So when I said "later tonight," what I really meant was "next week." Those who know me best have come to expect this sort of procrastination... In any case, it's Monday afternoon, which means we're getting set for Week 2 of the Midas Sport Shot League. I'll get you caught up on the action from Week 1, and then give a little preview of what to expect in Week 2.

26 bowlers showed up to accept the challenge last week, a decent if not spectacular turnout. The proceedings began with several moments of confusion as we tried to figure out the initial lane assignments- I definitely need to have a more concrete plan in place for next year! Once everyone knew where they were going and got situated on their lanes, it was time to start bowling. My opponent in games 1 & 2 was Allen "Spitfire" Hester, a multi-year veteran of Sport Leagues past. Allen throws a fairly straight, down-and-in type ball that suits the requirements of Sport Bowling to a "T." On the normal house shot, Allen probably carries a 170-180 average, and in those conditions I may have considered myself the favorite. As I said last week, however, the PBA Experience oil patterns generally seem to level the playing field, and I knew I had my hands full in this one. I bowled badly in game 1, and Allen took advantage of a double in the tenth frame to beat me by a single pin, 150-149. I improved slightly in game 2, as I managed to convert several testy one-pin spares. This improvement wasn't enough to get me the win, however, as Allen's 187 easily bested my 163. Two games, two losses, and a 157 average. Not exactly the flying start I had hoped for.

I then switched over to Lanes 27-28 for games 3 and 4. I'd be facing Denny Anderson, a solid bowler and another cagey Sport League veteran. I made one or two adjustments going into game 3, and they seemed to pay off as I came up with my best game of the night, a 189. I would've had 200 if I hadn't chopped the eminently makable 6-10 spare in the tenth. It didn't come back to haunt me, though, as Denny didn't bowl his best, and I managed to pull out the victory. I bowled OK in game 4, but found myself tiring a bit towards the end. I'm sure this was due to a combination of the extra game vs. normal league play, the rapid pace of our bowling, and my own suspect physical conditioning. Regardless, my 173 wasn't quite enough, and Denny took game 4.

In terms of results, then, I enter Week 2 with a 169 average and a 1-3 record. Not disastrous, but not where I wanted to be, either. My only real disappointment is in not taking game 1 from Allen. If I can't shoot 150 when I need to, I'm going to have real problems in this league. Oh well, onward & upward, Week 2 is on the Viper again tonight so we'll see if I learned anything from the experience. My first opponent is Mike Mason, who rolled last week's high game at 241. Could be trouble in paradise.

I'll let you know how it goes before next Monday!

Cheers,
Billy G.