The first few weeks of bowling league have been fairly good.  So long as I stop shooting myself in the foot on spares(or hitting myself in the ankle with the ball, I suppose), I'll be fine.  Week 2 was down from Week 1; 568 and too many missed spares.  Week 3 started a turnaround; shot 600 on the dot with a 212 and a pair of 190+ games, and watched Bradley beat Drake!  Exciting game.

Prebowling the next two weeks.  Went in yesterday with Jess and Renee and shot 624 with a 157 game mixed in haha.  There's a bounce back game for you; 257 after a 157 lol.  The lanes were a bit difficult, had a board or two-board difference from the left lane to the right lane, but it was mostly Big Bang and Inferno 22 to 12 on the left lane and Equation 2 21 to 10 on the right lane.  Not too bad and hey, beat my series from last week so everything's good.

My goals for this semester are to 1)bowl most of the season and actually finish; 2)shoot a 700 series, and 3)have no handicap at the end of the season.  An 800 series would be a bonus.

Almost forgot: got the thumbhole on the Big Bang reslugged and redrilled!  It throws like a dream, but it's a bit tight if my thumb gets swollen.  Since I'm sick right now, it'll be swollen for a while, but the ball still rolls just like she did when I first got it.  I'm very happy with things on the lanes right now; my scores can only go up.

News from home: Josh made Junior Gold!  This kid is good.  And I get to call him a kid because I've got a year and a few inches on him lol.  Nah, but minus 24 for ISBC is not bad at all.  Alberto was minus 122(?), which also isn't bad; in fact, I'm pretty sure that's an improvement for him.  From what I heard, Sam P. was close to making JG, just had one bad game.  These are the trying times, when the weather turns to spring and the spots for Junior Gold are dwindling fast.  We must remember not to press and magnify the shots or the games; just bowl like it's another day at the alley and things will usually turn up.

Like I said, I'm sick and Jazz Ensemble is playing today and tomorrow, so I need to get some rest.  In the meantime, don't forget: 35 days until Opening Day!

Until then, keep rolling the rock.

-CJP

Jumping off: Man, Bill, where were all those hidden spy cameras when you needed 'em?

First week of the Bradley Intramural Bowling League.  Pretty sure the league isn't sanctioned again this year, which is a shame because if every night is close to this one, I'm going to get an 800 series.  Bowled fairly well tonight; started off with a 253(that 8th frame always does me in!) and a 593 series.  Much like my last time out, I missed the 200 average by a couple of pins, but hey, I'll get a handicap for at least the first two weeks.  Looking to do away with that though.

Nick "The Big Nasty" Thommen's on the team, along with a kid in his fraternity.  We've got a decent team, so barring my usual semester injury, we'll be sitting at the top of the league by the end of spring semester.

Tournament in La Porte this weekend.  I kinda want to go, especially since I heard that Coach is devising a tricky sport shot(Confirmation on that, Hurman?), and since most of our Rolling Rock Superstars will be out there.  Hmm, that's not a bad name for all of us.  Wonder how much shirts would cost...

Either way, it's a tough call: this would be the third straight weekend I left campus, and there's a friend coming over from U of I that I've been talking to.  Plus, it's hard to miss campus weekends; you never know what craziness is going on.  On the other hand, this would be some decent practice for JG in July, and I would only have to pay 40 bucks this time around.  Plus, I feel like I could beat some of those Hoosier State ringers.  Shoot, if Alberto can make match play....haha, gotcha, kid!

I looked up the core for the Inferno online and I realized that I should be using that ball earlier than after the lanes have broken down.  This'll be fun, figuring out which ball is the leadoff, especially since I'm getting a new thumb hole in the Big Bang.  Finally, I'll get to use that ball like I've wanted to.

Well, that's all for this one.  Wanted to talk about Bill Belichick losing the game for the Pats(who goes for the end zone in the third quarter?  Three points there would have tied the score, Mr. Genius.)  I won't lie, I was ecstatic that they lost.  And Eli Manning finally grew up.  Lesson to all you hotheaded young talents out there: experience will get you to the top.

As always, keep rolling the rock.

CJP

It was another whirlwind December and January, filled with sleepless nights, antacid tablets and feigned bravado. Another winter of worrying if they could really make it and not kill each other in the process. And once again, they made me believe in them.

First, I would like to thank all the St. Ignatius bowling family: Polo, Piotr, Nava, Andrew, Iram, Pinkowski, Michael Roman(who I only saw once), Will, Tino, Alberto, Ray-Ray, Fat Man Justin, Sam and Sam, Brendan, DJ and Jason, Janice and of course, Coach. Seeing my name in the state finals program under "Assistant Coach" really did make it all worthwhile. Of course, so did Desiree, but that's another story.

