PBA Pepsi Red White and Blue Open

Cassidy Schaub, a two-handed bowler who throws the ball from the left side, averaged 258.7 Tuesday
to take the first round lead in the Lumber Liquidators PBA Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open at
Northrock Lanes, in Wichita, KS.

Schaub, a 26-year-old first-year Professional Bowlers Association member from Polk, Ohio, finished
the first eight qualifying games on the United States Bowling Congress’ “Red” lane conditioning
pattern, with a total of  2,070 pins and a 27-pin lead over 15-time PBA Tour titlist Jason Couch of
Clermont, FL. Couch had 2,043 pins.

Parker Bohn III of Jackson, NJ, was third with a 2,019 total followed by Chicago’s Billy Oatman at
2,012 and Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, NY, with a 1,991 total.

Schaub is the lesser-known of the PBA’s touring two-handed players. Australia’s Jason Belmonte, who
used his unique two-handed delivery from the right side to win a PBA Tour title last season, remained
home in Australia this week, awaiting the birth of his first child. That left Schaub to deliver the 
two-handed message and the two-time Team USA member did it in style, easily conquering the first
of three “test” lane oiling patterns being used in the tournament.

“It’s always fun to strike,” Schaub said. “I caught a couple of breaks, but all in all, I threw the ball
pretty good. But it’s only eight games. I won a sprint in a marathon.”

It was still a relief after a miserable professional debut in the PBA’s inaugural World Series of Bowling
in Detroit in August. In his five-week, seven-event PBA debut, Schaub’s best finish was 35th place.

“That was pretty bad,” he confessed. “I learned you have to take shots one at a time. I beat myself
up after every shot I threw in Detroit. Later in the World Series, I talked with Rhino Page and Patrick
Allen (two of the PBA’s premier left-handers). They told me some things about my physical game I
needed to work on. I went home and worked on what they suggested, and I came in here with a 
different attitude and a different mental game.”

Couch, who is trying for his first title in more than two years, was philosophical about his performance.

“Everyone knew the scoring conditions were going to be easier than what we’re used to,” he said.
“Some guys like it, some guys don’t, but I like this pace for once a year. I get a lot of questions
about lane conditions when I go home. I think an event like this answers a lot of questions league
bowlers have about the differences between league and professional bowling conditions.

“I came in with a good game plan,” Couch added. “I knew what balls I wanted to use during the
transition and it worked well for me. I had a plan and I stuck with it.”

The Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open, presented by the USBC, is being conducted on three “test”
lane conditioning patterns the USBC plans to introduce to American league bowlers for the 2010-11
winter league season. The Red condition is the most forgiving pattern, with White condition a medium
challenge and the Blue pattern the most challenging. The varying degrees of difficulty is intended to
help bowlers who would like to advance to the PBA Experience Sport Bowling program, USBC’s
most challenging scoring environment, where they will learn more about the sport and how to improve
their skills.

All bowlers in Wichita will bowl eight more qualifying games Wednesday with the top 39 advancing to
a third eight-game qualifying round on the Blue pattern Thursday morning. The top 24 players after
24 games will advance to three eight-game, round-robin match play rounds on the Red, White and
Blue patterns, respectively, Thursday and Friday. The top six will then advance to the championship
round which will be taped Sunday to air on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 10.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
PESPI RED, WHITE AND BLUE OPEN PRESENTED BY USBC
Northrock Lanes, Wichita, KS, Dec. 8

