Green 4
Mike Scroggins
vs
Patrick Healey Jr

Another match where the left hander didn't seem to have a look. It takes time and commitment to transition a condition and it was going to take much longer on the left than the right.

Green 3
Dale Traber
vs
Mike Edwards

Dale Traber helped his cause tremendously in this round. He went around Paul Fleming making him the number. He had to get to 11th or better to pass Jason Hurd and could also effect Rick Steelsmith if he goes around him. His performance his very key to many. Right up to game seven of the round of 8 had 2  players that could knock the exempt list down another notch.

Green 2
Andres Gomez
vs
Jeff Carter

Jeff doesn't need any help to get to exempt status because of his regional exemption he has already earned but he can have a tremendous effect on next years list. a win on this years tour takes priority over all others. If he won his regional exemption goes to tour trials and the exempt point list gets knocked down another spot.

 

Green 1
Jason Hurd
vs
Mika Koivuniemi

Jason Hurd is the biggest question mark after this round. It was not surprise that Mika got the best of him. It was not a good draw for Jason. Mika wasn't going to give Jason anything. This week seems to be as much about playing your opponent as the lanes. Those that like to get left like to bowl bowlers that will wall up their break point for them. Mika isn't going to do that very often anymore.

Blue 4
Tom Baker
vs
Tommy Delutz Jr

Tommy Delutz was one of the players needed points to secure himself for next season and was fortunate after this round to be the first bubble players to be considered a lock for next year.

Tom Baker continues to bowl well but tends to struggle with some physical issues. He is finding himself stiff and sore quite often.

Blue 3
Jeff Lizzi
vs
Rudy Kasimakis

Nobody has given more energy and effort than Rudy. He has tried everything he knows but what he considers to be the strength of his game is actually the weakness of his game in the tour environment. For him to get past his present level it will take lane maintenance changes or a major overhaul of his base mechanics.

Blue 2
Blaise Bedolla
vs
Pete Weber

Blaise is a talented player that just hasn't got it yet. Each time he comes out here you can see his special skills but they do not match up to the environment of the PBA tour.

He doesn't have control of the importance of  speed rev ratio and tilt control yet. His eyes seem too focused on the lane and not his ball roll and angles.
 

Blue 1
Paul Fleming
vs
Danny Wiseman

Paul needed this one and at the end of the day is the one bowler I feel the worse for.

Paul deserves to be an exempt player and I think he will be but he will have to take the route of tour trials as was passed in this round by Dale Traber on the point list. That doesn't mean Paul got screwed it just points out how difficult and special it is to be considered an exempt player. I saw good progress in Paul late in the season. His decisions making process is a better balance of strategies. His focus was too heavy in the the ball area for much of the last several years.

Black 4
Tommy Jones
vs
Chris Barnes

This may be one of the premiere match ups of the day but it gets less attention from me this week because of the importance of the exempt list.

Black 3
Amleto Monacelli
vs
Chris Loschetter

I love Chris Loschetter's development but after talking to him last night I didn't like his strategies going into today. The kid is very good about committing to his game plan and that is a good sign of development. Even though his look against Amleto was poor I continue to see the mental game that will help out in the long run. He is very talented and committed.

Black 2
Rick Steelsmith
vs
Norm Duke

This is the match I am the most concerned with. Rick needs points and of all the guys in the bracket I am most interested in this one. Rick is the bowler that is on the bubble that I think deserves to be in a better spot than he is. He certainly has bowled better than his point standing indicate. The guy has totally restructured his game to adapt to the conditions and format. Getting the match to seven games was very key.

Black 1
Walter Ray Williams Jr
vs
DJ Archer

How would have liked to have been DJ in this match. Not only is DJ over matched but he is dealing with a sore wrist. DJ is a great guy and all but if he wants to get back out here and compete with these guys week in and week out, he needs to get some new tricks.

Red 4
Parker Bohn III
vs
Brad Angelo

I am glad that this match does have much implications on either one of these two staffers point status. Brad does have a good enough look to go far in this tournament while Parker really didn't stand much of a chance this morning. His look was not even close to Brad's.

Red 3
Tim Criss
vs
David Traber

Dave needed to get to the round of 8 to have a change for his exempt status and became a casualty in this round. Of  the 10 non exempt players in the round of 32 only 2 made it out of the round and that was because they bowled against non exempt opponents.

Maybe because is too strong of a word but neither bowled all that well.

