Wichita. Most bowling enthusiasts know Wichita to be the home of the Wichita State Shockers, the perennial collegiate powerhouse, and the 2008 PBA World Championship (back to this in a moment). What you may not know is that the wheat fields of Kansas are also home to a few major airline manufacturers, Boeing, Cessna, and Raytheon, to name a few, and **DRUMROLL**: the cheapest gas in the country. I must admit that the prospect of my very own airplane didn’t have me jumping out of my chair (having just bought a house, I don’t think I could take the credit hit for a multi-million dollar flying machine), but $2.17 a gallon almost had me clicking my heels, grabbing Toto, and saying, “There’s no place like home” as I left the Emerald City.

Now that I have digressed enough for one morning, let’s get back to the PBA World Championship. I must first congratulate Norm Duke on winning his third major championship in a row. There were many compelling storylines that would have made great media fodder; a win by Steve Jaros would have made him eligible for the PBA Hall of Fame, Sean Rash could have continued his perfect PBA record on TV, and Chris Barnes could have completed the Triple Crown. However, the plot that unfolded was the one which truly defined the true PBA experience. Remember back to my first Andrew’s Angle, when I said this would be a season of firsts? If you watched Sunday’s show, you saw the first player to ever win THREE Majors in a row. This tournament and its ending set the right tone for our Golden Anniversary, and certainly cemented Norm Duke’s place in what another fifty years will tell us was a great moment in history. By the way, if you didn’t catch the show, either wait for a replay on ESPN Classic or do what I did (no, I’m not a bad person for missing the show…I just happened to be driving to the next stop in Omaha) and read Jason’s TV Recap.

How did my bowling turn out this week? Let me give you this brief summary: if you viewed the standings between Tuesday and Thursday, it was evident my tournament was not going well. If you didn’t pull up PBA.com until Friday, it may have appeared that I didn’t even enter the tournament at all! To translate, that is my way of admitting that I missed the cut. And I missed badly.

Last week was certainly not my best performance. On a sliding scale, it was somewhere in between being a good “poor performance” and a decent “mediocre performance”; mostly forgettable, but with some positive outcome. My assessment from last week’s practice session was spot-on (a positive), but I just couldn’t put the whole package together. Out of 18 games of qualifying, I had three wonderfully placed games of 157, 163, and 149, all on different days. Having finished at -47, that made for 15 other frustrating games where I only managed to bowl +84.

However, on Thursday, I drilled a Maxxx Zone that had considerably less flare potential than the ball I used on the first two days. For those who are wondering why I chose to not drill this ball after such a dismal first day start, please keep in mind that we bowled at different times of the day. I bowled Even on day one without my 157 game, which was contested on a fresh pattern at night. My reaction and score got better as the lanes became more “burned-in” (oil being pushed down the lane, essentially drying up the heads). Day two found me bowling “B” squad, which was not a fresh pattern, but leftover “burn” from “A” squad; hence my decision to stick to my initial ball choice. The result was decent ball reaction but rapidly diminishing carry at the pins.

Let’s take a brief break to stifle the yawns in the audience. None? Then I am doing my job! My goal with this blog is not to give you blow-by-blow analysis of how I bowled, but mainly an overview with insight into some of the interesting discoveries I come across as I progress through each week on tour. This week I had a good game plan, but suffered from poor execution and some unfortunate decisions. Oh, and did I mention that I missed a few spares? Not enough to have made much difference in my final standing, but far more than normal, and enough to make my brilliant green Go RVing spare ball exhausted from spiraling past the very pins it was built to hit.

With my week over, I had time to reflect, relax, and start getting prepared to hit the road to Omaha. Bowling itself is not the only challenge of life on tour. Figuring out what to do with all the downtime after competition ends is an equally formidable opponent. That will be a topic for another edition of Andrew’s Angle…I hope you keep reading, and please write me at Andrew@andrewcainbowling.com if you have any comments, suggestions, or simply want to Rick Roll me! In the meantime, watch us live on Xtra Frame from Omaha and PRACTICE YOUR SPARES! (You didn’t think I would totally avoid that little tidbit of wisdom, did you?)

16204. My first odometer reading. As I backed out of my driveway, not to see my home and family again for 29 days, the time had finally arrived: the 2008-09 edition of the PBA Tour was nearly underway in Wichita, and I was headed toward it. Or so I thought…

Two minutes and one aggravating half mile later, I found myself pulling back into my driveway wondering (ok, perhaps not just “wondering,” but I think you can imagine the thoughts crossing my mind) why my A/C was blowing hot air. If you live in the Midwest or on the Eastern Seaboard, hot air may be a good thing in October, but not in the perpetual Arizona summer. Luckily, the solution was simply that I needed to reconnect the A/C wire that I had accidentally pulled out while working on my stereo the previous day.

