Bowling, The Wright Way - March 27, 2003 by Don Wright
The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You

Most people relate March Madness to the NCAA playoffs. Me, I relate it to the Bowing Writers Association of America (BWAA) conference held each year in March during the American Bowling Congress (ABC) convention week. It's always a hoot!

I should have known what to expect when we were told that the conference hotel, where we had made reservations, decided to remodel and there were no conference rooms. Thanks to the efforts of Jan Schmidt, PWBA Marketing Director, we were transferred to another motel with minimal effort. However, that motel was farther from restaurants, had no shuttle service to the convention center, no restaurant or lounge. I had requested a suite and their idea of a suite was a standard room with a refrigerator and microwave.

The trip was excellent once we got off Interstate 35. We traveled to Little Rock and stayed at the Little Rock Air Force Base the first night. A suite, which consisted of a living room and bedroom, large bath and shower, two televisions, Internet access, immaculately clean and well furnished with a refrigerator, microwave and walking distance to the club for dinner, cost $24. Being a retired officer does have its perks.

Arriving in Knoxville early, we settled in and drove to the convention center in the heart of town. Parking is a premium anywhere around the convention center. Park houses run between $5-7. However, I heard some people say they paid $2 an hour.

The BWAA convention started the next day and ran through Thursday and Friday was the historical ABC delegates meeting in which they voted down the merger of ABC, WIBC, YABA and USA Bowling, 630-628.

The merger vote was a big topic of conversation during the BWAA convention and the consensus was it wouldn't pass. The vote simply verified the issue.

Now the fate of bowling is in the hands of the women who will cast their vote April 29. The women have two choices, as WIBC President Sylvia Broyles put it, "It is time for women to take a leadership role, just as they did in 1916 when the WIBC was formed, and vote to approve the Plan of Merger with YABA and USA Bowling," or they can do as the men did and vote it down. Either vote will be controversial. A yes vote leaves the ABC out on their own and a no vote kills the merger altogether.

Personally, I hope for a no vote because I think it will force the integers to tweak the proposal and bring it back in a year or so and I think then everyone will agree to it.

The BWAA elected John Falzone as President. Falzone is the President of the Professional Women's Bowling Association. Steve James was elected Executive Director replacing Dan Glus who passed away prior to the convention. Mike Hennessey, former Executive Director was elected to Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Well, that pretty much covers the serious stuff; now let's take a look at the lighter side of the convention.

• While at the convention center everyone was asked to rise for the playing of the Canadian National Anthem and our National Anthem. I don't understand why they play the Canadian anthem when there are other countries participating and we don't play theirs. The fact that Canada is our Northern neighbor shouldn't make any difference. After all the Vancouver Canucks fans booed The Star-Spangled Banner five times in one week when they played the Colorado Avalanche in hockey. In my mind the ABC Championship Tournament should only honor one National Anthem, ours.

• While on the subject of the National Anthem. Americans need to show proper respect. You stand up, face the flag, remove your hat and either stand at attention, or hold your right hand over your heart. Sitting, leaning, wearing your Dale Earnhardt hat, isn't showing respect. And, teach your children even if you don't care.

• While on the subject of Dale Earnhardt - sticking the number 3 on your rear windshield, wearing an Earnhardt Tee-shirt and baseball cap doesn't make you a race car driver and the Interstate isn't Daytona. Thinking that reckless driving is cool should suggest that you look at that number 3 you got stuck on the window. It has a halo and wings, cuz his driving killed him.

• Don't know whether to be happy or sad. We went into a restaurant and upon completion of the meal the waitress brought my check and said, "I put your senior citizen discount on there already, Hon." The next day we were in another restaurant and I ordered a beer and the waitress asked me for my identification. I thought she was kidding, but she was dead serious. I asked her if she was old enough to serve alcohol.

• I can't help but think how fortunate some of us are to have mirrors, because there are places in our great United States that don't have them, or they are too costly. There is no way anyone with a mirror could leave home and go to a restaurant looking like some people we saw. If all you own is a pair of shower shoes, a bathing suit and a tank top you probably should order take out. You need to understand that wearing a camouflage tank top does not make you invisible.

• Sign seen in Arkansas - AUTOMATIC DOOR - PUSH TO OPEN.

• The PWBA says that the new season will allow for a more relaxed dress code. Maybe Dick Evans will get his way and see bellybuttons.

Well, that about does it. There are more stories, but I have to travel back that way at some point and I don't want to hear dueling banjos every time I stop.

The Great Smokey Mountain area of Tennessee is beautiful and I look forward to returning.

See you on the lanes.