yesterday, the other 5 tournaments that make up the World Series took place.
Oil pattern names:
Chameleon, Cheetah, Scorpion, Shark, and Viper.
I spent most of the day watching them all live. But not on television. On my laptop.
How? On ESPN3, ESPN's online streaming service (cable/satellite subscription required). Yeah, the same service that makes available college football and basketball games you can't get on television.
As written in my February 7, 2016 posting: There will always be complainers that want matches to air live on a broadcast network like ABC (as it did 50+ years ago) or CBS (instead of CBS Sports Network) I'll put it gently. The 20th century ended 15 years ago. There are too many other sports venues with larger markets where bowling cannot compete. Not going to happen.
It may not have happened on TV, but for me, live on ESPN3 is a terrific 21st century solution.
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.
Congratulations to Jesper Svensson of Sweden in becoming the youngest bowler (age 20) to win the PBA Tournament of Champions.
As I was at bowling practice this morning, I didn't get a chance to watch today's PBA TOC. It's programmed in my DVR and will likely watch after the Super Bowl.
With the return of the PWBA and PBA's Summer Swing, it's wonderful for pro bowling followers like me to be able to see bowling nearly year round.
From October to April, ESPN or ESPN2 airs PBA matches on Sundays, From May to August/September, CBS Sports Network airs the PBA Summer Swing and will air PWBA matches.
There will always be complainers that want matches to air live on a broadcast network like ABC (as it did 50+ years ago) or CBS (instead of CBS Sports Network).
I'll put it gently. The 20th century ended 15 years ago. There are too many other sports venues with larger markets where bowling cannot compete. Not going to happen.
I realize CBS Sports Network for many of you is considered a premium channel and isn't part of the standard cable package.
Suggestion: Wait a week or so and watch it on PBA's YouTube channel. Nearly all the televised matches can be found there. Best part, most of the commercials have been taken out. NO TV ads. FREE.
Here's last week's DHC PBA Invitational Finals (bummed Dom Barrett lost, but very happy Amleto Monacelli won) :
source: GoBowling.com
Kim Bolleby, Jakob Butturff, Ryan Ciminelli, Gary Faulkner Jr.
The above picture says it all. Yesterday's finalists in the PBA Viper Championship were all lefties. Congratulations to Ryan Ciminelli for winning his second major PBA tournament.
In case you missed it (as I did - upgraded to a new cable box this week), it's now available on YouTube.
source: PBA Tour
L to R: EJ Tackett, Ryan Ciminelli, Gary Faulkner Jr., Scott Norton, Rhino Page
source: PBA
L to R: Norm Duke, Parker Bohn III, Paul Moor, Andrew Cain
This past week, ESPN aired the Rolltech PBA Championship (live - very cool) and the Cheetah Championship from the place I've bowled Labor Day weekend for the past 4 years, National Bowling Stadium in Reno.
Of the 9 finalists pictured, all but 2 of them are left-handed bowlers - Norm Duke and EJ Tackett. I find it funny that both are on the far left-side of the photos. Congratulations to Gary Faulkner Jr. for his first PBA title winning the Rolltech Championship, and to Parker Bohn III for the Cheetah Championship.
Special shout out to UK's Paul Moor, who made his first PBA TV final. Paul's also a former Weber Cup teammate of Dom Barrett.
Also in pro bowling news, Danielle McEwen's hot streak continues. Danielle and Liz Johnson were selected in the 2016 PBA League draft. Danielle will bowl for Del Ballard's Motown Muscle. Liz, for the Portland Lumberjacks.
In case you missed the live telecast of the Rolltech stepladder finals, it's here and on YouTube. Mookie Betts sits in the booth for a bit and shares his WSOB experiences. You'll also see him sitting in the front row later in the broadcast.
Ryan Ciminelli, 2015 Bowlmor AMF US Open winner source: Bowl.com
Congratulations to lefty Ryan Ciminelli on winning the 2015 Bowlmor AMF US Open today. He defeated 4th seed and this author's favorite bowler Dom Barrett. Dom defeated defending champion Wes Malott, longtime greats Norm Duke and Pete Weber in the stepladder finals before losing to Ryan, 236-223.
Special recognition to Danielle McEwan, who bowled well enough to qualify for match play, cashed out and finished in a tie for 23rd place with Dom's Weber Cup teammate, Stuart Williams.
If you didn't see the finals today, wait 1-3 weeks and it should be available for viewing on YouTube. As it is with major bowling tournaments, it was an exciting match to watch. So glad CBS Sports got Dave Lamont and PBA legend Marshall Holman to call the action.
I'll close with a slow motion video from the US Open featuring Ryan and my Storm Nation favorites featured right after each other: Marshall Kent, Danielle and Dom.
