Week 16- April 17, 2007

The opening comment can only be reserved for El Captain Brian.....finishing the 3rd game with the rare double burrito!! Eight consecutive strikes to record the individual high game of the year of 218. This excellent effort got the team within 1 pin of 800. Those "almost" strikes by Dan and Jim M. (9 pins with the 10th doing everything but actually falling) immediately preceding Brian's 10th frame turkey look pretty large now. Despite speculation that Pat would do almost anything once a dollar bet was on the line, it is quite obvious what motivates Brian. Great job Brian and don't spend the $3 all in one place.

Last week we couldn't break 700 in one game, this week we did it in all three. A 701 followed by a 700 only proved what 42 previous games had proved....we are a 700 per game team. In 42 games we had 29,399 pins, that's about exactly a 700 average as you can get. Not being outdone by Brian's terrific 3rd game run, Jim M. led the team with a 494 series, Brian (471), Dan (432), Pat (420) and Mark (383). This was a pretty good team effort, everyone's average went up, although our total series of 2200 was not a season high.

Some interesting "highlights"....Mark with the unusual double gutter, Dan with a gutter on a spare (followed by a 1), Pat with a gutter on a double strike, and Jim M. with a 1st ball 1. You don't need to look very far for pins that were left out on the lanes that could have gotten us over the 800 mark. Maybe if Dan had not shortchanged the entry fee pot ("I forgot!!'...yeah, right)the bowling gods would have given us one more pin (thanks Jim M. for stepping up with the cash).

Week 15 - April 10, 2007

Everyone's average went down with the exception of Mark....his average did not change. Our high score in the 1st game was a 133 (Pat, new ball and all) and our high game for the evening was 165 (Dan). While one of our stated goals is to bowl an 800 game, we did not even break 600 in the 1st game or 700 for the evening!!! Sounds like a dismal evening considering we were playing "Big Dog" and the 8th place team. However, handicaps are a wonderful thing and we successfully brought 5 quality bowlers down to our level and we actually won the evening 4-3.

It was quite humorous (considering the qualify of our collective games tonight) to hear the macho talk of how, of course, Los Diablos was going to return in the fall and that we were a force be reckoned with for years to come. That being said, Dan led the charge tonight with a 400 series, Pat (397), Jim M. (393), Mark (371) and Brian (367).

As we move into the final stretch of the season in 15th place, I am thinking a more appropriate slogan may be "We're not close to the best but may be the worst, there's not a chance in hell we'll finish first".

Week 14 - April 3, 2007

On March 27, 4 regulars were out of action including the author. Brian was joined by regular sub Jim D. and the first appearance of Todd. Jim D. finished with an excellent 187 to lead the team with a series of 465, followed by Brian (424) and Todd (398).

April 2 saw the return of the Fab Five (who are we kidding?) with all the regulars in place. Pat's enthusiasm (juiced by his recent insight into the secret of bowling discovered on a Sunday solo practice session) was contagious as we set our sights high to climbing to 13th and "earning" an additional $30!!!!!!

Jim M. left his emotionally-stressed out baggage at the door and had a dominating performance with a 544 series. Hey, Jim, could you do a few more tax returns right before next week? Unfortunately, that is where the good numbers end. Mark was next 139 pins behind (405), Dan (399), Brian (397) and Pat (373). Pat, maybe you should give up the Sunday masterbowling or try the other hand! Your solid 166 was packaged between a 110 and a 97 (joining Mark, Brian and Jim M. in the sub-100 club).