Post 200

Well, I have now reached another milestone post! Number 200. What to blog about? I think it will be another poker post. Last weekend was the 1st ever CMPPA Heads Up Event. Even though I had to work I was able to play a couple of matches. It was interesting watching heads up matches. Most bar players have very little experience in heads up play and it really showed. Many matches were over in a hand or two. The blind structure allowed you play good poker for 1/2 hour and then it turned into an all in fest. There was also matches that went the distance as tight players waited for big hands. Note to all you tight players, any two cards can be good in heads up. It's not about the cards It's about out playing the other player. Yes, you do still have to get lucky and win your coin flips but in general the more aggressive will win heads up. My hand of the day was in my final match against a good player. I had A-J hearts and was not the dealer. Player limped and I raised. He called. Flop is J-10-3 two hearts. I check he moves all in I call. He turns over QQ. Even though he has a pair bigger then me I am still a 51-49 favorite. The turn is an ace to give me two pair and a 82-8 lead. Turn is the only queen he can hit to take me out. LOL! We should have been all in preflop but he chose to slow play his QQ and it almost cost him. Better luck next time to me.

Thanks to all that keep on reading my Blog! I am going to try and write more often.

The end of another era

It has became public beginning next week the Granite Bowl will be closing it's doors. It's maybe the end of an over 60 year era. I am very proud to have been part of it's existence for over 10 years. I believe that I brought a little life to the place by making it a fun family bowling center over my run there. I do believe that at some point it will be reopened by someone with the right passion for the industry. Bowling is an ever changing business and unfortunately the current owner didn't have the insight to move the center in the correct direction. Too many proprietors today are relying on an old school approach to their businesses and not realizing that the casual customer is the future of their industry. The days of 32 week league bowling season are coming to an end along with bowlers bowling more then one league a week. To get the occasional bowler to come into a center it requires the following:
A clean center including the bathrooms and kitchen area.
Fresh and modern equipment.
Excellent staff that enjoy their jobs.
Well priced bowling, food and beverage prices. It doesn't mean that you have to give it away you just need the customers to feel that they are getting value from their experience 
Thank them for coming. It's a small thing but very important!
Too many owners believe it's a build it and they will come industry, when it is all about customer service. The public has many options for it's recreation dollars you have to make them want to come back!
Did I do everything right during my tenure at the Granite Bowl. Certainly not, but I believe that my family and I gave it our best efforts. A few good things did come from my time at GB. I met many great individuals and developed many new friendships. The CMJTT and SMJTT junior bowling tournaments came into existence and bar poker became a permanent fixture in MN. High School bowling became a bigger program and became a letter sport at Tech high school.
Many people have asked my " why don't you buy the Granite Bowl again" and the answer is it will take a great effort to rebuild the center again and I have already did it once. Now it's someone different turn.
So I say goodbye to an old friend or hopefully until we meet again!

Summer

It has been a great summer so far. I have spent a lot of time at the lake. Fish have been biting most of the summer and the weather has been good most of the time. My daughter got engaged and bought a new house in the town of Byron MN. Went to the Night Ranger, Foreigner, Journey concert with Kara, Kyle, Kenny, Kris and Debbie. A good time was had by all and included a tumble down a few rows and it wasn't even the old couple! LOL! Work has been good and keeping Debbie and I busy but at least we get time at the lake. Debbie is switching from every other weekend to every third. Should be better for her not sure yet how it will all play out for us being off together but we will see. Got a couple of vacations planned including a December Kauai trip for our 50th birthdays with Kara and Kenny and a first for me a spring break cruise to the Mexican Riviera with Kyle and Kris in March. My new chainsaw has gotten quite a workout this summer with all the rain at our lake place trees have been falling a lot on our bluff including the last one that landed on the stairs. Luckily it only took out one 2x4 and it can wait until the mosquito's are gone before I fix it. Also at our house our back yard fence was damaged during the big storm that hit our neighborhood that knocked down 100's of trees. Luckily most of ours survived and I only had to clean up what fell from our neighbors trees. It did take 5 loads to clear it all out, but got some great firewood for fires for next summer. Still don't play much poker and hardly miss it yet. Did go to casino and play one tournament but missed the final table by one spot, but that's good for the run of cards that I had that night. Just started working on the schedule for the 10th season of my Jr bowling tournaments and it looks to be another great season for the youth bowlers of this area with the help of Kara, Royal and Rob. Thanks guys. That's about it for now. I will try and not take a whole month before I blog again.