August 25, 2006 by Matt Heckman.

What I’m about to say will more in likely have me banned from almost every bowling establishment in Berks County.

I have been confronted today about my recent writing about the Jay Lanes Fire. The owner of Jay Lanes Ed Satkowski contacted Jim Reitnour about my piece crying foul that it makes him look bad. Despite everything in the post proven to be factual Jim asked me to edit its content, because it would risk alienating The Friday Night Dixie Cedar League, and also asked not to write anything else about it.

After sitting around thinking about this for the past couple of hours I decided that I must respectfully decline Jim Reitnour’s request. Part of the reason this blog network was founded was to expose hard facts that in some cases can be a pill that is hard to swallow for some people. Facts that locally I am critical of The Reading Eagle for not reporting. Just because this particular case hits the back doorstep of one of us, we need to prove that we are not going to go the do as I say, not as I do route, but to do as I say, and do as I do route. If we lower ourselves to the same level as the people who gave us the reason to start The Berks Blog Network in the first place, then this project would be a failure.

As for Jay Lanes, they have lost a customer tonight. I’m a bowler first, and a patron second. I respect the rules, and conduct of the game. Something that along with Berks Lanes, Limerick Bowl, and now Jay Lanes could care less about. Tomorrow night I will be bowling in a three way roll off for first place. The manager of Berks Lanes Brad Bixler has attempted to strong arm the league in conducting the roll off his way which would put the top two teams at a disadvantage.

As for Jay Lanes they are no better in my book. One of the biggest rules in USBC is gambling. Jay Lanes for years has been running an underground gambling operation with video poker machines in the bowling establishment that were located near the restrooms. Jay Lanes employees from Harry at the counter, to Donny the mechanic payout those machines under the counter. Several Bowlers that gamble on these machines range from known bowlers like Jim Anton, Shirley Boyer, and Chris Hetrich. I have also dropped a friendly line to the state tonight informing them of these actions, and stay tuned, because I’m sure the best is yet to come.

Jim Reitnour needs to do some soul searching, because he has also raised concerns about bowling establishments like Berks Lanes strong arming leagues, and their respective officers. As a league secretary Jim you need to put the game, and its integrity first before the establishment. It may not be the popular thing to do, but it is the moral and ethical thing to do. If Ed Satkowski wants to be that way then I’m sure the league can go to Ramma, or another house, or disband. Friends always put out a helping hand when they see the ones they know stray away, and this is one of those times. This is the biggest problem why the sport today has it problems, and these are the types of things that stereo type the game. Put yourself above that.

As for the rest of them you may think I’m a prick, an asshole, and sometimes a nice guy, but if there is one thing you can’t deny is that I’m fair.  Ed Satkowski is a coward, and I wonder how the Mercury would like to hear a story about this?

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August 25, 2006 by Matt Heckman.

Have a good weekend It is nice to see everybody is allowed to comment on the Eagle Blogs again. I understand a ton of you guys beat Walentis into submission. Good Work.

Posted in Off The Cuff Friday | Print | 1 Comment »