Week 13 and week 14 updates

Week 13 (11/20/07) we were without the services of big Jim who was out in the wilderness guarding sheep on Brokeback Mountain.....or was it hunting deer in Wisconsin? Either way we missed his wit and wisdom. With Todd R. throwing the hook with a houseball on the way to a 450 series, we won the evening 5-2 by a total of 3 pins!!! Thank goodness Brian stepped up his game from the previous week's 383 and coaxed another 6 pins to fall this week. The 389 series put us over the top. Pat and Rick led the team with a 508 and 512 series.

Week 14 (11/27/07) The standings sheet reflected our slim 1 point lead on the previous week's sheet (50 to 49) had grown to a 6 point margin on the strength of last week's 5 pointer and the 2nd place team's 0-7 effort. Thanks to a 3rd game rally, we were able to squeak out 2 points and ensure that we will still be in first place next week.

With the exception of Rick (202 and 179) all team members were below their averages for the 1st 2 games. This led to team scores of 772 and 763, well below our team average of 787. This stellar effort led to a good ole' fashion ass kicking and we were down 140 pins with only 1 game to go and our 1st place standing in jeopardy. A shot of tequila later and the team rallied for a 3rd game score of 902, all team members except Dan exceeding their averages. Dan, throwing a strike and falling across the foul line for the 2nd time this year, has been banned from using the men's room for the rest of the year.

Some notable scores from the evening: Pat entering into the "less then girly" territory with a 114, Rick with a career best 216 (previous 211) and an awesome 597 series (previous 536). One can only think what would the score have been if he had not left the 9th and 10th frame open in game 2 and had not thrown the dreaded gutter ball in the 10th frame of the 3rd game. Pat achieved the 3 strike turkey and Rick the 4 strike burrito. As Rick pointed out later, maybe if Pat was not wearing the size 14-16 boys pants he had on, he could have achieved the burrito, too. Based on Pat's "no-hands" package adjustment, seems as if he could have used a pair of Sansabelts with a skoatch more room in the crotch.

Huh oh, we stubbed our toe!

Hot off our 5-2 week against Morningwood from the week before, Los Diablos entered week 12 solidly in 1st place with a 50 and 27 record and up 6 in the "won" column. Welcoming back team captain Brian and super sub Jim H., we were feeling pretty good.....until we started to bowl. The team average had crept to a franchise best 791 on the strength of solid weekly team efforts usually paced by 1 or 2 members having exceptional weeks. There were no exceptional efforts ths week although Jim H. did improve his average by over 3 pins.


Now on to the gruesome details. If a score in the 120's is girly, what do you call a score 30 pins BELOW that? Although a 92 would probably place in the top 10% of the Naperville area Brownie bowling tournament, unfortunately this is the Villa Park men's league and they will not allow us to use bumpers despite the obvious fact that they would certainly help. A no-show series of 414 (138 for each game, 10 below average) would have done the team better than the childlike 383 series turned in by our fearless leader.

On the strength of a final game 212 Dan stopped the downward trend of the last 4 weeks and actually increased his average 0.8. Pat bowled right at his average and for the 2nd consecutive week was the king of Huntington, edging out Jim M. once again. Even captain Brian took note and pointed out this recent trend to the man who would be king. Always the wordsmith, Jim replied "Look at this, I'm taking crap from Mr. 383!!"

Let's re-group and hope that the 2nd place team did not take 7 last week.

11/6 The domination continues

Los Diablos ventured into the other division and took on Morningwood (not literally, that was the name of the team!). It was Pat's efforts with a high game of 210 which lead to a career high series of 562 (previous 529) that propelled us to the 5 - 2 victory. Jim also had a stellar evening with a 553 series but appeared to be a little upset by the fact that the guy with the 133 average all last year had beaten him this evening. Jim misdirected his displeasure at Dan, declaring that Dan's nightly position as the 5th bowler was quite appropriate since he had been such an anchor around the team's neck the last few weeks.
Wow...why such anger?

Rick appeared to be burdened with the pressure that goes along with being the team's top bowler (169 avg) and struggled to a sub par 462 series. Like a junkie looking for a quick score, Rick scrounged the alley and willingly accepted a new ball from a large bearded man. Playing with both his balls (is this called "masterbowling"?) Rick just could not get the pins to fall to his satisfaction.

Pat and Dan did enjoy numerous "that's unfortunate" toasts at the other team's expense as they enjoyed yet another successful evening as Los Diablos.

It was a SCARY night

The day before Halloween did not prove to be a good one for Los Diablos as they took some of their own medicine and were handed a 2-5 defeat. Despite rumors that there may have been some under the counter cash exchange for a certain team member to throw the games, we actually had a solid evening, bowling above the team's average.

In a similar "blood is thicker than beer" vein, accusations were flying that a certain family member of the author got a pass in the blog write-ups. This week it is hard not to mention the flaccid 431 effort put forth by Pat. Maybe if he had spent a little more time concentrating on knocking down the pins and a little less time creating his infantile "kick-me" type sign to stick on Jim's back (yes, that same back from last week!!), he could have scored better.

