Blogging Again on July 5

Due to other commitments this Fourth of July weekend, I won't be blogging again until Tuesday, July 5. At that time, I'll have recaps of the U.S. Women's Open, the GEICO PBA Team Shootout and other bowling news and views for you. I hope you'll join me then.

In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday weekend, and, if you can, get in some games at your local bowling center.

Also, be sure to catch the final rounds and the "Bottlegate 2" incident of the GEICO PBA Team Shootout today (Saturday, July 2) from 4:30 to 6 PM Eastern and from 2:30 to 4 PM Eastern tomorrow (Sunday, July 3) on ESPN, and the stepladder finals of the U.S. Women's Open today (Saturday, July 2) from Cowboys Stadium on ESPN2 at 6 PM Eastern.

GEICO PBA Team Shootout June 25-26

Today and tomorrow, ESPN will show the first installments of the GEICO Team Shootout. You can catch it today from 12-2 PM Eastern, and tomorrow from 4-6PM Eastern.

Of course, the infamous "Bottlegate 2" incident between Sean Rash and Jason Belmonte has been the talk of the bowling world here of late, but, from what I understand, the bowling action itself is exciting in its own right and well worth watching for its own sake. So, I hope you'll tune in and enjoy it.

Below is a short PBA promotional video of the event.

Sean Rash Apologizes, Sort Of

In the wake of the PBA's announcement yesterday that Sean Rash was being fined "an undisclosed amount for conduct unbecoming a professional" over the "Bottlegate 2" incident with Jason Belmonte that has yet to be aired on TV but has made the Internet rounds, Rash today released this arguably grudging apology for his actions:

To the PBA, my fellow bowlers, and fans:

I would like to apologize for my poor choice of words used during the taping of the 2011 GEICO PBA Team Shootout which will air on ESPN over the next couple of weekends. I would like everyone to know that this is not the type of image I want to portray as a professional bowler.

As for what happened, it is important to note that I stepped off the approach twice during the match against Jason Belmonte because I could easily hear the water bottle crunching. For the first water bottle crunching, I did not acknowledge the distraction, but after the second incident, I felt that it was more than coincidental and had to call him out on his unusual gamesmanship. The fact is that Jason has been warned before about his untimely bottle crunching, and I did not appreciate that he had not learned from his past actions and was continuing this tactic against me.

While I do apologize for my choice of language, I do not apologize for my actions on calling out Belmonte. In the heat of the moment, the words came out well before I could even think about what I was going to say. I can assure you that I will most certainly call out Belmonte or any other player who tries to use these unprofessional tactics against me in the future, but I will be sure to use a better choice of words.

While I have a great deal of respect for Belmonte as a fellow competitor, the fact is that he is still my competition on the PBA Tour, and bowling is a sport with intense competition. When I step onto the lanes, friendships are set aside. This is our chosen profession and our livelihood, and at times, things get heated.

As for how things are between Jason and I, let’s just say that we will settle it on the lanes.

Sincerely,

Sean Rash

Are you satisfied with Rash's apology? Do you think he even needed to make one?

Breaking Down Bowling's Bottlegate 2

Point/Counterpoint

Belmo did it on purpose. He didn't do it on purpose. Belmo's a cheater and a liar. Belmo's a good guy who made mistakes and just needs to be more careful from now on. Sean Rash is a jerk. Sean Rash is a tough competitor who doesn't take crap from anybody and gave Belmo what he deserved. The PBA should punish Belmo and/or Rash. The PBA shouldn't punish Belmo and/or Rash. The PBA is milking these Bottlegate incidents for all they're worth. The PBA is simply sharing the news of what happened. The PBA should use these incidents to stir up interest and attract viewers to the telecasts. The PBA should say nothing about these incidents and should edit them out of the telecasts. Impressionable children and society at large will be scarred for life by seeing these incidents. Children already see much, much worse, and neither they nor society will be harmed in the least by it.

