What a tournament!

[JaMau24]

So today was the tournament for our city wide league. It's a doubles league, and the top half of the league from each center, goes on to the end tournament at one specific center. There were 36 teams there, and the way it was set up, you bowl 3 games. After all 36 teams bowl 3 games, they will have a cut, where only the top 18 from that 36 advances. I think me and my teammate shot 1412 (handicap included) and we finished 6th out of all 36 teams for that cut. I had a 216, 248, and 245 after the first 3. My teammate who is a about a 170 or so avg bowler, had something like a 180+, 160+, and 190+.

After they made the cut down to 18 teams, they now had it where you only bowl 1 game to advance. The next cut was at 10. So I shot a 249, and my teammate a 197 for a 501 (including handicap). That was the first time all year we bowled over 500. We finished 2nd out of 18 teams that cut.

The next cut was at 6. and of course, we each bowl our worst game of the day. He had a 155, and me a 205 (had a very strong hit that left a ringing 10 in the 8th, which I missed by an inch.. It was the ONLY ringing 10 pin all day long! Picked an AWFUL time to show up! Struck out from that point, those extra 22 pins might have got us through). So very frustrating! We had been killing it all day, and we only probably missed the cut by less than 25 pins. We shot 413 or something, which was no where close to what we were at all day (I think we had 460+, 460+, 489, 501). Of course, you go back and look at things that game that you did wrong and just nitpick and kick yourself because you messed up, but overall, I'm happy with our performance.

We finished 8th out of 36, and I know we could have done better and should still be there bowling. I think we could have made it to the top 4, and anything could have happened then. Still, we won $500 as a team (1 more cut and we'd be talking a grand or so.. AHH!!) Winner gets $6,750 as a team I think.

I had a great time, and averaged 233 for the day. Can't wait to do it again!

[billf]

Great job Jason. With all the improvements lately I'm sure next year you will do even better.

[ursus]

Good job Jason. $500 real bucks beats 1 billion imaginary bucks any day

[JaMau24]

Great job Jason. With all the improvements lately I'm sure next year you will do even better.

Thanks Bill. With a little more coaching from you on how to pick up that 10 pin, I'll be even better! The best way I pick them up right now is -- Don't leave any! Which is what I did all day until that last game. With this money I won though, I'm gonna go get my spare ball adjusted to fit my hand correctly, and hopefully with that I'll be able to get more accurate at it.


Good job Jason. $500 real bucks beats 1 billion imaginary bucks any day

Thanks ursus... That is very true! haha

[JaMau24]

First time I've ever really cashed at a tournament, even though I've only bowled in 3. I cashed in the last tournament I did too, but there were only 5 bowlers so I won't count it. Hopefully I'll cash in a lot of my future tournaments as well.

[billf]

cash counts no matter how many entries

[TheSheibs]

I would say finishing in the money for any tourney is good no matter what the amount. Congrats and good luck on your next tournament.

[MICHAEL]

Good Job I see a New Bowling Ball in your near future!! A pearl polished finish to complete your arsenal!

[JaMau24]

Good Job I see a New Bowling Ball in your near future!! A pearl polished finish to complete your arsenal!

You are good at predicting the future!! I will be getting one soon. Believe it or not, I bowled the whole tournament with Jeff's Virtual Energy bowling ball which is drilled so aggressive with massive back end hook. I LOVED it. It did everything I'd want a bowling ball to do.

One thing puzzles me, how come when I get a ball drilled I say, "I want this ball to have a massive back end hook" and he drills it, it looked nothing like the way this ball was drilled? I mean, this ball had everything I hoped my Vivid and Nexxus would have. I could throw it hard, stay far left, and still have so much back end hook it just CRUSHES the pocket. This ball is 3 years old too! I don't get it. One thing is for sure, the next ball I buy (which will be soon), I'm going to take the ball I used today, and say "Here, I want it drilled EXACTLY like this ball" (except the span and how big the fingers/thumb hole are)

[JaMau24]

I would say finishing in the money for any tourney is good no matter what the amount. Congrats and good luck on your next tournament.

Thanks!