16204.5. Ok, back on the road…for another half mile until my wife called, laughing that I had left behind my pillow.

16205. Eight hours behind schedule with plenty of driving in front of me, I finally set out on the open road. After reaching Flagstaff I began thinking that life on the road wouldn’t be so bad after all. That is, until the sun went down.

Between Flagstaff and Albuquerque I passed Meteor Crater, the Continental (Great) Divide, and paralleled much of Route 66 as I trekked across the wide stretch of I-40. Such history, such great scenery, but what nobody tells you is that they ALL look the SAME when it is pitch black outside. No, for four hours the only change in panorama I saw was a toss-up between Peterbilt, Kenworth, or Freightliner. I called my first day quits in Albuquerque, and decided to spend all of the next day finishing the drive to Wichita.

Sunday was a much better day as I embarked on my remaining 600+ miles to the PBA World Championship. More trucks, more cows, more flat land to cover, and one more year. One more year? Yes, my 27th birthday was Sunday, and all I ask is that when blowing out the candles on your cake, do not wish for a 16-hour road trip! Surprisingly, the time flew by in the car. Between phone calls, a few hundred channels of satellite radio, visible landscape, and the overwhelming anticipation of the first Tour stop, I had no shortage of things to do. I must truly say that I respect those who journeyed across the 2170 miles of the Oregon Trail in bumpy wagons, and humbly admit that we are lucky to be spoiled by modern cars, GPS, Blackberrys, and XM to occupy our time between destinations.

17235. Turning into the parking lot at Northrock Lanes was much like finding the Holy Grail of bowling. Well, at the very least, the Holy Grail of my last day and a half. Homesickness was wearing off and the anticipation of a new season and a new career for me took hold. No more waiting, guessing, or imagining what it would feel like to see the PBA trucks emblazoned with our logo and some of the stars of our game. No more telling people I was leaving soon for the Tour. The time was here. The Tour is now.

Although that would have been a great spot to end my weekly edition of Andrew’s Angle, I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a little taste of this week’s bowling action.

My practice session went rather smoothly, as it was merely a time to get used to the building and this week’s environment. We are bowling on older, burned-up (translation: the lane surface has quite a bit of wear due to inordinate amounts of friction between ball and lane over many years) Anvilane. For those aspiring bowlers reading, please take that previous statement to heart. Pre-tournament practice sessions are most advantageous if used to acclimate yourself, not to choose precisely what balls, board, and target you intend to use for 40+ games over a 5-day stretch. Watch how the pins fall, see if one end of the center plays or transitions differently, and even shoot a few spares. Having ideas and a game plan are good. Inflexible, pre-conceived notions are not.

For example, I discovered yesterday that the back part of the lane clearly got tighter as I practiced more, and that the backends appeared to be even tighter than the practice session before me. Perhaps that trend will continue throughout the week. I primarily threw my Ulitmate Inferno and Maxxx Zone, but that does not guarantee I will throw them in Tuesday’s first round. It simply indicates what type of ball may be effective (and by type I don’t necessarily mean Brunswick, but rather the coverstock and core combinations that give me the correct ball path shape going down the lane). However, with some assistance from Rick Benoit, and a little advice from my friend and roommate, Tournament of Champions winner Michael Haugen, Jr., I am confident that my first week on tour will be contested without too much confusion and certainly no fear.

With the cobwebs and rust gone, my focus renewed, my game plan in place, I am now fully prepared for the start of the season. All that’s left is to get out on the lanes and BOWL.

The PBA’s 50th Anniversary season can arguably be viewed as the most compelling time to extravagantly celebrate tradition and excellence on bowling’s biggest stage. While the majority of people tend to associate anniversaries and tradition with days gone by and times past, I, for one, will not be commemorating the past as much as I will be enjoying the present.

What I will remember during the Golden Year of the PBA is a compilation of firsts, not the monotonous series of events we often lump under the heading, “history.” I apologize if I have offended the history buffs out there, but I’m willing to bet that in school more people paid attention during field trips than in history class! Field trips deal with the present, the now, the experience.

Eddie Elias wasn’t thinking about his legacy in 1958. He was concerned with the present challenge of getting an elite group of players organized to compete for fame, glory, and maybe even some cash and prizes. Dick Weber and Earl Anthony achieved their legendary status not by dwelling or resting on past success, but by performing (and dominating) their present.

