Nov 17 - The Bowling News

Page 16 | Thursday, November 17, 2011 | THE BOWLING NEWS
By Leisha Murr
Love him or hate him, you
are going to be seeing a lot of
Sean Rash on TV this season.
Rash has made the finals
of all of the tournaments held
so far at the PBA World Series
of Bowling; a PBA record of
five consecutive shows. Plus,
he will be on the first show
of the ESPN broadcast season,
December 4th, for the World
Bowling Tour finals which will
be taped on Thursday night
at the WSOB arena. Rash also
made the final match at the
All-In Showdown to start off
the week. And, there are still
three more tournaments to
bowl. Regardless of the pattern
they are putting out, he seems
to be matching up very well.
There is one thing about
the WSOB that is hard for me
to understand: with so many
different bowling centers in the
Las Vegas area, why are they
only using one? They are bowling
almost half of the PBA tour
season all on the same lanes.
I understand for the taping of
the TV shows it is more cost
effective to have the arena set
up and tape in the same place,
but for qualifying they could
mix it up a little. There is a lot
of friction on the lane surface
at the South Point, so it seems
like no matter what pattern
they are bowling on, it forces
the players to move left and
play the middle of the lanes.
That puts the high-rev players
like Rash right in their comfort
zone.
Sean Rash is not without
his share of drama which,
good or bad, has people talking
about him and bowling. Of
course, we all know about the
“bottlegate” incident this sum-
Robert Jones collected top
honors for the week at AMF
Showplace Euless Lanes with a
power-packed 279-258-290 = 827
One Grand league production.
Lindsey Walker, from the
Matchpoint Mixed group, fronted
distaff scoring with a chart
topping 221-183-288 = 692 set.
Vince Marchello’s awardwinning
12-bagger earned highgame
honors, while Jonathan
Bolejack took runner-up kudos
with a 299 solo.
HONOR ROLL
Jonathan Bolejack 290-782, Chad
Vendeville 279-774, Joe LeCroy 279-765,
Jonathan Bolejack 759, Jeff George
278-731, Dustin Brock 258-729, Kevin
mer between Rash and Jason
Belmonte. Apparently, not all
is forgiven between the two of
them, because there was some
minor discussion/confrontation
about writing down scores
while they were crossing with
each other this week. Belmonte
also made two of the animal
pattern shows, the World
Championships’ show, and the
WBT finals, so Belmo and Rash
will definitely meet each other
on a few of the shows taping
this weekend. We will have to
see if the PBA can find another
incident to make a big deal
about to promote the eventual
telecasts.
I, for one, hope there isn’t
any more drama, but I know
that they will still be great
shows to watch because these
two definitely do NOT want
to lose to the other. A couple
of months ago I wrote about
rivalries in sports, and it seems
like we may have a pretty good
one with these two here in
bowling.
Rash has also been stirring
up a little more trouble for
himself with a comment he
made after stoning the 9-pin
to lose the All-In Showdown
Friday night. Frustrated with
all of the negativity and
internet chatter towards him,
Rash told Jeff Richgels, who is
a bowling blogger and USBC
Hall of Famer, to tell everyone,
“to shut up,” or if they think
they are good enough, then
shoe up (only in not so nice of
words).
Rash goes on to clarify in
Richgels’ next blog, that he
was really talking about all of
the negativity in the bowling
forums and social media, not
At AMF Showplace Euless Lanes
Jones chalks up 827,
Walker crunches 692
Marchello 300 game, Bolejack 299
Wynn 246-704, Mike Thrasher 267-694.
James Sherwood 255-685, Chuck
Heintzelman 238-656, Tyson Oliver
237-654, Art Kveck 226-650, Anthony
Moore 256-637, Larry Perna 241-634,
Joe Cessna 245-614, Crystal Askins
258-684.
Lisa Wasson 226-673, Judy Leuty
238-665, Sheila Walton 247-633, Chris
Allums 265-615, Jo Russell 244-607,
Valerie Williams 235-601, Mindy
Wynn 199-595, Lydia Blazek 205-585,
Barbara Chaky 225-577. Dana Rogers
220-575, Sherry Houghton 210-573,
Tamsen Todd 212-552, Judy Leuty
191-518, Annie Carrington 180-515,
Valerie Stilen 182-477, Chantelle Carter
141-399.
specifically the negativity
towards him personally. We
all know that the PBA is
struggling and there are lots of
things wrong with our sport,
but why just sit around and
complain about it unless you
are offering up a solution.
