Hey you guys!
So, third season of ‘Rolloff’ has begun….honestly, filming our ‘All-Star’ season right now, it feels like it’s been a very busy year for me. However, season 3 does not disappoint! The talent is high, and the personalities are entertaining. Definitely tons of people to root for. We took a lot into consideration for improvements to the show, which included more time spent on the bowling, tighter-editing with the judging rounds, and more interviews. We got it all! First off, I would like to welcome my brother Alex Olson to the judging panel, who was a runner-up last season on ‘Rolloff.‘ He knows the pressure the bowlers are under, and is the most articulate judge among us. Just because he doesn’t yell at these contestants does NOT mean he doesn't have a tough side - he does! The arguments among us 3 were pretty intense throughout the season during deliberations, and episode 1 was a pure example of that. As far as the challenge, the first round always shows us what skills the bowlers have, and whether or not they can function in a team…
CHASE (T-REX) IS OUT!
Chase is a contestant that I thought was going to go a lot further than he did. During the deliberations, this was the first time the judging got a little heated among us. Alex and Austin were sold on sending Nate him due to his bowling performance, which was very disappointing to say the least. ‘Shitty’ is a word that comes to my mind, personally. However, Jeff and I put in a vote for Chase to go home, simply because he didn’t seem invested in the competition and we still had Nate’s audition fresh in our heads as well (Nate completely outshined everyone during auditions - it was very inspiring!). Still, it was clear among all 4 of us that we were very passionate about these two, despite how poorly they performed, so we decided to give them both a second chance: a rolloff to determine the elimination! (aka ‘Rolling Their Balls for Their Lives!’). They were both very impressive, and showed why we chose them to compete on season 3. Nate was consistent across the board, and it was the most focused and passionate that I’ve seen him in a long time. Chase was equally as impressive, although he fell apart right at the very end when he couldn’t pick up a spare to beat Nate. 5 point difference between them both - it was INSANE! Even though Chase got eliminated, he should feel really proud of himself. He definitely redeemed himself. I’ve seen him pitch for his baseball team outside of the show, and I know how talented this kid is. Wherever he goes athletically, I know he’ll go far. Thank you for joining our show, Chase!
Here are my thoughts on the other contestants:
JORDAN & KAILIE: Definitely the two strongest female bowlers we’ve ever had on the show. I worry that Kailie’s ego is going to get in the way with some of the challenges, but there’s no denying her talent. Jordan is one of the most consistent bowlers I’ve seen in all 3 seasons, which is amazing to me because she ALMOST didn’t get cast for the show! I’m very happy to have her join at the last minute, and she proves to be a real contender.
CHELSEA & JENN: Another very consistent and talented team! Chelsea is the most outgoing and friendly of the bunch, and her bowling surprised me seeing how straight she rolls her ball down the alley. Definitely many close strikes! Jenn is our first left-handed bowler on the series, and had a few missteps with some of her frames. Still, very skilled!
MELINDA & HALEI: It’s clear that Halei is the least experienced bowler of the group. But, I have to say, she held her own! Some gutters here and there, and struggles to pick up spares. However, she gave a great effort and had more positives than negatives. I’m proud of her! Good attitude too, unlike her partner. Melinda, is an incredible bowler. Consistent, strong, competent, and reliable. What turned me off? Her attitude towards Halei whenever she couldn’t come up to her level. Very disrespectful and rude, and that sort of catty behavior is not something I would ever tolerate for someone who wants to compete on this type of show. I mean, was she worse than Katie from the 1st episode of season 2? No way, no comparison, but at least Katie knew she would be in deep shit if she wasn’t nicer to her partner. Melinda didn’t get the hint until after the episode was filmed. In fact, she’s very lucky to have escaped the bottom 4. If she steps up the attitude, Melinda could be a real contender for the top 3 in the end.
SEAN & ERIK: Sean was one of the favorites going into the show, due to his audition. Did he perform up to standard? Yes, for the most part. He guttered once, but at least he finally found a rhythm to his technique and got a handle on where his strike zone is. Erik, despite a few decent set ups for his partner, was very inconsistent. In fact, the level of inconsistency was worrisome to Alex and Austin, as it shows that he can’t find a groove even just regularly bowling. Personally, I didn’t think he was “bottom 3” material, but I guess he needed the wake up call, so Erik, step up your game and prove Alex and Austin that you deserve to be there!
NATE & ANDREA: Nate was partnered with Chase, and frankly, his bowling was a tiny bit worse than Chase’s. This shocked me considering Nate’s audition was one of the strongest out of all the contestants, even beating me when I bowled against him that night! Perhaps that is why me and Jeff fought for him to stay in the game. I attribute his horrendous bowling simply due to a lack of confidence in himself, and boy, was I right! Why? Because during the ‘Rolloff’ match between Chase and himself, his confidence was MUCH greater, which helped his consistency and his sportsmanship. It was truly inspiring to watch. If he continues to bowl like that, we could have a front-runner. We’ll have to see! Nate, way to redeem yourself and make us proud.
Andrea wasn’t the worst of the night, but it was clear that some of the things she was doing needed to be brought up to her at this stage of the game. She missed her mark frequently, and missed the strike zone every single time in the same spot. Her confidence and shyness is what’s holding her back from being a power house bowler. If she shakes off the nerves and taps into her comfort zone, I think she could EASILY be the winner of the season. Still, it takes time, and does she have the time to grow into a new level of confidence? We’ll have to see continuing on! If anything, the "Jay Morton" challenge next week will force her into a whole new level!
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