Wave F24 Monologue 1

Adversity - a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune. However, one can argue that adversity is merely a word, and what's most important is how you overcome it. When adversity hits you in the face, how do you react? If you are in a never ending state of misfortune, how does one convince themself to march forward?  Not only how you react to adversity, but also identifying adversity. Do you realize the struggle when it's right in front of your face?  You could hear a pin drop between lanes 1-10 at Waveland bowl last night as the hometown kids, Bowls Deep and Zynfadels, faced unprecedented, incalculable pressure to face off in the championship next week.

Both teams thought that adversity would only strike in week 5, but forgot the important variable of other teams still controlling their destiny. It can be described in one word what both teams felt last night - flat.  Frames were riddled with splits, and remained open. You couldn't buy a strike even if you brought $10 to the stoned teenagers running Alley Dogs. An assumed cake walk into the finals showed to be a treacherous battle of ebb and flows. Both mid tier opponents on the brink of relegation showed out and tried to spoil a championship cake for the homegrown boys. From what seemed like a disappointing display of defeat 12 hours ago, turned to a glimmer of hope this morning. Pure bliss.  That euphoria - a lasting chance at the championship. 

Both Bowls Deep and Zynfadels remain in contention, squeaking out a game a piece and two games behind first place heading into the tournament.  Dynasty is a term that holds immense value, something not mentioned lightly. A High standard of elite character and talent, designed solely for immortal beings who walk among us. Zynfadels, the winners of last season's heart pounding league have the opportunity to walk beside the trailblazers who paved the path before them. Arguably allowed to be said in the same breath - Zynfadels bowl is now defined as a Dynasty.  However, please do not speak too soon. There is much game left before those words can be said. The boys with their recognized blue jerseys that match the color of a peppermint zyn puck, dig out of a 2 game hole to achieve back-to-back chips.  

Adversity is a common barrier this team has had to face. As only the perfect hand had to be dealt  to raise the championship shirts last season. These are familiar waters the Zynfadels tread, and are hopeful to ride on the coattails of league MVP, Tornado (leagues the league is handicap).  Zynfadels come with a combination of consistency and pure explosion. 3 players in the top 10 of scoring, and calculated closed frames, top to bottom - 1 through 6. But that is exactly what we expected out of these boys, and there is no other position we anticipated this team being in heading into the last week of Waveland League. If you thought this was a piece about the potential for one-sided immortality, you are mistakenly wrong.  If one told me that both the homegrown teams would hold these implications heading into the championship, I wouldn't be surprised. I would argue, though, that it would be unlikely. 

 Balls Deep, once a rag tag team built and known as "The B Team" has taken the league by complete storm. A dynamic chemistry of impressive skill and demeanor has evolved into a true contender. From "wear whatever, those jerseys are gay" to "alright, everyone where turtlenecks" to "hey Wes, where did you guys buy those jerseys?" The evolution of balls deep would make Charles Darwin proud.  Bang, bang, bang is the best way i can describe this team of free agents perfectly molded into a fist bumping barrage of closed frames. Hard hitting, smash mouth pin action. You can draw a card out of a hat and that would tell who holds a 0 handicap that week. Anyone can pop off at any time...and they have - time after time again.  True Gym Rats - I swear that some of these boys sleep in Waveland after hours. If you asked Breandan McClure, one of the most exciting two handed bowlers Waveland has seen in many moons "what gets you out of bed everyday?" He would simply reply "I just want to bowl". And boy, does that man know how to bowl and isn't afraid to get the rest of the team in the lab every given Sunday.  

While the boys hung their heads late last night, they held them high this morning. While hate week never came to fruition during the regular season, it's best that it waited for all of the marbles. A tail between a proven contender, and the new kids on the block. A tail of darkness and light - as old as time.  Zynfadels will be on lane 1 & 2 while Bowls deep on 3 & 4 for the championship finale of the 9pm Waveland Bowl League. One last dance while the storm is brewing.