Author Topic: Chicagoland Open (Read 4122 times)

splendorlex · « **on:** May 26, 2006, 12:54:25 AM »

So who do we have representing BR there this year? I'll be bowling, and I know Rick Wunder is as well, but that's all I'm sure of. I can't remember...Lombard is a wood surface, right? Anyone remember how it often plays there? I'm starting to formulate my strategy now! It basically consists of pick up my spares, and hope for strikes.

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Gene J Kanak · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2006, 08:48:13 AM »

Well, I also had no need to stay around for finals, as my -55 wasn't going to do anything good for me. I suffered from a ton of over/under while trying to play the same 4th arrow shot that had led me to +80 a couple nights earlier. I guess I was technically in the hunt after two games, sitting at -18, but I just couldn't get anything going. It seemed like two good shots, split, good shot, wash out, etc, etc. Don't get me wrong; I didn't throw the ball great by any means. The truly frustrating thing was that I hit what I wanted to hit on many of my worst leaves. I simply could not predict what the ball wanted to do. Looking back, I wish I would've taken a weaker ball, like my Tropical Storm, and tried to play a tighter swing. I'm thinking I would've gotten less grab in the heads and been able to rely more on backend. But then again, I also had 15 other theories that I'll never get to try. Oh well, I will wind up making a couple hundred bucks on the week. It's not $15K, but I guess a profit is a profit. Congrats to all those that also cashed.
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I've only bowled 300, but I've benched 345 : )

I provide the muscle for the Fellowship of the Saws

splendorlex · « **Reply #17 on:** May 30, 2006, 08:53:33 AM »

Gene,

I know exactly what you're saying about the shot yesterday. I went to the same shot that got me in the Semis in the first place, which worked great during qualifying. I just didn't seem to be getting the same reactions on it yesterday as I did on Sunday. I even went so far as to ask Mike Fagan whether they always put the same shot out for the whole tournament or if they ever switch it up for the semis. Maybe it was the heat, I don't know, but I was also hitting my mark 95% of the time and not getting a consistent reaction at all. Some shots it would grab too early and go through the nose or brooklyn, and then the SAME shot would refuse to turn over at all. Perhaps my speed control wasn't great, but the shot just seemed VERY touchy to me. Hey, sorry we didn't have time to chat or anything, but it was nice to meet you! That's one HELL of a goatee, btw.

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Stop trying to impress others people, people mostly care about what your saying about them not you.

Gene J Kanak · « **Reply #18 on:** May 30, 2006, 08:59:07 AM »

Yeah, the goatee certainly grabs attention.

Anyhow, as for the shot, I figured it would break down more quickly, what with there being six on a pair as opposed to four. You also have to figure in more heat and humidity. Who knows? I am good friends with the guy who does the lanes at my local center, and I've seen firsthand how different weather and such can mess with the same pattern. I'm sure it was the same; it just played and broke down very different.

I don't know about anyone else, but I also had approach issues. The heat and humidity certainly made those approaches nice and tacky. I would stick here and there only to slip on the next shot when droplets of sweat had fallen off of the lefty who I followed. It was just a really tough, frustrating go. The saddest part is that the guys I saw having the best luck in my area were guys who just kept the ball near the headpin and waited for brooklyn slop and cave-in shots on the nose. It makes me think I should've just fired my plastic ball at the headpin and made my spares. Oh well, I guess anything that works, right?
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I've only bowled 300, but I've benched 345 : )

I provide the muscle for the Fellowship of the Saws

splendorlex · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2006, 09:02:03 AM »

From what I understand, there were more than a couple high handicappers and/or backup ball throwers in the finals.

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Check out my bowling journal!
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Stop trying to impress others people, people mostly care about what your saying about them not you.

bowlallthetime · « **Reply #20 on:** May 30, 2006, 09:45:14 AM »

The masters winner was John Lee. He bowled great and deserved to win it. I am not sure who won classic. There were two women in the finals.