[MICHAEL]

One thing puzzles me, how come when I get a ball drilled I say, "I want this ball to have a massive back end hook" and he drills it, it looked nothing like the way this ball was drilled? I mean, this ball had everything I hoped my Vivid and Nexxus would have. I could throw it hard, stay far left, and still have so much back end hook it just CRUSHES the pocket. This ball is 3 years old too! I don't get it. One thing is for sure, the next ball I buy (which will be soon), I'm going to take the ball I used today, and say "Here, I want it drilled EXACTLY like this ball" (except the span and how big the fingers/thumb hole are)[/QUOTE




Hummmm,,, I have seen you bowl a huge number of games with your Viviid/Nexxus that were almost 300 games…. Once a 278, and 279 in a role! I have seen many, many 11/ 10 strike games come from them. Unless his ball gives you a 300,, which it hasn’t so far, I don’t know how you think his is that much better. If you can roll as many games as I have seen in the area of 9/10/ 11 strikes, I would think you have great delivery and talent, and a pretty good set of ball! You have, with me, in person, bowled some great games. Maybe it’s the OIL?? and pattern? Maybe you need a pearl ball for times when the oil is such that the others are not working.
I don’t know why, maybe Bill knows, why your balls are drilled so differently then jeff’s! Since both are suppose to be drilled big back end balls. I know watching you bowl, and bill can see it on the tape I made of you bowling,,,,,,, you do have huge hook with the Vivid/Nexxus. I think they are dull finish if I remember correctly? That being said, maybe the the polished ball would be the answer on a given day!
Jason, you need one!! (now you have the money)…… do it…… Make It So!!!
p.s. Talk to Jeff, you seem to like the way his ball handles, then maybe get your ball from him, or have the same person that Drilled his ball that you like, drill your new pearl polished 300 ball!
Jeff might sell you his used ball…. If you bowled that much better with it! Since its 3 years old, he might make a good deal on it!!

[MICHAEL]

Jason on the dvd that came with the spinner, it stated that high rev bowlers don' need, and most don't use high oil aggressive balls! Do to there high revolutions. Could it be that a lesser ball might work better, because of your extreme amount of rev's? I wonder if jeffs ball, because of its age, is much less agressive, and with your style of bowling, you need a less aggressive ball? Just a thought! Something I picked up on the DVD... m

[billf]

Jason, how is the ball drilled differently? How about some pics of your Nexxus and Vivid so I can see how they are drilled. I have seen their reaction for you and I will admit, for a high rev, high speed cranker you play further right in the videos than I had expected.
Each make of ball will have a different core so the pin, CG, MB will be in different places. This can cause the same drill pattern to appear slightly different. Jason, are your balls dual angle drilled? From my little knowledge of drilling and seeing you bowl in the videos and what you want the ball to do I would try a 70degree drill angle, 20 degree VAL with a balance hole at P3.
Michael, what you picked up on the dvd is correct. Very good crankers don't use the very aggressive balls. If you pay attention to the arsenal the pro's normally use, they very seldom use their manufacturer's strongest balls. Wes Mallot uses a Frantic or Outlaw most tournaments instead of the Critical Theory or Defiant. Sean Rash didn't use the Nexxus all season. Ronnie Russell is the one that surprised me the most though. No Hell Raiser Revenge for him. No Reckless either. This DV8 pro chose to go with the Too Reckless. Given the entry angle of the matches I saw this ball couldn't turn hard enough for him. I believe that was the reason that DV8 came up with the Marauder. This ball is all back end hook with a huge entry angle (yes I want one).

[JaMau24]

Hummmm,,, I have seen you bowl a huge number of games with your Viviid/Nexxus that were almost 300 games…. Once a 278, and 279 in a role! I have seen many, many 11/ 10 strike games come from them. Unless his ball gives you a 300,, which it hasn’t so far, I don’t know how you think his is that much better. If you can roll as many games as I have seen in the area of 9/10/ 11 strikes, I would think you have great delivery and talent, and a pretty good set of ball! You have, with me, in person, bowled some great games. Maybe it’s the OIL?? and pattern?

First off, let me start by saying the ball is a Virtual Energy, which after looking it up, is a great ball. Secondly, I'm not saying the ball itself is "better" than the Nexxus or Vivid, I'm just saying I liked the reaction from it more than the reaction from my Nexxus and Vivid. I know because I threw my Vivid on the same lanes, same pattern and it didn't do nearly as much as this ball. I can bowl a good game with any ball (Nexxus, Vivid, Wrath, even your balls), but I want a ball to do what I want so I can bowl even better.


