The PBA is going into the PPV biz with a fan-selected match between Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber.
It will be streamed live on pba.com’s “Xtra Frame” this evening beginning at 9:15 Eastern, and is avail-able to all “Xtra Frame” subscribers, who pay a monthly fee of $5.95. No word on what’s at stake in the match, although a “loser leaves town” stipulation has been rumored.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Second Half of the PBA Tour 2008/09 - Big Fun
While the first half of the 50th Anniversary 2008-09 season of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour has already provided many memorable highlights, the upcoming second half promises to be one of the most memorable in the history of the sport. Here are ten stories:
10. Immortality on tap for three:
For the first time since 2000, players will be added to the PBA Hall of Fame. And what a class it is. Led by the already legendary Norm Duke, fortified by Del Ballard Jr. and senior standout John Handegard, the group will be inducted as part of the gala celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the PBA at the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas Jan. 24. The great Nelson Burton Jr. will serve as the master of ceremonies for the inductions.
9. Two forms of “mixing” will shake things up - Mixed Doubles and Mixed Patterns:
10. Immortality on tap for three:
For the first time since 2000, players will be added to the PBA Hall of Fame. And what a class it is. Led by the already legendary Norm Duke, fortified by Del Ballard Jr. and senior standout John Handegard, the group will be inducted as part of the gala celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the PBA at the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas Jan. 24. The great Nelson Burton Jr. will serve as the master of ceremonies for the inductions.
9. Two forms of “mixing” will shake things up - Mixed Doubles and Mixed Patterns:
For the first time since the 90’s, an official PBA Tour Mixed Doubles event appears on the schedule. Named after perhaps the greatest married mixed doubles team ever, Don and Paula Carter, the mixed doubles finals will be taped on Jan. 11 at the National Bowling Stadium for broadcast Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 1 on ESPN. Getting the chance to see the world’s best men and women team up Baker style will be a treat.
And the first-ever mixed oil pattern events in the history of the PBA will be unveiled in the second half. The first taking place at the National Bowling Stadium Championship, where qualifying will include one block on the Shark pattern and another on the Cheetah, before match play and the televised finals feature the Shark on the left lane and Cheetah on the right on every pair. This intriguing set up will be on the first show of the second half of the season, Jan. 11 live on ESPN. Clearly defining the differences in the playing field on each lane based on the oil patterns used will be at once a great educational tool to engage fans and illuminate the uniquely versatile skills of the PBA players.
8. Xtra Frame takes it to another level:
PBA.com’s emerging Xtra Frame streaming video service, which provides live video from the match play round of events to decide the players who make The Show, plus added features such as tips and interviews from PBA stars, gets a new twist. On Wednesday, Jan. 7, a special exhibition match between PBA greats Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber will air live at 6:15 p.m. PT. The matchup was decided by a fan vote on pba.com, essentially bowling’s first pay-per-view event. Subscribers to Xtra Frame will get to see these two rivals duke it out, more special programming will pop up through the year.
7. Are two hands really better than one? Belmo returns:
One player generating plenty of buzz in the first half of the year was Australia’s Jason Belmonte, the two-handed international bowling star. He first turned heads at the PBA World Championship by jumping out to a huge qualifying lead before finishing 10th. Then he received two ultimately controversial Commissioner’s exemptions into events later in the first half, finishing 29th and 60th in those opportunities.
Now, he will bowl at least five more events in the second half, including four open field tournaments (Denny’s Dick Weber Open, USBC Masters, Etonic Marathon Open, 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open) and the GEICO Plastic Ball Championship TQR. Bowling fans around the world will be paying attention to the results.
6. Release of new 50 Greatest Players in PBA history book:
Fans will have the opportunity to own a beautiful book published by Luby Publishing, commemorating and spotlighting the 50 Greatest Players in the 50 year history of the PBA Tour. With stories, stats and photos on all of the 50 players written by many of the top bowling writers in history, it will be a “can’t miss” addition to any fan’s library.