Gene J Kanak · « **Reply #21 on:** May 30, 2006, 09:49:39 AM »

John Lee is a very good shooter. I don't know him very well, but my buddy Dom is friends with him. In any case, John certainly has game; I'm glad he won.
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I've only bowled 300, but I've benched 345 : )

I provide the muscle for the Fellowship of the Saws

NACDale · « **Reply #22 on:** May 30, 2006, 09:51:55 AM »

Gene I have to add to you thoughts about the NON-Lane conditions. They were the most miserable conditions that I have ever bowled in my whole life. I was sweating like a pig. Dont get me wrong im 250 short fat and bald but It was STUPID HOT AND HUMID. It was like bowling inside of an armpit. I totally soaked a Microfiber towel that was to be used for my ball but it was for my bald head. I think ED and Mike put on a great tournament but the House conditions were Horrible. (It was 90 deg + outside though)

Funny thing about the lane play was that you need some speed but couldnt throw it hard or it would either hook hard in the midlane or go through the breakpoint. You needed something that went long but had enough surface to go past the breakpoint.Like I used a V2 with the pin next to the ring (leverage drill) with the cg below it, and the Action Packed with the pin over the bridge and the cg out about 45 deg, with abralon 2000 sanded on my P.A.P. It got long enough but read the pattern smoothly. Those of you that saw me throw know that I dont have a ton of hand but a decent amount, you didnt need to overpower the lanes, you had to play them.couldnt be too angular through the heads or you were in Over/under trouble.

I wish all the ABT's had a shot like this.

Dale
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B.I.G. Don't pretend that it's not.

splendorlex · « **Reply #23 on:** May 30, 2006, 09:54:41 AM »

I learned a lot about what my arsenal lacks at the tourney. I didn't have anything that really matched up well to the kind of shot I wanted to play. I had my Doom, Big One and Uturn Pearl. The pearl reactives were having BIG trouble, and the Big One just seemed to burn up if I tried to throw it. I really wish I had a solid reactive with some surface, or maybe a particle pearl with me, but I didn't.

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Stop trying to impress others people, people mostly care about what your saying about them not you.

Gene J Kanak · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:07:49 AM »

I agree with Dale's comments about the off-lane conditions. I'm in pretty good physical shape, and I was pooling up with sweat just standing there.

As for the lanes themselves, the shot reminded me of how a lot of ABT stops used to play: the outside was pretty much OB, unless you wanted to point it straight at the head pin, while the inside was touchy as hell. It's not a bad pattern, just tough.

I knocked my head against the wall trying to figure out what combination of ball/line would give me a chance. In the end, I just stayed with The One the entire time. I thought about trying to move to something more roll oriented, but I didn't think I'd get it to push through the grabby mids. I also feared that, even had I gotten push, that I never would've carried from in there. I saw guys trying this type of line and leaving pocket 8-10s.

Sometimes the key to shots like this is to have a ball that is set up for hook-set. That way, you get a bit of midlane read but then the ball just kind of settles down. That will kill a lot of the over-under. Unfortunately, I didn't feel comfortable going to the one ball that I have with this kind of drilling; I just haven't had it long enough for found enough consistency with it. Oh well.
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I've only bowled 300, but I've benched 345 : )

I provide the muscle for the Fellowship of the Saws

NACDale · « **Reply #25 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:38:27 AM »

Jeremy,

Congrats!!! I heard that Peter Jackson called you for a new spin off from Lord of the rings..

Long live Smeagol!!!!!!!!
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B.I.G. Don't pretend that it's not.

splendorlex · « **Reply #26 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:44:36 AM »

I can also vouch for terrible conditions, especially concerning the approaches. I fouled for the first time in about 2 years when my slide foot came to a dead stop on the first shot on a new pair. I ended up completely over the line with both feet, and I was lucky I didn't belly flop halfway down the lane. The approaches were as touchy as the shot, and could be sticky as hell. I knew it was going to be hot in there, it always is, but maybe the ABT could consider moving this tourney somewhere else next year. It really is a nightmare, and can promote a lot of anger, especially when the shot is really tough as it is!!
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Rick Wunder · « **Reply #27 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:23:21 AM »

Dale,
Let me repeat - great bowling to get where you did yesterday. I'm familiar (perhaps a bit too familiar - lol) with your blue microfiber towel. You may or may not know that I am the ABT floor director that retrieved it for you, and later had it attached to my butt.