FIRST ROUND QUALIFYING (after 8 games)
1, Cassidy Schaub, Ashland, Ohio, 2,070
2, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,043
3, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,019
4, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 2,012
5, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,991
6, Cory Simmons, Wichita, Kan., 1,978
7, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,963
8, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,962
9, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,958
10, (tie) Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., and Matt McFayden, Derby, Kan., 1,955
12, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,952
13, Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 1,949
14, Andrew Cain, Scottsdale, Ariz., 1,947
15, (tie) Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., and Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,945
17, (tie) Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla., and Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 1,944
19, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,943
20, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,942
21, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,941
22, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,940
23, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 1,939
24, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,938
25, (tie) Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., and Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,936
27, Timothy Banks, Gulfport, Miss., 1,923
28, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1,918
29, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,917
30, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,913
31, Jack Ness, Gastonia, N.C., 1,911
32, David Ruder, Edmond, Okla., 1,908
33, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 1,904
34, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 1,900
35, Adrienne Miller, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,889
36, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,885
37, John Nolen, Grand Blanc, Mich., 1,884
38, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,882
39, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,879
40, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 1,877
41, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,873
42, (tie) Brian Burkhardt, St. Louis, Mo.; Daniel Farish, Louisville, Ky.; Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y.,
    and Brett Cooper, Aurora, Colo., 1,871
46, (tie) Dan Umscheid, Wichita, Kan., and Andrew Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla., 1,869
48, Mark Buffa, Canada, 1,865
49, Dustin Schmidt, Warrensburg, Mo., 1,863
50, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,859
51, Ryan Abel, Bel Aire, Kan., 1,857
52, Brad Cummings, Gastonia, N.C., 1,856
53, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 1,850
54, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 1,843
55, Gilbert Sanchez, Milvane, Kan., 1,836
56, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,835
57, Tim Penner, Wichita, Kan., 1,833
58, Erik Gulbrandson, Superior, Wis., 1,826
59, George Lambert IV, Canada, 1,823
60, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,822
61, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,821
62, Josh Blanchard, Wichita, Kan., 1,813
63, Kevin Fanter, Maize, Kan., 1,811
64, (tie) G. Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y.; Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, and Eddie VanDaniker Jr.,
     Essex, Md., 1,807
67, Stuart Williams, England, 1,806
68, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 1,805
69, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,804
70, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,801
71, Leroy Willis Jr, Arlington, Texas, 1,796
72, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,791
73, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 1,787
74, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,786
75, Gregg Getzlow, St Charles, Mo., 1,784
76, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,783
77, Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind., 1,779
78, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, Fla., 1,776
79, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 1,775
80, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 1,772
81, John May, Lincolnton, N.C., 1,770
82, (tie) Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., and Lee Rucker, Fort Myers, Fla., 1,767
84, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 1,763
85, Carl See, Amarillo, Texas, 1,760
86, Michael Houtz, Myerstown, Pa., 1,757
87, Kyle Bollman, Madison, Mo., 1,752
88, Derek Hartnell, Wichita, Kan., 1,751
89, (tie) Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, and Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,745
91, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 1,741
92, Matt Freiberg, Somerset, N.J., 1,725
93, Marcus Berndt, Wichita, Kan., 1,709
94, Blake Starr, Wichita, Kan., 1,706
95, Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 1,702
96, Roberto Silva, Mexico, 1,698
97, Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 1,696
98, Adam Ferri, Wichita, Kan., 1,693
99, Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., 1,692
100, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,684
101, Michael Cimba, Monroeville, Pa., 1,679
102, Charles Rollins, Shawnee, Kan., 1,657
103, Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,653
104, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,650
105, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,642
106, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 1,640
107, Lindsay Baker, Waterford, Mich., 1,635
108, Marc Heninger, Tonganoxie, Kan., 1,633
109, Robb Helt, Fort Smith, Ark., 1,631
110, William Panebianco, McPherson, Kan, 1,629
111, PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 1,610
112, Frank Gallo Jr., Cape Carteret, N.C., 1,605
113, Frank Guccione, Castle Rock, Colo., 1,601
114, Aaron Ramsden, Tomah, Wis., 1,560
115, Randy Thompson, Marion, Ohio, 1,550
116, Kevin Andes, Somerset, Mass., 1,535
117, Blake Branson, Wichita, Kan., 1,531
118, Mark Payne Sr., Amarillo, Texas, 1,489
119, Woody Austin, Wichita, Kan., 1,416

300 Games (6) – Mitch Beasley, Tommy Jones, Todd Book, Leroy Willis Jr., Billy Oatman, Scott Newell.

Two Bowlers Receive PBA Tour Deferments

Baltimore’s Danny Wiseman has been granted a deferment for the 2009-10 PBA
Tour season by PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer. Wiseman’s mother has
taken ill and will require long-term care.

As the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour resumes action today with the opening
round of the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the United States
Bowling Congress (USBC) at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., another
well-known name will be missing from the field. Schreyer also has granted a
deferment to veteran Dave Arnold of Dublin, CA. The 45-year-old Arnold, who had
regained an exemption through the 2008 Regional Players Invitational (RPI) 
after a seven-year absence from the Tour, suffered a stress fracture in his lower
back the day after the Motor City Open in Detroit.

The deferments mean two additional spots will be available at most exempt Tour
events for the balance of the season. Both players remain eligible to bowl in
“open” events if they are able to do so.

The PBA Red, White and Blue Open

This is a unique Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) competition, open to amateurs as well as
professionals, which will be contested for the first time ever on USBC-approved “red, white and blue”
lane conditions patterns which will be introduced to the USBC league bowling population on an
optional basis for the 2010-11 season. The “red, white and blue” designations indicate increasing 
degrees of scoring challenge. The “red” pattern is intended to be the most forgiving, the “white”
pattern more challenging and the “blue” pattern the most difficult.

