Spurts

We are All All-Stars!

09/22/08 12:08 AM | Permalink

Last week was the first week, because everything has to have a starting point. Last week was that week. When you are in a bowling league you have to start somewhere, I like to do that on the first week as a rule.
ASB1

David Andrichik has assembled a cadre of Chatterbox regulars and neighbors and turned us into our own bowling league at the All*Star Bowl bowling alley on the city's east side. Last week, oh wait I've covered that already. Six teams were created, 24 regular bowlers were required, 21 were there plus one substitute, leaving two teams a kegler short. Team 1: (Chatterbox One) Rehder/Hamilton/Andrichik/Andrichik came up against Team 2: Krull/Yosha/Wilson/Beuke (I don't know if they have chosen a catchy moniker yet)who won two games (valued at two points each) and series (1 additional point) finished in first place taking 5 of the 7 available points in their contest. Team 3: Suenram/Hutton/Mark/Bowman, (with Bobbi Jo Marx absent and Kay Niedenthal subbing brilliantly) again I don't know if they chose a team cognomen, were pitted against Team 4: Hiatt/Martin/Berns/Culy, and won two games but lost series ending with a 4 point score. Team three is in 3rd place. Thusly team 4 were awarded (earned) 3 points 2 for 1 game and 1 for an overall score high enough to carry series points. Team 4 is in 4th place. The 5th team , (strangely) Team 5: Bailey/Brown/Hatch/West chose a name, "Press Help Key" they , not unlike team 4 were bowling the missing man formation with Mr. Brown suffering from a gravity related stairwell incident and unable to

kegel with a peg-al (cane). Team 4's missing man Paul Berns was just a heart-beat away recovering from heart surgery while his heart throb rolled for scores. My team is the final team, Team 6 and we, Sherry/Shoffner/Gentry/Pace named our crew the 'Box Tops.'
After calculating the totals and handicaps this weekend I determined that our team with the same score as team 2, but lower pin count, is in 2nd place. That leaves team 1 and team 5 vying for last place, with just 2 points each. The honor goes to team 5 (vie? vie not?) with just a dozen less points with handicap than the flagship brand. In just under 19 hours from the completion of this post round two of the Chatterbox Bowling league will convene to see who comes out on top next tally!

Chuck Pace ©2008
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5 Ring Zombie

08/15/08 06:12 AM | Permalink

Wow. Women's Individual Gymnastic gold and silver. Wow, Michael Phelps. Wow Rebecca Soni. Wow, I was up until 1:30. I didn't sleep much afterward. I got some shut eye, but mostly I just didn't. I was up before 5:00. I know for sure I will be paying for this later. I'm in training. I'm going for a Gold in the Insomnia Marathon. Wow! Feel that Burn! Sure, it's in my eyes, but it's a start!
I was just giggling during the pool-side interview with Rebecca Soni, she just smoked the competition and was so humble and pleasant. I don't think she realized her accomplishment yet.
Chuck Pace ©2008

Games End, Games Continue

08/12/08 07:29 AM | Permalink

Tonight's the night we make history, I do believe it's true. Tonight our effort is recorded forever in the annals of bowling history, a permanent record will be added to USBC's massive database. We won't have done anything overly fantastic, but a record will be made anyway. Last week we did the possible for the first time in this 14 week summer series, we took all three games and series (duh.).
Tonight we will be competing to stay above worst. We will be trying to finish 17th or better out of 18 teams.
Last week I had my league high game @ 189, and my second highest series @ 510, tonight I try once again to hit the elusive 200 mark. Wish me luck.

At 12:50 I shut the TV off and tried for sleep. The USA mens' gymnastic team had just won a Bronze against what was supposed to be insurmountable odds. The Chinese team crushed the competition and the Japanese barely squeaked by the USA team in the final round. Just like the qualifications rounds the final event for the Americans was the pommel horse, and this time the first two had problems erasing the points lead the US had over Japan and putting the bronze in peril, that's when Alexander 'Sasha' Artemev gave another amazing pommel horse routine. Again he had the fastest, widest flares of any of the competition, and put The American team in solid for the Bronze, the Germans were the last to compete who may have had a chance to beat the US and on the same apparatus, but the first tow wee lackluster performances and their anchor best effort still fell short of the amazing Artemev. Michael Phelps continues to be the unstoppable force in the swimming events, and has tied Mark Spitz from my generation with 9 career Gold metals, but he still has 5 events to win and become the greatest Olympian of all time!
Chuck Pace ©2008

Don't Blink

08/10/08 11:26 AM | Permalink

Olympians, olympians, olympians!
Being a human, I am always inspired by exhibitions of human greatness. Always captivated watching the greatest athletes in the world competing in the worlds greatest venue. Politics and geography aside I am amazed at the limits of human endurance and performances and determination and perseverance of those who would push those limits. They are all heros, role models and inspirations.
You may have guessed. I have been watching my fair share of the games, staying up until midnight or later each night.
My stomach muscles are still sore from clinching and holding during the men's gymnastics segments. The Chinese on the rings were scary, precise and intimidating. USA men's team Alexander 'Sasha' Artemev gave an absolutely amazing pommel horse demonstration with the fastest widest flare of the legs I saw during any of the early competition, the USA team has to finish in the top eight to compete in the medals rounds, the Chinese, Japanese and Russian teams are the dominate teams and are 1-2-3 in that order after day one mens gymnastic competition.
There are a few Hoosiers in the games, including Mariel Zagunis, Notre Dame student and now two time Olympic Gold Medalist in Fencings "Sabre" competition. Getting most of Indiana's attention are two competitors on the Women's Gymnastic team, Brigit Sloan and Sam Peszek. Sam competed in only one even after sustaining an injury to one of her legs and did an exceptional job.
Again last night I was up until well after midnight watching. Like so many I was up and pumping my fist in the air along with Michael Phelps when the USA Men's swimming team took the 4x100 IM relay at the wall with a fingertip touch by Jason Lesak beating the French team and anchor swimmer Alain Bernard by 8/100ths of a second to take the Gold. Then there is Dara Torres, the oldest Olympic swimmer ever to win a medal with a Silver in her first event and more to come. Natalie Coughlin and so many others.

Off to work with my sleepy self and sleepy wife, go team USA!
Chuck Pace ©2008

Lookin' For Four Dry Runs

07/24/08 10:38 AM | Permalink

This is the weekend of Speed in and around Speedway Indiana. O'Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) in little Cleremont host three events this extended weekend; there's the Silver Crown Race Thursday, the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday and the Nationwide Series on Saturday. This year Rich and I have all access credentials for all three ORP events. Of course we also still have our Brickyard tickets again one row from the top just before the apex of turn three as usual.
We got the cred's from our buddy David Gansert who used to work with us at Roberts Distributors in the in-house photo lab. David is now an official photographer at ORP and shoots with Canon DSLR's and lenses.
I don't even have a DSLR yet, but I am really impressed with the newest offerings from Nikon. I played with the new D700 and SB 900 Speedlight on Tuesday when Jeff our Nikon Sales rep brought them in. I couldn't get the flash to make a bad exposure even when I took it off TTL. I don't have three grand for a D700 body but I might be able to get a D300, which has the standard APS-chip. I might have to haunt Scott Proctor in our Used Department waiting for a clean D300 to come in. The D300 is current and predecessor to the full size D700 coming in later this week or next. No, I will most likely be borrowing a Nikon outfit for the weekends events from Roberts photo rental department, I have to call and reserve something right after I finish my post here. I hope I don't have to use photo rain gear this weekend, but there are chances of rain for Friday and Saturday, if I do need it I can get it at Roberts too, we sell AquaTech (the best around) but I don't know if we rent it, if I have to buy, my budget for DSLR rain gear would probably fall more in the Kata range. I might just bag it in a Lowe-Pro AW camera bag if the rain is not too intense since I don't think there would be too many photo opps if the rain turns into a full on storm. AW stands for all weather, it has a deployable rain shield.
Last year at the truck race, Rich, John Qualkenbush and his son John Ivan and I waited out an almost three hour delay and track drying before the race actually got under way. It was John Ivan's first in-person race experience and he slept a great deal of the soggy part. Oh to be young. Oh to be able to sleep. But that's a whole different story isn't it?
I left work early with Rich and we headed out to ORP to get our creds. Then it was back downtown to pick up the car and the missus. From there we hopped over to The Chatterbox to see David and Rachel for a fair weather evenings libation. Not long after we got there Jody Grober Roberts mail-order manager arrived on his bike. Jody introduced me to the "Wednesday Night Mens club" at the Chatterbox 15 or 18 years ago, but has not been a regular for a long time. Even when Jody was a regular he was irregular, but that's a whole lot of different stories. Jody was there to meet with jazz musician Matt Roberts (who often plays at the Chatterbox) and used to be Roberts on-call IT guy. Bruce Pallman, the owner of Roberts rode up on his bike too. Regular Roberts customers (and Chatterbox staples) Jack and Joan Green were there and Jody and Bruce talked with them for a bit, then the meeting with Matt got underway. With Rich (Roberts e-bay guru) and I there too Roberts Distributors outnumbered all the rest of the patrons on the patio for a couple of hours.
LeAnne Bailey and Kris Bowman are joining David at the Brickyard this year, and Rich and I have invited them to meet us at our usual parking area for breakfast before the green flag flies. This breakfast has become a Nascar pre-race ritual with the Roberts guys. Last year Mike Wilson or inventory control guy (that is what it says on paper, he is actually a Ninja and we never see or hear him until he goes to lunch or leaves for the day) and Jody joined us for these and other rituals. This year Jody is taking MJ to her first close encounter of the stock car kind, so he wont be joining us in our perfect seats, Wilson is in again and we are still waiting to hear from Richard from West Virginia who has been our Brisol connection, and went with Travis Rich and I two years ago. Well I have been at this for over an hour, and I have so many other day off things to do.
////Chuck Pace ©2008

