“The ESPYs is a chance for bowling to reside alongside all of the other sports. Whether you believe baseball, basketball and football are the top tier sports, for a week we’re all the same. The ESPYs is a celebration of the greatest seasons in all sports. To be mentioned along with all of those great athletes is really special. It’s a terrific experience. I have a lot of wonderful memories from being a part of the ESPYs.”

Duke, who earned a PBA-best $229,350 for the calendar year despite battling injuries early in the year, won his third Bowler of the Year title. He received 69 first-place votes for a total of 388 points on BWAA’s weighted points scale. He also was honored by BWAA in 1994 and 2000.

Check out the article by PBA.com:

http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=1144

For Immediate Release

Dynasty Bowlers Battle for Title at the Denny’s Dick Weber Open

Fountain Valley, Calif. [February 8, 2009] A week-long break on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour was a welcome relief for PBA Hall of Famer, and Dynasty Athlete Representation client Norm Duke.

Coming off a disappointing 39^th place-finish in the H & R Block Tournament of Champions two weeks ago, a rested Duke defeated fellow Dynasty client Michael Fagan 278-168 in the championship match to win the Denny’s Dick Weber Open Sunday at Fountain Bowl.

“That week off was everything,” said Duke, who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame the same week as the Tournament of Champions. “I needed it mentally-if there wasn’t this break on Tour I would have probably taken a week off anyway.”

Duke’s win was the 32^nd of his career, tying him for fifth all-time with fellow Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III. In addition to coming into the tournament with renewed focus, the Clermont, Fla., resident admitted to a little added inspiration from the late Dick Weber.

“When I started the practice session I noticed Dick’s photo on a banner and I thought if I’m going to win this tournament I better bowl like Dick Weber,” said the 44-year-old Duke. “It means a lot.”

For Duke it was his third victory of the season, having won the PBA World Championship to start the season.  Norm Duke is the first player to win three consecutive majors. He also won the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles with Liz Johnson in January.

Duke, who won a $35,000 first prize, held off the hard-charging Fagan who won three consecutive matches from his No. 5 qualifying position to get to the championship match.

The 28-year-old Fagan opened the stepladder by defeating reigning PBA Player of the Year and 10-time titlist, Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, 204-183, and then beat four-time Tour titlist Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y., 256-223, and Hall of Famer and 34-time titlist Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., 243-201.

“I really didn’t have high expectations and I knew I was going to have my work cut out for me,” said Fagan, who was trying for his first individual PBA Tour title. “I felt good going into the last match but the lanes were breaking down pretty quickly. I was just hoping I could get one more good game out of it.

“But when Norm’s on his game there’s really not much you can do.”

Contact:
Bruce Falcon, Bowling Division Director
Dynasty Athlete Representation, LLC
bfalcon@dynastyreps.com

###

After a disappointing finish in the recent Professional Bowlers Association H&R Block Tournament of Champions, where he was trying for his fourth consecutive “major” title, Norm Duke regained his focus to take top qualifier honors for Sunday’s ESPN-televised stepladder finals of the Denny’s Dick Weber Open at Fountain Bowl.

Duke of Clermont, Fla., a 31-time PBA Tour titlist who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame Jan. 24 in Las Vegas, posted a 17-7 overall match play record and was 7-1 after Friday’s final match play round. His 9,371 39-game pinfall total put him 52 pins ahead of fellow Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., who qualified second for the TV finals.

“What else can I say but to stay ahead of Pete Weber in a tournament named after Dick Weber is unbelievable,” Duke said. “All I heard was footsteps. It’s going to be a tough one Sunday.”

Weber, who is tied for third on the all-time PBA Tour title list with Mark Roth with 34 wins, makes his first television appearance of the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season and will be looking for his first win.

“To win this tournament would be like winning a major-it would obviously mean a lot,” Weber said. “But I have to say I’ve had good luck winning tournaments named after professional bowlers. I won one named after Parker Bohn III, Johnny Petraglia and I think there might have been a Don Carter somewhere in there.”

