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34 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, December 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 7, 2004 It’s Holman vs. Weber in marquee matchup By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Even in retirement, Marshall Holman continues to find his way into marquee bowling events. Thanks to a twist of fate, Holman and Pete Weber, two Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famers, will square off in the first round of the Earl Anthony Medford Classic Thursday. Holman, the "Medford Meteor" who received a commissioner’s exemption into the tournament, faces Weber, the defending champion and winner of 31 career titles, at 6 p.m. at Lava Lanes. "It will be exciting," says Weber. "Me and Marshall have had some exciting matches in the past. If you think I can go in and take Marshall lightly, that’s the wrong thinking. I’ll go in with the same attitude I have when I bowl anybody else: I’m there to win; I’m not there to lose." The possibility of the matchup had been anticipated because the commissioner’s pick is the No. 59 seed and faces the No. 6 seed. Advertisement Weber was No. 6 last week in the Denver Open but dropped to No. 7 this week. However, because tour regular Jason Queen is taking a couple weeks off, the commissioner’s pick was bumped to No. 58 � and opposite Weber. The vacancy created by Queen’s absence means there are five spots, rather than four, up for grabs for PBA members in Wednesday’s Pre-Tournament Qualifier. The nine-game session is from noon to 5 p.m. The exempt pros will then practice from 7 to 9 p.m., at which time fans can watch and get autographs. Each session costs $10, and all-day pass is $15. PBA members who qualify will be seeded 59th through 63rd and will face the Nos. 2-6 exempt bowlers — in order, Brad Angelo, Patrick Allen, Chris Barnes, Mika Koivuniemi and Tommy Jones. Angelo was a semifinalist here last season, Koivuniemi is the reigning player of the year and Jones won Sunday in Denver. One amateur will also will qualify, and he’ll face top-seeded Walter Ray Williams Jr. There are other intriguing first-round matches and second-round possibilities, but they aren’t likely to be as electric as Holman vs. Weber. The two are fast friends, but they are also the consummate competitors who will make no attempt to suppress their emotions in the heat of battle. In a similar matchup of Hall of Famers nearly two years ago, Holman defeated Williams, 4-2, in a scintillating, best-of-seven match that left onlookers exhausted from the drama. This could be a repeat. Holman said he looked forward to facing Weber if the matchup evolved, and the win over Williams notwithstanding, the hometown icon knows he won’t be favored to advance out of the first round. "There’s no doubt about it," says Holman. "They’re out there every week competing against each other, and they’re the best players in the game. I bowl once a week and don’t practice too much — although I’ll be cramming a little bit this week. I have nothing to lose. I’m not supposed to win." If there’s a format that might benefit Holman, it would be match play. "If you get on a roll and get off to a good start, anything’s possible," says Holman. "You have a much better chance in this format as opposed to the old one, where you bowled 18 or 24 or 32 qualifying games before you even got to match play. "You can make it to the telecast in this format without having to bowl a heck of a lot of games. But you can also get knocked out in four games." Age and limited time on the lanes have changed the 50-year-old Holman’s game. When he began touring in the 1970s, he says, the lane conditions fit his style. Adjustments were few compared to now, when advances in equipment, lane surfaces and oil patterns prove taxing even to those who see the conditions weekly. "In my prime," says Holman, "I’d maybe bowl six games and make on bad shot. Now, if I bowl one game, I might make three bad shots. I’m certainly not as sharp as I was and never will be that sharp again." In a couple of other first-round pairings, left-handers Jason Couch and Eric Forkel meet for the third time this year. Couch has averaged 240.80 in winning both. Tore Torgersen and Steve Wilson also face off for the second consecutive week. Torgersen won in seven games last week in the Denver Open. Second-round possibilities include Rick Lawrence, who has emerged this year from relative obscurity, against No. 3 seed Barnes; Angelo against Bryon Smith of Roseburg, who is seeded 34th; Danny Wiseman, the points and earnings leader this season, against Jason Hurd, who won two weeks ago in Wichita, Kan.; and 21-time tour winner Norm Duke against Allen. In round of 64 matches Thursday, the early session runs from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the evening session is from 6 to 9:30. The tournament bracket, with matchups and times, can be found at www.pba.com . Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities