Big Qualifier - my game is borderline poor right now, but I will provide what insights I can.
New Orleans - came in on 3/17 (yes, St. Patty's day) - it's 85 miles from BR and is a must go if you have not been there. I wont bore anyone with the details as there are too many options. Suffice it to say there were events that included a pig in a bar and riding a plastic horse.
BR (hotels)- DO NOT stay at the Microtel. It is under serious renovations and there is construction;grime;noise; and a general "who cares" attitude. This was a low cost option at the time of booking but nobody mentioned the "renovations" (of course). It's tempting as it is very close to AllStar lanes that puts out the tourney shot for practice. Haven't been to MetroBowl yet (BTM & BJ) but believe this is in the same area.
We ended up at the Hilton near the River Center. It is pricey for some ($129) plus $16 valet parking/night. If price is not a problem, it's an excellent choice due to location and cleanliness/amenities.
River Center - 2nd time here and staff could not be friendlier. Generally seems to be well run tourney. Typical $5 large lockers. Typical food and beer a little pricey for a bowling alley ($5 beers). Configured a little oddly but once you know the layout its not a problem. The atmosphere is somewhat subdued in the vending area as the booths are spread out more than you see in Reno.
Belle Casino - adjacent to the River Center and where you will pick up bracket money. Pretty smokey and run down. Last time I was here it seemed fresher. Bracket money pick-up process was slow, but hey, it's a casino and we are in the south.
Atrium lunch buffet (Belle hotel adjacent to River Center / Casino) - mediocre southern style food. $14. You can do better for the same price or less.
Hollywood Casino - 1 mile north on River Center. Cleaner and fresher than Belle. Did not spend much time there yet so focus was on tables, etc. BR casinos have mostly amateur-ish dealers. Nice enough people, but a more serious gambler might find it frustrating. (Some were excellent, just to be fair, but generally not)
Schlitz & Giggles (block over from Hilton)- good, cold beer. very mediocre food, slow food service. good beer service.
Sammy's Grill (on other side of LSU campus, about 15 minutes from River Center). Bar / Louisiana-style home cooking. Ran out of boiled crawfish by the time we got there ar 9 PM (stop serving at 10 PM on mondays, at least). catfish; gumbo; crawfish etouffe all very good. Others in party ordered simpler food but cant comment on that. It's a local / college hangout and the staff are all younger, mostly students. Service ok but somewhat ambivalent.
Team Event: (see qualifier at start). I am speed dominant, with lower track so I used some surface up 5 with a Track Anima, pin under bridge and MB out to the right of the thumbhole. Had great look XXX,pull 8, 10-pin, flared out to gutter hit 3-pin light, 4-pin, XXXXX - 212 (missed spares in 4th,5th,6th).
Game 2 - moved 1 board left and attempted to stay with same shot. Lost it completely. 8s, 7s, 6s - switched to a Hammer Anger in frame 7 (understand I dont bowl much so while the equipment is older, there arent many games on any of my balls). Had ball in perfect (?) position down the lane and nose-dived for Big 4; moved left (should have heeded advice and went weaker again instead)7/;8-;8/X. - 155. Last ball I was in to 20-10.
Game 3 - Took out Pin-over bridge Total Inferno box and stayed out - started with X but my inconsisent game and touchy condition did not lend itself to greatness! After another Big 4 In frame 6, moved out to 25 rolled it out to 10 with softer hand and flushed 4 of next 5 (but finished 171).
Team - we have 2 teams. this year 3 lefties and 7 righties. Everyone struggled. The righties almost all play different styles - just not helpful in breaking it down but we are who we are. I found the shot to be more angle-sensitive than speed-sensitive. You don't need a lot of hand to score if you are accurate. Carry was pretty good. The guys that are used to swinging it into the dirt lost a lot of shot right (or left as the case may be).
General - got to bowl on squad with Bill Lillard which was fun. I dont know him but he seems like a great ambassador - gave short speeches in the squad room and out on the lanes. He teared up when he talked about the last trip to BR where he last saw Dick Weber, who passed away only a few days after they departed BR. His guys took down most of the brackets.
Shot - I have always been a proponent of tougher patterns to keep bowling as a sport rather than a carry contest. I have never been that good but always prefer to compete against the shot and the better, more determined bowlers have the edge they should have. I agree the league bowler is largely shut out this year. That said, if we bowled more often on real patterns, we would likely all be better.
Brackets - every squad is different, of course, but low 200s will make you money.
We'll see what happens on the burn at 11:40 today. (Hopefully some of this was helpful)
Just bowl!
