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by Randy OoneyMy Nickel’s Worth by Randy Ooney
PBA
It was generous of Fox and the NFL to schedule the last two Vikings games at a different time so we could watch the PBA without using the remote. “Wally the Bowl man”, aka Walter Ray Williams Jr. took a page out of my bowling book. I have always enjoyed watching Walter. He never seems too high or too low on the lanes. We both have similar styles, we have both picked up a big four, we both lived during the Kennedy administration, and we are both better looking than the banjo picker in the GEICO commercial. Walter does have 47 more PBA National titles than I do, but failed last week on his bid for number 48. Walter labeled 11 consecutive shots into the one three pocket and came out with 4 strikes, 4 ten pins, 2 seven pins, and a stone eight. On Facebook, Walter was calmly pragmatic. Of course he may have been frustrated and even annoyed, but he just said that’s the way the game of bowling goes sometimes. He even went so far as to say that maybe if he would have missed the pocket by a small measure once or twice, he may have carried better. Walter was using the Brunswick Aura. Of course I was thinking if Walter had a 16 pound Combat Zone he may have carried better. Walter, I feel your pain. If the rules allowed one more shot, I’m sure you would have nailed down a no tap 300.
Years ago, there were left handed and right handed bowlers. Lefties had a slight advantage because there was less play on the left side of the lane. (That was until some centers loaded up the left side so drock wouldn’t win.) But now we are also seeing two handers added to the mix, and this week, both of the prominent two handed tour players were in the final four. But the big news, returning for his second time in the TV finals, was none other than Tom Daugherty. You may recall Tom’s story at the 2011 Tournament of Champions as well as on these pages. On his first TV appearance, Tom lost the semi final to Mika Kouvuniemi, 299 – 100. It was both the lowest game, and largest margin of any PBA televised match. Ironically, the Bowler’s Journal was a title sponsor of Sunday’s contest, and they had decorated the masking unit as well as the lane sidelines with large 100 signs, commemorating the Journal’s centennial. But I can’t help but wonder if Tom Daugherty didn’t see the 100 on every shot. Mr. Daugherty started a bit unsteady but managed a 199 to advance, and then took care of both two handers on this day. We saw the first TV appearance of the Storm Lucid today, and interestingly enough, Osku Palermaa was playing outside around the 5 board with it. I may start calling it the Chan Bowl Lucid – straight up the three board, all night long. Others were playing much deeper. Regardless of what ball they are using, I will say that when both Belmo and Osku hit the pocket, I have never seen ten pins leave the deck as instantly as those two guys can send them.
But today was the day for Tom Daugherty to avenge his Hondo of two years ago, as he took both of the two handers behind the woodshed. So congratulations, Tom, on your first national title to go with your six regionals. But if I could offer a little advice, if you ever should win another – raise the trophy, wave to the crowd, kiss your wife, hug your kid, but stop with the stupid screaming and yelling. Didn’t you ever watch Walter Ray win when you were a kid?
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