Peaks and Vales

07/23/08 06:41 PM | Permalink

So last week we took only one game, even though I had my best game and series since week one when I set the unattainable since bench mark performance. That first week I bowled a 525 series with a high game 1 of 179. Incredibly, the next week I had my worst series and lowest game. Game one 99, series 388. Since then I have been up and down, so when I stepped up in week ten and bowled a 500 even I was happy, the team didn't do as well and like I said we only took one game. It didn't help that we were bowling the #1 team in the league that week. Jump ahead one week and what happens? We are bowling the #2 team in the league, and we have slid back to last place (18th). Game one, only anchor man Tom Pruitt achieves. Rich and I are under our averages. Team Blust takes game one by 50 pins. Game two I better my numbers by 6 pins and am still 6 pins below my average, Tom drops below his average by two pins and Rich is possessed! Rich bowls a 9/ to start then 5 strikes and another 9/, but the time the dust settles we have won the second game by 68 pins, are up in series by 19 and Rich has knocked a big 222 hole in his stats. Along comes game three, Tom and I both pick it back up and do well,

I bowl my highest game of the entire league, a 186, Tom beat me with a 188, 15 over his average and Rich drops a 137 bomb. Still we were able to win game three by 22 pins and take two and series. I won't know until next Tuesday if we moved out of the basement spot or not. The team ahead of us was only 1 point out of a tie for last going in. Next week is the last week before the final week and position round, we must prevail at all cost, or drink bowl and have a decent time. Hmmm.

Chuck Pace ©2008
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Bowl Well? Oh Well.

07/02/08 01:21 PM | Permalink

Once again the burden of maintaining last place in a summer league fell squarely on our shoulders. Once again we were equal to the task. I actually came out and defended my low average each game with a worst effort in game one 9 pins over my said pedestrian median of bowling aplomb. We didn't name our team "Total Breakdown" for nothing, at least one player each night has a disappointing effort or is smote by the kegling gods in public. Mercifully it was not I this week in any of the three contests, as I said I bettered each game and started 9 pins over the average I have so carefully destroyed since an on fire week one. The second game was 2 pins better than the firs, the third two pins better than the second and my average for the evening was 156, I have given you all the factors in this story problem, so if you wish you can now calculate my score, and evenings starting average. For the third straight week Rich struggled, not as much as in the previous two attempts, in fact only his middle game was below his average, albeit 38 pins below. Anchor bowler Tom was the real struggler this outing. Only his middle game was over his lofty self made benchmark average, and even had Rich pulled up his score to his average we would have still lost the second game by 58 pins. We are usually hero makers, gifting the gift of best career game to someone on the opposite team at least 70% of the time. Last night would have seemed another such night, except the guy who had a banner evening and single handedly won game two for the opponents was a guy with a 1 pin handicap, so he is obviously a strong bowler. He bowled 7 in a row before having a 9 -, and a 9/ then turkeyed out in the 10th. So my 11 pins over average, and Tom's 3 pin over average when added to Rich's 38 under was a lost cause in any event.
The real fun came after the bowling was done, the balls put away until they are needed again and the rest of the equipment was tucked away for another day. That is when we, Jenni and I, not the intrepid bowling machine known as "Total Breakdown" went out for the night.

Movie night. We got to the theatre with the full intention of watching Wall°E, the latest offering from Pixar/Disney, that is when we noticed that Will Smith's Hancock was also airing with a start time only 10 minutes later than Wall°E. we were the first in our theatre and grabbed the second row after the divider, middle. We watched the previews and before long there were others joining us. A sparse but enthusiastic (even talkative at times) crowd enjoyed a week-days movie outing. As we expected Wall°E was terrific, and we will be going to see Hancock soon, I'm sure. Maybe even in Tennessee.

So much for breaks and taking them on a vacation, back to the charished, chorish challange.
A cowboy's work is never done.
Chuck Pace ©2008

A Track Record

05/27/08 01:38 PM | Permalink

The Pagoda seen from Stand C, section 1 stairwell landing.
Just after the "Drivers to your Cars" announcement. Chuck Pace ©2008

Well I hadn't been to a Open Wheel Race in Indianapolis since the Cart/IRL fiasco of oh too many years ago.
I have been getting more interested in the racing again in the last three or fours years (the Danica years) as have so many others. She is a great boon to a sport that suffered a type of identity crisis for about a decade, she was the most popular driver among the fans in the seats around us as I'm sure she is everywhere she goes. A truly talented driver with the same bravado as the "boys club' drivers. She is analogous to Jr. in the cup series for fan base and worship, and a far better/braver talent in my opinion, and of course she didn't inherit a fan base, or get the gift of a team and a ride from her family. Her personal race is more like that of a Tigress breaking into the Lions domain.
Behind our seats, in the next row was a preschool girl and her 1st grade brother. She said he was going to race cars like Danica when she was older. A sentiment heard from others a few more times at the concession stands and along the walks back to the car too I might add.

The level of competition at the track was great, even after the 'most popular' driver was taken out by an overly aggressive pit exit by Team Penske's Ryan Briscoe.
Of the Chatterbox entourage I can say that all had a grand time before, during and after the main event. Once again David has given his regular patron's more reason to continue frequenting his fine establishment.
Above: Indy native John Andretti during one of the many cautions.
Chuck Pace ©2008

Roll On Seven

05/14/08 06:43 AM | Permalink

Smashing success. The pins fell. The handicaps were established. The games ended.
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Last night it was the All*Star Bowl. The lanes were dressed nicely, the oils didn't break down nearly as much as the bowlers, and the tech of the equipment was medium high. It was like going from LP to CD for the first time. Still not 5.1 surround or SACD quality, but 'viva la difference'! I rolled threes games at exactly my average. So Did Rich and Tom (if you are new to this you establish your average in the first night, so it is inevitable that you roll your exact average on night one, get it?) What is your average oh sage of the ether-tripe. Glad you asked. Three games 179, 168 and 180, for a series of 527 yields a 176 average in this particular league and a 31 hdcp. Rich? Why you are so inquisitive today. He reigned havoc with 131, 160 and 197 efforts. Series 488, handicap 43. You keep at me and I will tell you all, but you knew that. Captain Tom? The Tom who bowls at All-Star on a regular basis, Tom? He did just fine thanks for asking. You want a breakdown? I am too emotionally stable right now to breakdown over a first night of bowling, but I will tell you how Tom did if that is what you require. Thusly, 185, 191 and 181. Series 557, hdcp 22. We won one game and series in the strength of that victory. For a 3 point first endeavor.
Midway through our second game Jeff Barber arrived to do some open bowling, he too had never stepped into the All Star Bowl as a combatant of the evil scourge of "Pin". Unofficially he had about a 135 average for the evenings bout. I shall take my battle armor into the fray each week for the next 13 weeks to do this battle as well.
We started at 7 hence the title of said post, we were on lane six. I didn't have one big four or monster split the whole night, Rich had a "church" once but was otherwise ugly split free as well.
It was a god introduction to All*Star. We named our team Total Breakdown.
Chuck Pace ©2008

