CHEETAH CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: A Legend in the Way
Seattle, Wash. - 11/5/2009
Yesterday, we set up an underdog versus legend storyline (that will unfold Sunday on ESPN’s Cheetah Championship documentary-style telecast) by talking about the underdogs (Stevie Weber, Derek Sapp and Ryan Ciminelli). Today, we focus on the legend, Norm Duke, who was looking for his 33rd career title.
What more is there really left to say about Duke? The man is in the Hall of Fame (both PBA and USBC), he’s won everything, including 32 PBA titles, six majors, the career Grand Slam (U.S. Open, T of C, Masters and World Championship) and two PBA Player of the Year awards. Even this year’s trick shot contest.
In the Cheetah Championship, the second World Series of Bowling event on the schedule (and first held at Thunderbowl Lanes after moving over from Taylor Lanes), Duke qualified 3rd to earn a bye into the Round of 16, then averaged 251 in a seven-game duel with Walter Ray Williams, Jr. before blitzing Chris Barnes in the Round of 8, 4-0. At this point in the World Series, Duke was still fresh, which is always a bad sign for his opponents…(although he did wear down over the five weeks and bowled poorly, by his standards, in the World Championship the final week).
Duke’s semifinal opponent is Stevie Weber, who would like nothing more than to take down the legend on the way to his first Tour win. But Duke is the master of head-to-head match game bowling, knowing just how to control his emotions, the pace of the match and lane play strategy to his best advantage. Perhaps the documentary-style format of the show will allow him to provide us a lot more insight into those things than we’ve ever seen. Of course, a master sometimes chooses to protect his well-earned secrets.
Be sure to catch this week’s Cheetah Championship on ESPN at 1pm ET this Sunday.
