Former MLB pitcher John Burkett returns to PBA

image source: PBA

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.

Terrell Owens to bowl in PBA World Series of Bowling

image source: PBA

On March 13, my blog entry discussed Terrell's attempt to bowl at the elite level. Can't say I was surprised to see so many negative comments when he bowled at the USBC Championships in May and his upcoming debut in the PBA World Series of Bowling at South Point in Las Vegas this weekend. However, most that follow the sport of bowling closely support TO's efforts.

Longtime PBA veteran bowler Norm Duke said it best:
"It's unfair for all the bowlers in the world to compare him with us...He does have a pretty good fundamentally sound bowling game, but we should be fair to him. He knows his role here. He wants to see what it is like."--Associated Press, October 24, 2013.

For those naysayers that likely didn't know, Terrell's average during the USBC Championships was about 167. Not great, but not terrible either. It's my guess Terrell will do better than he did in March.

Best of luck to you this weekend, T.O.

Terrell Owens - PBA League Owner, Dallas Strikers

image source: PBA

Last week, I wrote about Bobby Valentine, a former baseball player and manager figure not very well liked among his peers. This week, it's former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens.

Less than a season out of professional football, Terrell is now actively involved as a PBA League team owner. In what I've seen so far in his short tenure as owner of the Dallas Strikers, he's been nothing but enthusiastic, gracious and respectful. A complete contrast from his days as a gridiron gazelle.

Terrell and Jerome Bettis (Motown Muscle owner) bowled the ceremonial first roll to begin the season. There was some unfair criticism of Terrell when he was seen texting from his cell phone during one of the televised matches. True. He was tweeting details of the match. I've seen him sit with his Strikers team during several PBA League matches.

In last week's PBA League Clash, he was the only owner to sit with the only Dallas Striker in the clash, Rhino Page (1st player selected in the draft). Below is the unedited version of the match. If you're pressed for time, the last 5 minutes of the video will show you Terrell's presence wasn't just window dressing.