To categorize Downstate very quickly, we'll go this way:

The Good:

Making it there in the first place. Both trips to Steak and Shake. The purchase at Walgreens(that should come in handy soon!) Wii everything. Halo 3, anyone? Seeing Rich Kaczynski wasted again. Getting Cyrus there, for the first and (sadly) last time. Will's macknificent game on Suzy. Alberto making the second day again. Meeting those dudes from Belleville East. The Edwardsville girls. Dare I say, Ginger's sister? Tino's resolve in the state comp and at the tournament on Sunday. My Outback record still stands. The upgraded HBs. And finally, Scalise's moment of triumph.

The Bad:

The underachievement of the team, at sectionals and at state. The breakdown of the team concept, yet again. The overall underwhelming Big Lebowski. Sam's own personal hell and lack of dedication when it seems there's nothing to play for. Justin's bad back. Brendan's double disappointment. Shorting Will out of his chance to perform(my fault.) Locking kids in closets.

The Ugly:

7 guys on 1. A-Gar's roid rage. Sam's immaturity. That one girl? Yeah, she was ugly too. The Belleville West coach. And the empty feeling on the bus ride home, that we could have, should have done more.

It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, the same as it ever was. I saw some things I loved, some things I hated, and some things I honestly hope that I never see again. Look out for an upcoming blog on what a team is and should aspire to be. I saw the team break down worse than I have ever seen this weekend, and that just can't happen. As we said at Steak and Shake on Saturday, who knows if there'll even be a team in a couple of years?

But on the whole, I'm fine. Not satisfied or happy, but fine. Now, it's time to focus on other things: getting ready for Junior Gold(me and Thompson), getting the guys qualified for Junior Gold(Alberto, Justin, Ray?, Peterlin), and just practicing in general, along with surviving and thriving in Peoria. We'll see what happens. And if you ever find yourself in doubt on the approach or in the alley, just remember these simple words:

WE SAY E-VILLE, YOU SAY TIGERS! E-VILLE! TIGERS! E-VILLE! TIGERS!

Until the next time, keep rolling the rock.

CJP

I've been to at least eight tournaments by now.  It has to be because we did a bunch after senior year, and then I've been to four in recent memory, starting with the St. Clair Special last year around this time.  Anyway, after every tournament as I'm packing up, I would think about how this was another learning experience and that that elusive victory would come.  Some success would be there soon.

Yesterday, I didn't get the win, I didn't get the place, I didn't get the show.  But I got the consolation prize and it was a big one.

I'm going to Detroit for the Junior Gold Championships in July.  A chance for a spot on Junior Team USA, and a guaranteed 100 bucks in scholarship money.

Here's how it all went down:

5:45 am: Wake up.  Look towards the clock, go back down.  Jay yells, "You better get up!"  Get up and get ready.

6:05 am: No sign of the van.  Still stuffing things into my bag for school.  Didn't get a lot of sleep, only about three and a half hours.  Call Janice, says they're about 10 minutes away.

6:15 am: Give Jay a hug goodbye, take everything out.

6:25 am: Load up the van and head out for Peoria.

7:55 am: Passing Pontiac.  Coach and Jan are worried that we might not be on time.  I'm trying to do rough calculations in my head, and they all add up in our favor.  Helps that Coach is averaging 85 miles an hour.

8:21 am: Reach the Peoria exit, and time is running a little short.  Practice is scheduled to start at 8:45 and that's when entries close.  Josh, DJ and Jason aren't signed up so we've got to get a move on.

8:25 am: Coach kicks it up to 90.  We're about 15 miles from downtown.

8:41 am: Getting off at Gale Avenue.  Can't believe I'm back in Peoria, back in town.

8:47 am: Get into Landmark and sign up.  Lot of the Robert Morris kids made it, I wonder how they recruited so well down here in Central Illiniois.  Might be a tough field, they're good bowlers.

9:05 am: Practice starts.  Strike on the first two balls and then I'm told that I'm out of dress code.  These are Calvin Klein Jeans, they might as well be in dress code!  Coach saves my life and gets a pair of black pants from Wal-Mart.

9:15 am: Tournament gets underway.  Can't find the pocket exactly, still upset about the jeans fiasco.

10:30 am: Things are going well.  Josh is confident that things will dry out and the high rev players will be hung out to dry.  I'm getting up the lanes easy with the Deuce Equation; 185, 204, 242.  Jason is killing, I can't seem to beat him.  It's a downer lol.  DJ's not on target though, it's tough going for him.  Josh is on track after opening with 149, he's a good player.  I don't know why I haven't seen him around until this year.

12:00 pm: Things are winding up into the last set.  Jason was up around 3rd and Josh was around 5th.  I had a 173 in the fourth(three straight taps and eight straight spares), but bounced back with a 256 and 225 to get back in contention.  Jason is losing the pocket for some reason, and he getting upset; he wants that match play.  DJ is staying in it and finishing out the string(good mental power), and Josh is plugging along.  Man, that kid is good.  I need a good game this last one and I might be able to qualify in the sixth spot.  Just need another 230.

12:45 pm: 158 is definitely not a 230.  Lost the pocket, could not stop pulling the ball.  Just self-destructed like Minnesota, and after what I wrote about finishing?  So annoying.  I'm upset, but calmed down and checked the positives: I set a new tournament high game(256) and finished plus(plus 43 for seven games).  It's not Rhino Page, but it's a start.

