Early Elimination Still Pains Payne

Losing in the tournament last weekend was harder for some contestants than others as pressure and expectations were running high for more than a few. A shocking early exit from Brice Payne in the first round ranks up there with the biggest surprises of the night. Expected to advance to the late stages, Payne was forced to stand by and watch as other bowlers moved on. Nearly 4 days after being knocked out of the Inaugural Tournament, Brice stops by to chat with WTI and tell us what his thoughts were for last weekend's games and how he fared.

WTI: First question on everyone's mind; What happened Saturday night?

Brice: Well it just goes to show you that no matter how much planning goes into an event, if you don't execute it's all worthless. Like my partner Luke always says, "If you don't execute, you don't eat." I'm not really sure what that means exactly but he won't stop saying it.

WTI: We’re not really sure what that means either. So, what steps do you take for the next event, aptly titled “Retribution”?

Brice: Like you say there is no better title for this event but Retribution, I hope I didn't infringe on any copyright or trademark laws using that word. I intend come out and prove once and for all that Brice Payne and Lanesharks Inc. are no joke, as some have eluded to. As far as how I will prepare I am not at liberty to say, there is a Lanesharks training video in the works and I signed a waiver stating that I wouldn't give away any secrets as the video will be for sale.

WTI: Have you seen the heard about the new tournament format? 16 people, broken into 4 divisions. Each division bowls three games, with the top two advancing based off overall average. Thoughts?

Brice: I like the new format, I think that this will help things flow a lot smoother. I think some thought should be put into how the heats are set up, as compared to a random draw, so that we don't lose top contenders in the first round. I also think this will be a harder system for the Lumberjack to manipulate. We would all be wise to keep a close eye on that one.

WTI: Which contestant surprised you the most Saturday night and why?

Brice: I would honestly have to say my young lovely Kim Payne, she knocked off the heavily favored Trevor and then gave the now reigning champ a run for his money. She did me proud and gave me something to walk away with on an otherwise disappointing night.

WTI: Speaking of that, we noticed a handful of players with limited or no experience who fared very well for their first time out. There has been a lot of discussion around whether or not the game involves actual skill. On one side, the argument is that it requires a good sense of timing and practice to master the game. The other side feels that the game is little more than flicking your wrist. What can you lend to this discussion?

Brice: If you line up straight on and are consistently late in your release, you can apparently do pretty well, so I'm not sure what you call it. But hey, it worked. Personally I will keep practicing my skill game and in the words of The Lumberjack "trust my hook."

WTI: That's a bold statement! Lots of luck on that endeavor. Finally, does it matter to you who you face in the first round of the next tournament?

Brice: I will face anyone they put in front of me, at Lanesharks we don't back down from a fight.

WTI: Thank you for spending a little one-on-one time with us. Good luck with your next tournament and we look forward to your training video.