All Star Game

05/13/08 06:55 AM | Permalink

Well from 'never again' to be 'gentle its my first time'. Last time it was go big or don't go at all. This time it's get in, do the job and get out . I have never bowled a game at All*Star Bowl before, I have dropped Meredith off and picked her up for Friday Night and Saturday night bowling there when she was in High school, but, Laid a ball on the hardwood (yes children, wood) that I have not.
So tonight at 6:30 a new era in kegling begins for your intrepid blog-master. I got balls, and I got wood, I'm ready to get it on. I have to scratch an itch, and get over the 'Evil Empire's' destruction of my home kegling planet! I will be a force. I will have my revenge I will not bowl over to the dark side.
The Last time was sweet and bittersweet. This time I just hope the healing starts. The memories will be all the much better with a "comparison set" to judge by. Wish me luck. Wish my team mates luck, Tom Pruitt and Rich Culy. Wish.
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The Business Done

05/07/08 07:13 AM | Permalink

Last Day montage: Clockwise from top left. Mishell, Larry and Melinda. Sue Reilly, John Laughlin; A last look at the lanes: The Sign still lit and the neon pin.
The Sport Bowl is done. Over done with gone. There was no way to save it. In the 9 or 10 years I bowled there regularly I made a lot of friends, met a lot of nice and interesting people, and had a lot of fun. Saturday was the last 'league official' event. The strike pot tournament, which was held to distribute the scratch pot that was building for over two years since the last time one of the centers bowlers bowled all 14 required strikes in a three game series. There were 118 entrants in the Strike pot tournament, I knew about 20% of them well enough to have a casual conversation with them. Recognized about another 12% as bowlers I've seen or bowled against in a decade of competition, still I think it odd that I really only recognized about a third of the entrants in the SPT.
Of the 118 entrants, 25 made the pay-out. 1st place took $2500, 2nd $1250, and so on all the way down to a three way tie at 23-25, each of them getting $140. Of the 25 "winners" list I recognized only 12 rollers counting myself (in 7th place). My pay-out for 7th with a 704 series, $415.00 which is to be mailed at some later date. So, besides the thousands of great memories, the dozens of stellar performances, the milestone bowling moments I've had (along with a few dozen stinker nights and crappy performances I am forced to remember to make the good ones shine a little better), I get a tiny fraction of the money I put into the side-pots back and a big bragging towel to wave when ever I feel I need.

The End of Days

05/04/08 03:13 PM | Permalink

At the stroke of Midnight the Sport Bowl Bowling Centers is officially closed. Today is the End of Days for the Sportbowl,
Last Night I bowled my last league related games at the Sportbowl. The Strike Pot Tournament, I did well too, I should be in the money somewhere. I know I didn't make the top 6 places but I may be in the top twelve or so. If so I stand to walk away with a couple of hundred dollars I guess. I will have to wait and see what the outcome is.

Tonight a few of us regulars are saying our last goodbyes to the building , the staff and the fun we shared.
Tonight is the final day of operation for sportbowl.
Chuck Pace ©2008

Vacation... On 3!!!

04/17/08 11:20 PM | Permalink

So we left the Dodgeville/Spring Green area for another Green. Green Bay. I have been a football fan since I was four or five. I would watch the games with my dad in glorious b&w, and knew the Lombardi sweep, and the Purple People eaters better than I knew anything by the time I was 9. When I was 9 I read my first book all the way through, and it was a tough read for a 3rd grader. It was the biography of Quarterback Bart Starr, #15 of the Green Bay Packers. I was a Packer fan when Johnny U. was playing for the Baltimore Colts, when Fran Tarkenton was scrambling to save his rear end every snap because of a porous O-line, and when Roman Gabriel was the talk of the league only because his O-line was the best ever at the time. I was a Packer fan.
So when I conceived the idea of a Mystery Vacation in Wisconsin I had the trip to Lambeau field added in from the beginning.
That is where we went on the third day of the trip. I took a photo of the much larger than life statue of Vince Lombardi. I wiped the tears of awe from the corners of my eyes. I felt almost like a religious zealot going to the Holy Lands. This was my shrine, my beginnings. I spent $62.00 in the pro shop, but had to pass on my first sports hero's $265.00 jersey. I took pictures.

Jenni took pictures and one of the Lambeau staff took our pictures too. I didn't take the tour, I didn't see the field but I did get to haunt the stadiums common areas. I have all but vowed to return to Lambeau on October 19th when the Colts go North to battle the elements and the Favre-less Packers.

Chuck Pace © 2008

Pinned down.

04/07/08 12:12 AM | Permalink

Friday Night: The last Sport Bowl Friday Night Adult League games were rendered...oops. Friday after work the last Sport Bowl Friday Night Adult League games were rendered and the only thing left is the ceremony of patches pay-outs and good byes next week. Many times in the plus nine years I've been bowling at the Sport Bowl, when I was having a particularly tough time getting the round thingie down towards the grouped triangle of odd shaped thingies in such a way as to distribute them into the cavity behind them, I would make an idle threat that after this game, or night, or league is over I'm never coming back here again! Now as far a league play is concerned that is becoming a very real possibility. Nay, an inevitability.

Sunday Night: My vacation is next week so Sunday Night was the last time I will league Bowl at the Sport Bowl. It was an interesting evening. Mel started hot with a Turkey in game one, and she won game two's card game and overall had a decent night of kegel-a-thoning, even thought she still has another week of pin tumbling ahead of her. Rich started strong, got stronger, and finished a little fizzled. I started weak (9 under) then had a big 25 over average 2nd game and a good 17 over third game. Will had two good starter games and a stinker to end the night, and as a team we lost series and only took the first 2 points of a possible 8. My Goal was to win the keglers cash at least once during the season. I have a new goal now, that is not to set myself unobtainable goals.
I will be at the lanes next Friday for the "Payout" and again in two weeks for the Sunday Payout and banquet as well, other than that maybe a time or two for Cosmic Bowling or something before the doors are locked and the ghost of so many good evenings start wandering the approaches and cursing the 10 pin!
Chuck Pace © 2008

Knock Down, Drag Out

03/26/08 07:00 AM | Permalink

I was not called upon to bowl last night, I had the night off from subbing in the 10 for 13 leagues final evening. I thought I'd just go and spectate since there was a heated contest for the top three spots. Three of the four Chatterbox teams were sitting 1,2,3 when the night started, the forth team was hanging on by their fingernails in 10th place. It promised to be an exciting and eventful evening.
That turns out to be an understatement. Before the games began it was announced that the alley, the states oldest continually run bowling establishment, and the 6th oldest in the nation would be closing forever on or around May 5th. An institution itself the Sport Bowl is about to see its 10th frame. The beginning of the end started when Royal Pin leisure centers bought the financially strapped independent lanes two years ago. Now they are closing and selling of the property, and Rich and I will have no more playground to play at because of the big bully that has eaten everybody's lunch.

Game 1: Rich Culy's team Chatterbox 4 started the night in 1st place just one point ahead of Chatterbox 3 and Mike Wilson's team. Christianna H. and Judy G. (two of Rich's girls) started big with strikes but Jeff Barber and Andy Krull, Wilson's warriors for game one countered. By the third frame the Wilsonaters had taken a lead that would not be reversed and in the end even though Christianna had her league highest game with a 125, Jeff's 181 and Andy's 156 also personal bests carried team 3 to a 90 pin victory. After one Chatterbox 4 and 3 were Tied. Meanwhile Chatterbox 1 David Andrichik's Team had a simple mission, win them all and take over 2nd place or ideally 1st. To that end they vanquished league team 4 (with their clever name Team 4) with a 810 to 761 tally. Down on the end of the 10 for 13 lanes Chatterbox 2, Kris Bowman's team struggled and lost by 86 to their opponents, even though LeAnne Bailey pulled her L-Train to a new high 117 pins.
Game 2: Rich and his girls got back on top, Andy and Jeff both were open through the 1st 6 frames, while Christianna and Judy stayed strong, and Rich's team with Rich and Kay struggling a bit below their averages still managed to erase all but 5 pins of the Wilson teams pin count lead and easily took game 2. Next to them Chatterbox 1 quietly and efficiently took game two with a crushing 10th frame turkey for David and a 206 from Will. With a split from Rich and Wilson's teams Chatterbox 1 pulled into a tie for 1st. Team 2 on the other end still struggled even though LeAnne dropped another 116 bomb on the competition. Paul Burns and Kris struggled, and Jeremy Hatch's 144 was not enough to push them over the top.
Game 3: Rich and his girls take the last game and Wilson's team slides to 3rd. Team Andrichik, still hitting on all cylinders takes the third game and leap-frogs the other two into 1st place. Bailey, Burns, Hatch and Bowman take the last game but end up dropping below the Betties who came in in 11th place. When the figurative dust settled Chatterbox 1, 4 and 3 were 1,2, 3 and Chatterbox 2 won last place. I stayed and bowled with Kris, Leanne, Paul, Paula Watson (from yet another non-Chatterbox team) and Rich while David A and Donna Hiatt (from Paula's team) spectated. I had three games right around 170, and called it a night. This was the last time all of us would bowl together at the Sport Bowl as the twilight claims the history and happiness at 3900 S. East street. Friday's league has two weeks left, Sunday's has three, then it's adios amigo's.