Jason, how is the ball drilled differently? How about some pics of your Nexxus and Vivid so I can see how they are drilled. I have seen their reaction for you and I will admit, for a high rev, high speed cranker you play further right in the videos than I had expected.
Each make of ball will have a different core so the pin, CG, MB will be in different places. This can cause the same drill pattern to appear slightly different. Jason, are your balls dual angle drilled? From my little knowledge of drilling and seeing you bowl in the videos and what you want the ball to do I would try a 70degree drill angle, 20 degree VAL with a balance hole at P3.
Michael, what you picked up on the dvd is correct. Very good crankers don't use the very aggressive balls. If you pay attention to the arsenal the pro's normally use, they very seldom use their manufacturer's strongest balls. Wes Mallot uses a Frantic or Outlaw most tournaments instead of the Critical Theory or Defiant. Sean Rash didn't use the Nexxus all season. Ronnie Russell is the one that surprised me the most though. No Hell Raiser Revenge for him. No Reckless either. This DV8 pro chose to go with the Too Reckless. Given the entry angle of the matches I saw this ball couldn't turn hard enough for him. I believe that was the reason that DV8 came up with the Marauder. This ball is all back end hook with a huge entry angle (yes I want one).

You are right. I feel with as many revs I have on the ball, I should be playing further left as well. Which is what I had to do yesterday, and I loved the back end hook. I will say, having bowled in a couple tournaments before this one where there was some top guns bowling, I'm blown away at how much their ball moves. I always just thought they had more revs than me (which still may be true), but now after throwing that Virutal Energy yesterday, I'm starting to believe it's just the way they have their ball drilled, because mine looked just as theirs did (back end hook).

Here is my balls, and what I believe Jeff's looked like going off my memory...

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w261/astroph/Bowling/Ballspecs.jpg

Having looked at the photo some more, I think the pin might be even further right than how I have it.


(Also, Bill, that Marauder looks pretty nice!)

[JaMau24]

Actually, I think the CG was further right.

[MICHAEL]

First off, let me start by saying the ball is a Virtual Energy, which after looking it up, is a great ball. Secondly, I'm not saying the ball itself is "better" than the Nexxus or Vivid, I'm just saying I liked the reaction from it more than the reaction from my Nexxus and Vivid. I know because I threw my Vivid on the same lanes, same pattern and it didn't do nearly as much as this ball. I can bowl a good game with any ball (Nexxus, Vivid, Wrath, even your balls), but I want a ball to do what I want so I can bowl even better.


Wow, Fist off let me say, you said it worked better than the Nexxus/Vivid/wrath balls. You have used his ball on other days different alleys, different oil patterns and still like the way it worked for you. You said you used it on the same lanes, same patters and they didn’t work as well. If that’s not likeing it more, then what is. Secondly, the virtual energy ball is a good ball, and maybe its just ripe for your style BECASE it is LESS of what it was 3 years ago. Going back to my point, that a less strong ball might work better for your bowling style. Thirdly, this was my opinion, which I will keep to myself from this point on!
Like Bill, I have always been a person who thinks outside the box, on many things, and issues! Good luck with your ball quest .

This is a fact that I know is true. To be a Top Gun, you need excellent bowling mechanics number ONE!
A great golfer, can use a bottom of the line set of clubs, and kick 99 percent of the duffers out there, with the Best Equipment Sold! Equipment is a nice edge, but true greatness is a gift,,, you have it or you don’t. One can go so far with practice, and knowledge, but the best just have it all!

[billf]

Jason, I'm going to send you what I have on the dual angle drilling. In my estimation of the pictures, your drill angle isn't high enough for what you want. Also, looking at the Nexxus and Vivid, it appears that the angle is different on each of those as well so they shouldn't react the same. PLUS, why doesn't the Nexxus have a balance hole? The location of the balance hole on the Vivid is ideal for what you want (in my opinion).
While the Virtual Energy was/is a good ball, there is no reason the other two shouldn't be able to perform AT LEAST as well.

[JaMau24]

While the Virtual Energy was/is a good ball, there is no reason the other two shouldn't be able to perform AT LEAST as well.

I agree. The balls I have should definitely be able to have back end like the Virtual Energy I was using yesterday. I guess they just weren't drilled correctly to give me that kind of back end hook. I'm now going to check out the info you sent me.