Friday, September 28, 2007

The worlds largest bowl!

I have been to Las Vegas a few times now and i thought their bowls were big. One particular bowl there was called The Showboat, later renamed to Castaways. It was 106 lanes. 70 in a straight line, then a round the corner 36 more.

Thats nothing !!!!!

Nagoya, the city i am in, has a bowling centre called 'The Grand Bowl'. They didnt lie.
156 lanes split over 3 levels. 52 on each. Up untill a year ago they actually had another 52, making it 258 lanes, but due to costs of running so many lanes, the sold the equipment on the 4th floor and did some renovations to the other levels.

Nothing more weird than changing lanes from 136 to lane 88. Seeing a lane with 3 digits is really funny. Would hate to have to move from lane 154 to lane 4 :) better call a taxi :)

The demo day went well, not quite as busy as the last few days, we got out of there a little eariler, 1030pm. But we signed more autographs than ever. At least 300 people needed shirts, bags, shoes, pictures, towel, posters and a couple of arms to be signed, the whole group felt like our hands were going to freeze up from siging so many things.
I have been trialing some new bowling balls here for Storm, and i have been using the Sure Fire and the new Attitude Shift. Both are now coming everywhere with me....keep a look out for these too, they really are worth every penny.

Off to do another demo, will let you know where and how it all went.

Jason

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Japan Part 2

Another day, another city.

What do we do???

Ok so everyday we do 3 hours of 1 on 1 coaching, followed by about 1 hour of a ball demo (we are using some asian release bowling balls) that is then followed by a quick dinner then a 4 game Pro-Am with at least 6 on a pair.
We start about 2pm and finish about 11pm everyday. It is a long day but we get to do what we love (bowl and help people) so the time does fly, but by the end of the day you are completly stuffed.
The hotel rooms in Japan are very small, almost like a areoplane toilet size (not kidding) and every morning we travel on abus from anywhere from 2-6 hours to get to our next host city.

Bowling with Pete, Tommy and Timmy is great fun, we all put in $40 each (along with the JPBA bowlers) in the pro-am and play some pot games to make the night a little more fun.
The first night i got swept, but last night i shot 1089 for my 4 games and won 3 ot of the 4 ($10 each a game)...... Got my revenge :)

I have to run, i am getting called as im writting this to hurry up :), the Japanese run a very tight ship let me tell you, everything is followed to the minute.

Best be off

Belmo

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Let the Tour begin

JAPAN STORM FAIR TOUR:

The Japanese and Storm have a very close working relationship, Japan rank 3rd in the world regarding to Storm ball sales, so for the past 10 years, Storm along with Japanese bowling company HI-SPORTS, began a travelling coaching/demo tour around Japan.
Storm sends their best pro's to this event and i have been lucky enough to of joined them once before in 2005.
This trip Storm and Roto Grip have sent, myself, Pete Weber, Tommy Deluze Jr, Tim Mack, Steve Klopeken, Purvis Granger, Hank Boomershine and Chris Schlemmer.
We travel to 6 cities in 7 days and do Pro Am's plus one on one coaching with as many bowlers as we can fit into the day.
When i came here in 2005 everyday was packed with bowlers and families wanting to be taught by some of the worlds best bowlers, i also remember in 2005 a few 2 handed bowlers, so maybe ill see a few more this time around.

The tour starts in Osaka and ends in Toyko (West to East of the country). The days are long starting at 10am and finishing around 10pm, but its a great chance for me to learn from the best and be able to hang out with bowlers who i have looked up to for many years.

Ill let you know how it all goes

Jason

Monday, September 17, 2007

World Cup Qualifier.....South Pacific CLassic

Last weekend i competed in Australia's world cup qualifier, the South Pacific Classic (SPC). It's supposed to Australia's biggest and best event, but for some reason, the last few years, entries have gone down and the atmosphere inside the bowl has dropped to an all time low.

There are a million reasons why i think this has occured, but i think that chat is for a different time and place.

On to the story........

Format:
12 games qualifying (split over 2 days, so 6 and 6) top 24 coming back on the Sunday morning to bowl another 6 games qualifying, with carry over pinfall, then the top 12 play a 11 man round robin. The winner will be who ever knocks over the most pins over the whole weekend, a proper event.

The condition was the hardest i have seen in Australia for quite some time. It was a 41 ft pattern and the carry down occured quick and very inconsistant from lane to lane and pair to pair.
220 was a great game.
I started the first of 6 games with 180 something and 150 something, then followed it by another 180 something. It was the worst i have bowled in about 5 years.
I couldnt get close to hit my target and even if i did, i chose the wrong ball and was playing in the wrong part of the lane. My next 3 games were 230, 220 and 170. i finished -51 for the 6 games and was 270 off the lead.
I was extremly upset with my performance and knew i needed to change a few things if i was even going to make the first cut to 24 bowlers.
I was sitting in 48th and needed a big 2nd day.

I changed the surface to a few of my bowlings balls to try and get the ball to read the lane much more consistant.
It worked wonders. my next 6 games were 254, 243, 215, 222, 194 and 247.
I jumped into 4th place, only 170 off the pace. I felt with 6 more games of qualifying and 11 games of matchplay, i could catch the leaders and win the event.

The Sunday morning did not go to as planned. I bowled 20 over for 6 and bowled much better than my score said i did. A bunch of pocket 7-10's and solid 9's and 7 pins cost me dearly. But thats ok, i still had 11 games and with 20 pins bonus for a win i had plenty of games up my sleeve. Only 220 off the pace i was right where i wanted to be (to use a Tim Mack quote there)

Matchplay started and i was in trouble early. 180 and 204 to start. My reaction was awful and the leaders still looked great. I made a drastic move and started to play the right gutter, harder, faster and more direct.
Why didnt i move there earlier?????
I had a great reaction, 230, 230, 250 and 260 were the games to follow, and because the scoring pace was so low, and i won all my games, i leaped into 2nd, only 40 off Paeng Nepomuceno from The Philippines.
5 games to go and it was game on.... The lead swapped between us a few times and then it came down to the final game.
I was on 5 and 6, he was on 3 and 4.
He was 36 pins ahead, so it was vital that i won my match and he didnt. Then all i would have to do is beat his score by 17 and i would be the champ.
One good thing though is 3rd place could not catch me, so either way i would be able to represent Australia in St. Petersburg, Russia for the world cup, because Paeng is not Australians there for can not win the spot for the world cup.
I needed a strike in the 9th and all 3 in the 10th to shut Paeng out. I stuck on the approach in the 9th, made a spare, then missed left a touch in the 10th and it had no chance of striking, another spare. Now i finished with a game of 220, got my bonus pins and had to wait for Paeng to bowl. He needed a double in the 10th to win the event, he nailed the first, then split the 2nd shot. He had thought he had won, someone then told him that he must win the game and get his bonus befor he could get excited about winning, his opponent, also needed a double to beat Paeng.

I couldnt watch, if Bruno (Paeng's opponent) strikes twice i win. The first was BLACKJACK!!!! Only one more, i turned away, then looked back again just as he let the ball go, it got stuck on his thumb and looked to be going brooklyn. It hit high and the 10 pin was the last pin standing, it wobbled but not enough to fall. Paeng won the SPC for a 2nd time in his career and i came 2nd again for the millionth time in my career.

I was happy with my result considering how i started, but to get the chance to win and not take it, upsets me a little.

Ah well, now i get to focus on the World Cup and try and win that...... I sure hope i do.

Ill be in Japan and Panama for the next couple of weeks and will update you how those trips go!!!!

Cheers

Jason

Saturday, September 8, 2007

What a bizarre ending!

The last 6 games of the 12 man round robin were played today. I was 30 pin inside the cut to make the TV top 5 step ladder and was only 120 off 2nd.
It was realy bunched and because the scoring pace was so high, a 190 could mean a 100 pin turn around (thats with the 30 pin bonus).
I started ok, 231, lost, but felt like i could put together a few good games, i needed to.

My next 3 games were 289, 279 and 264 (front 9 with a open in the 10th) for a nice 832 series and moved into 3rd. I was couldnt catch the leaders, so my goal was to stay in 3rd and i did just that.

I waited for the first match to finish on the show then my turn.

Korean's are by nature very strict, and with live TV, the time table was to be followed to the minute.
I bowled against a Korean Pro, Y.H Byeon, doesnt do to much with the ball just hits the pocket every shot.
He opened in the 8th to give me the chance to shut him out, and i did just that, 267 - 222.
My next match was to play against a Japanese Pro, Shigenori Sakata. A very funny guy who was a little weird on the lanes.
This is where the story gets interesting.............

Going into the 9th and 10th i could shut him out and bowl 246. As i was getting ready to bowl in the 9th frame, Sakata, who had taken about 20 seconds to walk off the approach, walked by while i was drying my hand, clenched his fist and raised it to my face. Of course i took it as a joke, smiled it off and stepped on the appraoch.

I threw the ball ok, and for some reason the ball never hooked where it had been all game. 2-10. I miss it and strike out in the 10th for a 212.
Now, while i was bowling my 10th frame, a local Korean guy was yelling loudly the whole time. I had no idea what he was saying and was getting a little cranky at him because if i strike out, it would force Sakata to mark the 10th.
Now this guy yelling turns out what he was saying was, was that Sakata should be dis-qualified or i should have another shot due to un sportsman like conduct.......
After i finished i sat down and the translator came over to me and asked if the taunting from Sakata put me off, causing me to bowl a split.........
I told her of course NOT, everything was fine. But there is a rule in the KPBA that a player can be disqualified or the player affected can re-bowl that frame if the tournament director deems it worthy.
So the question i had to answer was, do i take the 9th frame again, bowl a strike and shut out Sakata, based a rule that i break almost every other event :) or do i decline the offer (because i think taunting is part of step ladder bowling) and make him throw the spare.
As much as i wanted to bowl the shot again, it just didnt seem right. He did nothing wrong, just taunted me (ok maybe a little close to my face, but that didnt put me off) something that i am guilty of most the step ladders i have been in.