If you read the various bowling forums about Bottlegate 1 and, especially, 2, these are the diverse opinions you'll encounter about these incidents. I never cease to be fascinated by how human beings can see and judge the same events in such wildly contrasting ways.

I think I've already made my opinions regarding Bottlegate 2 pretty clear, but I wrote yesterday that I planned to post my updated "take" on the matter today with the help of the extended video the PBA released yesterday (see below), so here goes.

What I see when I look at the video

Extended Clip: Rash/Belmonte Bottle Incident - Funny bloopers R us

At the beginning of the video, there is some kind of "roll off" competition between Rash and Belmonte. Rash is on the approach while Belmonte takes three sips from his water bottle. Then, as Belmo puts the cap back on the bottle and begins to set it down on the floor, Rash puts his ball back on the rack but doesn't say anything. It's not clear if Rash is reacting to a bottle noise or not. I can't hear any bottle noise, but this isn't to say there isn't one. Rash has a well-publicized tendency to balk on his shots, so maybe he didn't hear anything that made him put his ball down and regroup, and maybe he did. Then he grabs his ball, throws a strike, and says not very loudly but loudly enough to be heard, "Step up to that, Bitch," as he walks back and Belmonte gets up for his shot. Belmo throws a strike and sits back down. Rash gets back up, picks up and wipes off his ball and steps up on the approach while Belmo reaches for his water bottle and can't find it at first, finally does find it, picks it up and just holds it from the bottom with one hand and from the near the top with the other, Rash turns around, Belmo apologetically says, That was...," and Rash puts his ball back on the rack while saying, "Really. Lot's of fu*king class right there," resets himself, and Belmo waits until Rash releases the ball before he picks his bottle back up and it seems to make a crinkling sound when Rash's ball is more than halfway down the lane. Rash says, "Go through it!" as his ball looks like it might go high but strikes, and then he turns around and yells, "Take that, you bottle bitch! Come on! [Bleeped inaudible] Come on! Let's go! Let's have some fun!" while he walks back and high fives his Brunswick teammates and then sits down and says, "I'm tired of it. Everyone, you do it to."

What I think about it all

I won't bore you with a long winded exposition on what I think. I'll simply say that I believe Belmo when he says he didn't purposely distract Rash, and even if he were lying, I don't think anyone could prove it, and, therefore, no one should flatly accuse him of what they can't prove, especially given the way he's conducted himself in all other respects. I think Rash was out-of-line to act the way he did but that this doesn't make him one of Keith Olbermann's "worst persons in the world." I think the PBA should fine Rash or at least strongly warn him that profanity won't be tolerated in televised events. I don't think the PBA was wrong to report on the event and even use it as promotion of its upcoming telecasts. I don't think the PBA needs to edit out the incident although it probably should and probably will be required by FCC regulations to edit out a choice word or two. I don't think airing the incident will significantly impact children who watch it or society at large. I think Bemo needs to consciously adjust his pre-shot routine so that he doesn't touch water bottles while his opponents are on the approach and in the process of making a shot in the finals of a PBA event, or he needs to use a water container that doesn't make noise. No, better just to not touch ANY water container while opponents are bowling.

You've seen the most revealing video, you've read my take on it. What do you think? Or do you think you need to see it all on TV first?

PBA GEICO Team Shootout Information

ESPN's telecasts of the PBA GEICO Team Shootout, complete with "Bottlegate 2," get underway this Saturday and Sunday, the 25th and 26th, and conclude next Saturday and Sunday. Unlike past summer team competition, this event is held in an upscale Chicago bowling center instead of outdoors at an amusement park, and it features several different kinds of singles, doubles, and team competition.

Word is, the competition is unusually intense and high quality for an off-season event, and, of course, Sean Rash calls Jason Belmonte a "bottle bitch" for making a crinkly noise with his water bottle. So, it sounds like it has something for everyone, and maybe, unfortunately, something that is NOT for everyone.

