So, I had my first taste of tournament action at Mason’s last night. It was a pretty fascinating experience, that’s for sure. The ride home was LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG, to say the least.

I expected to go up there and do fairly well. In fact, I bowled a 356 (299 scratch…4 pins below my average). But what I’ve been thinking about isn’t just my score. If I look at the result objectively, I did okay. I didn’t come out with a score that was well below my average, and I made a few good shots. A few of the pros who were bowling around me told me that. But I do wish I could have done better. After rolling that 116 game to start out, I thought I could really make some noise. Maybe I just got my hopes up? Unfortunately, when the tournament director told me that I might be in the hunt, that was the end of me. And what did we learn from that little snippet of the evening? JUST BOWL…WORRY ABOUT WHERE YOU’LL FINISH AFTER YOU FINISH. Had I not known I had a shot, I more than likely would have bowled more relaxed.

The crowd was certainly not a crowd I’m used to. These guys were out for blood. And while that’s not to say they’re bad guys for wanting to win, a few of ‘em were just plain unkind. Since my league operates in a different manner than theirs, I was unclear on when I was bowling a couple of times. That outwardly frustrated one bowler, to the point where he decided it would be appropriate to call me names. Wow, what a charmer, eh? I gave up name calling somewhere around the 4th grade.

It was interesting to note the female side of the crowd. Several ladies were dressed rather sexy, which led me to believe this is quite an event in Leominster. Now, I’m not criticizing anyone for dressing well, don’t get me wrong. But I was surprised to see a couple of women in short skirts and boots; I didn’t think that was bowling center wear.

I was cursed at by one guy for an unknown reason. While I’m not exactly sure why he told me to “go f**k” myself, I can tell you I really don’t recall addressing him in any way prior to his demand. That one really baffled me. So, if “Mr. Go F**k Yourself” is reading this, I hope he’ll email me and tell me what horrible thing I did to him to cause him to be so honked off at me. Whatever.

There were a couple of guys on the lanes that were okay with me, chatting with me briefly about work, etc. But it felt much more like bloodsport tonight. Granted there were a few bucks on the table for the guys who got in the ladder, but why do men have to be so cruel to each other? I’ll be the first guy to tell you I want to win (ask Kathleen how disappointed I was in myself tonight), but I’m certainly not going to get down on someone else for kicking the crap out of me. This isn’t big time sport, it’s candlepin bowling. Therefore if I’m doing well, I’m happy. But if I’m not, I don’t blame it on others and I don’t start hoping my opponent suddenly has a massive coronary, giving the game to me. Why outwardly and loudly hope that someone, as one guy put it, “f**ks the h**l up” so you can win. Let him bowl, and let the pins fall where they may.

My only question to myself right now is whether I consider the experience to be a good or bad one. Nope, I didn’t win…didn’t even come close. But I pondered the night all the way home, attempting to rationalize my performance and the evening in general. I kept saying things like, “I did okay” and “it wasn’t bad for my first time,” which prompted Kathleen to ask me why I’m trying to justify myself. And I couldn’t tell her. So, I slept on it.

With coffee in my hand, most things tend to look clearer. In fact, for me, coffee is a major food group, but only before noon. Having finished my first cup this morning, I’ve been able to file last night in the correct folder. And while I wouldn’t call this an overwhelmingly positive experience, I wouldn’t say it was completely horrible. I was very much out of my element, bowling with complete strangers who were skeptical of my place there. Most of the guys on the lane with me seemed to be friends who’ve bowled together for years. All the friends I wanted to see and bowl with were on other lanes…so I didn’t have the security blanket of familiarity with anyone, hence I got fairly nervous.

And since I believe my view of competition is much different than the average person’s, I get looked at kinda funny. Then again, I am quite a unique person in candlepin bowling. I’m not even from Massachusetts, which makes me (I think) the only competitive bowler from CT, ever.

So, last night was…an experience. Nothing more, nothing less. However, it’s colored my opinion on tournaments a bit; and it’s caused me to change my outlook on what happens if I’m competing against people I’ve never met. And it showed me I’m not half bad at this…and I’m getting better.

Monson tonight…hopefully, my legs won’t fall off after all the bowling this weekend.