Additionally, other exciting chances for fans to own a piece of the 50 Greatest players coming up in the second half of the year include ontheballbowling.com’s limited edition bowling balls with 50 Greatest player images, and a 50 Greatest Players trading card set.
5. Barnes and Weber and Jones... Oh my!:
The first half was relatively quiet for three of the Tour’s most recognizable fan favorites: Chris Barnes, Pete Weber and Tommy Jones. Only Barnes made one show this year out of the three, a second-place finish at the PBA World Championship. Will the three stars finish big in the second half of the year? History suggests nothing can keep these warriors on the sidelines when the lights come on for too long, which could mean major league fireworks on TV.
4. Player of the Year races for both the PBA and PBA Women’s Series heat up:
Wes Malott, Bill O’Neill and Parker Bohn III were the most consistent players across the first half, with Malott qualifying for four of the five PBA pattern championship shows and O’Neill making three TV appearances. But many points for the PBA Player of the Year award are available in the second half including three major championships, so the race is just out of the starting blocks.
On the PBA Women’s Series, with two events remaining on the 7-week schedule (Mixed Doubles and Earl Anthony Medford Classic) four players have already made multiple shows: Michelle Feldman, Carolyn-Dorin Ballard, Stefanie Nation and Jodi Woessner. Feldman’s two titles give her the edge right now. Plus, the PBA Women’s Series Showdown presented by USBC lurks, with a made-for-TV shootout format to end the year.
3. The PBA Extreme Swing goes into full effect:
The first-ever Extreme Swing not only features creative formats and unique televised finals but the top eight players off its own points list automatically qualify for the Six Flags Great America PBA Summer Shootout this summer at Six Flags in New Jersey. The first half of the season featured one Extreme Swing event, the Ultimate Scoring Championship won by Mike Wolfe, who sits atop the Extreme points standings. A look at the other Extreme events to pepper the schedule this second half live on ESPN:
Gieco Plastic Ball Championship, finals Feb. 22: For the first time ever on the PBA Tour, the world’s best bowlers are all given the exact model plastic (polyester) bowling ball. Which player will emerge when the equipment is the same for all?
Etonic Marathon Championship, finals March 1: A grueling format of 9 games each on all the different PBA oil patterns will result in a stepladder finals where the leader gets to choose which of the patterns is used on TV. It’s a first for a PBA event to use 6 different patterns during qualifying and a first for the leader to choose the pattern on The Show.
Don Johnson Buckeye State Eliminator, finals March 8: A unique elimination style format carries all the way from the match play portion of the event onto the TV show, where four bowlers will all bowl a game, eliminating one player. Then the remaining three bowl with one eliminated, with the final two squaring off for the title.
GoRVing Match Play Championship, finals March 22: Sixty-four players will be seeded into a bracket ranked by their place on the PBA Tour points list for a “win-or-go-home” match play event. The Show features another PBA Tour first: only the two finalists will appear on the telecast, going at it in a 3-game, total pins match for the title.
2. Who is the all-time No. 1? And then let the debate begin:
All season long, the PBA has counted down the 50 Greatest Players in PBA history with a feature tribute on the ESPN shows. Fans have seen the greats of the game from every era as they were ranked by a panel of experts. As the second half begins, only the three top spots remain to be unveiled. Deductive reasoning shows that Walter Ray Williams Jr., Dick Weber and Earl Anthony are the three players yet to be ranked. Where will they end up in the lineup? The No. 3 spot will be unveiled on the Jan. 11 show, a recap of the top 48 will appear on the Jan. 18 show, and on Jan. 25 Nelson Burton Jr. will be on hand at the H&R Block Tournament of Champions to unveil Nos. 1 and 2. There are no losers, only a celebration of the legends of the game.
In conjunction with this special moment in PBA history, the PBA and the Bowling Foundation will host a gala celebration the night before the Tournament of Champions final in Las Vegas. There, the greatest collection of bowling legends ever will be assembled. Over 44 of the living 50 Greatest will be on hand and highlights from the event will be on the Jan. 25 Tournament of Champions show.