To all posters,
Johnny Lee bowled great to win Masters yesterday. In the Classic final, it was a battle to see who missed the fewest spares. Brenda White ended up prevailing over Racquel Catacutan. Brenda missed a single pin spare in the tenth, and I'm pretty sure she thought it cost her the match, but she had already shut out Racquel. Spectators kept saying "You didn't need it!" but she just held her head in her hands. I was working the match, and I explained that she had won the tournament. She continued to hold her head in her hands, but I think her tears had turned to tears of joy.

Since all you guys left before the end, you missed another spectacle. I was lucky enough to have my name drawn to bowl Ed and Mike in the "Beat the Director" doubles match with a Classic bowler named Tom (I apologize, but there is no way I can remember how to spell his last name). He led off the match with a strike, and I followed with one. After Ed struck, we put Fagan in the hole. We stuck Fagan again later in the match, but the final outcome was ABT bowlers prevailing over ABT directors. We were getting our handicap, but we ended up not needing it. I could have put up a 248, but Fagan got up at the foul line for my fill ball in the tenth and I bowled between his legs. I should have backed up on the approach, because I ended up too close to him when I delivered the ball. I had to make a fairly significant modification to my shot, and I ended up hitting the OB and taking three off the right for 241 - d'oh!

There is nothing I can add to what has already been said about the conditions at Lombard. I wasn't there on Sunday, but I was home thinking "It has to be brutal over there," because the air never works and they end up having a bunch of huge fans blowing on the concourse. I found out yesterday how right I was.
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RW (THB)

splendorlex · « **Reply #28 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:31:46 AM »

Rick,

How did you fare in the tourney? And how about Brian?
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Check out my bowling journal!
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Stop trying to impress others people, people mostly care about what your saying about them not you.

NACDale · « **Reply #29 on:** May 30, 2006, 11:59:34 AM »

Hey Rick,

Thanks a BUNCH for getting that for me. You saw how bad I was sweating, If you didnt get that for me I would have been dripping sweat ALL OVER the approach.

So THANK YOU!!!

I hope I wasn't too big of an A S S after I lost. I was a little pissed at myself and my Bag took the brunt of it.

I was actually hoping to be bowling Johnny in the finals. It would have been a great match. I thought we both had great looks, and regardless of who won I would be happy because he is a good guy.

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B.I.G. Don't pretend that it's not.

Rick Wunder · « **Reply #30 on:** May 30, 2006, 01:47:53 PM »

Splendor,
Let's just say that I didn't finish last among Monday's semifinalists. Brian was only a bit better. The highlight of my day was shooting 240 to win the Beat the Director match, but for me, that was worth the price of admission, so to speak (long story, which I won't go into here).

Dale,
No problem! You're quite welcome.

I didn't notice anything after your match, and I didn't hear anything from any of the other directors, so it must not have been too bad.

Yes, it's a shame that you didn't get to the final with Johnny - that would have been a good match.

Speaking of sweating profusely, there was some of that going on during the Beat the Director match. Mike Fagan is a guy who generally sweats a lot under normal circumstances when he is bowling, so yesterday was quite the treat for him - NOT! After throwing only a couple of shots, he turned and said to everyone present "How can you guys bowl in this?!?!"
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RW (THB)

Edited on 5/30/2006 1:54 PM

Author Topic: Chicagoland Open (Read 4122 times)

splendorlex

Chicagoland Open

Gene J Kanak

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Gene J Kanak

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splendorlex

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bowlallthetime

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Gene J Kanak

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NACDale

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splendorlex

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Gene J Kanak

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NACDale

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splendorlex

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Rick Wunder

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splendorlex

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NACDale

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Rick Wunder

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