Nearing the End

03/21/08 07:26 AM | Permalink

I have been bowling practically every other day since I have recovered from my porokeratosectomy and it is wearing on me much. I have had a back ache for 4 days. I have a pile of things in the World HQ that really are begging for my attention, things like my taxes, tech editing chapters, reorganization. Things need re-shelving. Thing need filed. Things need tossed. Things are needing done. I get home on a non-bowling night after standing for 9 hours or so and have to get supine. Some nights it is in front of the boob tube others it's just on the sleeping surfaces. be they couch or bed. I need time for the back to get back ion non aching form. the legs to stop throbbing and the arms to stop protesting to any load or task. I will find surcease soon. 1 week left in 10 for 13, three left in Fridays , and only two or three mores subbings in Sunday. Then rest, merciful rest.

Knocked Down Fighting

03/12/08 08:07 AM | Permalink

I have a hole in my foot. It is healing nicely. Tomorrow I go in to see Dr. Gray again. Just a routine how the heck are you healing session. Luckily I am out of the limping limbo and living larger than in the last weeks. I am walking like a duck no more, I may still be lame but it is not in my gait.
I have an old car in my garage, it is still lame. It is in limbo, I am still waiting for my price list from my super secret source in California. Down in limbo. How low can you go?

Like I said, recovery is in both of our futures. I bowled on Sunday. I had a 153 average on the "Nothing Better to Do League". I hadn't picked up my pin assassin in two weeks. It was a test. I passed. Game 1: 152, just one under. Game 2: 154 one over and dead on my average after two, game 3: 186. I made it! I am back. I was a little concerned about the foot, it throbbed for a bit but it held up to being put down, and came back kicking. I can walk the walk again.
Test number two. Last night I had a plan. I planned on going to the Chatterbox to see Eran, a high school friend who was going to be in that area dropping the boys off at the Murat. Not all of my plans go according to design, duh. David Andrichik needed a sub on his Chatterbox 1 team. I answered the call. I called Eran on the way to the kegling and told her I was not at the "box" she said I know, I am.
So I arrived at the bowling palace where I have a 164 average on this league. I am the ringer. I am the sub for any of the four Chatterbox teams. I answered the call. "A" game time, game one: 176, a good twelve over the the required mark. Good enough, we won game one. Game two I started with 4 strikes an 8/ and two more strikes and ended with a 223, (you don't need to be Eli Stone to say WHAM!). Our opponents brought their game too in game 2 and we only won by 7 pins, even with the Colossus of Rolleds only missing a deuce and a quarter by 2. Game three, I have a legitimate shot at a 600 series. Sure I would need a 201. Sure I didn't get. I still managed to be the pit boss for 170 of those oddly shaped targets. I pulled a 569 series and am still the man! Like the car woes, and the foot fouls and the daily grind. I will survive. I guess you could say that I was knocked down fighting too.

Laps Danced Laps Diminished

02/17/08 09:59 PM | Permalink

32 drivers out of 43 starters finished on the lead lap at Daytona for the Nascar seasons opener. It was a relatively clean race with only 7 cautions and none for the first 80 laps when debris caused the first slowdown. Laps 150 and 161 were the next two cautions then the last four cautions occurred in the final 24 laps of the race. In the end Indiana boy Ryan Newman won his lucky 13th career Cup victory with the help of his team-mate Kurt Busch, bringing racing team owner Roger Penske his first 1-2 finish in Nascar Racing and his first Daytona and restrictor plate victories.

I watched most of it from the comfort of Rich Culy's big screen TV dominated basement. It was the first Turkey Frying event of 2008. Like so many previous TF events, there was a decent audience on hand, and the food and friendship was as fun and entertaining as the tri-oval stars and the main event. As in the past seven or eight Turkey Frying events I brought my green-bean casserole and Jenni made Hot-Mamas (this time with bacon). Rich dropped three or four mega-fowl (Meleagris Gallopavo) into searing oils, Mel brought her potato and deviled egg specialties, and Guy brought Maddie who brought her peanut butter pies. Yum and yum all around. Kay brought her culinary skills to bear again with delicious treats and other guests supplied more than enough sustenance for our Band of Bellies. Newbies to the Turkey Fryer race party scene and Sport Bowl regulars, Richard and Jennifer Speer and their 4 year old Ryan and Tony Hurst and Liz Cheek their infant son and four year old Hayden all seemed to get enough to eat and have a real good time. Barb and Mike Novak and Jeff Barber and Rachel Aspy made rare appearances at the Culy party command. Mike McDaniels and Joey Bula made return appearances as did John David, Mike Wilson and Maddies daughter Alysha and her infant son Brandon.
carcass and boneyard

It was a weird day. I made my food portion for the event on Saturday night, Jenni made hers on Sunday morning which held me up on getting to Rich's since we decided to take just one vehicle. Before the racin' started Rich and I had to make a trip to 86th and Ditch for the funerary services of Roberts co-founder and Bruce's mother Rose Pallman who passed on Valentines day. The service was nice and the family recollections and the letter reading were both touching and very humorous. It was a good tribute to the Rose that I remember and worked with for over 17 years. The service concluded at 2:45 and Rich and I were back on the near-south side by 3:15; just in time for the dropping of the green flag by stock car racing legend Richard "The King" Petty.
At 3:34, just as we were settling in for a long green flag run my phone rang and I had to get upstairs try and hear the call. It dropped in the basement so I dialed back from the incoming call list, it was Sue Reilly at Sport Bowl alerting me that Will Andrichick was taken to the hospital from the Chatterbowling event that was taking place simultaneous to the Rich fowl food fandango. I called Will's son David later to inquire and he was still at the hospital with Will and Dorothy. He said there were heart enzymes in the blood and there was as a little concern and that they were holding Will for another test at around 11:00 PM. Note that there are always some heart enzymes in the blood, higher levels can be an indicator of stress or damage.
So It was an up, down, up, down kind of day. Late and start and stressful delay. Goodbye to Rose. Congratulations to Ryan Newman. Thanks to all the friends at Rich's party and good luck and speedy recovery to Will.
My head aches; I'm full, tired and I think I will attempt reposed and restoration. I shall slip into night-laces wing, I shall enter Morpheus' realm again, I shall trip the tryptophan-tastick!

Carnage and Mayhem

02/16/08 07:13 AM | Permalink

We did the job last night, we kicked butt. The Copies Plus team went in and took care of business. We entered the evening in 8th place, but only 2 points out of 5th. We knew it wouldn't be easy since we were giving the other team, Just Having Fun 53 pins in handicap which we would have to overcome each game before we could even consider winning. Plus their anchor bowler Jerry B. claims to average a 600 series at one of the other Royal Pin centers so we thought it might be an uphill battle. The battle started with us locking in a 112 victory in game one, then the big game, in game two we won by 173. Jerry and his boys were short (they were bowling with an absent third bowler) but they put up a giant fight in the final game which we only managed to win in the 10th frame by 8 pins.
I started the night in the gumby tie because I had the lowest score by average in the final game last week, but after game one I handed it over to Rich who had only one game over average for the night. Rich wore the tie the next two and earned it for next weeks first outing as well. Ed Craig our anchor bowled two games over 200 and all three over his 165 average (206, 239,194) and won us the final game in the tenth with a X8/. Tom Pruitt our third bowler also put together three over his 168 average (188,203,189) and I did the same besting my 152 each outing (164,172,183) still it is a team effort and our effort was to try and win them all, and we did so. I had a 4 bagger or ham-bone as Ray Spratt of one of the other teams calls it, and Ed had six or seven in a row, and as a team we had several star frames.
Chuck Pace © 2008 |

Corrections Officer

02/13/08 07:05 AM | Permalink

Well I started each game with a strike. I waltzed in with a 172 average knocked down enough pins to average 145 for the night and crawled back home with my tale in my hands. It was a rough night for team 11 (Chatterbox 4). I was subbing, when the evening started we thought Jenni was subbing too. Only two subs were needed. So Jenni sat that one out. One of the teams than needed no help was team 7 (Chatterbox 3), they were on the next pair of lanes over from us. They won all the points, their lead-off bowler David Beuke had a crusher game @229 and a 591 series, Andy K. and Mike Wilson both bowled over there average and Jeff Barber stayed close enough to his. Further up toward the middle of the kegling arena it appeared the Chatterbox 2 and Chatterbox 1 were struggling as well. Chris West still has to wait for his break-out game. Will Andrichik bragged that he got over 100. Sireens done loved up the minds of the CB2 team and took most if nat all of their points as tribute. As the weather got wet and cold outside the lanes at the south end of the Sport Bowl stayed dry and cold for everyone but Beuke, That my story and I powerless to deny it. My first 4 weeks as a Sub I was too good for my own good. Last night came the correction games, and I was too bad to help the team. At least I don't have 10 inches of white death part 2 to shovel. I wonder if I could bowl on an all weatherman team, they cant be very good. High for this post? 229 established 2/12/08 by hurricane David.

