Random Thoughts About the 2008 PBA U.S. Open Pro-Am

Rather than fill your screen with a recap of an event I already gave you a recap of last year, here are just some quick hits from yesterday's fun at the Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, NJ.

*You know a bowling alley is cool when it has its own barber shop. Hats off to the person at Brunswick Zone Carolier who thought to add that feature.

*Personal shoutout to Web pioneer Tim Lynch for sending me a box full of the 1990 Kingpins bowling cards you see above. As soon as they arrived a few months ago, I knew I was destined to wind up back in North Brunswick getting them signed. Since they're almost two decades old, most of the bowlers in the set have long since retired, but I was still able to get 12 signed yesterday, shooting their value from five cents each to somewhere between a dime and a quarter. Thanks, Tim. But I won't be sharing my windfall with you.

*I'm glad I didn't need to get up at 6 in the morning to get to North Brunswick for the first practice session, but I still wish Hall of Famer Mark Roth didn't drop out of the tourney a week ago. I probably would've gotten up early for him. Just so you know.

*Yesterday, I witnessed what is surely an all-time Top 5 moment in my sports-watching career. Toward the end of the first pro-am, someone at the front desk called the winning number for the 50/50 raffle, which would net the winner $215. While waiting for his turn to come up, PBA Hall of Famer--and second all-time money earner on the PBA Tour--Pete Weber looked up at the number, left his lane, and yelled to get the attention of his wife, who was sitting in the bleachers a few lanes over.

''The number!" he yelled. "Check the number!"

Yes, Pete Weber, one of the greatest bowlers in PBA history desperately wanted to know if he and the wife won $215.

He didn't.

Good luck this week, Pete.

*Though we're rooting, as always, for Mr. Weber (the defending U.S. Open champion), Tinsel and Rot suggests you keep an eye on Wes Malott this week. We like his chances to win it all. And we think Chris Barnes will hold off Walter Ray Williams Jr. for Player of the Year honors.