Interestingly enough, I'll probably be getting a bowling lesson from Sean Rash at a bowling clinic on Saturday while the first episode is being shown, so I'll have to watch the program on my DVR later.

Jerry Schneider has the lowdown on the competition and this weekend's telecasts here.

Bowling Quote of the Day--Bottlegate 2 Was Not Contrived

"I can't believe anyone thought the Rash/Belmonte incident was contrived. Why on earth would Belmonte ruin his image for the sake of creating some drama on a couple of PBA telecasts?"

--Comment in pbaforum.com

My Description of Extended Bottlegate 2 Video

I wrote previously that PBA Xtra Frame was going to show a longer clip today of Sean Rash confronting Jason Belmonte for making noise with his water bottle while Rash was bowling, and I pledged to blog as soon after that as possible about what I saw.

Well, to tell you the truth, I'm disappointed. I expected a significantly longer and more revealing clip than I saw. The clip I saw today was only a few seconds longer than the original clip, and all it showed that the original clip didn't was Sean setting up on the approach, hearing a noise, presumably from Jason's water bottle, setting his ball back on the rack, and saying something like, "That's real class" to Jason before picking his ball back up and making the shot we've already seen in the original, somewhat shorter clip.

I thank the PBA for showing the video via Xtra Frame, but, like I said, I'm a little disappointed in it given how much the guys on Xtra Frame had been touting it as a more revealing look at this increasingly controversial incident that "Bowling Doctor" Jeff Mark has characterized as far and away the most intense confrontation he's ever seen between two PBA competitors.

Now I've heard that there's still more to see and hear than what's been released so far, and some if not all of that is supposed to be released in some fashion Monday or Tuesday of next week, but I'll believe it when I see it in terms of it shedding significantly more light on the controversy.

Judging from what I've seen so far and think it's likely that I ever will see of "Bottlegate 2," Belmo may very well have been telling the truth when he wrote to me personally last Tuesday to state that the noise was unintentional. And, barring my seeing good reason not to, I'm going to take him at his word and hope that this whole thing is laid to rest and that Jason continues to receive the respect of his competitors and of bowling fans for being the great bowler and fine human being he has long appeared to be.

However, he really does need to find a way to stop making distracting noises when his opponents are on the approach, and I have no doubt that he will.

Brian Ziesig Writes About Bowling With Emotion on the PBA Tour

Brian Zeisig beat Jason Belmonte in sudden death in the thrilling title match of the 2010 Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship. I've just read his comment in the PBA Forum regarding "Bottlegate 2," and I'd like to share it with you here:

"Based on the number of calls, and people I have talked to since the day after the incident(NOT the day it was put on the PBA website), I have come to the conclusion that all the emotion that you will see on the shows starting on the 25th is 100% real. I've heard words like contrived, WWE Style, they were told to do that, etc, etc, etc. I understand it's an "exhibition", but they are bowling for real money on those shows. Sometimes, I just don't understand what the people on the forums want. Each individual has their own personality. There were complaints about Dave Arnold when he was on shows, or any of the guys today when they are on the show if they aren't exciting, or show some emotion. They get ridiculed for being a robot, dull, what have you. Maybe that's just not in their nature to be emotional. Then guys make shows and are boisterous, do the crotch chop, and wear their emotions on their sleeve, and they get ripped too if they say or do something that may not be PC. So in short, what do you want from them?

I've made 1 show in my 15+ years as a PBA member(ironically against one of the participants in the most recent controversy), but I know a lot of those guys out there, and known them for a long time. Maybe I'll get in trouble for this, maybe it will get deleted, but I'm going to speak for them in a way that I believe they would want their collective voices to be heard. This goes out to all of their fans, and the fans of the PBA. Here goes...

