I hope you can take something from this post. Sorry about the length.
I bowled last Thursday and Friday. HoF squad for team and 11:40 D/S. What has been said about the shot has been pretty dead on. I heard from some people that team was super slick, so being the genius that I am, I took my duece and hit it with a Green scotch brite pad before I went to bowl. BAD IDEA. That created entirely too much surface, I think I used it for 5 frames before the light bulb went off and told me the reaction was bad. I switched to a XXX and did better, but couldn't salvage the first game. Shot 152-191-189. While not stellar, I consider two 190 games respectable. If I could shoot a spare they would have been two games over 200. For some reason on shots like this I grab the ball at the bottom of the swing causing me to miss my target by several boards. That's the bad part about plastic, it goes exactly where you throw it. I was playing around 13 to 10 at the break.
Next day we bowled third shift D/S, I wasn't very happy about that. I started about 4-5 boards left, going about 16-10. The 10 board at the 45 foot mark (the dark board) seemed to be the magic spot. Doubles was much better, 203-207-178. Managed 3 second place finishes in brackets. Same thing as with team, had I made my spares I would have shot 640 instead of 590.
Singles was my worst event. When we switched pairs we got a pair that had 4 charcoal chucking, robo-brace wearing, revless assassins. On the fresh shot, you can use some surface if you are rev challenged, by the third shift you don't need it. I watched shot after shot from these guys burn out at 40 feet. So by the time we got to that pair I was another 7 boards left with my feet. And I still had to get to ball to 10. So I was around 22 at the arrows. My shot was just gone. I don't have the hand to get ball back to the hole and carry the corners. I finished game 3 with 5 straight 10 pins.
Some general observations. There is some hold (not much) if you pull the ball, don't expect to carry though, but a single pin beats a split. You can play straight up the boards when the shot is fresh, after that take a big step left. The guy at the Visionary booth said some people have had success on about the 3 board.
Make sure you go to TJ's ribs, (exit Acadian off of 10) really good food and pretty cool sports memorabilia. Mike Anderson's Seafood and Steaks was also very good. It's a bit of a trek, but a cool place. The menu is more seafood than steaks, but the steaks are good. Shucks on the Levee (in the Sheraton on the way to the boat) was also pretty good.
If you are looking for non gambling activities go to the USS Kidd and Museum. It's right across from the River Center.
Even though this was far from my best tournament, it was one of the most fun (out of 4 anyways). Everyone we ran into down there was very nice and I'm looking forward to going back again.
I know this was long, so thanks for reading
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The clock on the wall says 3 O'Clock...last call...for Alcohol!
"I love a martini -- but two at the most. Three I’m under the table; Four, I’m under the host." Dorothy Parker
Edited on 3/23/2005 8:37 AM
