Diary of Madman

[Aslan]

I wasn't going to post this because I'm just "DONE" at this point. Maybe things turn around soon. I'm committed to one league till March and another league till May and to the BVL tournament in a couple weeks...but my bowling "career" may be nearing the end. And I'm trying to avoid participating too much on the site right now because:

1) Why would I? To offer below average advice from a below average bowler? In other words, there are REAL pros and REAL experts on this site...and a few high average bowlers that I should have listened to more in the beginning and I just don't have the same level of expertise to offer that they do so, listen to them, not me.

2) There's a great "resurgence" of new members right now who are very active and I don't want to turn them off by dominating the site conversations as I have in the past.

3) I'm trying to avoid "Bowling God" status because in my case, it just means I spend WAY too much time jabbering on endlessly on this site...NOT....because I'm skilled or have a lot to offer.

That being said, there was a LOT of discussion recently about when and how to make changes and what changes to make. So rather than deal in hypothetical situations, I thought I would take notes during my recent league night(mare) to give some impression to Amyers and Rob and others so they can at least get a picture of what I saw, what I did or didn't do, and maybe they can take this and (while I think I'm beyond help at this point) maybe others can get some value out of it.

< Post to Follow >

[Aslan]

Pre-League Lesson: Speed was high. Worked on relaxing. Have been working on getting lower at the line and STAYING low versus my tendency to "pop up" as I release the ball...which causes my hand position to change and then I'm releasing the ball more on top than under or behind. Things were working well.

Pre-League 15-min Practice: Was coming in wide right. Speed was still a bit too high. I was hoping to maybe get a chance to try some other balls, but after trying different lines to try and get back to the pocket...I was out of time and league play was starting.

GAME 1:
Frame 1, Right Lane: Timing was okay, slight miss left, Brooklyn strike. Speed = 17.79 (at the pins).
Since I missed left, and my speed was high, I didn't make a move.

Frame 2, Left Lane: Timing good. slight miss right of target, left a single 5-pin, picked up the spare. Speed 17.67.
Made a slight 0.5 board move right with my feet to se if maybe it was just that I was playing a little to aggressive of a line.

Frame 3: Timing okay, hit target, left the 5-pin again (different lane). Picked up a spare. Speed = 18.17.
Made a 0.5 board right with my feet (same as above).

Frame 4: Timing okay. hit target, left a single 2-pin, missed it just right. Speed = 16.87.

At this point, I decided to move up in the approach to lower my speed. I'm not sure why, with a sore elbow, sore shoulder, and trying to relax...that I'm firing it like I am...but I figured if I move up in the approach I could lower the speed and stop leaving 2-pins and 5-pins.

Frame 5: Timing okay. hit target. Strike. Speed = 17.89.
Wasn't happy with the speed, but happy with the result. No changes.

Frame 6: Timing off, missed way right, left the 1-2-3-4-5-7-8. Failed to convert. Speed = 16.83.
No adjustment off such a bad shot.

Frame 7: Timing marginal, slight miss left, Strike through the head. Speed = 16.57.
Made a 2:1 adjustment left.

Frame 8: Used wrong line. Opened. Speed = 16.81.
No adjustment off a shot on the wrong line.

Frame 9: Okay timing, hit target, left a 2-4-5 and converted it. Speed = 16.87.
Decided to make a ball change to the Dark Encounter and move 2:1 right. It's a similar ball but goes a little longer due to it being Columbia versus Brunswick. Has a little polish on it, so hopefully it would retain some energy downline.

Frame 10: Still using Lethal Revolver on left lane. Missed way right. Left a 1-5. Couldn't convert. Speed = 16.71.
Decided to move to the Dark Encounter on this lane as well and move a 1.5:0.5 move right.

< Game 2 to follow >

[Aslan]

Frame 1 (left lane): Timing marginal, hit target, left a 1-2 and converted. Speed = 15.93.
Made a slight 0.5 board move right with my feet thinking maybe it was just a slight line adjustment needed with the weaker ball.

Frame 2 (right lane): Timing good, hit target, Strike. Speed = 16.52.

Frame 3: Timing off. Hit target. Through the nose. Left a 4-7 and converted it. Speed = ?.
Despite it possibly being a timing issue, I made a 2:1 move left.

Frame 4: Timing okay. Slight miss right. Left a 1-2-4 and couldn't convert. Speed = 15.68.

Frame 5: Timing good. Hit target. Strike. Speed = 16.74.

Frame 6: Timing bad. Pulled it. Left a 3-9 and couldn't convert. Speed = 17.41.

Frame 7: Timing good. Hit target. Strike. Speed = 16.82.

Frame 8: Timing okay. Missed 2-3 boards right. Left a 2-5. Concerted. Speed = ?.

