ESPN gets caught in a time warp

Analysts can't give full story in Taylor because of tape delay

BY MATT FIORITO
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

It was one of those delicious coincidences that immediately trigger a light bulb moment.

Sunday, while I was watching part of the PBA telecast of the Chameleon Championship from Taylor Lanes, a program reminder popped up for one of my favorite shows on the Discovery Channel. It's called "Time Warp," and the title made me think of the situation the PBA and ESPN were in.

Coming up on the PBA telecast was the title match of the Chameleon Championship, with No. 5 seed Mike Machuga taking on top-seeded Bill O'Neill, the former Saginaw Valley State All-America.

O'Neill was in position to make PBA history. Immediately following the live broadcast of the Chameleon Championship, he was to compete in the finals of the Ultimate Scoring Championship, which would be taped for presentation next Sunday. A victory in each would make O'Neill the first player to win two PBA titles the same day.

That story line would have made for compelling television, but ESPN announcers Randy Pedersen and Rob Stone couldn't mention it. Even though the qualifying rounds were held quite publicly the previous Monday and Tuesday at Taylor Lanes (and duly reported), ESPN had to ignore the finals and treat next Sunday's telecast as if it were live.

ESPN was caught in a time warp.

O'Neill, who at one point looked like he would cruise to victory in the Chameleon Championship, took ESPN off the hook with a late-frame collapse and a loss to Machuga. He also lost his semifinal match in the taped tournament -- won by Mike Wolfe -- to completely kill the story line.

So, on next Sunday's telecast, O'Neill, the PBA points leader, will merely be making his third straight television appearance.

ULTIMATE FOLLY? The Ultimate Scoring Championship was designed to show how the pros would destroy a so-called typical house shot, although there really wasn't anything typical about it. Most leagues don't have 64 players with high rev rates burning up the lanes, nor do league bowlers have to change lanes every game.

But through qualifying and match play, at least, the objective was achieved, with the leaders averaging around 260 and the field producing 18 300 games (compared with one in the Chameleon tournament). Unfortunately, the scores on the telecast weren't outrageous. Wolfe's 246 in the title match was the high -- and worse, no one flirted with a 300 game.

That was exactly what the PBA feared.

But supposedly, there will be segments of the telecast that will emphasize how easily the pros mastered the conditions in qualifying.

Were the fans bored by the scorefest, someone asked? My reply: Fans are never bored when one of their favorites rolls a 300.

NOTEBOOK: The Friends of Berkley Parks and Recreation is hosting a "family fun" fund-raiser from 1-5 p.m. Sunday at Hartfield Lanes in Berkley. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for teens 15 and older. There's no charge for children 14 and under, but they must be accompanied by an adult. The ticket price includes pizza, pop, two games of bowling and shoe rental. Proceeds will go toward a new recreation center. Tickets are available at the Berkley Recreation Center from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. today and Friday; 8-11 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday. Walk-ins will be accepted. For more information, call 248-658-3470. ...

Aleta Sill's Bowling World at Country Lanes in Farmington is hosting Ebonite Demo Days on Sunday, with squads at 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. The cost is $20. For information, call 248-615-9060.

Contact MATT FIORITO at 313-222-6721 or mfiorito@freepress.com.