All bowlers in the Red, White and Blue Open will bowl eight qualifying games on the “red” pattern on
Tuesday, Dec. 8, and the “white” pattern on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The top one-third of the field will
bowl another eight games on the “blue” pattern Thursday morning. The top 24 after 24 games will
then advance to head-to-head match play where all 24 will bowl another eight games on each of the
patterns Thursday night and Friday.

After 48 games, the top six bowlers will advance to a modified television final which will be conducted
following the “live” ESPN coverage of the PBA World Championship at noon (Central) Sunday. The 
Red,White and Blue Open finals will be taped for telecast on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 10, at noon
Central.

Jurek and Kulick Win Shark Championships

Jack Jurek of Lackawanna, NY, ended a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) record 14-yearvoid between titles when he defeated Mike Fagan of Patchogue, NY, in a one-ball, sudden-deathroll-off to win the PBA Shark Championship at Thunderbowl Lanes. In the final PBA “animal pattern” championships of the inaugural PBA World Series of Bowling whichaired Sunday on ESPN, Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, defeated Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, TX,198-182, to win the women’s Shark Championship.

Jurek, at age 46, ended his 14-year, 175-day quest for his second Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title when he struck in the roll-off after he and Fagan had tied at 218-218, and then watched Fagan miss the headpin. It was a heart-stopping finish after an equally tense final frame that saw Jurek falter when victory was an eyelash away.

A pair of doubles early in the game gave Jurek an edge, but he let Fagan back
into the match when he left the “Big Four” 4-6-7-10 split in the sixth frame.
Jurek jumped back into command with strikes in the eighth and ninth frames,
and on his first ball in the 10th. Needing only a nine-count/spare to
lock up the title, Jurek left the 3-6-10. He got the spare, and held his breath.

Fagan, with a strike in the ninth, needed three more in the 10th to win by a pin.
He got the first two, but left a 10 pin on his last shot to send the match into
overtime.

“I got the first strike and gave myself a chance,” Jurek said, “but then the chills
that went up my spine were indescribable. That was almost 15 years of waiting
for the opportunity, and it was a little too much for me to handle at the moment.
I thought about taking a re-rack, but I didn’t want to
give myself too much time to think about what I was
going to do.

“But it was overwhelming. I took a deep breath and
thought I had myself under control. But three pins? I
thought it was another opportunity I let slip away,” he
confessed. “I was fortunate (Mike) left a pin on his third
shot.”
Jurek had the right to bowl first in the roll-off, so he took a calculated risk.

“The last four shots (Fagan) threw on the left lane, he struck,” Jurek said. “The
right lane was a little trickier. I was just kind of banking on the fact that I could
throw the first strike and he’d leave something, and it worked out.”

It was not the result Jurek had grown to expect in his career. In 10 previous
television appearances, he had averaged a respectable 223.8, but he had a 3-9
won-lost record because his opponents were averaging nearly 250 against him.
In the Shark Championship, it was Jurek’s turn, racing to a 255-213 victory over
reigning PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, to advance
to the championship match.

“It was nice to finally not have 250 shot at me,” Jurek grinned. “The odds were
in my favor.”

Jurek knew it had been a long time since his only previous title in the 1995 Tums
Classic in Windsor Locks, CN, but “I didn’t keep track. I knew it was a long time.
I knew I could go to my grave with my name on a banner for winning at least one
title, but as the years went on, it was important to me to feel like I belonged out
here and could win again.

“I may not have had the career I dreamed of when I was a kid, but bowling on
tour is everything I still want to do. I’m sorry I’m getting older because realize my
time is getting shorter. Maybe I’m like wine, getting better as I get older.”

Jurek’s record span between titles broke the previous record of 14 years, 6 days
held by Les Zikes.

Along with his victory, Jurek earned $25,000, an exemption for the 2010-11 
Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, a berth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of
Champions and a spot in the end-of-season PBA Experience Showdown
presented by BOWL.COM.

Fagan, who was trying for his first PBA Tour singles title, defeated Jason Couch
of Clermont, FL, 224-201, to earn his spot in the championship match.

In the PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM title match, Kulick was
in a strike-or-bust mode. Three strikes early in the game kept her in the match
until she opened in the sixth and seventh frames. Dorin-Ballard, who was seeking
her third career PBA Women’s Series title, gave her advantage back with splits
and open frames in her eighth and ninth frames.

A key ball change by Kulick in the ninth frame led to another string of three
strikes and a come-from-behind victory.

“I thought I made the right ball choice at the start, but as the game went along,
things just got worse,” Kulick said. “I don’t know how I strung three strikes in a
row early, but in the ninth and 10th, I made a ball change. I knew I had to do
something. It was a good guess. I had an idea what I wanted to do, and what
the ball was supposed to do, and when the first shot went flush, I knew
that was the right answer.”