Frame 9: Timing good. Lofted it a bit too much. Left a 5-10 split with no conversion. Speed = 17.61.

Frame 10: Pulled it and missed left. Then lofted it and missed right.

< Game 3 to follow >

[Aslan]

Game 3:

Frame 1 (right lane): Timing Good, hit target, Brooklyn strike. Speed = ?.
Made a 3:2 move left.

Frame 2 (left lane): Timing good, hit target, 3-10 baby split, couldn't convert. Speed = 16.7.
Made a 2:1 move left.

Frame 3: Timing good, hit target, Brooklyn and left a 5-pin. Converted. Speed = 16.83.
Made another 3:2 move left.

Frame 4: Timing okay. hit target, Left a 5-9 and converted. Speed = ?.
Made a 3:2 move left.

Frame 5: Timing bad, hit target, left a 1-2-4-7 and didn't convert. Speed = 15.85.
Moved back 3:2 right and switched to the Asylum on this lane.

Frame 6 (D.E.): Timing good. Hit target. Strike (light). Speed = 16.06.

Frame 7 (Asylum): Timing okay. Hit target. Through the nose and left a 6-10 and missed it. Speed = 16.91.
Made a 2:1 move left.

Frame 8 (D.E.): Timing bad. Hit target. Brooklyn strike. Speed = 15.81.
Made another 3:2 move left.

Frame 9 (Asylum): Timing good. Missed target 1.5 boards right. Strike. Speed = 17.73.

Frame 10 (D.E.): Timing questionable. Hit target. Light hit and left a 5-pin. Converted and struck on the fill shot. Speed = 16.9.

So, there it is. Obviously a video would speak 1000 words. But here you have a complete script of what I did, what I didn't do, what I noticed (or didn't notice), and what adjustments I made (or didn't make). Hopefully the experts can chime in and others can learn something from it.

[shadd]

...2) There's a great "resurgence" of new members right now who are very active and I don't want to turn them off by dominating the site conversations as I have in the past. After a few weeks of trolling the boards I decided to sign up and join the conversation based somewhat on your posts. If I remember correctly, I think my 1st post included a joke about you sleeping with a bunch of bowling balls. Sooooo, I kinda disagree with this statement.

3) I'm trying to avoid "Bowling God" status because in my case, it just means I spend WAY too much time jabbering on endlessly on this site...NOT....because I'm skilled or have a lot to offer. As you said, the status is based solely on forum activity...I wouldn't get too hung up on it, 3-4 posts a day isn't that much. If its an issue with you , create a new account and start at "what is bowling" status.

If you are unhappy with bowling and contributing on the boards, by all means walk away/take a break. If you feel somewhat embarrassed by the "bowling god " status and this is why you want to leave, I'd say that's silly...stick around and keep up with the "entertainment".

[jab5325]

Aslan, FWIW, I enjoy reading your perspective.

It's both enlightening and entertaining.

[bubba809]

Ok, reality check in 3...2...1...

I've seen you threaten to quit many times now. I've seen you sulk and wonder if you have been just wasting your life. I've seen you throw around so many variables and statistics on why it should be going much better for you. People ALWAYS have supported you. Even if it was tough love (Rob, Mike, Ice). Most posters would always have the response, "No Aslan!! You spent so much effort and time into this. PLEASE don't walk away from bowling. We need you!!" You continue on your journey and post your scores with elaborate subtext. Then, again, you resort back to the self-loathing and ramblings of "I should just quit". Whether it has been the fact you have spent A LOT of time and money on your bowling lessons and have not found the improvement you expect or the amount of games you have bowled that would naturally equate into excellent muscle memory by now.

Or perhaps it's the health related issues by the numerous body aches you suffer from. Guess what? We all have issues. Health related or not. Everyone deals with their own set of life problems. Maybe you do not have "The Gift" and one cannot be taught the "Gift". We've heard it before. The major difference is, we don't come on the board and constantly threaten to quit the game (even if it has entered our head). You know how many times I have a bad night or go into a slump and don't feel like bowling anymore??? Only my dog hears me go off and he is half deaf. It is clear to me now, every time you say you should just give it up, the supporters come running and give your the morale boost you are looking for. Maybe it is simple as just a case of lack of self esteem. Or perhaps it is effecting you so much you should in fact quit. Either way, the constant "bluffs" need to stop.


*This coming from someone who thinks Aslan is a good guy and thoroughly enjoys 98% of of his posts.