Not the Old Adage, a New Maxim

02/11/08 06:55 AM | Permalink

The alarm goes off. The alarm goes off. Jenni's alarm. My alarm. The mind says there will be another. There is another. The mind says there should be another. There isn't anymore. Panic. Hurried. Harried. Rushed. Manic. Outside it is 6°.
Late we up stayed, yes. Tired we are now. Moving we must get. Work.
Last night Jenni was the bowling genius of the family. I was the stay at home and walk the dog guy. Last time Jenni bowled she had a personal high and her first turkey. Last time Jenni bowled was the first time she bowled with her new shoes and ball. Last time she had a 153 game. Then came Sunday. I stayed home with nothing better to do than surf the web and watch movies. Jenni went to Sport Bowl and with Mel 'N' Them bowled in the Nothin' Better to Do league. She started strong (127) bottomed out (88) then had a final game anybody would be proud of. Her first 4-bagger, and a walloping 173. Its not the shoes. Its the new ball. Jenni says I can do color.
Ball'n'shoes

Amongst Her Weaponry. Jenni the Pin Slayers arsenal.
Chuck Pace © 2008
Usually that would be the whole story. That is enough. That should be enough. But there is a little more to the story. Rich (the upstager) Culy. Need I say more? Rich won the 50/50 again. Rich Won a Keglers Cash, again. Rich who has to beat, beat. Rich had three games over 200. Rich had a 670 series. Rich won 1/2 the handicap strike pot. I know Mel and Will were there too, really. Mel had a pair of 151's that she hung on either side of a 147 for a beautiful 449 series. Will shot a 158, 164, 209 for a terrific score and evening too a 531 series.
I watched TV and Went to the BMW web site to check out the new 128i and 135i Coupes. I watched Peyton and the Colts in the Pro Bowl for a bit. I cleaned up my work area in the World HQ.

Makeup. Breakup. Then Break down.

02/06/08 06:44 AM | Permalink

Four gave Giant effort, and got Giant results. No I'm not still talking about Manning, Burris, Toomer and Strahan. I'm talking about Bowling again. Last night was the Beer and Pizza leagues fourth outing. But there was one team that had not been around for the first night. Chatterbox 4, is that team. That is Rich Culy's team. I am a gun for hire, a man without a country, a mercenary, a rogue a ringer. John Gentry is another. We are the Jumpers, and we are not afraid of Samuel L., we are league subs.
bowlogo

Last night Gentry and I along with the newest Jumper, jolly Jenni, joined C-Box 4 for a makeup series before another, the regularly scheduled series. We hurt ourselves. We bowled Six games. We all gave super-human effort. Three of the four of us had higher series in the final three games than in the first three. I hadn't bowled a 200 in any of the Fall/Winter leagues this season. I did in my first game of the night last night. And I didn't sneak up on it either I Rambo'd it. 245! Five games later, the final game of the night. I book-ended the great series' with another, with fatigue setting in I crushed another 215. Jenni had milestones too. We bought her a heavier ball which gives her more control, and she proved it all night (without the help of the E. Street band), she had her first ever league turkey (three strikes in a row) and a 153 high game, also a personal best. Today we both look like we were in the tail section of Oceanic Flight 815; all beaten and battered, gimping and limping, but unlike Tommy Boy Brady we are winners!

The Shirts are here! The shirts are here! As we wee finishing up the first series, the make-up series the other teams were arriving for the regularly scheduled events. The man for whom four bowling teams are named (The Andrichiksers?), or more accurately, who owns the Chatterbox for whom four teams are named, arrived with a box full of beautiful bowling shirts. We all looked the part in the kegling condition in our striking (and sparing) new duds. Life was good. Last night, which the three subs-men of the apocalypse will be feeling until next Tuesday I'm sure, was a blast, a hoot and a fun and rewarding night. I'm off to get Jenni and I walkers so we can do our employment gainfully until the next time orbs are aimed and pins are in peril.
Super Sub Human out!

Archie's Jugheads

02/03/08 11:21 PM | Permalink

So Much.
So much comes to mind. Puns and pundits. I told you so's and oh my godz. I actually saw a red state-blue state breakdown earlier in the day that showed New York, Indiana, Florida and Louisiana as the only states that thought that The Giants were bigger than Hype. Really, Indiana as a blue state? Colts Blue maybe, Giants Blues. Sure. I see it now. Capable of winning over the Patriots. The Team of Destiny, the house that Jack-ass built! The guru of the game plan. The captain of competition, the bastard Bela-Cheats. The odds on favorite to win it all stepped into a big pile of any given Sunday! A better game plan and a better execution beat all the odds. A 14 to 16 point spread in Vegas that has made a bunch of people very happy. A 55 points over/under that saw only 31 points total making even more people bet happy. Ohhh. I need to hurry out and buy my ugly sleeveless red sweatshirt. I believe I heard that this final drive was 5 seconds shorter that Joe Montana's 49er's come from behind SB win about a hundred years ago, to set another Manning family record and Super-Bowl record. What? You want Records? The Giants are first NFC Wild-Card team to win the Championship. The Giants are the only team in NFL history to go 11-0 as a visiting team. The Manning boys are the only brother combo to win back to back NFL Championship's and MVP's, and only the third NFL brother combo ever to both win a NFL Championship.
While pretty boy Tommy thought he was Running Down a Dream Eli and The Giants said I Won't Back Down. 5 sacks and several rushes and hurries later Tommy Boy was Free Falling and playing like Chris Farley, and would have been better off with a very impregnated supermodel in a Van down by the Arizona Canal! This was one of the best Championship Games I have ever seen and I have seen them all. 1 through 42.
So maybe next year the MVP brothers can go head to head in the Championship Game! Archie and Olivia, Oreo's and commercial dynasties! I can see it all.
I said I had puns?

Manning the guns!
1 - 2 PUNCH!
Oh Brother Where Art Thou!
Eli's Not Coming, He has Arrived!
XLI,XLII... XLIII?
Big Brother is Watching!
and finally ... Eli made Tom look Petty!

So I close with this. The NFL history highest season scoring team could only manage 14 points when the near-perfect season was on the line, and superstars and pro-bowl starters played like there were covered by a blanket of Moss. The 2007 Championship team sends an NFL record low 1 player to the Pro-bowl this year, no Champ team has been less represented in Hawaii before. Go Giants. Maybe next Year, Manning Bowl!!!

Big Bowl Games

02/03/08 01:23 PM | Permalink

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight! The big game, the one we've been waiting for all season. Position night on the Sunday Bowling League. We start at 7:00 which means we miss most of the other big game taking place in Glendale Arizona starting at 6:15. Jenni will be here at the world HQ and Fan-empoirium while Rich, David, Will and I take on the evil empire, the team directly ahead of us in points. I don't know how close but it's probably close enough that if we win all 8 points we can beat them to the finish line in ten weeks. The Sunday league name is Nothin' Better To Do which is true most Sunday Nights, but certainly not on SB Sunday! The Night the Pro Football Champion is decided. I remember the last on like it was just last year, when my Colts finally took home the Lombardi Trophy to Indianapolis from a rainy Miami.