On the positive side, Rick (536 series) and Jim (518) continued their battle for team leader. Rick has successfully moved to the top with a 169, Jim is at 167.4 and Dan is at 166.7. Rick was overheard the next day at work stating: "I have only just begun!!" Is that a challenge, a threat or just supreme confidence? Let's get back on track boys, we took some losses this week when we actually bowled above average. It is all about matching (then exceeding) the team we are competing against on any given week.



When we started out we may have been worst, but look at us now, we are still in FIRST!! Let's kick some ass!!!!!!!

Any more 2nd place "challengers"?

There comes a time when the cream rises to the top and the true champions stand up and declare for all the world to see that they are for real. For the 2nd week in a row Los Diablos was faced with a "challenge" from a 2nd place team (the previous 2nd place team was down to 3rd after the 5-2 beating the week before). The killer instinct came out and the jugular was exposed as a career team high 901 (previous 877) contributed to a career high series of 2523 (2487). A 7-0 shellacking made the case quite nicely that we are for real!

The strong showing was led by Jim's(555) and Rick's (526) 500+ series. Dan (497) and Pat (490) flirted with 500 and despite failing to obtain the "girly" standard of 120 (named for Jim's early season troubles) Brian had a solid 455. His 118 tied his previous low for the year but was no where near the team low of 85 (anybody owning that one?).

Everyone is familiar with a Jack-in-the Box, right? Well how about a Dick-on-the-back? I am not sure if I was more disturbed by the grey haired gentleman slowly rubbing his Depends encased schwanz across Jim's back every time he got "up" to bowl or by the fact that someone (we know who!) kept farting every 10 minutes. Those 2 items may not be as concerning to some as Dan's turkey gobble and finger gesture or Rick's "I got a friend who can slap his nuts against his cheeks" story!!!

Every week is a fun filled occasion full of laughter and good ole fashion male bonding. This year's team success has only made Tuesdays that much more enjoyable. See you next week boys.

It's all about BOWLING average!!

Apparently Brian was mis-quoted last entry. It is not about "being" average it is about "bowling" average. This held true for Los Diablos as our 1st place standing was put to the test during position week. We averaged a 780 (compared to our team average of 778) and we put further distance between us and the "challengers" by taking 5 points.


The team average was greatly assisted by Rick's excellent 534 series. Contrary to Jim's claim that tequila shots will improve our games, Rick's scores appear to be indicative of the cumulative effect of alcohol on athletic performance....a 211 followed by a 181 followed by a 142. Pat (180, 144, 123) and Dan (160, 147, 126)had similar results as well as the unconventional "no strikes" for either of them in game 3. Although at one point Pat hung his head and mumbled "Oh no, looks like the bad Jim is back", Jim M. had a solid 517 series as he quietly sets his sights on regaining his role as team leader. Hey Dan, maybe if you took your left hand off your throat as you bowled you would score better than a 433 series.....where is your string of 500+ series now?


Brian's 138, 139, 134 games almost appeared as if he was a no show and we just entered in 10 below his average across the board. My apologies for the lack of acknowledgement of last week's burrito achievements by Jim and Brian. Jim earned another one this week. Rick needs to join the team burrito bonanza as Dan earned one in the 1st week of October and Pat earned one on a Sunday practice session.

....and then there were Five

A week earlier than expected, the Assman showed up to fill the roster and complete what should be a solid team to head into the 2nd half of the 16 week fall season. Although we slipped out of 1st a couple weeks ago, we are in a solid position to finish in the top two and earn a playoff spot. In his 1st appearance with the team, Rick repeatedly declared how he was deliberately bowling poorly for the benefit of the team. Sure, Rick....way to take one for the team!

Spurred on by Brian's"girly 120's" comment directed at him, Jim came out of the gate with a solid 137. Not exactly awe inspiring play but it was above 120! Dan, desperately searching for something to get Jim back on track, deftly tucked his orange Illini shirt into his whitey-tighteys hoping this little act would get Jim's mind off his inability to score higher than his daughter at a bumper bowling birthday party. Jim quickly took the bait and declared to all within earshot "those aren't whitey-tighteys, those are Ralph Lauren!" A 197 and 211 followed along with Jim's declaration that he was back.

Pat continued his recent torrid pace and hit the 500 series mark for the 3rd consecutive week. Nothing really of note, just 3 solid games at what should be his new weekly goal. Dan, distracted by the new seating arrangement and the uncomfortable feeling that someone was staring at his rear-end, had an uninspired 462, returning his average to the 170 he had a week ago. Last but not least, Brian had the unlikely combination of bowling his season high game of 206 (vs 168) and his season low 118 (vs 122) in the same evening. The "jump off the cliff" progression of scores (206, 145, 118) led Brian to once again repeat his motto: "It's all about being average".