The fourteenth installment of "The 11th Frame" features some interesting nuggets from our Top 25s collection, covering the accolades (and disappointments) of our current and not so-current league rollers.As mentioned already in this week's write-up – Kody Karnes was this week's #1 Power Ranked Bowler while Phil Schroeder's MVB performance set the stage for his team to do battle with the only other team left standing, the Dragon Balls. On the other hand, this was – without a doubt – the worst week we've seen all season long. So...for this week's edition of "The 11th Frame" we've decided to dig up the "achievements" that those involved would much rather forget. Ready to delve into the sketchy side of GutterAlley action? Check this out:INDIVIDUALS:
| Scoot's the cleanest bowler...ever | |
 Scott Murdock |
There's nothing quite like walking away from the lanes on a Tuesday night knowing that you could have just stayed at home and done something else rather than showing up. Why? Because your team got its ass handed to them all four games. Over the course of our 27 seasons, no one has been sent home with zero wins to their name more so than our very own Scott Murdock who finds himself at the #1 spot on the Top 25 Bowlers who have been Swept the Most list. Blanked an incredible 49 weeks, that's the equivalent of going winless for more than three solid seasons. Hall of Famer, indeed. |
| Shali's shame | |
 Shali Wade |
Way back in the Fall 2009 season, Shali Wade was asked by her friends on Split Happens to come roll as a sub in Week #12. Little did she know, her exploits on that chilly night in November in Game #3 would make her a famous member of our league for years to come when she hoisted a 34 to take over the #1 spot on the Top 25 Lowest Games in league history. Vowing never to return to the lanes, Shali has turned a single night's performance into one of the league's most memorable...albeit in a less than favorable way. |
| Krall killed his vibe | |
 Jerry Krall |
Ever have one of those nights when, as the night progresses, things keep getting worse? Jerry Krall certain has. Take for instance, Week #9 in the Fall 2009 season when he showed up to roll for his team the Rollin' J's. He shot his all-time high game in Game #1...but then kept following it up with lower and lower games, therefore earning him the #1 spot on the Top 25 Bowlers Not Feelin' It. By the time the night finished, Krall had endured a 128-pin downward swing from his initial game – a fear nearly toppled this season by Bill Krejci in Week #2. |
TEAMS:
| Losing, and losing, and losing, oh my! |
| At one point or another, you've been on a team that has lost a few. You've also been on a team that has lost more than just a few in a row. But when it comes to teams that knew how to string consecutive losses, no one did it better (worse?) than Fall 2005's Munson'd. While the guys weren't even present to earn a lot of their losses – they forfeited many of their games due to being no shows – they went on to earn the #1 spot on the Top 25 Longest Losing Streaks we've ever seen in GutterAlley action. During Weeks #9-16, they lost an unprecedented 31 consecutive games. This record topped their run earlier in the season when they dropped 19-straight during Weeks #1-5. Anyone wanna try to take that record away from them? |
| Complete meltdown |
| Historically, we've witnessed various bowlers go through some epic failures. Rarely, though, have we seen entire teams self destruct after a stellar start (this season's Snakes on a Lane comes to mind). When it comes to the biggest team implosion of all time, though, you'd have to look no further than what happened to Spring 2011's very own Eat Split and DI. After finding themselves only one game out of 1st place after the position round with a record of 22-10, the team put up a paltry 4-28 in the second half to earn the #1 spot on the Top 25 Worst Team Record Meltdowns. The team ended their run in 7th place with a record of 26-38. Ouch. |
ODDITIES & STRAIGHT UP NUMBERS:
| Kiernan should kill 'em |
| On Week #11 of the Spring 2007 season, one lone member of T.B.D. showed up to do battle. Unable to form a legal line-up, Steve Kiernan was forced to make a decision. He could either just take off and make the long drive home or he could ask the league president if he could just go ahead and roll – knowing that his scores would not count at all. He opted to bowl and it was given the thumbs up. Kiernan threw a 9-spare in the first frame...and then followed it up with 11 consecutive strikes to roll a 290...THAT DID NOT COUNT. Had it counted, Kiernan's game would have stood as the 2nd highest game ever shot in league history until David Codding shot his 300 last season. It would be the 3rd highest game today...had any of his teammates (Chris Hennkens, Jonathan Jacobson, or Nik Domann) shown. After that heart-breaking night, the "Kiernan Rule" became an unofficial rule in our league – bowlers showing up to roll on nights when a team cannot field a legal lineup may still roll, having their games affect their average but not actual matchup games. |
