At lesson in humility.
Originally published at drew.nerdahl.us. Please leave any comments there.
So, I have returned to frozen lands of my birth, and it’s good to be home. As I was disappointed in the city of Albuquerque as a whole, and as such, I’ll stick to the more important and probably less interesting bowling commentary.
The USBC Open was easily the singular biggest thing I have participated in across my entire sporting life. Since I was a band geek in high school that doesn’t sound very impressive, particularly as I have a multi-time national champion softball player who reads this. However, it is a great moment for me.
I, sadly, did not bowl well. I did not throw every shot I have and it showed. Here’s the quick break down. My All Events pin total was 1432. Team series 490, Doubles 523, and singles 419. I did manage one 200+ game in doubles and ended my singles series, and the event, with a 111. Yeah, I haven’t bowled a score that bad in over 5 years.
Now to put things in perspective. My current league series average is 567, and that would equate to an All Events pin total of 1701. So I bowled 269 pins under average across the 9 games. Admittedly, the oil pattern we were presented with was nothing like that which was posted on the Open website. As a matter of fact, it was the exact opposite.
I have no disillusionment that I’m going to cash. There are a lot of places that payout and Clint and I did fairly well on doubles. However, the tournament goes through the begining of June. Yes, there’s a lot of bowlers left and a lot of scores that haven’t been shot. The two teams from Minnesota did have a side pot going and I did win $10 with my 200+. So that’s something I guess.
Some of you might find this discouraging. I, on the other hand, have become ravenous. I always knew in my heart there was more to this sport then what the league shot offers. Stand 25 and throw 12, stand 25 and throw 12. Wash, rinse, and repeat. I just never knew what it was, and where to find it. Well readers, I found it, in spades, and it was riding the back of kick in the ass of humility. So, what does this mean, you ask? I’m going to be joining the ABT (Amateur Bowlers Tour) here in the Twin Cities and I’m going to bowl on the hardest, craziest stuff I can find. It’s the only way I’m going to get better.
Well, that’s the long and the short of it. I put some pictures up for all of you. Jennifer didn’t exactly go crazy, but the camera was having some exposure issues as well, so it’s not all that many. Though you will get an idea of the trip.