I have not been watching a lot of the football hyper-coverage yet, I have been busy. Crazy busy. I even cried a little in preparation for the other activities I have been tied up in. But I think it is a success. Last night Jenni and I went to Meijers to pick up my big day cooking necessities. At 11:00 I started the process, at 1:35 I finished. Finished what? Cutting, cooking, grating, simmering and baking. Onions, thyme, Beef and Chicken Stock , Gruyere cheese, French Bread and super secret ingredients as well.
Two and a half hours from first onion skin tears to removing the finished

product from the oven. Now it cools, now I drools. Jenni and I are waiting the requisite interval required to still retain the buds of taste instead of searing them like the caramelized onions that are making our eyes water again. I must stop typing and start the eating process. Two big bowls await, two 24 ounce crocks. The first Bowl Games start now.
Onionbowl08

Smashing, Ole Boy, Just Smashing.

01/27/08 10:13 PM | Permalink

The original entrance to the oldest continuously used Alley in Indianapolis
Well Sunday is a memory now. A lot of memories actually. A lot of them from the Sport Bowl bowling alley on East Street.
What started out for me as another lazy day and another lingering in the sack ended up as a 6 game whirlwind bowling marathon.
lanez

David Andrichik of the Chatterbox held another customer appreciation event at the bowling alley in question. The turnout was good, the level of competition was good and the pizza and beverages were top notch. Those were all at the Chatterbox's expense, so to be sure that everything was on the up and up David bought in is personal accountant Kristy Newcomer to help with the deductions. Kristy and her friend Katie Brose also bowled. Many of this Chatterbowl events Bowlers are in the 10 for 13 beer and pizza leagues also.
The Chatterbox is responsible for putting together 4 teams plus a pool of subs for these leagues, so it is no surprise that many of the Chatterbowl attendees were on hand for todays funstivities. Rich Culy took it upon himself to encourage some of the bowlers who, with some guidance and constant refinement may not end up being a complete embarrassment to the Chatterbox. Some of the bowlers even though not really regulars in a bowling alley are already making great strides with a few simple suggestions.
Rich is captain of Tuesdays Beer league Chatterbox 4 team but I subbed for him last week, I had a 528 series in Rich's place. Rich watched today for a full game before donning an elbow brace and stepping into the fray for two games. He bowled down on the end with the host and the accountant and her friend, as well as Kay and John Gentry and others I am afraid I can't name (their parents should have taken that responsibility and I do not wish to become involved in others family matters.)

Speaking of parents Will and Dorothy Andrichik were on hand not only for the festivities but also so that everyone could sing a happy birthday greeting to Will for his upcoming 79th birthday on the 31st. Cake was cut and distributed, spares and splits and strikes and a even a few gutter-balls were all distributed as well and all had a good time. David had the pleasant duty of driving Dorothy home and returning for round two of the Kegle-thon. David, Will, Mel Shoffner and I, stayed (or returned) for another 3 games. Rich Culy, who was supposed to bowl in the Sunday Night "Nothing better to do League" but abstained from additional elbow strain stayed to watch for a bit as I subbed again. John David Owen stayed as his ride was the same Rich I was subbing for. After the 1st sanctioned game by our merry band of Kegle-men and women was safely sealed away in our favor, Rich and JD headed back to Surewhynot Forest. We went on to secure the second game as well and carried enough pins in the two victories to take the series booty as well.
I had a team high 508 series, followed by Will's 479 just over average effort, Davids 468 exactly on average and Mel's 367 slightly under average.
During the pre-curricular Chatterbowl session earlier I had a decent series of 479, but my series was no match for Chris West's 555 or Kristofer Bowman's amazing 600 efforts. Chris can thank Rich for some of the good fortune since Rich was guiding Chris a bit, as I mentioned earlier. Oh, and I only bowled 3 games in the warm-up (for fun) event, Kris and Chris both bowled 4 games to achieve their series. Did I not mention that earlier? I know the boys would want the record set straight.
Other Chatterboxers on hand that I may have failed to mention or name (lets not reaggrivate that wound); Pam Sipes, Amanda Ferrell and Lonnie, Margaret Brown and her boyfriend Chuck S., David Sherry, Emily Stage, LeAnne Bailey, Patrick Wasson, David and Mary Ann Beuke, Ericka Embry and her old high school pal Max, and one or two who I don't really know including a guy I think was named Eric, but...

Walked and Talked

01/23/08 07:37 AM | Permalink

Nothing beats a healthy trash talk like a good drubbing. Ouch.

No really all in good fun, and for the love of the game, and I was just the better man this day, next time it could easily go the other way, and we will be back, and On any Given Tuesday!, and, and and...

Smack.
I subbed in the Tuesday beer league for Rich who is sporting a cantankerous elbow right now. He came along to (coach) give the women on the team lessons (yeah, right). I came along to sub and give everybody else lessons. We were near the main entrance of Sportbowl, and to the north of us Chris West's boast and game were going south. I didn't even have to trash his game, Rich being more or less the emissary of my mastery was doing all of that he could. I ended with a 528 series and a 155 worst game (which Chris matched as his best game of the evening I think).

Even his pins couldn't get ChrisWested in the third portion of the nights kegling kalamity!
Chuck Pace © 2008
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On The Road Again

01/20/08 10:30 PM | Permalink

That was the best night of the season, records were made tough opponents challenged, and it all came down to the wire. Unfortunately while all that was going on at the bowling alley the NFC championship game was being played in Green Bay on the truly frozen tundra. The best post-season game is over and I missed most of it, I was bowling my season high series and tying my best score of the season too. But when I got the opportunity I would step onto the crowed bar/lounge a the alley and catch a play or two and the score. What I saw was inspiring. What I saw was old school Football, in the cold, open air of a real football city.
I have nothing to win or lose in this game. My team is out, I just want to see an opponent step up and take on the evil empire. I just want an NFC team to take the pretty boy regime and the underhanded cheat to task and make a game of it in two weeks. Either team would work if they can bring it. A fan of the game wanted Brett to return to the Glory. To make his third Championship appearance. That same fan wanted to see the little brother walk in the shadow of his hall of fame destined big brother no more. I was rooting for a game. A good game where the winner is considered worthy, honorable and deserving. That was the game I saw snippets of. That was the game I wanted to be, wanted to see. The best game of the post season. That game has decided a final match-up. It wasn't the love of the game guy, the 17 year veteran, the sentimental favorite guy. This time it was the little brother.
Archie and Olivia can say that their progeny has made it to the Championship game two years in a row. Not the same progeny though the NFL siblings, the AC older and the NFC younger. Peyton last year, Eli this year.

To the NY Giants credit is a bit of history already made. The Giants won every game they played on the road this season. 8-0 in regular season, 2-0 in post season so far. For the final challenge, in Glendale Arizona, the Giants are once again the away or visiting team.

Meanwhile I was at the bowling alley. I was trying to repeat Friday nights performance, to excel on the hardwoods. I started with a 188 game which tied my best effort on either league this season. I followed that with another average crushing 166, still near the pinnacle of my game, then for the third game I bumped it up a half notch again and finished with a 172, and captured my first 500 series of the season in either league.

Chuck Pace © 2008
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Maybe It's NOT the Shoes!

01/14/08 06:33 AM | Permalink

On Friday I found some super-cool things. The Colts Championship Reebok shoes with horseshoes and logos, the AFC South Division Hat and the NFL Defensive Player of the year's #21 home jersey. I bought in, I bought them, I really like them. I wished in them a dream, and future and a couple of victories. Those dreams were more real than the ones that I lacked in sleep. They lasted a season, they marched for two and a half days. They ended in reality. They were just dreams after all.

What a rough day, and even rougher night. The sense of loss is as palpable as the loss. The dream ends. The hope of a repeat glances off the outstretched hands of Dallas Clark, and dies on a field that itself will never see another season. The roar of a crowd becomes an echoing whoosh, the deconstruction of the stadium will be like a murmur in comparison. I stay home with my thoughts. I half expect a call from my Pop but that call is never received, and I'm sure that in Old Town Florida he sat there half expecting a call from me. What is there to say. We both saw the thing, saw it in high definition no less. The passes tipped and intercepted, the primary receivers blanket covered the check-down guys shadowed as well, the running backs struggling for inches when yards are needed. That was clear. Still, like a Reggie Miller Knick-Killer last minute comeback we can't look away, can't believe, can't accept that the buzzer has sounded, that the game and the dream is over until the fall.
I did get a call from Florida, but it was from the miraculous Meredith my daughter. She was working while the dream expired, but she got to see the last three minutes in the Magnolia Theatre room, she saw the end of days for the RCA Dome in brilliant high-def five feet across, larger than life but still a tiny bubble when compared to the dream.

