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View Full Version : ANDY MORTON: Chateau PDW and WRW 2009



onefrombills
08-08-2009, 05:34 AM
The PBA season is off to a pretty good start wouldn’t ya say? The Motor City Open concluded its qualifying and match play rounds this week and among the abundance of storylines and Xtra Frame coverage, we find an abundance of PBA Tour titles. One hundred and five career PBA titles will be represented at the Motor City Open final. I don’t care if that show is on this Sunday, next Sunday or 52 Sundays from now, I will be tuning in.

Leading the pack is Walter Ray Williams Jr. who owns 45 titles. Followed by Chris Barnes who owns 12 titles. Pete Weber sits in 3rd with 34 titles. Tommy Jones who shot 300 in the final position round game to move into the stepladder has 12 titles. And Bill O’Neill anchors the stepladder without a single title. Which begs the question…Is there a better way to win your first title than by beating these four guys?

But more curious to me is how these older, well-aged guys (WRW Jr. & PDW) keep going. They are apparently like a couple of fine wines that only seem to get better with age. The Energizer Bunny comes to mind too, but the mental images of Pete and WRW Jr. walking around wearing pink bunny ears slamming a drum just didn’t sit right in my stomach.

In most professional sports, I would say you’d be really good or lucky to make it as a professional until at age of 40. Brett Farve retired from football for the 77th time this year at the age of 39 and he can still play, but chose not to. Michael Jordan retired at the age of 36 and he was the best in the game. He could have probably played into his 40’s if he wanted. Tom Watson was 60 years old this year when he lost in a playoff at the British Open. But I would find it hard to believe any of these guys would be competing at the highest levels on a weekly basis like our two superstars do.

Walter Ray turns 50 in October. Pete Weber turns 47 this August. I can’t explain it. I’m 28 and couldn’t do what these guys are doing in relation to games bowled and the hardships they put on their muscles and joints.

And anyone that argues that bowling isn’t physical or abusive to the body doesn’t understand the PBA Tour or professional bowlers. I would challenge them to bowl 14 games a day for three to four consecutive days and see how they feel. And then do it again and again and again and again…You get the point.

Personally, PDW and WRW Jr. would be my 8th and 9th Wonders of the World in no particular order. The body can only take so much right? My left knee screams in agony after a few days of bowling. How their knees are even still attached is beyond my understanding? It doesn’t make sense and it defies all odds. And it’s got to be a little disheartening for the young guys coming out on tour to know that they might be getting whooped up by these guys for another decade.
Comparably, I probably wouldn’t be going out on a limb by suggesting Tommy Jones (31 years old) and Chris Barnes (39 years old) are in the prime years of their bowling careers right now. Tommy Jones shredding racks 16 years from now on the PBA Tour is difficult to envision in all honesty because of the daily wear and tear. Barnes is a little closer in age and I think he has a decent chance to be out there, but will he be doing what these guys are doing? Its one thing to be able to throw the ball and it’s a whole different thing to be competitive, leading tournaments, and winning tournaments at the highest level.

I’m sure the current cast of PBA stars and up-and-comers will be quietly giddy whenever P-D-Dub and Deadeye retire from the main PBA Tour. And I’m sure the current crop of Senior PBA Tour bowlers are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to teach those two young brats a thing or two about bowling...NOT!

Side Notes/Observations:

* Xtra Frame is substantially improved and worth the money if you are a fan of the PBA. Really enjoyed it this week. I’m just wondering when P.B. Atkinson is going to get a special invite onto the live match play broadcast.
* You can find my PBA fantasy picks right here. I am available for consultation for a small nominal fee. Of 131 bowlers who bowled, I picked the 2nd qualifier Chris Barnes, 9th place Mike DeVaney, 11th place Sean Rash, and 19th place Joe Ciccone. Not bad, eh?
* Wes Malott and Norm Duke missed the cut. I repeat… Wes Malott and Norm Duke missed the cut. Must be a typo.
* Since the “Post Your PBA Experiences’ Here” forum topic got deleted, I’ll be posting mine here. Shot 201, 234, and 203 during my first week back from summer vacation on the PBA Experience Viper pattern. Just four sticks behind James Krafft who shot 642. Nice bowling James.
* Happy Anniversary to my wife of four years this week. If WRW Jr. and PDW are the 8th and 9th wonders of the world, than you are certainly the 10th! I love you. Now can I go bowl the WSOB next year?