Qualifying in the third spot was four-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y., followed by the reigning PBA Bowler of the Year and 10-time Tour winner Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas in fourth. Both will be looking for their first win of the season.

In a battle that went down to the final frame of the position round match, Michael Fagan of Patchogue, N.Y., defeated Tony Reyes of San Bruno, Calif., 224-216 to earn the fifth and final stepladder spot. Fagan will be looking to win his second career Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title.

The tournament featured the “traditional” qualifying and match play format used in PBA’s early years and included three rounds of qualifying after which the top 24 advanced to 24 games of round robin match play to determine the five players for the stepladder finals.

Sunday’s finals will get underway at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific). The winner earns $35,000 plus a one-year exemption on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.

Norm Duke and teammate Liz Johnson won the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship in dominating fashion. Duke called his 31st career Professional Bowlers Association title “the easiest I’ve ever won” and that was because he and partner Liz Johnson were nearly perfect in running away with the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship at the National Bowling Stadium.

Johnson, the first and only woman to advance to the title match in a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour event, and Duke defeated Jennifer Petrick of Canton, Ohio, and Steve Harman of Indianapolis, 274-180, in the title match to split the $50,000 first prize.

See the full article here: http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=1121

1/31/09

#8 Marquette (Scott Monarch) (19-2) vs. #23 Georgetown

Having taken down yet another of the Big East’s big names, No. 8 Marquette goes into February undefeated in the conference and oozing confidence. The Golden Eagles used a second-half surge to put away Georgetown (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) 94-82 on Saturday — the fifth straight loss for the reeling Hoyas. The victory leaves Marquette (19-2, 8-0), tied for the conference lead with No. 7 Louisville. Jerel McNeal scored 26 points in perhaps his most complete game of the season, adding 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals and three blocks while committing only three turnovers.

Tennessee Tech (Steve Payne) (11-10) vs. Southeast Missouri (Rodney Hamilton) (3-20)

Daniel Northern had a career high 27 points and a career-tying 18 rebounds to lead Tennessee Tech to a 91-75 win over Southeast Missouri on Saturday. Kevin Murphy also had a career high with 16 points for Tennessee Tech (11-10, 5-6 Ohio Valley), with Frank Davis adding 15 points and Alfred Jones 11 for the Golden Eagles. Kenard Moore scored 21 for Southeast Missouri (3-20, 0-12), Jaycen Herring had 17 and Calvin Williams had 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Golden Eagles led 11-1 four minutes into the game but went into halftime up by only four, 35-31. Tennessee Tech took command in the first five minutes of the second half by outscoring the Redhawks 23-6 to take its largest lead at 58-37. Tennessee Tech shot 72 percent from the field in the second half.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Robert Lee) (7-14) vs. Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic held Louisiana-Lafayette without a double-figure scorer in a 63-47 win on Saturday night, the Owls’ first Sun Belt Conference win of the season. The Owls shot just 39.5 percent from the field (17 of 43) in the win, but the Ragin’ Cajuns (7-14, 4-6) hit 26.9 percent (18 of 67). Florida Atlantic also hit 25 free throws versus nine for the Ragin’ Cajuns, along with going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Louisiana-Lafayette hit just 2 of 38 from 3-point range. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Travis Bureau, who came in shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the arc, made just 1 of his 10 attempts from long range.

Savannah State (Horace Broadnax) (11-11) vs. North Carolina Central (Henry Dickerson) (2-22)

Chris Linton scored 13 points and Savannah State picked up its first road win of the season with a 67-51 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday night. The Tigers (11-11) won for the first time in 11 games away from home and sent the Eagles (2-22) to their fifth consecutive loss. Savannah State led 29-28 at halftime, but outscored North Carolina Central 38-23 in the second half, going 14 of 24 from the field (58.3 percent). The Tigers scored 20 of the first 24 points in the second half for a 48-33 lead with 10:17 remaining in the game. Savannah State outrebounded the Eagles 38-18. Jovonni Shuler added 12 points and Arnold Louis scored 11 points and had nine rebounds for Savannah State. Linton also added eight rebounds. Jamar Briscoe led North Carolina Central with 28 points.

