Any day that starts with two-for-one drinks and ends with a free shot is a good day in my book, especially when the middle part of the day involves playing bocce.
Speaking of bocce, this weeks recap will include video for the first time ever thanks to Tom Montague, but before I get to that I want to acknowledge the 30 pack of National Boehemian beer donated by Adam Wozniack. Last week he sang the Nation Anthem to kickstart our season and this week he donates 30 very distinctive beers. What a guy.
The big news this week came from the two bounty games – we had two really good ones. For those that do not know, each week two teams are chosen to be the bounty team. If you happen to be playing the bounty team and you beat them, you win money. On the other hand, if the bounty team wins, that money goes back into the pot and a larger bounty prize is give out next week.
Given these rules, everybody should be thanking Bill LaBrake, who is a member of Eazy Duz It, one of the bounty teams this week. He had a legendarily good day, scoring 24 points to ensure that somebody has a chance to win $40 next week instead of $20.
Bounty Team #1: Eazy Duz It
Otto’s Shrunkin Head was the second bounty team and they found themselves going up against a tough opponent in Ball Don’t Lie. The first game was close with Ball Don’t Lie eeking out an 11-9 win, but Otto’s Shrunkin Head got their revenge in the second game, which they won convincingly 11-3. With $40 on the line, the third game would decide everything, and Ball Don’t Lie came away with a decisive 11-0 shutout victory, becoming the first bounty winners we have had this year.
Bounty Team #2: Otto’s Shrunkin Head
Here is Ball Don’t Lie enjoying their well earned Bounty Money.
Ball Don’t Lie + Cash
Another notable game just so happened to be the game I played in. My team, Breakfast of Champions, went up against league newcommers Ball & Chain. This is my tenth year playing Turbo Bocce and usually someone who has been in the league a long time has the edge over someone who is new – at least for a week or two. But when DJ Jimmy played this song . . .
and my opponent Becky sang along with it word for word, I began to think I might be playing a ringer. Eric & Becky’s play confirmed my opinion, and we ended up having a hell of a game that set a few records.
It was a long game, so I’ll skip to when the score was 16-15 in Breakfast of Champions favor. I started out the game by throwing an ace on the pallino which was about forty feet away. Eric followed up with this.
Yep he threw an ace on my ace. Ball & Chain ended up winning that round, preventing us from getting the one point we needed to get to win the game. Then they went on to win the game themselves 19-17, in what I think after doing a little research is the highest scoring bocce game of all time. I scored 12 of our team’s 17 points giving me the record for most points scored by an individual in a single game.
Salty Bocce Balls also had a notable day. They played two games this week to make up for the fact that they are leaving for South America to watch the World Cup (lucky bastards), and they managed to go 6-0 on the day. Quite an accomplishment.
Salty Bocce Balls/World Travelers
It rained for about two minutes, but that didn’t stop anybody from playing, which you see here.
Onto the individual awards. Some people put up some bigtime stats this week (keep in mind that the all time record for most points scored in a day is 26when you read the 20 point club).
20 Point Club:
Paul Colabufo – Breakfast of Champions – 25
Bill LaBrake – Eazy Duz It – 24
Robb Jones – Mark & Robb – 22
Chris Devins – Let the Big Dogs Eat – 21
Brett Okon – Mission Imbocceball – 21
Tim Maynard – Amerika’z Least Wanted – 20
Ryan Pelky – Breaking Balls – 20
Badger Ballon – Salty Bocce Balls – 20
Brett Okon deserves a special mention here. This was his first day ever playing Turbo Bocce and he managed to score 21 points. That will go a long way towards winning the Rookie of the Year award, which we give out every year to the rookie with the most points.
5 Bocce Club:
Marc Turrenne – The Bocce Bunch – 10
Ed Burgenbake – VR 46 – 7
Siobhan Christou – Twinning – 6
Ed Burgenbake – VR 46 – 6
Sibohan Christou – Twinning – 5
Heather Burgenbake – VR 46 – 5
Greg Griffo – Los Moppines – 5
Chris Christou – Beauty and the Beast – 5
Rob Calvani – Kentucky Bourbon – 5
You might have noticed that both Ed Burgenbake and Siobhan Christou made the 5 bocce club twice. That’s because neither was able to play in week 1 so they both doubled up this week, and both managed 5 bocces or more in each game. Impressive!
Multiple Ace Club:
Joe LaCelle – Stealth Fox 3 – 3
Anson Zeppetello – Sweet Italaian Balls – 2
Michelle Samolis – Vagina Bombs – 2
Jeremy Jackson– Kentucky Bourbon – 2
Eric Szantai – Ball & Chain – 2
Keith Curreri – Some Innuendo – 2
Jessica Blake – Twinning – 2
Joe LaCelle becomes the first league player this year with more than 2 aces in a day. Congrats!
Season leaders:
BCS:
Black Jesus – 2.33
Utter Debocce – 2.33 (3 games played)
Amerika’z Least Wanted – 2.25
Let the Big Dogs Eat – 2.25
Kentucky Bourbon – 2.13
Points:
Badger Ballon – Salty Bocce Balls – 48 (9 games played)
Kevin Curreri – Salty Bocce Balls – 41 (9 games played)
Bill LaBrake – Eazy Duz It – 38
Angelo Isgro – Kiss My Ace – 38
Sean Hughes – Knickerbocces – 37
George Christou – Black Jesus – 37
Robb Jones – Mark & Robb – 37
Bocces:
Ed Burgenbake – VR 46 – 13
Marc Turrenne – The Bocce Bunch – 12
Siobhan Christou – Twinning – 11
Greg Griffo – Los Moppines – 9
Phil Martino – Black Jesus – 9
Mickey Morey – Stealth Fox 3 – 9
Heather Burgenbake – VR 46 – 9
Aces:
Jeremy Jackson – Kentucky Bourbon – 4
Dan Hanley – Sweet Italian Balls – 3
Kevin Curreri – Salty Bocce Balls – 3
Eric Szantai – Ball & Chain – 3
Angelo Isgro – Kiss My Ace – 3
Joe LaCelle – Stealth Fox 3 – 3
Siobhan Christou – Twinning – 3
Jessica Blake – Twinning – 3
Rookie of the Year:
Joe LaCelle – Stealth Fox 3 – 35
Ed Burgenbake – VR 46 – 35
Mike Hunter – Mike & Mike – 31
Matt Foster – Ralph Bocce-O – 30
Eric Szantai – Ball & Chain – 30
John Albarichi – Sauce & Sand – 30
Rich Wilmont – Bushwackers – 30
Mickey Morey – Stealth Fox 3 – 30
Heather Bugenbake – VR 46 – 30
The fun did not stop when bocce did, in fact, a few big things happened. First, everybody who played got a free shot compliments of Sharkey’s. Then Tim Maynard won the year’s first George Christou Award – which is an award given out by the bartender to whoever he feels is the best drinker. We decided, however, to change up how the George Christou Award works. Just like always, if you win the George Christou award you get a free drink, but now instead of having a bartender give out the award, we are going to have the previous week’s winner choose the next winner. So look for Tim at the bar after Sharkey’s, if he sees you buy a round, or for some other reason likes how you are drinking you just might get yourself the covteed George Christou Award and win yourself a free drink.
Tim Maynard/George Christou Award Winner!
There will be more pics up on our Facebook page, and don’t forget to check out our Forum to talk about everything that happened in Week 2, or to schedule a game for Week 3.
