MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH

Posted By: Glenn HaumanPosted On:

Attended the PBA match at Syosset Lanes in Long Island. Wouldn’t you know, there was a guy in the audience sporting a Spider-Man shirt who had copious screen time. So if you saw him and thought it was me…it wasn’t.

The David family was pulling for bowling Dave Traber, largely because Traber offered advice and support during the Pro/Am last Sunday that has literally turned my league game around after a hideous five week slump. Traber wound up tying at 245 against Norm Duke, forcing a sudden death roll off which Duke won. This upset us greatly, and we will continue to be major Traber fans. And…and…Traber has cooler hair than Norm Duke. So there.

PAD

20 comments on “MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH”

  1. It was such an exciting finale, I didn’t know who to root for. It’s usually easy to pick a champion in the finals for me. Root for Walter Ray, sacrific chickens as needed against Pete Weber. And take the rest on a case-by-case basis.

    Yesterday, though, you had Traber (Randy Pederson’s roommate) versus Norm Duke (on the verge of becoming the 13th 20 game winner in the PBA and a Tournament of Champions contendor). Traber has better hair, and more of it. Duke looks like a little weasel with Prince Charles-like ears. But they’re both strokers, which is how I bowl. So they were both fun to watch.

    I just wish Norm Duke’s thumb would stick to one size so he didn’t have to keep going back to the friggin’ tape. Not a single PBA telecast has come in under 1:30 this year, and this one ran almost 1:45 with the three roll-off frames. ESPN must love that.

    Still, exciting stuff.

    -Augie

  2. I actually said that to Traber when I caught up with him after the game. “The important thing to remember is…you’ve got much cooler hair.” He laughed and said he actually needed a haircut.

    Peter Weber…ohmigod, did you check the standings for the Cambridge Classic? Weber’s second game he shot a 148. And if that isn’t horrifying enough for a pro, he followed up in his third game with a 147, including working on a strike only to roll a gutter followed by a six. Talk about the wheels coming off.

    PAD

  3. Re: Peter Weber — it happens to the best of the pros every once in a while.

    Just wish it’d happen to to Norm Duke more often.

    (Of course, now having said that, the bowling gods will now zap me, and I’ll drop my book average by 100 pins. But, if Norm *does* begin a slump, then it was worth it.)

  4. I’m not a Weber fan at all, so I’m really happy to hear that. I know that doesn’t make me a good person, but I’ll beg for forgiveness when Judgment Day arrives…

    I did surf over to Walter Ray’s site today ( http://www.walterray.com ) and noticed he shot a 160 game this week. His high game in the second round was ‘only’ in the 220s, and most of them were just barely over 200.

    Always makes you feel better to see a writeup that includes a pro admitting that he missed a 10 pin, blew a bucket, and left a 7-10. They’re only human, too.

    The great thing about bowling on TV on Sunday afternoons is that it gets me excited for my Monday night league.

    -Augie

  5. I have to admit, I don’t regularly watch bowling on TV a lot and before yesterday, I had no clue as to who Norm Duke or Dave Traber was.

    But after the first five minutes of watching them, I was rooting wholeheartedly for Duke. Traber came off as such an arrogant jáçkášš, I couldn’t help but root for Duke, and was really happy when he won.

    However, Duke did lose in the “cool hair” contest with Traber.

  6. I stopped watching pro bowling quite a while ago. I miss the days of Mark Roth and Earl Anthony. No yelling or posturing after a strike, just an acknowledgment that it was a good thing and then they would sit down. Watching most of the pros’ these days makes me feel like I’m watching the NBA or something.

  7. What language is this? PBA? Duke?

    This has gotten so casual that some of us don’t know what you’re talking about.

    Did I ever tell you about my uncle charlie who was FGD at the Doimbing? We were all heartbroken about his fluggie without a wang-wang. Sheesh!

  8. Sorry, I was at Mid-Ohio con and missed the end of the World Cup where Russia beat France (the current champions) in the last game of the fifth set of the fifth match. Guy Forget was cruched!

    See, I can do it, too. Tra-la.

  9. Hey Dennis –>

    That’s another reason I like Walter Ray. He doesn’t jump up and down and flap his gums. You get the occasional pumped first, but rare are the displays of emotion. I like that.

    Weber is just the epitome of all that is wrong with sports.

    -Augie

  10. It’s great to go to a sports match, isn’t it? Wish I could attend some more like those myself too. You’re very lucky, and I’m glad you were able to go.

  11. >>What language is this? PBA? Duke?

    This has gotten so casual that some of us don’t know what you’re talking about.<<

    Well the word “bowling” has been used enough times in the course of this thread that I’d have thought it was obvious PBA stood for Professional Bowlers Association. Duke? His full name, Norm Duke, has likewise been used several times.

    It’s not like we’re saying, “Well, P.D.W. was annoyed when he left a ringing 10, but at least he covered it. What really upset him was heading into the foundation frame and rolling a ball with no finger, resulting in the Big Four.” Now *that* would leave you behind.

    PAD

  13. I nearly converted a Greek Church during practice today. Took out the 7/8 and sent the 4 as a messenger which chopped the 6 but left the 10. Which was a shame because my roll was perfect.

    Don’t have an X-Factor, but my arsenal is mostly Storm, except for a Ricochet.

    PAD

  17. Geez… Now I’m going to have to take up the sport, just to stay out of the gutter and ahead of the curve.

  18. Nice job with the Greek Church. The best I did last week was converting the 9-10 the hard way. I chopped the 10 pin off the 9, but it bounced hard against the back wall and came back up to hit the 9 from behind. Lovely stuff to watch.

    Don’t want to have to repeat it, though. =)

    -Augie

  19. okay… moving right along. Peter, when we gonna see more of that Rift in the ST universe?

    Best,

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