#891 Bowling celebrations

Neil Pasricha

Style points

Because let’s be honest: most people are pretty stinking awful at rolling a ball the size and weight of a human head perfectly straight down a sixty-foot lane. There are gutters on both sides, you’re slipping around in torn-up shoes that look like they’ve been through a war and a washing machine, and every time you go up for a toss you’re in the spotlight, up on stage, with critical eyes piercing holes in your back, watching your every move.

Yeah, it’s pressure all right.

But that’s what makes it so great when you do finally pick up that perfect spare or hit a big ten-pen knockdown in the final frame. Because that’s when it’s time for a bowling celebration — ideally featuring several of the following:

1. The Stage Dance. Hey, you’re up on stage so why not throw out a couple of moves? Perhaps the famous Hulk Hogan ear-cup, the invisible hula-hoop, or the Tiger Woods fist-pump? If all else fails you can do the moonwalk back down to your seat. Not a terrible choice.

2. The Celebrity. Pretty self-explanatory. The paparazzi loves you and you love them back, only without the paparazzi.

You love them back

3. The All-Business Around-The-World High Five. This can happen when you have around ten hands to slap. There are just so many hands — so your eyes narrow, your eyebrows crunch, and your tongue fixes itself on your top lip as you focus on nailing every single high five offered to you. You don’t miss a slap. Yes, you’re all business around the world.

4. The Overly Exaggerated Jump. Always a fan-favorite. But watch out for that greasy floor and those all-skid shoes.

5. The Friendly Stranger. This is where a casual stranger who has been keeping a passive eye on your game suddenly leaves his lane and jumps into your bowling celebration. The Friendly Stranger can be awkward, but it does give your sweet roll some extra lane cred.

Now, whatever your style, it’s important to remember that once you hit down some pins, it’s all about the bowling celebration. You can do no wrong at this point, so just relax and do a little dance. Make a little love. And get down tonight.

Get down tonight.

AWESOME!

Hulkamania running wild all over Leisure Lanes 10-Pin Saturday Night Rock n' Bowl

Photos from: here, here, and here

24 thoughts to “#891 Bowling celebrations”

  2. Bill Murray is seriously awesome. He should definitely make this list.

    Great entry! I love the photos of the kids.

  3. Ha! In a city like Thunder Bay, one of the only things people do for late-night fun is bowl… and we still all suck at it! The celebratory rolls are few and far between, so when we DO nail it, we dance like mad!

    Way to nail it again, my friend.

  4. The first time I broke 200, I busted out the Heisman Pose. That was almost 10 years ago. Then last year, I was carrying a perfect game into the 10th frame. First ball, strike. Second, strike again. Third and final roll…if it was a strike, I won $3000 (standard alley prize), free ball and shoes, and got my name in the Bowling World Hall of Fame. And how did I respond to this pressure? By knocking down 7 pins…297. So I’ve had both celebratory ecstasy and agonizing failure at the sport.

    I’ll never get that close to 300 again.

  6. This is indeed totally awesome. And it is the one time in our non-athletic lives when we can mimic the glory of doing your very own “Touchdown Dance”.

    Next time you’re looking for inspiration of what you can do after a strike, let’s all look to Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson. Not good for much on the football field these days, but always good for obnoxious celebratory dances. Here was a classic that would transfer well to the bowling alley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMuvjLcuvTI&feature=related

  7. Apparently, I should watch clips I post more carefully – that wasn’t the infamous Ocho Cinco, but Kelly Washington.

    At any rate – point stands.. when you pick up that spare, its time to get your groove on!

  8. You are required to wear special shoes for bowling. Everyone knows this. So why is it that the shoes you must wear have no grip on the sole and thus thrust you into a desperate struggle with gravity every time you run to the aisle?

    My celebration of choice? Has to be a high-ten.

    Awesome!

  13. Is it just me, or does the kid in the picture sort of look like he’s rolling a bowling ball across his back (because of the logo in the background)?

    1. It is not just you Chris :) I had to scroll back up to see what you were talking about, but I’m so glad you made that observation.

      AWESOME!

  14. AWESOME! I once, and only once, bowled a turkey (3 strikes in a row) in the tenth frame. You would not believe the dacing that ensued! :)

    Oh, and I usually suck at bowling, and am happy to break 120…

  15. I like to do a three-circle windmill, where you swing your head and hair around in a circle with hands placed on knees like the guys in Amon Amarth.

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    1. “Been a long time…been a long time…been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely lonely, lonely time…” (that’s a little more Zepplin for you!)

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