"WE(the men and women that compete on the show) really wish that every show, every game on the show, and everything involved for people watching the show has the utmost in drama and excitement that people(bowlers and non-bowlers alike who watch our show)want to see. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen all the time. There are blow outs where matches are over in the 7th 8th frame. There are times when we just plain old struggle to find it. And there are times, when in the heat of the moment, we say or do things we regret during these matches. But the one thing that you can not take away from us is the REAL emotion we feel while bowling on National TV. We understand that we are not playing for millions of dollars, but the will and the drive to win that we all have can not, and must not be described as fake, contrived, or made up. We all want to win as much as any athlete in any of the major sports, whether as an individual as most PBA events are, or as a team in the PBA Summer Series, and sometimes, that emotion spills out in ways you may not like. But to say that we don't feel sadness when we lose, pride when we win, and downright anger if something occurs that we don't like and feel is unjustified, is just not fair. So to all of our fans who watch us either in person, or on TV, do us a favor. If you have a question about the emotion of an event, just ask. We will be more than happy to tell you exactly what was going through our minds at different points of the match. If you don't believe us, that's your prerogative, but if you really think that anything you will see on the shows on June 25th, or any other show for that matter is fake, made up, or contrived, I don't know what to tell you, other than thank you for watching, and that you're wrong."

Disclaimer - The above post is the opinion of the writer himself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PBA, its management, or its members."

Walter Ray Widening His PBA Senior U.S. Open Lead Going Into Final Day of Competition

"I’m still throwing the ball well. I had to migrate left a little tonight as the lane condition broke down, but it wasn’t much – which was fine with me. There are no guarantees heading into tomorrow, but I like what’s going on. I’d be very happy to have to bowl only one game in the stepladder finals for the title."

--Walter Ray Williams Jr.

After 35 games of match play and qualifying, Walter Ray Williams Jr. entered today's final day of competition in the PBA Senior U.S. Open with a 203 pin lead over second place Wayne Webb, last year's Senior Player of the Year.

PBA Xtra Frame is covering all of today's action, albeit with some unfortunate technical glitches thus far this morning. The bowlers will bowl two eight-game round-robin match play rounds this morning and afternoon, and the top four will advance to the stepladder finals beginning at approximately 3:30 pm Pacific.

Extended Bottlegate 2 Clip Promised

And bear in mind that Xtra Frame is supposed to be featuring an extended clip of "Bottlegate 2" this afternoon between the final round of match play and the stepladder finals. Xtra Frame announcer Jeff Mark and commentator Jason Thomas have said that this could well be the "most intense confrontation in the history of the PBA."

If you don't subscribe to Xtra Frame, I'll be blogging about what I saw in the clip as soon as I can after viewing it.

Click here to read the story on Thursday's action and see the standings going into today's concluding action.

PBA Xtra Frame's Announcement About Bottlegate 2

"I did get to see it today, I saw it, and you don't want to miss it."

--Jeff Mark

Today, I had meant to post a lot more about the increasingly infamous Bottlegate 2 incident where Sean Rash called Jason Belmonte a "bottle bitch" for crinkling his bottle while Rash was bowling. But I've been watching PBA Xtra Frame's live coverage of the PBA Senior U.S. Open, and I heard PBA publicist Jason Thomas and "Bowling Doctor" Jeff Mark explain that there's a lot more to the story than is revealed in the short clip of Rash's outburst that's been making the rounds.

Apparently, some pretty heated confrontations occurred before and after Sean's angry words that were caught by the cameras and will be shown the second weekend of ESPN's airing of the GEICO Team Shootout. The first week's airing is on Saturday, June 25. So, I'm reluctant to say much more about Bottlegate 2 until I've seen all of this.