For Immediate Release

DYNASTY BOWLERS ARE TAKING THE PBA BY STORM IN 2008/09

Gainesville, FL – [January 14, 2009], During the 1st 9 televised PBA events, Dynasty had players on 8 of the shows.  One show had 2 players, another had 3.  Dynasty players have 3 wins in 8 official PBA tour events during the 1st half of the season.

Nine TV shows on ESPN for the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour are in the books.  Dynasty Athlete Representation boasts having its players make eight of those shows.  The Cheetah Championship in Cheektowaga, NY had both Mike Scroggins and Patrick Allen.   The Ultimate Scoring Championship in Taylor, MI  had three Dynasty stars in Robert Smith, Mike Scroggins and the eventual winner Mike Wolfe.  Dynasty also had 2 other winners during the first half of the 2008-09 PBA tour season.  Norm Duke came away with his 3rd consecutive major in capturing the PBA World Championship in Wichita, KS and Mike Machuga captured the Chameleon Championship also in Taylor, MI.  Overall, Dynasty has had 10 ESPN television appearances in this young season.  With 12 tournaments remaining during the second half, look for many more appearances for Dynasty’s Bowlers.

Contact:
Bruce Falcon, Bowling Division Director
Dynasty Athlete Representation, LLC
bfalcon@dynastyreps.com

###

Marquette (Scott Monarch) (10-2) vs. N.C. State

Dominic James’ 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining lifted Marquette (No. 25 ESPN/USA Today) past North Carolina State 68-65 on Monday night. Jerel McNeal scored 20 points and James added 18 for the Golden Eagles (10-2).

NCCU (Henry Dickerson) (0-14) vs. Duquesne

Duquesne defeated winless North Carolina Central 97-79 on Monday night. Jamar Briscoe, also a freshman guard, made 15 of 18 from the foul line while scoring a game-high 34 points for North Carolina Central. The Eagles have played only two home games while going 0-14.

Savannah State (Horace Broadnax) (7-5) vs. Notre Dame

#8 ranked Notre Dame got a 81-49 win over Savannah State on Monday night. The Irish rebounded in the second half, shooting 14-of-21, as they pulled away most of the game. Broadnax was called for a technical in the first half because he was unhappy with the officiating, with the Tigers being called for 10 fouls to just one for the Irish. The Irish were 23-of-28 from the free-throw line for the game, while the Tigers were 8-of-8. Broadnax said that Tracy Rankins broke his nose and Arnold Louis needed several stitches over an eye. Chris Linton led the Tigers with 14 points.

12/23/08

Arkansas State (Elwyn McRoy) (9-3) vs. SE Missouri State (Rodney Hamilton) (3-9)

Shawn Morgan cored 16 points to help Arkansas State to an 86-67 win over Southeast Missouri on Tuesday. eJuan Brown added 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Donald Boone scored 13 points, and Brandon Ayers accumulated 11. The win gives coach John Brady a 9-3 start, the best of any first-year head coach in school history. Arkansas State cut Southeast Missouri’s all-time series lead to 38-25. Going into the half, ASU led by four at 43-39. he Redhawks’ Kenard Moore led all players with 24 points. Calvin Williams added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Jaycen Herring accumulated 14 points.

UIC (Tracy Dildy) (8-3) vs. Toledo

Spencer Stewart scored 15 and Scott VanderMeer had 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Illinois-Chicago to a 65-55 victory over Toledo on Tuesday night. The Flames (8-3) pulled to a 17 point lead with 1:31 left in the first half and went into the break ahead 36-21. Boyd came off the bench to score 11 points for Illinois-Chicago. Toledo outscored the Flames 22-8 off turnovers, but Illinois-Chicago had a 17-7 advantage in second-chance points and a 34-24 advantage in the paint. The Flames shot 26-of-61 from the field for 42.6 percent and the Rockets shot 23-of 60 for 38.3 percent.