 

Red 2
Bo Goergen
vs
Steve Jaros

There are several bowlers who can effect the exempt numbers in this bracket and Bo is one of them. Bo is on the Brunswick Regional staff. He is no longer and amateur. I will spend most of my time just watching and learning his tools and instincts for a while.

He has matched up well in the two tournaments he has bowled.

 

TV

Green
Round of 8
Patrick Healey Jr
vs
Jeff Carter

I am writing this after the match and once again thought of one of my bowlers, Mika Koivnuniemi. Are the lanes that different or don't these guys know how to set up a lane. Looking at who they bowled in the round of 16 I would say they struggle in the strategy area unless they want the lanes to look as bad as they did.

A win is a win.

Blue
Round of 8
Jeff Lizzi
vs
Pete Weber

The easiest bracket in the tournament. Jeff is very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. That is not a cut on Jeff but both of his opponents in the previous rounds handed Jeff gifts in the 10th frames of several games.

You have to take those gifts and consider them a debit to the account because we tend to remember the credits more often

Black
Round of 8
Walter Ray Williams Jr
vs
Chris Barnes

The highlight match of the evening in the highlight bracket of the week. Walter has had good match ups in his previous matches but won't have it so easy this time. Chris can play the same area as Walter and compete and when it gets wide enough he will have the obvious carry advantage.

Red
Round of 8
Patrick Allen
vs
Tim Criss

I am writing this after the match and can only think what Brad Angelo has to be thinking if he is watching the scores. Tim Criss has nothing. Tim's look was so good against Brad. It makes you realize how player match ups are as important if not more important than lane conditions.
 

Green
Round of 16
2
Patrick Healey Jr
vs
Dale Traber

Dale goes into this round as the number for the 2006-2207 exempt status. He can move up another spot with a good showing in this round. This match-up has two extremes pitted against each other. I like straighter better to start but have to assume Pats look will get better in the late games.

As long as Pat doesn't try and over hook it I think he will prevail. As the oil goes down the lanes the players choosing to hook it  will probably see a better look  shutting down their angles from further in.

Green
Round of 16
1
Mika Koivuniemi
vs
Jeff Carter

I would like to think Mika was the obvious favorite here but Jeff is a pretty natural match up. Mika is always in the match and has really cleaned up his release. I would like to see him get off to a good start and force Jeff to come from behind.

Blue
Round of 16
2
Tom Baker
vs
Jeff Lizzi

Jeff didn't bowl very well this morning and I was surprised to see him get out of the round of 32. Tommy has a natural match up and should like his look once the carry-down evens out.

I think Tom is a good pick in this match up.

Blue
Round of 16
1
Pete Weber
vs
Danny Wiseman

I think I like Danny's match up late in the match when Pete starts to struggle with carry, assuming he does.

Pete has a good speed match up but wonder about his strategy of moving left so fast.

No real favorite just a gut feeling.

Black
Round of 16
2
Amleto Monacelli
vs
Chris Barnes

It will be interesting to see how this pattern breaks down. Amleto isn't going to be very concerned about what Chris does and could struggle with more oil down lane than he wants to see. I expect Chris to come out on top in this match.

Black
Round of 16
1
Walter Ray Williams Jr
vs
Norm Duke

Interesting match. Walter has been able to stay in the same zone longer and more effectively than Norm has. I think this is speed related. I think this may be a time where Walter has a distinct advantage over Norm.

Red
Round of 16
2
Tim Criss
vs
Brad Angelo

I am pretty impressed with the look Brad had for two games this morning but bowling with  another bowler on his side of the lane will change things much faster. Brad will have to make a quicker ball change and in the end should be able to have the carry advantage because Tim likes to get real flush. That type of strategy and roll is liable to create more splits if the carry down is as great as I expect.

I expect Tim's angles to be more open than Brad's. But that could change if Tim starts striking a lot.

Red
Round 16
1
Patrick Allen
vs
Steve Jaros

I didn't like what the left handers had on the land this morning and that alone is enough to give Steve the edge.

 

Red 1
Patrick Allen
vs
Michael Haugen

Michael seems to be handling the exempt points situation with a grain of salt. I am guessing he realizes his match up with this much oil down lane has not been very good.

My focus the last couple weeks has to be less visible and let the situation play itself out. This is such a stressful time of the season. My job is to help bowlers but you really start to feel the emotions of the season.