I didn't sleep well, Meredith called again and talked to Jenni, freshly returned from a Night of Kegling. I finished two chapters in the next Tech-Editing job. I went to bed and didn't sleep well at all. I woke more than I dozed, in the twilight from the XM radio I felt the crushing weight of disappointment, I couldn't move, I couldn't breath. I thought I might never be able to watch another game, that I had seen my last snap. Finally I got my arm from under the covers and shook her shoulder and said loudly for the moment, louder than the whispers of voices in her dreams, louder than the FM voices in her earphones, "Hey, Jenni! Roll over the other way you are crushing me!" A great weight was lifted, but still I couldn't sleep, the first alarm went off before the reset music from the XM ended, it times out every two hours and I had turned it back on twice more during Jenni's rest and my wrestle.
Yesterday the gloves came off and so did the Championship shoes. They will be added to the wall and a half of team paraphernalia and pride that still lives and breaths , they will add their whisper to the collective whispers of the totems. They will begin the chant "This Year" in August, and just maybe they will be heard.
Chuck Pace © 2008
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Home then

01/12/08 05:09 PM | Permalink

Win or go home baby! That's where I am now. Home. Poorly executed kageling done I am now at the hacienda de'loser. I needed to bowl in the sighted leagues, but I took my blind game to the alleys today. I was trying to remember why I bowl, and even more harder to remember when I last had a good night and enjoyed the whole evening. I'm not sure that Meredith wasn't still in high school when those planets aligned.
With 5 minutes left in the first quarter the Packers are struggling to hold on to the ball as the weather, which should favor them is starting to become a factor.
Being a fan of Football I have to be a bit biased to Brett Favre and the Pack. Just because he brings heart and fun back to the game. O.K. I gotta go it looks like the Packers are going to, no wait, just did score to bring in to an extra point to tie. And so it is. Those 14 points matching Seattle's 14 ties an NFL post season record.
The 2nd quarter starts as an even match-up again. Fun!

Chuck Pace © 2008
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Ties that Bind

01/12/08 12:12 PM | Permalink

Last Night? Not so Much. Two horrible games. I was in the headache zone. I had a slice of pizza and 1 beer, and started getting one massive headache. Game one started with Tom Pruitt wearing the totem tie the Gumby tie, the I was the guy who was the worst bowler on my team last time we bowled tie. By the end of the first game I was nursing a knock down drag put fight in my brain case. I bowled a 131, 22 pins below my average. Rich Bowled a 130, also 22 pins below his average, so for game two we had a tie at worst below average. Being a tie situation I wore the "tie" for the first 5 frames of game 2 Rich wore the "tie" for the final 5 frames. So what happened? I won the tie wearing tie breaker by bowling worse in game two than game one. With sole possession of the "GUMB" I picked it up. I bowled a 169 in game three. Rich was the lowest and will be adorned by the tie next game next Friday.

Today: The mega-cash tournament. Today the chance to advance to the next level. Today the NFL Divisional playoffs begin. Today the Seahawks play the Packers, today the Jaguars play the Patriots. Today is the chance to advance to the next level for two teams, and the reality of hanging up your cleats and shoulder pads until next year for two teams. Tomorrow the Chargers and Colts do the same thing, the Giants and Cowboys the do the same thing.

I started this post an hour ago. I have been watching the NFL network playbook shows the entire time I have been trying to post. It is very distracting. Plus I get misty every time they say the World Champion Colts, so that is slowing me down a bit too. Jenni left me this morning. Did I mention that? She went to try to get a little more done on the nightmare system at her work and left me sleeping, to work off the headache and disappointment of another bad night of kegling. She is planning on joining up with us at the bowling alley while I mega-crash in the mega-cash tournament a little after two. So my time is dwindling and my distractions continue on the playoff match-up shows on NFL network. Mega-cash? Playoffs? Win or go home baby!

I am done here.

GO COLTS!

One More day then...

Gamey this Weekend

01/11/08 07:01 AM | Permalink

Blanks. Across the board it is blanks. I've truly got nothing.
Maybe this... There is bowling tonight, and I am at least for game #1 Gumby Tie Free. I finished strong last week. After struggling in the first two I was over thirty over average in the final contest. I never mentioned either of those. Now what. I have Saturday off from work so, I'll be attending the Mega-Cash tournament at the very same alleys on Saturday as well. I qualified two weeks ago in the Sunday league by bowling at least 35 pins over my average. So I got that going for me.

Then there is this thing called football. Divisional playoff weekend is almost upon us. I should be home well before the Green Bay Packers /Seattle Seahawks game at 4:30. I may even have time to stop and pick up a Maurice Jones-Drew jersey before the Jaguars 8:00 contest at the contestable Patriots.

Then there is Sunday, Sunday Sunday. When the San Diego Chargers come to Indy to face the Colts. One of our three regular season losses, and by less than a touchdown we face the Bolts looking for vengeance . Our first loss was here at the Dome against the Pats. If the Pats lose this weekend and we win our last game at the Dome could be another AFC Championship. More likely we head into Foxboro for the final AFC showdown before the Championship game in Arizona.
Wish me luck tonight and tomorrow.
GO COLTS!
One Game at a Time
Chuck Pace © 2008
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Slay Ride

01/07/08 07:10 AM | Permalink

The pairings are set, I don't think anybody is surprised by the AFC match-ups, its the #1 seed vs. the #5 on Saturday and the #2 vs. the #3 on Sunday. The NFC had the little shake up with the #6 seed beating the #3.
Jenni and I sat through all four of those games and 5 more episodes of Buffy, and almost never left the house this weekend. Oh sure I went to work on Saturday, but the 1st game was on when I got home. Sunday morning I went to the store and Jenni crafted a huge pile of Zzzz's, but come pre-game and game time it was, well it was Game on. Maybe it is too much Buffy, maybe it's the weather and the time of the season but I have noticed changes in Jenni, and I'm feeling a little different myself.
TVZombies

Playoff Layoff

01/05/08 05:43 PM | Permalink

So the second season is upon us. The NFC Saturday Wild-Card game is underway, just into the second quarter. Seattle, the home team is leading the Washington dermal coloration indigenous peoples team 10 to zip. This game while meaningful to the outcome of the whole is a lot less meaningful to those of us who bleed blue (or Black and Yellow) on the AFC side of the League. The second game of this Wild-Card weekend is the AFC match-up of the Jags at 11-5 in Pittsburgh against the steelers at 10-6. The jags are the stronger team on paper but are the lower seed because the Steelers won their Division. The Colts won the AFC South division again (and are the only team to ever win the AFC South division I might boastfully gloat) so Jacksonville is the visitor. Phil Gibson who bleeds Steeler Yellow and Black hopes that the Jaguars are not the team he thinks they are when that game starts at 8:00 p.m. EST. I could go either way, but would like to see Pittsburgh advance. The Colts, the second seed will play the highest remaining seeded team next Saturday, and the number one seed Pats will face the weakest seeded team. The only team of the AFC WC weekend that the Colts definitely won't play next week is the last seeded Titans.

I love Football.

Three, Two...Go

12/22/07 06:34 AM | Permalink

I seems like all I do is grouse about work right before the holiday. It seems like that because all I do is work, right before the holiday. Today is our last 5:30 Saturday of 2007, tomorrow our last Sunday open (11-4 if you need some honey for your sugar, baby) and the on X-mas eve we are there 9-3PM. I will be doing other things during theses three days than sleeping and working. I will find time to Eat. I will croak and sneeze as I have been doing for the last 48 plus hours, and I'll gladly try to forget the last sanctioned game I bowled of 2007.
And Now For Something Totally Different...

Last night at Sport Bowl was a lot of fun, even if I did struggle on the final game (28 below average). The first two were well enough over that average that when we return to engage the enemy pins in 2008 I will have an average that is higher by a couple of ticks, so will Mr. Culy who had a very good evening all three games over his mark. Ed Craig and Tom Pruitt, our partners in crime, both fell a couple of pins below there series average but each had one game over average by a fair margin. Last Night I sat into motion a new tradition for team Copies Plus (that's us). The man who bowls the least off his average wears a totem of his disgrace. The Gumby Tie. I have had this tie for 15 or 20 years and have only worn it a few times to parties and such (as claymation related events are few and far between in central Indiana). So the Gumby will now tell the world who is not pulling his weight on team Copies Plus for the foreseeable future. After game one Mr. Pruitt adorned the tie (and vice versa) and after game two he repeated as two time low-sir, but through the virtue of my 28 pin deficit I will start my next league approved kegling event in 2008 with the dashing haberdashery dangling from my head support. I'm Gumby Dammit!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD WEEK-END!