Do you remember some of the “firsts” in your life? How have they impacted the person you are today? For me, 2008 has been a year full of memorable firsts. Not only did I secure my first full-season exemption on the PBA Tour, but within the last three weeks my wife, Jennifer, and I purchased our first home, and, with the help from our friends, Mike Hardesty and Tina Stickney, hosted our first youth bowling clinic through the Arizona Bowling Institute.

We also had a visit Friday night in our backyard…from our first skunk.

Contrary to popular cartoon depictions, this skunk was not cute and cuddly, but more the size and stature of a medium-sized cat. As if being a first-time homeowner didn’t present enough challenges (painting, more and higher bills, etc), we apparently added wildlife to our list! Luckily all parties involved escaped unharmed. And unsprayed.

But enough about animals, let’s refocus on bowling.

As the 2008-09 season commences next week in Wichita with the PBA World Championship, try to immerse yourself in the new energy surrounding our tour. Enjoy the spectacular moments recounted from the last 50 years, but get ready to see the future. Be thrilled by our new formats, be wowed by our new jerseys, and be speechless as players rack up their own new collection of firsts under the spotlight.

It will be my job throughout the next 20 weeks to give you Andrew’s Angle on tour from a rookie perspective. You will get a behind-the-scenes look at not just the bowling on tour, but the life and atmosphere surrounding it. I would hope that everyone visiting PBA.com gets a chance to read my blog, and every Wednesday you will get a recap of the previous week. Follow our daily tournament progress live online, check out our cool links, and if you can, come visit us at a Tour Stop and watch or bowl a Pro-Am.

As this most notable of PBA seasons unfolds, remember that we are not simply creating history, but defining our present. Join us for the experience and be a part of the moment…don’t just sit around waiting to merely read about it.

Walking into Brunswick Tri-City on Sunday morning, I thought there was something strange about the scene before me. We have had many tournaments in the Valley over the past few years, but this one was different. This one had "Verve."

I'm sure by now you're thinking, "What a shameless plug!" Yes, we had Verve everywhere in every form. From a 7-foot-tall inflatable can to 6-inch sticky patches to orange goodness you can drink.

But that isn't what I'm referring to...Merriam-Webster Online defines "verve" as "the spirit and enthusiasm animating artistic performance...vivacity...vitality...energy." This tournament was different because the participants were genuinely excited to be here bowling, more than I have witnessed in a long time in Phoenix.

I really don't have the desire to regale you with tales of my bowling for the day, mostly because I didn't perform very well, and my partner, Tina Stickney, did most of the heavy lifting (note: by "heavy lifting" I mean "dragged Andrew into the finals kicking and screaming"). We ended up finishing 7th, but that may have been the most fun I have had finishing 7th. Ever.

After 9 hours of 6 well-paced qualifying games and a slick double elimination finals (top 16 teams bowled single-game team matches), the fate of two champions came down to the tenth frame. The Tucson powerhouse of Dwight Burns and Ken Hosp was undefeated going into the final match, but after losing game one to Jeff Robertson and Wayne Swayda, they faced one final game. As Dwight struck out in the tenth to close the deficit to 2 pins, Jeff and Ken both converted spares, forcing one shot for the title. Jeff calmly stepped up and got the strike he needed for victory (it was a little left off his hand, but nevertheless got 10 pins). Congrats to Wayne and Jeff, and to Dwight and Ken for a great tournament!

So much effort went into producing this unique event for the bowlers, and thanks are certainly due to Tim Bonneville, The Pain Center, Darron Peters, Bowling with Leverage Pro Shop, Kathy and Jordan Laughlin, Brunswick Tri-City (Barry Hardesty), and most importantly, Mike Hardesty for coordinating the entire show! This tournament proved that bowling is not dead in the Valley (38 teams, 76 bowlers...on a Sunday when most people are usually in church). Hopefully this is just the beginning of renewed energy surrounding bowling in Phoenix, and maybe even the shot in the arm we needed for some rebirth.

Since this is is my first blog on my new site (thanks Scott Goldsmith), please don't forget to look around and get familiar with it. I will be adding content more frequently as the PBA Tour begins on October 19 (send me a present...it's my birthday!). In the gallery you can find pictures of the winners from this past weekend, and please check out my links. Trust me, sponsors greatly appreciate it, and so do I!

If you have any questions or comments, the guestbook is for you. If public writing is not your thing, then please feel free to contact me through the link at the bottom of the page, or directly at andrew@andrewcainbowling.com.

Thanks for reading the first installment of Drewisms!