1. THREE Major Championships:
The second half of the season features the most prestigious events of the year: The H&R Block Tournament of Champions, USBC Masters and 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open. Top prize money, multiple year exempt status, Player of the Year honors and history are all on the line with these tournaments. The T of C’s invitational field is filled, legends of the game including founding PBA member Carmen Salvino. The Masters crowns the champion in the national governing body’s most prestigious event. And the U.S. Open provides the players the ultimate challenge in lane condition and size of the field.
The biggest storyline entering the T of C is of course Norm Duke’s pursuit of an unprecedented and previously unthinkable four straight major championship titles. Duke won both the World Championship and U.S. Open to close out last year, and the World Championship to lead off this season. All eyes will be on “Duuuuuuuuke,” who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame the night before the finals.
An unforgettable conclusion to the 2008-09 season is about to begin.
And the first-ever mixed oil pattern events in the history of the PBA will be unveiled in the second half. The first taking place at the National Bowling Stadium Championship, where qualifying will include one block on the Shark pattern and another on the Cheetah, before match play and the televised finals feature the Shark on the left lane and Cheetah on the right on every pair. This intriguing set up will be on the first show of the second half of the season, Jan. 11 live on ESPN. Clearly defining the differences in the playing field on each lane based on the oil patterns used will be at once a great educational tool to engage fans and illuminate the uniquely versatile skills of the PBA players.
8. Xtra Frame takes it to another level:
PBA.com’s emerging Xtra Frame streaming video service, which provides live video from the match play round of events to decide the players who make The Show, plus added features such as tips and interviews from PBA stars, gets a new twist. On Wednesday, Jan. 7, a special exhibition match between PBA greats Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber will air live at 6:15 p.m. PT. The matchup was decided by a fan vote on pba.com, essentially bowling’s first pay-per-view event. Subscribers to Xtra Frame will get to see these two rivals duke it out, more special programming will pop up through the year.
7. Are two hands really better than one? Belmo returns:
One player generating plenty of buzz in the first half of the year was Australia’s Jason Belmonte, the two-handed international bowling star. He first turned heads at the PBA World Championship by jumping out to a huge qualifying lead before finishing 10th. Then he received two ultimately controversial Commissioner’s exemptions into events later in the first half, finishing 29th and 60th in those opportunities.
Now, he will bowl at least five more events in the second half, including four open field tournaments (Denny’s Dick Weber Open, USBC Masters, Etonic Marathon Open, 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open) and the GEICO Plastic Ball Championship TQR. Bowling fans around the world will be paying attention to the results.
6. Release of new 50 Greatest Players in PBA history book:
Fans will have the opportunity to own a beautiful book published by Luby Publishing, commemorating and spotlighting the 50 Greatest Players in the 50 year history of the PBA Tour. With stories, stats and photos on all of the 50 players written by many of the top bowling writers in history, it will be a “can’t miss” addition to any fan’s library.
Additionally, other exciting chances for fans to own a piece of the 50 Greatest players coming up in the second half of the year include ontheballbowling.com’s limited edition bowling balls with 50 Greatest player images, and a 50 Greatest Players trading card set.
5. Barnes and Weber and Jones... Oh my!:
The first half was relatively quiet for three of the Tour’s most recognizable fan favorites: Chris Barnes, Pete Weber and Tommy Jones. Only Barnes made one show this year out of the three, a second-place finish at the PBA World Championship. Will the three stars finish big in the second half of the year? History suggests nothing can keep these warriors on the sidelines when the lights come on for too long, which could mean major league fireworks on TV.
4. Player of the Year races for both the PBA and PBA Women’s Series heat up:
Wes Malott, Bill O’Neill and Parker Bohn III were the most consistent players across the first half, with Malott qualifying for four of the five PBA pattern championship shows and O’Neill making three TV appearances. But many points for the PBA Player of the Year award are available in the second half including three major championships, so the race is just out of the starting blocks.
