Brian's Weekend in Review

I must say, and I think many will agree, it's been a tough time to be a Twins fan lately. The highs and lows of a baseball season are always part of the game, and part of any team's season in any given year, but hopefully, after the Twins' rousing come-from-behind win over the, um....White Sox (for lack of a better term that I might get my hands or mouth slapped for) on Sunday, maybe a win like that can prove to be a major turning point for the rest of the season. When the Twins have made the postseason in the seasons of the recent past, they've done it with great second halves, and now that we're past the All Star Break, well, now is the time to get going again. I am hoping, though, that there is still a difference-making pitcher out there somewhere, since Cliff Lee was stolen from us, that can take the spot of either Blackburn or Slowey, and maybe those guys can get some confidence back in the bullpen. If not, let's just plug Duensing into the rotation and let him do his thing. This 3-team race should be fun the rest of the way, though, that's for sure.

If I may, this thing about LeBron James and crew in Miami now, where it seems that there is very little doubt who runs the show in the NBA.....as if we needed another reason NOT to watch the NBA anymore!! I'm very respective of players who are able to make some of their own decisions based on their longevity with a team and/or the league, like no-trade clauses in their contracts and such, but for crying out loud, how can a major sports league just sit back while its stars sit up on their pedestals and tell the world, "This is how things are going to be from now on"? I don't know, maybe it's all legit, but it seems clear to me that the players are much bigger than the league, or the "business," you might say. If any blue collar worker went in to tell the boss what's what, that person would get thrown out on to the streets. I guess maybe that's why they needed an hour long press conference on national TV to make the announcement. God forbid the league office raise a stink about anything that was probably the highest rated show on television that whole week! Okay, so the Heat have the money to pay all 3 superstars, and then Mike Miller as well, (and I'm pretty excited for him, all things considered), but you know, not even the Yankees have ever been able to make everything go their way without trying build it themselves. At least the Yankees go out buy people, rather than having people come to them saying, "Okay, you can lease me for 60 months with half the team's net worth due at signing." Put the Heat and the Lakers in the Finals next season...........WHO CARES?!?!?!!?

On a lighter note, this weekend in Pierre, we welcomed the State USBC Bowling Jamboree, a weekend of gatherings and seminars and honors and fun for bowlers from all over the state who came to participate. The featured guest of the weekend was a young lady by the name of Kelly Kulick, who is a professional bowler originally from New Jersey. For those of you that don't follow bowling as a sport, Kulick made a name for herself in January by beating all the guys in winning one of the Professional Bowling Association's major tournaments, the Tournament of Champions. In the championship match, Kulick defeated Chris Barnes, who is widely considered as one of the top 3 bowlers on tour, if not the outright #1, 265-195. Kelly has won several other tournaments also this year and has really put together an incredible run. In fact, her 2010 has been so good, that her previous stop in her travels, before coming to Pierre, was out in Los Angeles last Wednesday, where she was nominated for two ESPY awards. She lost out to skier Lindsey Vonn as the Female Athlete of the Year, which Vonn is certainly worthy of, but she got hosed on the vote for Outstanding Bowler of the Year, for which there should have been no doubt - kind of like when Jethro Tull beat out Metallica for the Best Heavy Metal Performance of the Year at the Grammy's some years back. Proof positive that voters in these awards shows, even in sports, can be downright clueless sometimes. Anyway, after meeting and talking with Kulick, who was really less upset with not winning those awards, and more upset with the fact that the entire show featured virtually nothing on bowling in general, despite the great things that she and others have accomplished this season, it was clear to me that this young professional athlete was one who had her head on straight - someone who didn't feel she was bigger than the game. Take notes, LeBron! Whatever the case, if your children need a sports role model to look up to - someone who has been successful by beating the odds and who hasn't let that success go to her head, watch the Pro Bowlers Tour, and keep an eye on Kelly Kulick, among others. In addition to all of her on-lane accomplishments, Kulick also pulled off a spot-on rendition of Terri Clark's "You're Easy on the Eyes" during Friday night karaoke at the Lariat Lanes. :o)

As for the Honors portion of the Jamboree weekend, congratulations go out to the State Tournament champions from around our area, who were recognized and presented with their championship awards Saturday night at the Ramkota. Several youth bowlers from Pierre won various events at the State junior tournament in Rapid City in April, including Brianna Dufour, Allison Bruce, Slater Pauly, Annie Hanson, and Jared Erickson. Also receiving awards were the State Womens Doubles champions, Laretta Swanston and Cindy O'Connell, who bowl in Philip, and the State Womens Singles champion, Heather Hloucha, and the State Womens Scratch All Events champion, Danita Allen, both of Chamberlain. Senior tournament division champions Vicky Stanek of Timber Lake and Linda Koeck of Miller were also recognized. And, two Pierre bowlers were also given awards for registering the highest league averages in the State - Nick Coolidge for the youth (220) and Cally Hall for the women (224). Congrats to all!!! It's still hot, but league bowling registrations for the upcoming season are only about a month away.