This Sunday at 1pm EST the PBA tour will take the air on ESPN. This show will be the finals for WBT (World Bowlers Tour). There will be a men’s and woman’s televised finals. Three athletes in the men’s and woman’s divisions made the TV finals.
Match one on the men’s side has Sean Rash vs. Jason Belmonte. There is a lot of buzz about this match due to the “bottle b!*ch” situation this past summer. This should be an entertaining match more to due with those guys bowling extremely well during the qualifying portions of the WSOB. The situation that happened between these guys will be a non factor, they are both pros and want to win this match and won’t let those outside distractions be a factor. But its fun to talk about.
The ladies side has Swedish star Nina Flack and her Team Sweden teammate, 20-year-old Sandra Andersson. This show also has 20 time PWBA Champion Carolyn Dorin-Ballard. The folks who enjoy ladies bowling can’t miss this show.
This show show a lot of international flavor, and get used to it. The WSOB shows are filled with international talent. All in all, its great for bowling to be back on TV for a few months. Lets hope people can find it on TV and tune in!
Author Archives: Joel Ricketts
PBA To Kickoff TV Season Sunday!
Filed under Things on my mind
PBA Going Back To Non Exempt Tour
There is quite a bit of chatter going on online about the PBA going back to a Non Exempt Tour in the 2012-2013 season. I see a ton of people saying how great of an idea this is, and how it’s probably a few years too late. I couldn’t disagree more vehemently. Why is it in bowling that there is such a mindset that the playing field has to be equal or open to all? That the best of the best shouldn’t score higher or win more often? These questions baffle my mind.
I think we can all agree, as bowlers, the National PBA is our highest level of competition. Not every person is of the highest caliber in a specific sport. NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, all have drafts. Atheletes are chosen to play at the highest level. In golf there are qualifiers and ways to get an exempt tour card. Why should any Joe Bowler get to compete? Here is a little black secret, the best bowlers don’t want the guys that don’t belong on tour, out there anyways. Leave the exempt tour alone. Make it the best of the best. Make it mean something. Here is my prediction on how this will help the tour. It won’t. There will be a few guys/ladies that try to bowl. And of those few 1 or 2 will actually do well, and the rest will stop bowling the tour. Don’t get me wrong, I want and need the PBA to thrive. But it simply won’t happen by having a few more guys participate.
Filed under Things on my mind
Bowlersdeals.com All in Showdown
On Friday November 4th we bowlersdeals.com had our biggest day in our short history. We were the title sponsor of the kickoff event of the 2011 PBA World Series of Bowling. The event had 8 top PBA players put up $5,000 each in a winner take all competition. Bowlersdeals.com put up a $5,000 bonus for a total prize fund of $45,000!
Introduction by Mike J Laneside
$45,000 Check
$45,000 Check Presentation
Columbia 300 Brand Manager Bugsy Kelly and Joel Ricketts
Linda Davis, Shawn Morris and Joel Ricketts
The bowling center had quite a big crowd with a bit of a nervous buzz. It seemed like the crowd didn’t really know how to cheer for their favorite player. Perhaps the crowd didn’t want to cheer too loud as it might distract another player, with each shot having the up most importance and one shot could determine the winner or loser. Selfishly I wanted to see one guy have to throw one shot for $45,000 or $0. I got my wish. Sean Rash had the chance to strike and left a stone 9 pin that gave the victory and prize money to 13 time PBA winner Tommy Jones. The crowd was into the final match as intently as I’ve seen in a final match in quite some time. I want to thank all of the competitors that put up their money and gave the fans an awesome show!!
I stuck around on Saturday for the Bayer Viper Open. This was the first official PBA event of the season. I was very impressed with the talent of most of the guys competing. There were a lot of international players with LOTS of talent. As much talent as I saw, I saw quite a few players that had no business bowling this event. I asked myself ”what jobs do these guys have that they can leave work, go to Las Vegas for over a week, and have ZERO chance of making 1 penny?” I need that job! I think the PBA should tighten up the restrictions a bit so some guys don’t make a giant Pro-Am out of the event. Its okay to have only the best compete at the highest level. MLB is not going to let me suit up in a Yankee uniform, have a few regular season at bats against the Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett. Sorry for digressing, the players put on a heck of a show. The round of 16 was amazing. They had 8 guys that had a legit shot at making the TV show with only 2 games to go, and not one of those guys was a lock to make it. Tight scoring and a lot of action in the final few games was a joy to watch. Too bad I was one of only a few dozen fans watching. The TV show should be a good one with the four guys making the show having good story lines.
Mike Fagan is the top seed, one of the tours most popular young guys. Stewart Williams is the 2 seed. An international guy that will make his TV debut. Third seed is Sean Rash. Love him or hate him, he’s as good as the tour has to offer. The 4th seed is another international player with a load of talent and making his TV Debut, IIdemaro Ruiz.
I am going back to Las Vegas this weekend to bowl the Member-Non Member doubles tournament. My partner is PBA Exempt player, and 2 time national title winner, Mike DeVaney. I’ve drilled a few balls, practiced and tried to sharpen my skills to get ready for this tournament. With the guys I saw bowling over the last few days, the field should be good. It will be a lot of fun even though its been awhile since I’ve laced them up for a tournament. Seems the “itch” to bowl is back. We’ll see how it goes!
Filed under Events, Things on my mind
Neil Lau
Joel Ricketts
Mike DeVaney
Will Kolbow
Joshua Tajiri
Zack Jellsey