I rejected the offer and asked that Sakata finish the game.

Now dont forget this is live TV, going around the whole of Korea. Sakata, accused of bad sportsmanship now has to get up in the 10th and mark after 15 minutes of debate if he should even be bolwing.
The tournament director then got made the annonucement about the rule and my decision and gave Sakata the green light.

He stepped up and bowled a great shot and struck. I finished in 3rd, but it will be a match i'll never forget.

The winner of the event was Isao Yamamoto from Japan, a great bowler, he lead from game 1 and desereved his win.

Can't wait to get home and see Kimberly and the rest of the family, plus it will be nice to ask someone the time and not have to play 'guess what im trying to say' haha

Cheers for reading...

Belmo

Thursday, September 6, 2007

The 2nd block and the finals

Didn't get a chance to write last night, i was extremly tired, so ill give you the run down of yesterday and today.

I bowled the fresh last night and the lanes were much easier, i could play around the 2nd arrow ad the ball went down the lane very smoothly.
I made some bad shots when i needed it, but i knew that if i could limit myself to 1 bad shot a game, i would be happy.
I finished 524 over for my 16 games qualifying and was sitting 6th. The lefties are killing us, with 3 in the top 4, but i feel like if i bowl well enough i can make the TV show.

The finals started at 9am this morning. I flew out of the gates, 243, 259 and 267. I was only behind the lead by 91 and felt like the ball was going to strike every time it hit the pocket.
I moved to a really bad pair and was 41 in the 4th frame, somehow i managed to get to 202. Bad news though was i lost about 70 on the leaders.
From that game i could find a rythem or line to the pocket that was good enough to keep up. I finished with games 224,194,226 and 237. Not bad but when the field is averaging 240, its not good.

I make the top 12 round robin in 8th position. There was no reoiling between the break (which was bad news for me).
We played 6 of the 12 games today and tomorrow we play the other 6. The only good news was that in the round robin you get 30 pins for a win, i had about 100 pins to catch and if i could somehow bowl well, with those bonus pins, i could bridge the cap quickly.
I started slow again, 202 and 220. My ball just didnt hit the pins like i wanted it to.
I made a small change in speed and release and shot 268, then followed it by 266, then 237 and 226.
I made a few pins and am now sitting 5th, with the top 5 making the TV show.
The lefties are killing everyone, top 4 are lefties then me, then the guys behind me are only a few pins back.
Tomorrow i need to GET ON!

Will let you know if i won ro not

Jason

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Day 1 of the KPBA

OK so the format goes like this.....

16 games qualifying split over 2 days (8 and 8). The top 32 come back and bolw another 8 games. From there the top 12 play a round robin and then a top 5 TV show.

I was to bowl in B squad. The carry down squad. A squad finished and the scores were very big, the top 6 in the squad shot over +300 and the top 70 were averaging the card.
Bad news for us right handers is that this bowl is left handed friendly and the lefties have an amazing look.
This got me a little nervous because the fresh looked great but the carry down got messy.

My first few shots looked ok, I was playing up 15 out to about 7. Then i dont know what happened, but my ball could not stay right of the head pin.
I moved a little left and the ball wouldn't move......There was somuch oil in the middle of the lane and the carry down of that oil made for a very small backend. If your pace was a little quick, your ball missed the head pin, if you missed right the ball just flew off the spot and went high.

I moved rather deep and slowed my ball speed right down and put a few rev's on the ball and just played in the oil.
It was ok, one pair killed me, hitting the pocket was not so hard, knowcking them over was impossible, 178 (and yes i missed the 3-6-9 twice).

I finished up something like 240 over, i didnt see the scores before i left, i had to hurry back to the hotel for dinner then bed.

Tomorrow i play on the fresh, and i know my scoring pace has to be high or i could fall way down. Hope i can knock them over a few more times today.

Will let you know how it all goes

Jason

Sunday, September 2, 2007

My first Korean PBA event

I have been lucky enough to of been invited to play in a KPBA event, sponored my Storm Bowling products.

It's not my first time to Korea, actually its the same bowling centre i bowled in for the World Mens Championships, this time last year.

Im staying in the same hotel as well..... Things look very much the same as last time too.

I had a few delays in my flights so it took a little longer than i wanted to, but im here safe and sounds and i have all my luggage, which these days is something to get excitied about on its own :)

I have a day off tomorrow, then a practice session the day after....Will let you know how it goes and who is bowling. Rumour has it that 5 PBA players, plus 30 Japanese Pro's are also competeing, so im really looking forward to this.

Talk soon

Belmo