I got the BW about six weeks ago, and at the same time I had Total NV punched up. Both are drilled to go long and snap. I'm a right-handed stroker playing a bit inside, but pretty much a straight up the gut thrower. Ever since I got both balls it's been a constant back and forth in my league (lanes are synthetics, usually medium-oil shot) to decide what ball comes out of the bag first. I'm averaging about 225 with both balls, and my average has jumped from 198 to 205 in this time period.
The BW is a few boards stronger, and angled out wider than the NV, has a really ferocious snap at the breakpoint. When I first got the ball, my driller handed the ball to me, hot off the press for the third game, and I threw 258 with no sweat -- very light hits carried, and the flush hits blew the pins straight back so fast they seemed to just vanish. I really do love this ball for what it does, especially on fresh oil. But the TNV, though a few boards weaker, has a fabulous, absolutely predictable read at the breakpoint, making it so easy to adjust quickly when the lanes dry out a little, without wasting a shot getting lined up. I've had problems with the BW on this account: transition can mean a few splits, which kills a game. So having both balls in the bag makes for a really complementary arsenal. Last time out I shot 729, first two games with the BW, then after a split in the first frame of the last game, the TNV was just great. It's kind of like being a baseball manager with a stud starter to carry most of the game, and an equally stud closer. Interesting that these two pretty incredible balls came out of the Ebonite/Hammer tent at about the same time.
