Just got back from the 2007 PBA event at Taylor Lanes. I've only attended a handful of events in all the years I've watched bowling on TV, but I've attended some good ones.
* Today, Walter Ray Williams extended his PBA titles record to 43 with today's win, and I was there. Also witnessed the potential rebirth of the ladies' tour.
* I was there when the late Earl Anthony became the first to win 40 titles.
* I was there when the current Player Of The Year, Doug Kent, won his first title.
* I was there when Hall Of Famer Marshall Holman won his 22nd and final PBA title.
* I was there when the seventeenth televised perfect game was thrown.
There weren't many extra-cirriculars out there. Norm Duke & Brian Voss made things great last year with their Skills Challenge segments, which they don't have this year. No bowlers made their way to the bar to drink and shoot darts. Everything was basically cleaned up over there by 3PM.
But I did call ahead this year... which means I got in for free, got the program for free, and got the VIP seat for free... and my face was all over ESPN yesterday as I boldly predicted!
I have never seen so many 10-pins left by one person over two games as was the case with Walter Ray today - nine of them covering 20 frames! Unbelievable. Being able to shoot spares as well as he does is what carried him.
And guess what - Erin gave me four free games to bowl when all was said & done - Walter Ray even watched me bowl a frame or two. How about that - the greatest bowler in history watching me. Of course, by the third frame, he left, so I figured he got scared and didn't want my bad habits running off on him!
I was rooting hard for Eugene McCune - he's won one title in 23 years of competing and falling just short. I hoped he would win, but I don't mind seeing the titles record continue to fall.
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One reason I left earlier this year, other than the bowlers disappearing this year versus being more accessible this year, was that November's rent payment was in Mike's hands, as he was holding money Steve loaned him.
As of now, you guessed it: no money from Mike, and no way to get a hold of him because he's not answering his phone. So, six years late, I'm going to pull revenge on his father - by taking some of Mike's stuff like Dennis did to me in 2001.
There's no guilt complex I'm feeling... after all, when a guy messes with you and threatens your shelter, it's good reason to try payback. I've gotten more liberal in this regard lately.
I'm still happy he found true love. But love can blind, just as much as it can be blind itself. You don't let it blind yourself from the friends you've known since Day One. I wish him happiness, but Steve and I are done with him otherwise. Just waiting on Steve to get done with work so I can take him over to Mike's.