On the PBA Women’s Series, with two events remaining on the 7-week schedule (Mixed Doubles and Earl Anthony Medford Classic) four players have already made multiple shows: Michelle Feldman, Carolyn-Dorin Ballard, Stefanie Nation and Jodi Woessner. Feldman’s two titles give her the edge right now. Plus, the PBA Women’s Series Showdown presented by USBC lurks, with a made-for-TV shootout format to end the year.
3. The PBA Extreme Swing goes into full effect:
The first-ever Extreme Swing not only features creative formats and unique televised finals but the top eight players off its own points list automatically qualify for the Six Flags Great America PBA Summer Shootout this summer at Six Flags in New Jersey. The first half of the season featured one Extreme Swing event, the Ultimate Scoring Championship won by Mike Wolfe, who sits atop the Extreme points standings. A look at the other Extreme events to pepper the schedule this second half live on ESPN:
Gieco Plastic Ball Championship, finals Feb. 22: For the first time ever on the PBA Tour, the world’s best bowlers are all given the exact model plastic (polyester) bowling ball. Which player will emerge when the equipment is the same for all?
Etonic Marathon Championship, finals March 1: A grueling format of 9 games each on all the different PBA oil patterns will result in a stepladder finals where the leader gets to choose which of the patterns is used on TV. It’s a first for a PBA event to use 6 different patterns during qualifying and a first for the leader to choose the pattern on The Show.
Don Johnson Buckeye State Eliminator, finals March 8: A unique elimination style format carries all the way from the match play portion of the event onto the TV show, where four bowlers will all bowl a game, eliminating one player. Then the remaining three bowl with one eliminated, with the final two squaring off for the title.
GoRVing Match Play Championship, finals March 22: Sixty-four players will be seeded into a bracket ranked by their place on the PBA Tour points list for a “win-or-go-home” match play event. The Show features another PBA Tour first: only the two finalists will appear on the telecast, going at it in a 3-game, total pins match for the title.
2. Who is the all-time No. 1? And then let the debate begin:
All season long, the PBA has counted down the 50 Greatest Players in PBA history with a feature tribute on the ESPN shows. Fans have seen the greats of the game from every era as they were ranked by a panel of experts. As the second half begins, only the three top spots remain to be unveiled. Deductive reasoning shows that Walter Ray Williams Jr., Dick Weber and Earl Anthony are the three players yet to be ranked. Where will they end up in the lineup? The No. 3 spot will be unveiled on the Jan. 11 show, a recap of the top 48 will appear on the Jan. 18 show, and on Jan. 25 Nelson Burton Jr. will be on hand at the H&R Block Tournament of Champions to unveil Nos. 1 and 2. There are no losers, only a celebration of the legends of the game.
In conjunction with this special moment in PBA history, the PBA and the Bowling Foundation will host a gala celebration the night before the Tournament of Champions final in Las Vegas. There, the greatest collection of bowling legends ever will be assembled. Over 44 of the living 50 Greatest will be on hand and highlights from the event will be on the Jan. 25 Tournament of Champions show.
1. THREE Major Championships:
The second half of the season features the most prestigious events of the year: The H&R Block Tournament of Champions, USBC Masters and 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open. Top prize money, multiple year exempt status, Player of the Year honors and history are all on the line with these tournaments. The T of C’s invitational field is filled, legends of the game including founding PBA member Carmen Salvino. The Masters crowns the champion in the national governing body’s most prestigious event. And the U.S. Open provides the players the ultimate challenge in lane condition and size of the field.
The biggest storyline entering the T of C is of course Norm Duke’s pursuit of an unprecedented and previously unthinkable four straight major championship titles. Duke won both the World Championship and U.S. Open to close out last year, and the World Championship to lead off this season. All eyes will be on “Duuuuuuuuke,” who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame the night before the finals.
