Saturday, March 17, 2007

Week 11 - March 13, 2007

Our 0-7 effort in week 10 dropped us to 14th place overall with a 27-43 record. Fortunately for us we drew the 18th place team in week 11 and things were looking good. Until we started to bowl, that is, and we felt like the post-Jordan Bulls, the early years. We dropped another 7 to the last place team in the league. An 0-14 run in the heart of the season is not what the new guys need to do to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with next fall.

We did have a few highlights (despite the fact we lost the first game by 13 pins and the last game by 8 pins). Jim M.'s Sammy Sosa-like refusal to ever bowl in the 3rd spot again proved to be prophetic as he bowled his high game for the year (191 vs 181) and had an excellent 488 series bowling in the 4th spot. "Steady Eddie" Dan followed with a 439 (bowling right at his 146+ average), "Slowly climbing the ladder" Mark was next with 434, "The stakes are too high" Jim D. had a 402 and "Dr. Jekyl / Mr. Hyde" Brian brought up the rear with a 390. The almost 4 pin average jump that Brian made up on Jim M. for top bowler (can a team on an 0-14 run really have a "top" bowler?) was lost this week as the pendulum swung the other way.

Jim M.'s disgruntled tirade regarding his bowling position and Brian's testosterone-tainted "leapfrog" smack talk directed at Dan aside, the battle for year-end top bowler honors is still up in the air. Watch out fellas, as you two have your wild weekly average swings, there is someone quietly waiting in the wings.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Week 10 - March 6, 2007

Our 5-2 record in week 9 moved us up to 13th and in week 10 we had El Captain back in the saddle. Things were looking good....until we started to bowl.

Solid efforts by Pat (flirting with the 500 series with a 497) and Brian (a solid 485 series) were wasted as Jim M., Dan and Mark all bowled below their averages. These sub par efforts resulted in an 0-7 weekly record and surely a move down in the standings next week. Pat's 3 games in the 160's led to a 497 series, followed by Brian (485), Dan (427), Jim M. (416) and Mark (343).

Pat's impressive night moves him into the 2nd highest series for the year (verse 511). There was an interesting move in averages up at the top. Almost 4 pins were made up by the 1 time team anchor (Brian) verses the new king of the pins (Jim M.). Could the burden of being the team "leader" be too much pressure for Jim M.? Talk in the locker room revolved around a certain team member being displeased with the order in which he had to bowl. This could be an interesting competition to round out the season and Brian appears to have thrown down the challenge.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Week 9 - February 27

Our dismal team effort of 0-7 in week 8 put us at our lowest point in the overall standings for the year at 14th. Four dedicated and concerned members of the team attended the Sunday practice session. Nothing too exciting other than Pat earning our team's first, and only, 4 strike burrito.

Week 9 did not start out too well when we realized El Captain had taken our 1 set of cards with him to the fantasy bowling camp in Vegas (Brian, they supply the cards there). The high stakes "secondary" games within the games were in jeopardy. Thankfully our opponents had a spare deck and suddenly things were looking up! Would Pat continue to enjoy his knack of "coming in the back door"?

Inspired by the return of team anchor Jim M., we had a solid effort and came away with a 5-2 record. Jim M. led the way with a 475, Dan 466, Jim H. 453, Mark 350 and Pat 347. Highlights included Dan with season high games (182 vs. 175) and series (466 vs. 461). Jim H. also enjoyed his best series (453 vs. 435). Was Jim H.'s success brought on by his realization that you can indeed score better with 15 pound blue balls verse pink balls? He made the switch midway through the night and the scores speak for themselves. However, Jim H. did really seem motivated to get as many cards as possible (hmmm), avoiding the dreaded and shameful "hit the hip" move. The team also had its best individual score of the year (794 vs. 783). There still is time for a team 800 game and an individual 200. How about week 10?

Pat flirted with becoming the 4th LosDiablos to fail to score in triple digits but he avoided that with a 103. Unfortunately this was a new low for the year (vs. 106) and contributed to his series low for the year (347 vs. 372). Jim H., taking a moment to look up from studying his poker hand, put a well placed hand upon Pat's shoulder and said "at least you broke a 100!". That's nice Jim, but this isn't little league, this is the Villa Park Tuesday night MEN'S bowling league.