BOWLING

and a knack for attracting hard-to-get athletes to speak candidly, with the most recent being Aaron Rodgers. I asked McAfee if he would be willing to appear on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” now that he is a Disney employee. “There is too much physical work and time commitment to do that show, so I will pass,” he told me. Warner Brothers Discovery used their upfront to promote its Max streaming service, as well as promote a new All Elite Wrestling show which will be airing Saturday nights on TNT called “AEW Collision.” For baby boomers, this is a delightful throwback to youthful days when professional wrestling was a Saturday TV staple. Streaming on Max are a pair of sports documentaries, “38 at the Garden,” and “Angel City.” “38 at the Garden,” which recollects Jeremy Lin’s magical 2012 sea- son with the Knicks, just won the Sports Emmy for short documentary. It debuted last year at the Tribeca Film Festival. Thirty-eight was Lin’s Knicks uniform number, and it is the number of minutes this doc runs.

“Angel City” tells the story in three episodes of the first season of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Los Angeles franchise which is partially owned by Academy Award-winning actor and Syosset High School alum, Natalie Portman.

The CW, which is under new corporate ownership, is working hard to shed its image as the network aimed at fans of superheroes and teen angst dramas. It had entered the world of sports with its airings of LIV Golf Tournaments, and its recent weekly motor sports show, “100 Days to Indy,” which stars the drivers of the Indy Racing League, and features interviews with part-owner of Rahal Racing, David Letterman.

CBS Sports announced they have hired recently retired QB Matt Ryan to be a studio NFL analyst who will also occasionally be in the booth to help call games. Ryan is best known for being the quarterback on teams which have blown massive leads late in games.

Bryant Gumbel, host of HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” as well as being a television stalwart,

By Bob Smith

pins. Zamor had the early lead when he started the shootout with a triple, but a string of open frames thwarted his title chances. Ko and Scianna battled it out until the final frame; Ko had a one-pin lead going into the ninth frame. Both bowlers finished with four strikes, giving Ko the championship by the slighest of leads: one pin.

RAW ROLLS ON - HAMMER’S NEWEST MODEL

Released just before Memorial Day was Hammer’s newest edition to its lower/mid-performance line, a Red/Smoke/Black model that joins the existing balls in the popular Raw series. This is good news for bowlers with slower ball speeds, Tweeters, speed dominant players, or league bowlers looking for a lot of length with a controllable yet strong back end. It’s also covered by Hammer’s two-year warranty, one of the best such offers in the business.

The specs we know you crave: Coverstock: Juiced Hybrid; cover type: hybrid reactive; finish: 500, 1000, 2000 Siaair/factory compound. The new Raw, designed for light to medium oil, is available in all ball weights, making it a great choice for new bowlers, seasoned league players, or even pros looking for something a bit more controllable.

Also just out from Hammer is a new line of colorful Axe spare balls. Learn all about these new products at HammerBowling.com.

Ko Scores At Ligbt Major

The Long Island Generations Bowling Tour (LIGBT), sponsored by Storm, presented its annual two-day Memorial Day Weekend House Shot Major at AMF Garden City Lanes, culminating on May 29. Charles Ko of Palisades, NJ, representing the 49-and-under handicap division, defeated Joe Scianna of Ronkonkoma from the 50-and-over handicap division, 246-245. Ko earned $2,000 for the title, with Scianna earning $1,000 for second place. Ko also came in third as the scratch winner, earning an additional $800 with a 244 scratch game. Rounding out the top five: Isaiah Zamor of Hempstead, NY with a 226 worth $600, and Alex Padmore of Jamaica, with a 189 earning him $500. Accoring to LIBGT officials, the final shootout was one of the closest in the organization’s history, as the top three places were separated by only two

The LIGBT Memorial Day Weekend Major saw 284 entries generate a $12,675 prize fund. Seventy-eight bowlers went to the cashing window. The side action awarded an additional $10,020, bringing the total event payout to $22,695.

The summer LIGBT schedule rolls on, and plans for the fall season are now underway. Get involved with these enjoyable amateur tournaments by logging on to ligbtour.com.

LI’S ZIMMERMAN CAPTURES FIRST PBA TITLE

Deer Park’s Adam Zimmerman scored his first PBA championship by winning the May 27 PBA Colony Park Lanes Challenge Regional in York, PA. It’s the first PBA regional win for the talented 24-year-old, two-handed righty, who formerly excelled as a member of Junior Team USA. Zimmerman, at press time, was ranked 20th in the PBA East Region Standard rankings.

was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Sports Emmy Awards. ESPN’s Ryan Clark, who was a defensive back with various NFL teams, including the Giants, in his thirteen-year NFL career, won the Emmy for Best Studio Analyst. Clark got his broadcasting career started by interning at ESPN between NFL seasons.

NBC Sports “Sunday Night Football” voice Cris Collinsworth attended the 2023 Sports Emmy Awards. I asked Collinsworth, a former All-Pro receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals, and longtime resident of Cincinnati, if he is worried about being pilloried on both social media and sports radio talk show hosts for coming off as a rooter for his old team now that they are one of the NFL’s elite teams. “Absolutely!” he candidly replied. “The funny thing is I get killed in Cincinnati for not being a homer.” he added.

The face of CBS Sports, Jim Nantz, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame Ceremony last month. Even though he is giving up his broadcasting duties for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, Nantz emphasized to me he is not retiring. “I will still be doing NFL and PGA Tour telecasts which will put me on the road for 40 weeks a year. Giving up the NCAA Tournament gives me more time to spend with my family. It will be in good hands with Ian Eagle calling the games.”

By Lloyd Carroll

The New York Jets acquisition of Aaron Rodgers may not get them into the playoffs, but it has increased their national visibility. Gang Green is slated for a couple of appearances on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” and CBS’s late Sunday afternoon slot.

Spring pro football leagues, the USFL and XFL had successful runs. The XFL Championship Game last month, which was won by the Arlington Renegades, drew over a million viewers on ABC. The NFL was paying attention to the XFL as its teams signed a few players right after the championship game. The same will happen to the USFL. My biggest knock on the USFL is some of its teams, such as the New Jersey Generals and Philadelphia Stars, never play a home game in the places their team’s name represents. That had better change in 2024.

I asked Mets outfielder Mark Vientos in Spanish if he was ready to be “el salvador” (the savior) of the Mets. He wittily responded, “My family is from Nicaragua, not El Salvador!

Allman Brothers Syria Mosque

The ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND celebrated indie record stores with the exclusive limited release of Syria Mosque: Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971. First released in October 2022 on CD and digital via Allman Brothers Band Recording Company, Syria Mosque: Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 is now available as a special numbered limited edition 2-LP package on “Pittsburgh Steel Grey” vinyl (10,000 units).

It is an exquisite package showcasing the band at its best and the variety of songs is dizzying. This is something that every Allman fan must add to their collection.

After Duane’s heartfelt acknowledgment of the band’s debt to opening act Taj Mahal, the show began with “Statesboro Blues,” and the shuffle perfection of this tune set the standard for the rest of the evening. “Trouble No More” slid right along, propelled by the rhythm work of Berry, Jaimoe and Butch, while “Elizabeth Reed” featured an unusually ethereal solo by Dickey before Duane finished it off in incendiary style.

Gregg’s visceral and weary vocals highlighted the autobiographical “Midnight Rider,” before giving way to “You Don’t Love Me,” which was centered around the run-and-gun guitar work of Duane and Dickey.

Per usual, “Whipping Post” served as the set closer, but that was the only normal thing about this 20-minute rendition, as Dickey and Duane erupt in a spontaneous combustion exchange that stretched the song for another six minutes or so.