An unforgettable conclusion to the 2008-09 season is about to begin.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Hammer Hot Sauce Pearl
Hammer's reports: "the Hot Sauce Pearl, is our most dangerous ball yet." Wrapped in a new skid flip "Aggressive Edge" Coverstock finished at 2000-grit Abralon® with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish and loaded with an already-proven "Contrusion" core.
The Hot Sauce Pearl is an aggressive combination of power and control. Designed to provide more backend, Hammer wants to "set your game on fire." #15 – RG 2.45 and RG Diff.-.050. The new Hammer worldwide introduction February 3rd.
When thrown, this very attractive cover, got very cleanly down lane. The surface preparation moved me a little right of where I expected to play but cover and core reacted strongly.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Commemorative Towel
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, a commemorative anniversary towel is available for purchase, with portions of the proceeds going to charitable causes. The PBA is donating one dollar from every towel sale to The Bowling Foundation, a not-for-profit organization serving as the premier charitable arm for the sport of bowling. The black microfiber towel bearing the 50th Anniversary logo is priced at $14.95 and can be purchased online at www.PBAStore.com or on-site at any Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour event.
Just Aim and Strike, Two from Brunswick
"Aim and Strike" just like a Rattler. Being added to the mid-priced Performance category at
The Rattler uses the “Multi-Sided Rocket Core System”, providing a low Radius of Gyration core (RG 2.539 in #16) that, when combined with the original “Activator”® coverstock in Indigo Pearl/Ivory is finished with a high gloss polish, produces a ball reaction Brunswick reports “is unmatched at the Performance price point”. RG Diff.: 0.043.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Top 10 Moments on The Professional Tour
Here’s a top ten list from the first half of the year:
10. “Big Nasty” Wes Malott’s emergence as Mr. Versatility.
If anyone thought Malott’s high-revolution, powerful style of play was one-dimensional, they don’t anymore. For the first time ever this season, the Professional Bowlers Association named champions on each of the five PBA Experience lane conditions and while Malott won one title (the CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship), he made it all the way to The Show at three other pattern championships: The Viper, Chameleon and Shark. Throughout the PBA’s Versatility Swing during the first half of the year, no matter how the lanes were dressed, Malott (the season’s point leader at the break) has risen to the top.
9. The PBA Women’s Series will culminate with a 
special Showdown.
It was announced the six winners (or highest finishers if a player wins more than one) of the Women’s Series singles tournaments would advance to made-for-TV dedicated PBA ESPN telecast for women (the first of its kind) sponsored by the USBC. Meanwhile, five players have emerged from the “sweet 16” exempt women to get already secure extra face time on TV this year. Past Professional Women's Bowling Association stars Michelle Feldman and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, emerging star Stefanie Nation and Jodi Woessner have all won (Feldman winning twice) and made the show more than once. Missy Bellinder has also qualified for the Showdown, finishing second to Feldman at the CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship.
8. An amateur makes The Show; meets up with familiar face on TV.
Anthony LaCaze, who didn’t even have a “name” shirt to begin his week, in an unbelievable story advanced all the way from Tournamen Qualifing Round to The Show at the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship. He ultimately fell only in the semifinal and the fact his opponent in his TV match had been the best man at his wedding (exempt pro Bill O’Neill), well, you can’t make up a story like that.
7. The first PBA Senior event final in 7 years was broadcast on ESPN.
Upstart journeyman senior pro Timothy Kauble captured the title at the Golden Anniversary Championship, but it was his reaction to his first strike that was the most memorable moment. It seems the last time Kauble was on TV prior to his win, it was when he was a teenager participating in a “Dick Clark-style” teeny-bopper dance show. Kauble’s mistake was telling ESPN bowling announcer Rob Stone about his previous “TV experience,” but after striking in his first shot on television, Kauble preempted any chance for Stone to embarrass him by doing a little boogie dance right there at the foul line.
