Pavlov's Bowlers

[RobLV1]

I am a seventy-year-old man with asthma, and though I'm not usually known to over-react to anything to do with health, this Corona Virus has me very aware of what I touch, and how clean my hands are. With this in mind, I bowled in my doubles league this morning and told my teammate and the other team that I was going to refrain from hi-fiving. Interestingly, my partner who is a 200+ bowler automatically held out his hand for a hi-five all through the first two games. He finally remembered during the third game.

Afterwards we talked about it and both agreed that hi-fiving has become a totally automated response that has lost any real meaning: we all do it because it is expected of us... kinda like Pavlov's Dogs when the dinner bell rings!

[Timmyb]

Afterwards we talked about it and both agreed that hi-fiving has become a totally automated response that has lost any real meaning: we all do it because it is expected of us... kinda like Pavlov's Dogs when the dinner bell rings!

Our team still does it. It's just such a normal reaction, I doubt we'd ever go away from it. Plus, bowl with the same guys for as long as we have, and you know where they've been. I don't buy into the hysteria surrounding this. I know it's serious, but I'm not stocking up on masks or hand sanitizer.

[RobLV1]

As I said, hysteria is not my normal M.O., but as a seventy year old man with asthma, I really do feel I need to be careful. If your team considers hi-fives a normal reaction, let me ask you this: have you ever hi-fived a bowler four missing a single pin spare? If so, why?

[J Anderson]

As I said, hysteria is not my normal M.O., but as a seventy year old man with asthma, I really do feel I need to be careful. If your team considers hi-fives a normal reaction, let me ask you this: have you ever hi-fived a bowler four missing a single pin spare? If so, why?

I confess. I think I tried to low five a guy who had just opened because I had not actually watched his shot in our sport league last week. It’s a singles league so you have no teammates. It was doubly bad because I was up next on that lane and hadn’t seen either of his shots that frame because I was talking to another bowler.

It really depends on the league how reflexive the high-fiving gets. In this same sport league I was once told by the owner of the pro shop that we don’t do hi-fives for a brooklyn strike after I had just thrown one. In a recreational league that I also bowl in congratulations are much less restrained. Anything and everything tends to be celebrated. One team that used to be in the league even had specific motions for strikes, spares, and opens.

[boatman37]

We still high five and on a bad shot we fist bump. Just something we have always done.

[mc_runner]

Haven't stopped the high fives or bumps yet but who knows, this thing will probably spread in bowling centers. I'm just trying to be aware of touching my face and then washing hands before leaving. Nothing crazy, pretty much the same way I'd try to avoid getting the flu.

[boatman37]

Funny this was brought up in a bowling forum as I was thinking the other day about how I'm glad I don't use house balls with this thing going around

[Timmyb]

As I said, hysteria is not my normal M.O., but as a seventy year old man with asthma, I really do feel I need to be careful. If your team considers hi-fives a normal reaction, let me ask you this: have you ever hi-fived a bowler four missing a single pin spare? If so, why?

Never "high fived" a guy for missing a spare. Fist bump for that one. At least those are the Milwaukee traditions.

[ALazySavage]

With teammates I will agree that to an extent high-fives have lost their significance, they seem to be more of a response to a result more than anything. We high-five for strikes (no matter the quality of the shot) and spares and typically fist pound or nothing for a missed shot. I will say that depending on the environment you can strategically use the presence of or lack of a high five to make a statement about the shot. For example, my opponent throws a shot that I want them to perceive as a good shot I can give them a high-five with a comment, but then when they throw a shot that I don't want them to perceive as a good shot (no matter if it is or isn't) I can "begrudgingly" high five with the clear message that I don't approve [it works on some and sometimes it doesn't work] or obviously ignore the idea of a high five - this is used rarely and especially not in low-stakes leagues that I don't want to appear as a jerk.

[J Anderson]

With teammates I will agree that to an extent high-fives have lost their significance, they seem to be more of a response to a result more than anything. We high-five for strikes (no matter the quality of the shot) and spares and typically fist pound or nothing for a missed shot. I will say that depending on the environment you can strategically use the presence of or lack of a high five to make a statement about the shot. For example, my opponent throws a shot that I want them to perceive as a good shot I can give them a high-five with a comment, but then when they throw a shot that I don't want them to perceive as a good shot (no matter if it is or isn't) I can "begrudgingly" high five with the clear message that I don't approve [it works on some and sometimes it doesn't work] or obviously ignore the idea of a high five - this is used rarely and especially not in low-stakes leagues that I don't want to appear as a jerk.

Ooh! Mind games combined with high-fiving, glad I’m not bowling against you in league. Have any other Jedi mind tricks to share, Obi Wan?

[ALazySavage]

Ooh! Mind games combined with high-fiving, glad I’m not bowling against you in league. Have any other Jedi mind tricks to share, Obi Wan?

Haha, let's be honest it isn't some special thing that is going to work that often...and I wouldn't do it in the league I'm currently bowling. Basically any mind game is the same at its core - you are just wanting to create some sort of uncertainty or false narrative that your competition may consider.