- Three gold medals (trios, team, Masters) and one bronze medal (doubles) at 2014 PABCON Championships
- Fourth at 2012 and 2013 QubicaAMF World Cup
- One gold medal (team) at 2012 WTBA World Youth Championships
- One gold medal (team) at 2011 PABCON Youth Championships
- Four gold medals (all-events, doubles, team, national all-events) and two silver medals (singles, mixed doubles) at 2011 Tournament of the Americas
Other
- 2012 and 2013 USBC Team USA Trials champion
- Runner-up at 2015 USBC Team USA Trials
- Third at 2013 U.S. Women's Open (see my July 20, 2013 blog entry)
- Bowled collegiately at Fairleigh Dickinson
- NCAA Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013
- First-team Collegiate All-American and Academic All-American in 2011, 2012 and 2013
- FDU Female Athlete of the Year in 2012 and 2013
- 2011, 2012 and 2013 Northeast Conference Bowler of the Year
- 2010 Collegiate Masters champion
- 2010 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and member of National Championship team
This is all very impressive. The long list continues to grow. For the past 2 months, Danielle's been on another planet.
-Wins PWBA Tour Championship
-Invited to 2015 World Women's Championships for Team USA
-Wins South Point PBA West Challenge
-Wins PBA Team Challenge with her team, Dead Money
What's inspiring about Danielle is her poise at such a young age. Her game should be shown on all bowling instructional videos, as her form is fundamentally sound.
You can see it here in the PWBA Southfield Open (Women's Tour Championship):
And as the only female on a team that bowled against the heavily favored 4 Majors and 100 at 1 (Bill O'Neill, Tommy Jones, Tom Daugherty, Wes Malott and Jason Belmonte), it was team work and calm under pressure which enabled them to win the 2-game Baker System match. For me, a big plus to see 2015 Weber Cup captain Dom Barrett appear as a guest analyst.
The PBA announced this week Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts received an invitation to bowl in PBA's World Series of Bowling in Reno's National Bowling Stadium December 7 - 19.
Like former MLB pitcher John Burkett (see May 18, 2014 blog entry), Mookie has bowled since childhood and currently carries a 200+ average.
Proof is in the pudding. Here's a Boston Herald video link of Mookie on a bowling outing with CSN NE. Below is a screenshot of his league averages from Bowl.com.
Geez Louise. His bowling average is almost as high as his 2015 batting average of .291. Forget about Be Like Mike. I wanna Be Like Mookie.
UPDATE - December 12, 2015: Mookie completed the World Series of Bowling across 4 animal patterns. Considering this was his debut on very tough lane conditions, he finished with a respectable 190 average.
As quickly as he learned to adjust from 2nd base to center field with the Red Sox, I have no doubt he'll do the same with bowling. I was so glad to read many skeptics became supporters when they saw Mookie bowl. Let's hope the PBA extends Mookie an invitation to bowl next year. And I'm certain his average will exceed 190.
source: PBA
From L to R: Dick Allen, Brad Angelo, Anthony Pepe, Liz Johnson
Today marked the 2014-15 opening season for the PBA on ESPN. The season opener started with the Cheetah Championship. Congratulations to Anthony Pepe, who won his first PBA title on TV.
For those of you that follow ESPN's PBA broadcasts, you'll notice the format is different. In previous years, it was a 2-hour stepladder format. A viewer would see the top 5 seeds bowl.
The first match would feature the #5 seed bowl against the #4 seed. The winner of that match would then bowl the #3 seed. It goes up the "stepladder" until the final match, which is against the #1 seed. On occasion (and pretty exciting to see) a #5 seed work his way up and defeat the top seed.
At least for today's and next week's match, these are the major changes:
Broadcast time is cut in half, from 2 hours to 1.
The top 4 seeds (rather than 5) bowl the finals on TV.
The #2, #3 and #4 seeds bowl each other in a 1-game match. Winner of that match meets the #1 seed in the finals.
As a big fan of the PBA tour and the broadcasts, I don't like it. Especially the reduction in air time from 2 hours to 1.
I know these matches have to compete with the much more popular and lucrative NFL, NBA and NHL games, but that's why I have a DVR. It enables me to watch the matches at a later time. Die hard bowling fans will say this is why I should subscribe to Xtra Frame. For $64.99/year, I may very well do that.
Based on the Xtra Frame preview (see below) of how the finalists made it to today's show, this big bowling fan might be so inclined.
As a huge fan of the San Francisco Giants and current bowling junkie, I'm very excited to hear former Major League Pitcher John Burkett is returning to the PBA tomorrow at Oklahoma's Grand Resort to bowl in the Wolf Open/PBA Summer Swing.
Burkett's return to bowling is his first love. His entry in the Wolf Open is preparation to join the PBA50 tour in 2015. Click here for more details.
During Burkett's pitching days as a San Francisco Giant, he bowled in a few PBA tournaments and bowled well enough to finish in the top 40. Along with former San Francisco 49er Terrell Owens' USBC debut in 2013 (current PBA team owner of the Dallas Strikers), and the upcoming pro debut of former college sensation Marshall Kent, these are all positive steps for the PBA.
If Burkett placed in PBA tournaments in the top 40 while he was a pitcher, I can only imagine how well he'll do now, as his focus will be entirely on bowling. I wish him the best.
