On Thursday night I got prepared to go and sub on my friend's team at Eastpointe lanes in Detroit. I always look forward to bowling with this group of guys when I get the call.
I spend time prepping my equipment for battle that is about to take place between me and the lanes at work. I get to the bowl a little early and see the lane person oiling and cleaning lanes and the approaches and look at the process as I still want to see if I can get some information about how the condition is laid out, length, loads of oil and speed of the machine that kind of stuff. I always keep my distance at the back of the concourse as lane men are funny people and don't like their space invaded, "I used to be one so I have to show respect".

  
    I venture on down to my lanes that I am to sub on and I see one of our opponents getting his equipment out of his bag. I say "hello, how's it going". The response is............ "So you must be the F'n ringer". "My mouth drops as I was blown away by the comment". I get my jaw back up and shut the mouth for a moment and say to the gentlemen, and I use that word lightly. "I' m flattered at the thought that you would honor me as a ringer" and I mentioned "I wish I had that much talent I'd be a Pro". The tension is starting and I thought I would have a nice night "it is the Holidays yea know"!

Now my team starts to stroll in and as we get ready to start practice the other members of the opposing team also get ready and we place our equipment on the ball rack.
"Now here is were all hell brakes loose"
One of the opponents of the other team starts out by welcoming me with a barrage of special racial slurs,......."who's this F'n wet back?       "Go back across the border".       "I'll call the INS on your ass" There team joins in on the fun and laughter on my account.

Now I am not a Mexican or Middle Eastern or a 9/11 terrorist, yea these were all hurled at me, but American of Spanish decent.
    "I just about loose it" and practice is not even over yet. Inside "I am boiling and want to fly off the handle but I don't".
I mentioned to one of them in a very stern voice, that "if this (stuff) [substitute word] doesn't stop I will have to" .............. "I pause for a split moment and remember that I am the coach and have to conduct myself professionally" and say ......"show you how a real ringer gets the job done"!
I proceed to light up the lanes putting more pressure on them to win the fist match.....they loose game one ours!
Second match.... no change in tone of voice, slanders and insults flying around even more and now broadened to the rest of the team and myself. We end up losing by a close margin 30 pins or so.
Final match "we win" and take series and win the half season of the league.

    Now here is were it gets interesting The team we beat is also the "secretary's team" and I would have thought that maybe this person would have had some class as to control the "trolls" that are abusing us and me and conduct themselves in a sportsmen like manner. "Not a chance" and maybe this is one of the reasons that bowling is just going to the hell in a hand basket fast.
     I haven't bowled in a league in three years due to work and teaching internationally, but if this is what we have become as a bowling community, I'll soon leave this league and would hope that all other that have people like these would die off as well.

What are your thoughts is there a place for crap like this? Or is this part of what bowling has become?
Oh by the way I shot .....237,222,247...........sweeeeeet.