Regardless if you are a fan
of Sean Rash or not, you can’t
take anything away from the
way he has been bowling in
this World Series. Along with
making the final two in the
Showdown, he qualified third
for the Viper finals, third for
the Chameleon, first for the
Scorpion finals, and third again
for the Shark finals. After the
first four days of qualifying
was combined, he lead going
into the World Championships’
cashers round. After another
eight games, he was the highest
qualifier for the World
Championships’ show and
earned a $5,000 bonus.
Rash is arrogant and cocky
on (and sometimes off) the
lanes, but when you bowl as
well as he does, maybe you
should be.
Rash has his share of
fans and haters, but either
way, maybe his intensity and
filter-less comments (for lack
of better words) will be good
for ratings. He’s an excellent
bowler; he has proven himself
in that respect not only this
week, but in his previous years
on the tour as well. Maybe
bowling needs a little more
excitement and drama, along
Singles
Metro Bowl
Baton Rouge, LA
October 29-30 2011
BOWLERS EARNINGS
1 Rick Minier (SS) $1,000.00
2 Mark Williams $800.00
3 Pete Thomas $700.00
4 Dale Dumbleton (SS) $600.00
5 Jim Stephens $500.00
6 Nicky McClantoc $450.00
7 Charlie Hufford (SS) $400.00
8 Robert Dunaway $350.00
9 Roger West (SS) $300.00
10 Bob Troutt $290.00
11 Avery Leblanc (SS) $280.00
12 Rusty Beach $270.00
with good bowling, to bring up
the viewership.
I’m sure there’ll be people
cheering for and against Rash
as the weeks go by even
though we will already know
the results of the shows. I just
wish we didn’t have to wait so
long to watch it all happen.
As we go into the last few
tournaments of the WSOB this
week, I hope to see a lot more
from some of last year’s top
PBA players like Chris Barnes,
Mika Koivuniemi, and Bill
O’Neill. Barnes and Koivuniemi
have both made one show so
2011 EBONITE
SASBA TOUR
far at this year’s WSOB, but
unfortunately for them it is
the same one, the Shark Open.
After making what was the
record of three shows at last
year’s WSOB, O’Neill has been
struggling at this year’s event
with his highest finish being
6th on the first day during the
Viper Open. I assume it has
been a disappointing World
Series for all three of them,
and I hope that they can turn
it around going into the final
three tournaments. I can’t wait
to get out to Vegas this week to
watch (and play some craps)!
At AMF Lewisville
Kirshner drills 811,
Smithers snags 641
Andrew Kirshner claimed
high series honors for the week
at AMF Lewisville Lanes with
a thundering 289-277-245 =
811 Monday Nite Men’s league
session.
Lisa Smithers’ sturdy 269-
195-177 = 641 Homeless League
series headed the ladies’ leader
board.
HONOR ROLL
Patrick Schmidt 258-672, Dee
Jungerman 203-574, Laney Royal
234-663, Debbie Lassiter 206-615,
Donny Clark 267-669, Sara Knight
155-410, Brian Watts 225-632, Sabina
DeBord 184-535, Ryan Curtis 268.
Mike Garcia 268-762, Mary Barton
235-599, Rita Smith 213-614, Brad
Williams 278-719, Stacie Hatton
236-566, Ken Smithers 268-642,
Shawn Kelly 270-705, Mindy McNeal
225-621, Jan Shambo 180-485.
Marvin Kyser 268-745, Jacqui Hicks
214-603, Phil Bender 277-746, Stacie
Hatton 197-517, Gary Kluempke
248-646, Kristen Ficaro 199-520,
Larry Newboles 245-680, Crystal
Maksymowiz 216-526. Channing
Park 223-587, Sherri Vargas 190-453,
George Romo 246-668, Sue Romo
159-457.
Singles
Del-Mar Lanes
Houston, TX
November 5-6, 2011
BOWLERS EARNINGS
1 T.J. Johnson (SS) $1,050.00
2 Joe Lecroy $800.00
3 Dennis Francis (SS) $700.00
4 Pete Thomas $580.00
5 Robert Dunaway $510.00
6 Mark Williams $460.00
7 Paul McCordic $420.00
8 Ricky Siegfried (SS) $390.00
9 Rick Minier (SS) $360.00
10 Randy Shewmake $330.00
11 Jim Stephens $310.00
12 Joe Vickrey $300.00
13 Paul Houston $290.00
14 Donald Robinson $280.00
15 Richard Martin (SS) $270.00
16 Walter Goldston $260.00