12:55 pm: Have a sudden thought.  Go up to the table and ask the ladies at the counter how many Junior Gold spots are open.  'Three,' they say.  I'm surprised; that's a lot and I could make one.  I'm about to leave when they ask my name.  I tell them, they check it in the computer.  'You made it, you won the top spot,' she says.  I am in disbelief, I want to jump up and down.  So I do!  Can't believe I'm going to Detroit!

3;30 pm: Match play finishes up.  Josh qualified third, finished fourth(I think that's right.)  Started pretty well, but the lefties had the premium line and threw some high games to pick up the bonus pins.  Still, fourth is nothing to sneeze at, and Josh picks up about 120 bucks.  He and I tied for high game in the fifth set, so he and I get five dollars on that.  It's small, but it's my first cash in a tournament.  The day just keeps getting better.

4:30-6 pm: The gang hits up Steak and Shake.  There's a lot of success today and even though we're all tired, it's a celebration.  There's a lot of innuendos and some milkshakes on the side.  With all this, State Bowling Finals are this weekend, which means I have to get a lot of sleep.  Can't believe it finally came up aces today.  Now, just need to get a top 10 finish and a win.

6:45 pm: Coach and the gang drops me off at Harper Hall.  Say goodbye to them and hello to Alyssa walking up the sidewalk.  Still flushed with the great day, so I know I'm not even trying to unpack tonight.  Might buy a pizza tomorrow, though.  After all, I deserve it, right?

So that's the day in a nutshell.  Just need to get things in order for back-to-school mode.  Make some e-mails about internships and maybe getting the bowling team back at Bradley.  And of course, buy those two tickets for the Peoria Charter to Bloomington.  After all, there's business to take care of in O'Fallon.

Until next time, keep rolling the rock!

CJP 

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." - Vince Lombardi

We didn't get that victory today.  In fact, like Dave Wills used to say in the Sox post-game show, we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  It's a tough one to stomach, especially since I know we fought for it all day.  To be in first for most of the race and then just lose at the end just isn't a good feeling.  I guess that the class of '06 was just that good.  Maybe we were just finishers.

We'll see.  In any event, the team ran hard today, to a man(and woman, as it were.)  Piotr and Alex walked through the blistering cold for posterboard.  Will held the camera all day.  Jason yelled the cheers, Andrew kept up our spirits.  And of course, the team on the lanes threw their hearts out.  I guess at the end, they either didn't have it or didn't want it.  As much as it hurts me to say that, that's the way it shook out.

My awards go to:

1. Alberto Murillo

The kid had a high fever all day and didn't tell anyone.  Stupid?  Oh yes.  Gutsy?  Hell yes.  I would have left him in had he told us, but Coach might've taken him out, and I know he wanted it.  Alberto pulled us up when we needed it and it was all he could do to stand up and throw at the end of the day.

2. Justin Hauad/Sam Peterlin

This one's got to be a tie.  Justin and Sam were right behind each other all day, and they pushed the Pack up into the 900s when we could have easily threw one more 800 and gotten third.  Justin was the man all year and he had other things on his mind for most of the season.  Best of all, he's coming to Bradley!....right?  And Sam, he was as level-headed as I've ever seen.  He's matured a lot and earned my respect.

3. Sam Scalise

The defining quote of the best performance of the day comes from Max Mari, last winter: "Is that Sam Scalise?"  Yes, that is Sam Scalise, coming off the bench to shoot 180.  A brilliant performance in my eyes, especially with all that he goes through with the guys on the team(even though most of it is deserved.)  In two weeks, Sam became reliable, level, a team player.  He calmed down and learned that it's not always the end of the world when you miss the pocket or flag a spare.  I'm proud of what he did.

Honorable mentions:

Will Dombai: Our cameraman and exclamation point(Will!), he kept our spirits up with(as usual) off-color jokes.  Alberto wanted Will downstate, I say he gets Will downstate.

Brendan McMahon: the fighting member of our squad; didn't you see the sword?  Brendan was our inspiration.  He didn't shoot his very best, but was trying ever minute and knew when he needed to make an adjustment.

Piotr Wietrzak and Alex Nava: They, on a throwaway suggestion of mine and Scalise's, walked to Home Depot in single digit weather, just to make signs!  Dedicated.  Nava and Piotr should be bowling on the sectional team next year with a little more coaching and practice.

The whole team showed up today.  Thalia came back, DJ and Jason were right in the mix of things, and Marta showed support for everyone.  "The sea of hands," you could call it.  And we wanted high-fives everytime.  I'm proud of the team.  I don't have to buy Tums or worry about stomach pains and missed spares.  Now, the season starts from scratch again.  We're going to the 'ship, looking to pass some people by on the way.  The rallying cry?

The Pack is who we thought they were!

'Til O'Fallon, keep rolling the rock.

-CJP