The title was Kulick’s second during the PBA World Series of Bowling. She also
won the inaugural PBA Women’s World Championship. Her Shark victory was
worth $10,000. Because Kulick had previously qualified for the PBA Women’s
Series Showdown presented by BOWL.COM, Dorin-Ballard earned a spot in
the end-of-season event which will be held in the United  States Bowling
Congress’ International Training Center in Arlington, Texas.

Columbia300 Adds Swing in January

The Columbia Pure Swing is black and gold, "Full Tilt 5.0 pearl" cover, 800/1000 Abralon with Powerhouse Factory Finish, featuring the "Full Swing mass bias" core. 15# RG 2.52, 15# Diff 0.056, Intermediate Diff 0.015.

Columbia announced "For this release we have smoothed out the 5.0 nodules making the shell more responsive to friction and delivering a ball that goes longer but makes a stronger move down lane on more medium conditions. This ball is stronger in the backend than any High Performance ball in our history and will provide bowlers a complementary product to our Full Swing and Bedlam series balls". Look for the new Pure Swing January 7, 2010.

Chris Barnes Challenge presented by Columbia 300

When the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced the All-In Action Sweeper side event during last summer’s World Series of Bowling, the $5,000 winner-take-all entry fee created a buzz in the bowling community.

But there was one problem – only one bowler put his money down to bowl in the event. That player was 2007-08 PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes, a 12-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist and one of the most versatile players in PBA history.

No one challenged Barnes that day when he put up $5,000 of his own money to take on all comers in the event which was to be webcast live on PBA’s online video service Xtra Frame.

But now, with the advent of the Chris Barnes Challenge presented by Columbia 300, Barnes is once again ready to take on all challengers. The first Chris Barnes Challenge presented by Columbia 300 will be webcast live on Xtra Frame to subscribers on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. CT, from Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., the site of the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the United States Bowling Congress.

Any bowler – exempt pro, PBA professional or amateur – can apply to bowl in the three-game total pins match against Barnes. The highest single bidder will earn the right to put their own money up against a matched amount of Barnes’ own money up to a $5,000 maximum (with no minimum bid). Applications and additional information will be available at the PBA tournament office onsite at Northrock Lanes during the week of the tournament.

Conducted by the PBA, the high bidder will face Barnes on the “Blue” oil pattern used that week which will be administered by the PBA.

“It’s just you against the other person for not only the money but to see if you’re better than the guy next to you,” Barnes said. “This competition has its own unique level of excitement and I’m looking forward to seeing how many bowlers bid for the opportunity to put it all on the line.” To watch this event and all the exciting behind-the-scenes Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour action, visit Xtra Frame on pba.com.

An Xtra Frame program schedule is also available by visiting pba.com/xtraframe. Fans watching on Xtra Frame will have the opportunity during the show to sign up on www.columbia300.com for a chance to win four Columbia Full Swing balls, one 300 Pro three-ball roller bag or a 300 Pro four-ball inline roller.

PBA World Championships

Every sports fan would like to ask a question of a player or announcers during the heat of competition, so the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is going to give fans that opportunity during live telecasts of Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour events starting Sunday, Dec. 13.

During ESPN’s live coverage of the championship round of the PBA World Championship from Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., at 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 13, fans will be directed to visit pba.com where they will find a link to the PBA fan page on the popular social networking site Facebook.

Using that link, fans will be able to submit their questions during the show. One of the questions will be relayed to the selected player during competition. The live fan-to-player interaction is an extension of the PBA’s innovative “Inside Angle” feature which was introduced during the season-opening PBA World Series of Bowling telecasts.

During the World Series events, ESPN play-by-play announcer Rob Stone and color commentator Randy Pedersen introduced the ability to talk directly to players during competition. “During the PBA World Series of Bowling, fans were able to get inside the minds of the greatest players on the planet,” said Pedersen, a 13-time Tour titlist.

“We heard the player’s unique insights, strategies, adjustments and more. Now we are taking that feature one step further by allowing PBA fans to chip in with a question live on ESPN.”

Stone and Pedersen experimented with the on-air player communications idea during last summer’s GEICO PBA Team Shootout hosted by Six Flags. Players wore an earpiece and microphone which enabled them to communicate with the announcers while competition was underway.

The interaction allowed announcers to ask the bowlers about their equipment choices, strategies and adjustments employed during the matches. The Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour’s first live telecast of the season will showcase the first major championship of the 2009-10 campaign.

The World Championship will feature Bill O’Neill of Southampton, PA, vs. Thomas Smallwood of Saginaw, MI, in the first semifinal match. Reigning PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott of Pflugerville, TX, will face Rhino Page of Wesley Chapel, FL, in the other semifinal match. The winners will then battle for the $50,000 first prize, a two-year Tour exemption and the first major title for whomever wins.