There was a lot happening in the world of gay and professional sports this past week. Four gay bowling leagues started winter seasons and both college and professional football started up with some major Week 1 upsets.

First up, bowling.

San Diego Gay Bowling is an umbrella organization for two different leagues, one that bowls on Wednesday nights, and one on Thursday nights. Both leagues started up their winter seasons this past week, and both leagues are already filled to capacity. However, there is still some room in some Saturday and Sunday winter leagues.

I know it seems strange. We just suffered through a record heat wave during Labor Day weekend, and the only moisture in the air has been humidity, but the bowling leagues are starting winter campaigns? What is that, wishful thinking?

Well, as it turns out the winter league is so named not because of when it starts, but because of when most of its games are played. It’s a 30-week season, and starting in the second week of September puts most of the season’s competition during what passes for the winter months in San Diego.

Heck, in the deep, dark recesses of December and January, it’s even been known to rain on a few bowling nights, making my midweek drive up the 805 to Kearny Mesa Bowl at 6:30 p.m. all the more inviting.

The High Rollers league bowls on Wednesday nights and is the larger of the two leagues. It comprises 20 teams and a total of 100 regular bowlers.

On Thursday night the Rainbow League takes to the lanes. It has 16 teams and a total of 80 bowlers. Both leagues are completely separate entities, and each has its own board of directors and membership fees.

Both leagues welcome the occasional substitute bowlers, who fill in for a player who is unavailable. Over the course of a 30-week season, there are, after all, bound to be some absences.

These leagues are called “handicap” leagues. Bowlers are given credit for knocking down a certain number of pins prior to the game’s start. The lower a bowler’s skill level, the more pins he’s given credit for. These pins become his overall handicap. For example, a bowler who knocks down an average of 127 pins per game would be given about an 88 pin handicap to start. If a bowler bowls his average in a game, then his overall score would be 215.

The higher a bowler’s average, the lower his handicap. If a bowler averages 178 pins per game, his handicap would only be about 42 pins.

Both leagues roll at Kearny Mesa Bowl (KMB), and games begin at 6:30 p.m. The cost is about $20 per player, per week. Fees include time on the lanes. Sponsorship fees are between $50 and $65 per season, depending on what night the team bowls.

While 180 bowlers in two nights is certainly impressive, High Rollers and Rainbow are not the only gay bowling leagues in the city, or at KMB.

Even though the Wednesday and Thursday night leagues are full, there are still opportunities for gay bowlers to join weekend leagues. A gay bowling league will be starting Saturday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. and it will also run a 30-week season.

For information about San Diego Gay Bowling, or to become a player for the Saturday evening league, contact Ron Suttora at 858-569-4285.

If a 30-week season isn’t for you, but you want to still be a part of a fun group of gay and lesbian bowlers, then The Easy Pick Ups League might be what you’re looking for. It is San Diego’s oldest gay and lesbian bowling organization, and it too bowls at Kearny Mesa Bowl.

The Easy Pick-Ups hits the hardwood on Sunday afternoons starting at 12:30 p.m. and there’s still plenty of room for eager bowlers. Though this league’s Winter season started last Sunday, it will take new players and new teams until Sept. 23. The winter season lasts only 15 weeks and requires much less of a commitment.

For more information on the Easy Pick-Ups, contact Ron Sperry at 619-640-1633.

If you’ve watched ESPN at any point over the past 10 days you’ve seen the highlight: Appalachia State’s Division II-A football team blocked a Michigan field goal attempt and caused an upset the likes of which college football may have never seen.

That unlikely event, which knocked the Wolverines out of the top 25 and helped my Aggies go up a few ticks in all the polls, seemed to set our collective football palettes for the heavier hitting National Football League, which got underway Thursday, Sept. 6 with the New Orleans Saints being thumped by the defending Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts.

While plenty of Chargers fans tuned in to see if quarterback Drew Brees could repeat last year’s success, most San Diegans were more concerned with the visiting Chicago Bears, who came to town to ruin the Bolts season opener.

Football, in my opinion, is like sex. It’s best enjoyed in a group. So gather your friends and head out to any one of the neighborhood pubs to enjoy the game and some great times. My favorites are listed below

Redwing (4012 30th St. in North Park): Big screen TV, friendly staff, a newly renovated full patio bar and a great old neighborhood hangout

Numbers (3811 Park Blvd.): More big screens and a legendary barbecue starting at 4 p.m.

Flicks (1017 University Ave.): For Monday Night Football this is my preferred hangout with a great staff and all new high-def plasmas all around the bar.

There are a ton of other options around town to watch the games at, so football fans, rejoice – it’s finally here!