Again,

sorry so long for the delay in posts.  I won't go into detail about the tournaments up to now.  I am too far behind and it will take a while to get it done.  

I finished off the season strong,and was glad to get a break for Christmas and New Years to spend with my family back in California.  I have to admit, there was a part of me that wanted to just keep bowling as I was throwing it pretty well when we took the break.  I didn't practice at all during the break.  Spending time with my family was important to me, so I decided that was more important than bowling during the break.  

The first week back, we bowled on Shark in Reno.  It showed that I hadn't practiced during the break, and had my lowest finish of the season.  I bounced back the following week in Medford, making match play and losing a heart breaking match against Sean Rash.  I had him up 3-1 and couldn't close him out.  He's tough and came back to beat me 3-4.  We then came back to California for the Dick Weber event.  It was nice to see my family again so quickly, as well as some old friends.  The first day we bowled the first two rounds.  What a mess I was. I missed spares, didn't make quality shots, and could never find my timing.  I struggled all day.  I ended up -116 after two rounds.  The next day we bowled the 3rd round of qualifying.  I bowled much better and worked my way up to +45 or so.  I ended up cashing and saved a week that could have been bad.  We headed to Vegas at that point for two tournaments.   The doubles and the T of C.  Since I had won in Merrillville,  I was playing in the T of C.   The doubles event you qualified individually.  I bowled ok, but couldn't get it done down the stretch and missed by 20 pins.   That left a day off and then the Tournament of Champions was to begin.  My buddy came out for the Vegas tourney, so after the doubles on Monday, we hung out and played some poker.  I was up all night.  I finally went to sleep at 6 am, Tuesday morning.  I ended up sleeping all day Tuesday, waking up at 11 pm once to use the restroom and drink some water.  Right back to sleep, and not waking up until 10:30 am on Wednesday.  When I woke up , I realized I had a very bad sore throat. So sore, that when I talked, my swollen tonsil was laying on my tongue, gagging me when I spoke.  I drove to the bowl, and missed practice.  I drilled some balls for the T of C.  After that , I went straight to urgent care.  Long story short,  the Dr gave me some pills and told me to rest.  I told him no chance.  Thursday at the T of C was an average day.  Qualified 8th, and was starting to feel a little bit better.  I was ok, as long as I didn't have to talk.  What happened Friday and Sunday are two days I will probably remember the rest of my life.  

Friday was the match play.  9 games of round robin in the morning, then cutting to the top 16 for Friday night.  About halfway through the morning block, I had worked my way to the lead.  I couldn't believe it.  I was leading the T of C !!!  The position round game found me 10 pins ahead of Chris Barnes.  I ended up winning that match, taking the lead with me into the night block.  9 more games stood between being on the show, and possibly leading the T of C.    I started off well, and extended my lead after the first 2 or 3 games.  Then Barnes came charging back and took the lead.  The next game I took the lead back and held on to it for the rest of the evening.  I was the T of C leader heading into the tv finals.  One game and I would have the T of C title.

Sunday morning I woke up and I was very nervous.   I tried to keep things simple, but was having a hard time doing this.  Once I was at the bowl, I calmed down and things were getting under control.  Practice went well and everything seemed fine.  Once the title match started, things quickly got out of hand.  I didn't make the same quality shots that I was making during the week.  I was also loosing my ball reaction.  Barnes came out hot throwing strikes.  That wasn't helping my cause at all...lol.   I told myself to stay focused and to concentrate on finding out the answer quickly and to get back in the match.  6 frames into the match and I was done.  He had me beat,  just needing to fill frames to win the title.  I had nothing to lose at that point, so I made an aggressive ball change on both lanes.  The moved paid off as I struck on both shots.  Still needing some help to win the title,  I could only sit and watch as Barnes was bowling.  I couldn't believe it when he missed the 10 pin in the 9th frame.  He's such a great spare shooter,  that I figured I was done.  I step up knowing that I need the next 4 stirkes to get to 216.  That score would make him double to win the match.  I end up getting 3 of the next 4, to finish at 215.  This actually still forced Barnes to double to win, but also set up a possible tie.  It was out of my hands, I did what I could and was just sitting and waiting.  He threw the first shot wide, and left the 2 pin.  He now had to make the spare, and then strike to tie.  He did that easily.  On his final shot, he came up just a touch high and left a 4 pin.  I couldn't believe it,  I came from 52 pins down in 4 frames to win the Tournament of Champions.   What a feeling, what a dream come true !!!

I have to say that it still hasn't really set in yet.  

Thanks for your time.

Michael Haugen Jr