There is a real serious problem arising right here in our back yard, my fellow Americans. The haves are running away from the have-nots at an alarming rate. And if the problem isn't addressed in the next couple of weeks, the equity imbalance will force average working Joes like you and me to throw in the proverbial towel.

For the first time in league history, the top seven Scratch Draft Trios teams took 20-plus points out of a possible 28 from the bottom half of the league in a single set. Yes, the current landscape looks bleak for several teams in the Scratch Draft Trios League at Brentwood's Harvest Park Bowl.

So who's to blame for the current crisis? Several nonexclusive theories postulated recently should be subjected to serious scrutiny. Among the most common scapegoats are the mortgage brokers and credit markets. These subterranean warlocks had the gall to exploit low federal interest rates in order to make a buck. How dare someone try to apply fiscal theory to the expansionary policy of a capitalistic society? However, the current foreclosure upswing on league title hopes is not as closely tied to this county's economy, as Ben Bernanke would have you believe (see the Aug. 30, 2006 edition of the Press).

Then there's the infamous owner's lockout of '04-05. Fearing growing tension during collective bargaining negotiations, owners pulled the plug on the end of the league's season. This led to a larger than average crop of free agents and resulted in widespread redistribution of talent league-wide. Fiscally solvent clubs such as Kinder's Meats and Discovery Bay Dental were able to stockpile young talent such as Bob Rhiner and Juergen Siemers at bargain-basement prices. Yet due to the current salary cap structure, sometimes referred to as the draft basis for the league, this explanation seems implausible.

A record four teams took more than 45 points during Monday's league action. The quartet, HansonRealEstate.com (50), The Visually Impaired (51), Cimentar Corp (46), and Coyote Brewery (47), used the big night to move up a combined nine spots in the standings. Leading the charge for HansonRealEstate.com was leadoff bowler Tim Nelson, who shot 948 for the night thanks to high games of 286 and 259. Only Ralph Garner of Team 10 bested Nelson after throwing the front nine strikes on his way to a 277 game four and a 998 four-game set.

As for the reason that teams such as Two Cripps and the Blue Dot are struggling while others flourish, some might suggest that poor kegling is the main culprit - a view that this author finds outrageous in light of the fact that the league is sanctioned in a state where personal accountability is a close second to driving etiquette. We'll just have to chalk it up to poor lane conditions or lack of proper equipment. For in the land of opportunities, one must be properly positioned in order to reap the rewards.