6. Players are sporting a new look this season as official PBA jerseys are unveiled.
For most PBA players, uninspired golf shirts with sticky patches made way for stylish, dye-sublimated sports jerseys sporting fresh designs and dramatic logos by Gemini Sport Marketing. The jerseys set the pros apart, give them a better avenue for branding themselves and connecting with fans and offer a better opportunity to sell valuable real estate on the jerseys. Tour and player sponsors also began taking advantage of the improved, greater exposure the jerseys provide. And the best thing is fans at home can design their own jerseys on Gemini’s web site in the mold of their favorite PBA stars and wear them in their own leagues and tournaments.
5. A lesson to all opponents: Never give Parker Bohn III even more motivation to win.
Spurred on to a renewed determination in his preparation for the Tour this offseason by being passed over for a spot on the first-ever “Dream Team” Team USA travel team that won gold in Thailand this summer, Bohn made two shows in the first half, winning one (the Cheetah Championship). The Hall-of-Fame Bohn, falsely rumored to be on the downside of his remarkable career, sits in third place on the points list (top lefty) and appears to be playing with an uncharacteristic chip on his shoulder since the Team USA snub – which once again makes him a threat to win every week.
4. Forget the Energizer Bunny. It’s Walter Ray that keeps going and going and going.
Walter Ray Williams Jr., nearing his 50th birthday and already solidified as the all-time winner in PBA Tour history, won the Golden Anniversary Championship, appropriately enough, to bring his lifetime record of wins to 45. At once, he served notice to two groups of players: 1) the exempt touring pros he’s dominated for decades, reminded again that he isn’t going away; and 2) the Senior Tour players who better win quick before he turns 50.
3. The improbable series of events leading to Mike Machuga’s victory at the Chameleon Championship.
During Friday night’s position round, Machuga seemed assured the fourth seed in the four-man stepladder finals. But an unprecedented and untimely scoring malfunction lead to Sean Rash getting to bowl his last position round game over, needing a 256 to move past Machuga into fourth. Rash, as Murphy’s Law would demand, actually did. But after officials pondered the fairness of the situation from Machuga’s perspective, the decision was made to change the TV finals into a 5-man stepladder, pitting Machuga and Rash in the first match. An extra half-hour was added to the ESPN telecast and after Machuga defeated Rash, he marched through the field playing an outside line while the others played in. The unpredictable events gave Machuga another title and gave the fans on site the treat of his signature move, the Machuga Flop. Once again, you simply can’t make this stuff up.
2. LeBron James’ PBA debut.
James, yes, THE LeBron James, needing a strike in 9th frame to give his doubles partner Jason Couch and he a commanding position in the title match of the inaugural Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational over host Paul and his partner Chris Barnes, fires an unstoppable rocket to the 1-2 pocket and strikes an unforgettable pose at the line, signaling victory. The close, high scoring match, filled with smack talk, capped the first-ever PBA celebrity televised event. Not only NBA stars James and Paul but Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and Rudy Gay (all on the NBA scoring leaders first page this year) paired with PBA stars including Ebonite’s Tommy Jones, Doug Kent and Mitch Beasley in the event that secured more mainstream media for the PBA than any event in recent memory. It’s the PBA’s most-watched YouTube match so far this year. Avid bowler Paul’s charitable foundation and hometown of Winston-Salem benefited from the event, but it was LeBron, who also treated fans with his signature “chalk” move prior to bowling who stole the show this time.
1.Norm Duke wins third straight major championship.
Last season, “Duuuuuuuuuuke,” as the fans affectionately call him everywhere he goes, won the PBA World Championship and U.S. Open to close out the campaign. Then, he picked right up where he left off, winning the PBA World Championship in Wichita to start this season. It is the first time in the history of the PBA that a player has won three consecutive Major championships. Unbelievable. But does anyone doubt Duke will be a threat to win four straight next month at the H&R Block Tournament of Champions? Duke was also voted into the PBA Hall of Fame this season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)