PBA Xtra Frame Exclusive

Fortunately, as a subscriber to PBA Xtra Frame, I may not have to wait until early July to see it. For Jason Thomas and Jeff Mark announced this afternoon that they've obtained video from ESPN that shows more of the incident and that they've asked for and expect to receive permission to show it on Xtra Frame. If they do get that permission, they plan to show it tomorrow between the final match play position round and the beginning of the stepladder finals. This means it should air shortly before 3:17 PM PDT tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if it also ends up on YouTube shortly thereafter, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it. In the meantime, I'll watch it tomorrow and blog soon after about what I saw.

Besides this, while watching Xtra Frame, I got a chance to ask Jeff Mark and Jason Thomas, via the PBA's Facebook, page the following question:

"Do you think Belmo is crinkling his bottle to purposely distract his opponents and is lying when he says he isn't, or do you think he's doing it out of unconscious, nervous habit?"

Jason Thomas replied on Xtra Frame by saying that given the frequency of Belmo's bottle crinkling and the problems it's been causing, there are essentially two "options": (1) Either Belmo IS deliberately distracting opponents and then lying about it when called to task for it, or he's pretty "clueless" or careless. In either case, Thomas said, Belmo needs to stop doing what he's been doing and should "come out and address it" publicly before he suffers irreparable damage to what's left of his good reputation.

Belmonte Writes to Me

Now it just so happens that after I posted my first blog entry about this issue on Tuesday, Jason Belmonte wrote to me privately to give me his side of the story, and I would love to share with you what he said. But I'm still trying to secure his permission to share it. In the meantime, I will only say that he denied purposely crinkling his bottle to distract Sean.

When I look at all the coverage I and other people are giving this relatively minor incident and issue, I feel a little sheepish continuing to write about it here. Yet, I won't lie and say that I'm not kind of jazzed over it and that I'm not having fun writing about it, and I've received many more hits on this blog over the past couple of days than I normally do. So, it seems as though a lot of you are interested too.

Please stay tuned for further developments.

More on Bottlegate 2

It seems that Bottlegate 2 is the talk of the bowling world, and lots of people, including some who participated in the event at issue, have weighed in on the matter. I don't have time to write about that today, but I plan to write a great deal about it tomorrow. I'll be sharing a cross section of opinions about the incident and about how the PBA should handle it, and I'll be presenting more of my own reflections on the matter, now that I have more information to work with than I did when I first blogged about it yesterday.

So, I hope you'll come back tomorrow to follow not only my coverage of this story but also of the PBA Senior U.S. Open which is now in the third round of qualifying in Las Vegas.

Tomorrow's going to be a busy day here on Steve's Bowling Blog, and I hope you'll join me here for the fun. In the meantime, I'd like to leave you with a comment from a very thoughtful reader concerning Bottlegate 2:

To me, the bigger issue is that the PBA is once again hyping these stupid confrontations.

There is a large thread on the PBA forums about this stuff and the bottom line is that the PBA is determined to hype any and every incident of this type that they can. Obviously, they're not only condoning, but encouraging this behavior from Diaper Rash and anyone else.

Mike Laneside apparently posted this video to youtube and then posted a message in the referenced thread, crowing about the hits that it gets.

They want the negative publicity. Your blog and all of the other blogs and sites that are talking about this issue, are giving the PBA exactly what they want, by further hyping the issue. They don't care that it's completely unprofessional and offensive behavior by Rash. They think that they need these confrontations, so they can have viewer buzz like the pro wrestling.

I'm completely disgusted with the PBA. Rash should be punished, fined and banned from 3 or more future tournaments for his behavior. The PBA isn't going to do that, he's their hero now.

I replied to Laneside's post on the PBA forum, that I was to be counted as one against their policy and that I wouldn't watch the tournament, because of it. Further, I'm done with the PBA forum completely. I'll not be party to the nonsense. I despise that behavior and don't want to waste my time watching it on TV, but there's no sense talking about it, because the PBA thinks that they're doing the right thing by getting us to talk about it.

I hate where they're going and think that the PBA is doomed because of it. But, this is the last post I'll ever make on the subject. I'm done with the PBA and the USBC completely.