Chuck Pace©2007
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Quite Possibly...

12/09/07 11:36 PM | Permalink

Well, even watching the Robotic Patriots I don't think I've ever seen a more amazing 1st quarter of NFL Football. Manning had 118 yards, 2 TD's and an 80% completion ratio, and a statistically perfect 156.3 rating. Unlike some teams with huge leads, we took out most of our starters after the second series of the second half. One of those teams, I think I may have mentioned them already in a recent post, have argued that the other team will still continue to 'try' to win despite being down by 31 with under 18 minutes to play, that is why 'they' never take out the starters. While 31 points in 1 and 1/5th quarters in not impossible, it is highly improbable, and while leaving a a powerhouse offense in against a dishcloth defense, and devastated offensive opponent is not against the rules, it does certainly give a measure of the character of the team and it's leaders.
Well! After the 2 minute warning, Baltimore's rookie QB, Troy Smith (last year's Heisman Trophy winner) in his first professional game in the NFL, just scored his first TD on a QB keeper for 6 yards. We should put our starters back in, they have not just capitulated to our superior might. There is still 1:08 left to play, what if they get an onside kick (or 3, and score TD's and 2pt conversions each time? That would lead to overtime and we would look like bleeding heart fools! Right? It is all about the win. At all costs. Right?
Final Score Indy 44. ~~The Browns~~ Ravens 20. Cotls 11-2, and the number 2 seed in the AFC.

I shutter without the click!

11/19/07 06:23 AM | Permalink

We had a lot of stuff to take to Rich's. A cooler, my green-bean casserole, Jenni's hot mama's, Harps Beer, Corona's, limes, bottle cozies, you name it. I even formatted the card in my camera just to take shots of the festivities. That's why when we were about a third of the way there I said to Jenni, "Crap I left my camera at home." Inconceivable! A camera guy takes his camera. There would have been photos to take. Documents of Turkey Fryers having turkey, records of the main events, group shots. Pictures dang it. The food, as is to be expected was damn good. The Colts victory, which used to be expected was too, even with the kicker woes, the receiver woes and turnover woes. Three woes usually brings a horse to a stop but we managed to eek out a victory, and Adam managed to make as many FG's as he missed. Peyton limited his turn overs to one sixth of last weeks output and the team advanced to 8-2.
Then there was the primary reason for the Turkey fryers to convene, Miami-Homestead. Racin'. The final race of the season and the end of an era and body style (no not mine, I will recover form the copious amounts of food I consumed).
Next year the COT will just be the C. Next year Jimmie Johnson will have even more swagger in his step, with two champion ships to defend. Next year more turkeys will be sacrificed to the god of hot oil, and we will start a new season, there will be new drivers to learn, new team configurations, different configurations, new sponsors and new attempts to cheat and win in Racing, Nascar style. There will be a lot of tattoos altered too. I'll be there and I expect the crowd to be bigger at Rich's too. A formal invitation will be sent to all the "Fryers" in good standing, I'm sure. This year's line-up included Kay (Sweettreat), Mel (Oldetimeygirl), Dave Gansert (3DRacing), MIke Wilson (Billiken Racing), Pam Sipes (numberfourpam), Ed Sipes (fasteddie787), Rich of course (hd20tonyfan and kingoftheforrest), Jami Day (JD Racing) her son (Dalton or Alston I don't know) and her friend Eric, Mike McDaniels , Jenni (jenntenn), Dave's wife Judy and myself (Red Racer).
We half expected Travis (Mascot), and Liz (best race girl) but I learned that their invitations were not properly delivered, we also expected Maddie(peanut butter pie) and Guy Tucker (coorzguy), Lil' Joey and maybe Phil Gibson (Juan Pablo's Good Ole Boy Bitchslap) with Lojak in tow, but that failed to materialize.
Game over dude, game over. That race is run. I just don't have the pictures to prove it.
Chuck Pace © 2007
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Always When it Doesn't Count

06/21/07 09:09 PM | Permalink

Last night after work Rich and I hit the bowling alley for three games of either self improvement or self abuse. My first game was a clean game, one of the three best games I've ever bowled and it doesn't really matter. Still I'll recap, just so it is a matter of record somewhere in the universe of unimportant achievement (I am featured there a few times for things of absolutely no consequence). four strikes, two spares, four strikes and 9 - or in the nomenclature of keglers everywhere. XXXX8/9/XXXX9- for the grand total of 255. Not bad for a single game (or even two) then came the great equalizer, the 112 game, and a bookend good game of 180 a full 21 over my average on the PBA experience league I am struggling with. Then there is the average for the night, 182. not so shabby either. Like I said this is not a sanctioned evening or league or anything so it is just bragging, and not bowling in the great cosmos of concern. Still XXXX8/9/XXXX9-!, I had 126 it the 5th frame, 14 over the TOTAL of the next game.
Such is life. At least I had witnesses who I bowl against in 'real' situations.
Chuck Pace © 2007
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PBA Experience

05/15/07 05:57 AM | Permalink

I can see why they say that the PBA experience will make a better bowler out of you. The conditions are the same as the PBA bowlers use, and the oil pattern is printed out for the bowlers to study. The margin of error is very slim and it takes a lot more concentration to do well. I was able to capitalize on my straighter style much better than Rich was with his wicked ball spin and hook. I ended the four game set with a 170 average and two games over 200, in contrast Rich has a first evening's average of only 113 and a high of just 144. There is room for improvement from both of us. Rich did have his best effort in the final game, (as did I) and is looking forward to next week building on what he learned from last night. I will be looking to get more consistent with my release and delivery in the next two weeks on oil pattern Chameleon. Then we are on to a whole new pattern, and learning more ways to correct or struggle as the case may be.
Prior to all that it was another Monday and another work day. We welcomed a new front counter person to fill the vacancy left by Jo's retirement, Jessica Latimer is the new girl's name and apart from that I know very little about her at this time. After work, as is the routine Jenni, Rich, and I converged upon the Chatterbox, Rebecca, Mel, Ed, Kay and Sue Hobbs were also there putting the days previous trials and tribulations under a thin blanket of barley and hops, (or cider as the case Mel be), and DeAnne was providing comforters in her usual manner. Late to the fray was Travis, and Brandon and Jessica only looked in over the railing. Catherine Woods sat down opposite of me and only then recognized my hairless pate and greeted me. Jon was not to be found before my egress.
Then (as foretold) off the the Keggle Chameleon (is that a Boy George song?)and the rest (which there was very little of; finishing each game in around 24 minutes, whew!) is history. Back home at 10 13 I sat down to a retelling of Heroes with my bride by my side. Interesting. Very interesting. Linderman down? Me Droogies? Viddie that me Choco-blosticks!
Chuck Pace © 2007
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Cup of Today, Car of Tomorrow

03/25/07 08:17 PM | Permalink

Well the Car of Tomorrow (COT) seems to be a success. Even though the speeds were quite a bit slower than recent years, the competition level seemed to be above recent years too. There were only three or four retirees in a 500 lap event, enough cautions but nowhere near a record, and David Ragan, Juan (Johnny Montanna) Montoya and Robbie Gordon did everything they could to keep it exciting, one of the radio broadcast guys even called Juan the speed-bump. Between the three of them they were involved in all but a couple of the cautions in one way or another. After another good start, having Stewart, Kahne, Sadler, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer on my team I was feeling pretty good about my chances, Tony led over 270 laps before having a new problem with the new COT fuel pump which is mechanical instead of electrical like in the traditional cars. The drive cable snapped under the drivers tunnel and he coasted around to his pits and went 35 laps down before repairs were affected, to bad for Tony, no one could touch him on the track, it took an equipment failure on untested systems to stop him, when the failure occurred there were only 7 cars left to be lapped by the 20, and I was in 2nd place in the fantasy league. Rich was 6th Mike was 13th and Travis was 17th. The pre race ceremonies were awesome as usual with four separate passes by the Jets overhead first all four, then two then one solo doing a wing wave, then the other two with a vertical burn over the track bowl. Those all followed the anthem and the card stunts. (Pictured Above)
Chuck Pace © 2007
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Tracks and Travels

03/22/07 06:21 AM | Permalink

No matter how much you prepare, there is the last minute rush. This morning and a little bit after work and before bowling tonight I have to put together my Nascar/Bristol survival kit. I have