Bowling

Dynasty client Norm Duke was listed as the #7 PBA in history by the PBA. His highlights are below, but you can check out the article at this link: http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=1039

Career Titles: 29
Career Major Titles: 5
Career Earnings: $2,602,414

Highlights: Duke’s 29 titles rank tied for seventh all time… Owns five Majors including the USBC Masters, Tournament of Champions, World Championship (twice) and U.S. Open, making him one of just two bowlers to complete the PBA’s Grand Slam and one of just five to complete the Triple Crown… Was just 18 when he won his first title in 1983 becoming the youngest to ever win a PBA Tour title… Two-time Player of the Year (1994, 2000) and four-time George Young High Average Award winner… Also won the Harry Smith Point Leader Award in 2005-06… Won a career-best five titles and banked $273,753 in 1994… Has won three or more titles in four different seasons… One of 19 players to shoot 300 on national TV.

PureSport was not only smart enough to snag Phelps as an endorser of its product prior to the 2008 Olympic Games, but additionally gave him and three of his swimming teammates a five-percent share in the company.  Want an athlete to truly care about the product?  Give him a stake in it!  Sports Authority now carries PureSport products, and a big reason for that is the exposure that the sports drink company gets by being aligned with Phelps.  Smart move by a smaller, new company looking to make a name for itself.  So which company is going to be the first to jump on an opportunity to have its large logo right in the middle of a guy like Norm Duke or Robert Smith as they bowl in championship after championship on ESPN?

Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla. currently owns 30 career PBA Tour titles, including six career Majors, recently becoming the first player in PBA history to win three consecutive Majors as he captured the PBA World Championships in Wichita, Kan. earlier this season. Duke started his career on the right path becoming the youngest player in PBA history to win a PBA Tour title at the young age of 18, when he captured the 1983 Cleveland Open. Duke, who is a two-time PBA Player of the Year (1994, 2000), also has been in the top 20 of both earnings and average every year since 1991, winning the George Young High Average Award four times (1991, 1994, ‘2005-06, ‘2006-07). Duke is currently sixth on the all-time TV appearances list with 100 singles appearances and ranks fourth on the all-time career money leaders list.

“To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s a requirement that you be a top notch bowler for a number of years,” Duke said. “In my mind I look back at all the years that I struggled in my career and it was a learning process … that’s really what I’m getting credit for.”

“This induction is so special,” Duke added. “About 30 years ago I was bowling as a teen with Del Ballard Jr. and to be inducted alongside him is really something special. It will be something I will never forget.”

Check out the full article here: http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=993

Here is the PBA.com press release:

Norm Duke became the first player in PBA history to win three consecutive Majors as he captured the PBA World Championship at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., which marks the first event of the 50^th Anniversary Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. Prior to today’s win over 2007-08 PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Tex. (259-189), Duke had won the 2007-08 Denny’s World Championship and the U.S. Open.

“That (making history) hasn’t hit me,” Duke said. “I was focused on winning the World Championship. When I heard that, it kind of choked me up. It’s a dream and I want to thank my family for standing by me the whole time.”

Duke, of Clermont, Fla., started with the first seven strikes in the championship match, leaving a 10-pin in the eighth frame. Duke shot 259, claiming the title, along with a two-year exemption and $50,000. Meanwhile, Barnes looked shaky as he opened two of the first five frames, never recovering, shooting 189 in the title match.

“The guys are getting real good at being able to all play all parts of the lane. Chris (Barnes) is exceptional playing in and out,” Duke said. “He did a good job of being able to leapfrog between the two. I was fortunate. I was the one who got the strikes.”

Duke now holds 30 total PBA career titles, with six Major wins lifetime. Today marked his 100^th singles television appearance. He advanced to today’s final by defeating Wichita resident Sean Rash 236-215 in the first semifinal of the day. Duke struck out in the 10th frame forcing Rash to strike out to tie; however, Rash left a 9-pin in the 10^th frame.

Interested in sponsoring Duke or any other excellent Dynasty bowler clients?  Contact us for our marketing information.