[Amyers]

I wasn't going to post this because I'm just "DONE" at this point. Maybe things turn around soon. I'm committed to one league till March and another league till May and to the BVL tournament in a couple weeks...but my bowling "career" may be nearing the end. And I'm trying to avoid participating too much on the site right now because:

1) Why would I? To offer below average advice from a below average bowler? In other words, there are REAL pros and REAL experts on this site...and a few high average bowlers that I should have listened to more in the beginning and I just don't have the same level of expertise to offer that they do so, listen to them, not me.

2) There's a great "resurgence" of new members right now who are very active and I don't want to turn them off by dominating the site conversations as I have in the past.

3) I'm trying to avoid "Bowling God" status because in my case, it just means I spend WAY too much time jabbering on endlessly on this site...NOT....because I'm skilled or have a lot to offer.

That being said, there was a LOT of discussion recently about when and how to make changes and what changes to make. So rather than deal in hypothetical situations, I thought I would take notes during my recent league night(mare) to give some impression to Amyers and Rob and others so they can at least get a picture of what I saw, what I did or didn't do, and maybe they can take this and (while I think I'm beyond help at this point) maybe others can get some value out of it.

< Post to Follow >

Rob knows way more about your game than I do so he would be able to make more and better comments than I but as usual I'll stick my two cents in. A few general comments to start you are way too speed dominate for the abilities in your release. My current PSO is a big believer until you get yourself into a very good place bowling wise anything much over 15mph is a mistake. You've got PBA caliber speed with a weak release and that's what is causing the washouts, weak hits, and some of the misses left as you are trying to make the ball do what it can't. Your two options here are to seriously ball up something along the lines of a Guru (on sale) or maybe a Black Widow Red Legend and it might help or the less expensive route slow the D### ball down. You will even notice here most of your better shots are in the 16mph range it allows the ball to actually read the lane instead of you having to make a perfect shot to put it in the pocket and it allow the ball to roll instead of skidding to the pocket which is causing some of the 5 pins.

You've been posting about not making adjustments off bad shots here lately. My GOD man how many adjustments would you make if they were all good shots? 14 adjustments and 2 ball changes over 3 games is my count here. Some of the adjustments were small but good god I generally move 2-5 times and 1 ball change for the entire night and that's on my 5 man team league. Your like a drunken sailor wobbling around the lanes. I do have a tendency to do this when I'm bowling badly and looking for something but never to this extent.

Game 1- 2nd shot you left a 5 pin and moved right with the feet. This was the wrong move most likely as a 5 pin is a weak hit 2-1 right or your line needed to shift right because the ball wasn't rolling when it hit the pins (more surface or lower speed) same problem on 3rd shot and moved again right with the feet (so was this a board move total or 1/2 on each lane?) 5 was a strike but very high speed. 6 bad shot no adjustment. You missed left on shot 7 but still adjusted left not sure why you would do that and I think it's what caused your problems for shots 8,9, and 10. From what you've related here I would have maybe made a adjustment 1-1 right for the entire game changing to the DE here was a mistake that I will address later in my opinion.

Game 2- You move around less looks like you were having so accuracy issues but didn't see anything where I thought you moved incorrectly

Game 3- The problem here was the bad shots at the end of game 2 lanes changed and you didn't catch it or maybe the shots weren't as bad as you thought and the lanes were just transitioning. This where you paid for bringing the DE out too early. The move here should have been balling up to the DE and maybe a 2-1 left instead you tried to ball down and move right which is never a good choice. Ball down and keep your line or ball up and move left don't ball down and move right. Also 6-4 is too much of a move you simply are not that versatile 3-2 and 2-1 might have worked there.

In general too much ball speed kills your biggest issue is the opposite end of where I've been with too much revs for my speed. Fix that get back down 15-16 mph and some of these issues will go away. You are being too hard on yourself too and over thinking the game. With your issues with washouts and weak hits I think I would be a little slower to adjust left off a high hit that carries at least on this night it never worked for you maybe only move left after consecutive high hits or wait till something bad happens to move it can't work any worse.

As far as the rest of this crap about the bowling god goes quit worrying about it. It's a post counter on website you're entertaining and we can learn just as much from our mistakes as we can from our success. Often I have found I learned much more from finding out I was wrong than I ever have from being right. There are things I've argued about with Rob and some of the others that I sit back and think about now and I my opinion has changed on. I think there are a few things maybe some of the others who argued with me may have changed there. I know some of the advice I have given others have helped them and I know others have learned things from you. That's the reason why we are here is to share our experiences, have fun, and learn from each others mistakes and successes not some stupid post counter on a web site. Now for the best advice I can give (my daughter gets it all the time) Get your head out of your a** and go bowl.

[AlexNC]

I can relate to the frustration you have with your game, though I express it in a different way. From my perspective it seems you tend to overanalyze things and try and micromanage every detail of your game - hence the detailed analysis of every shot provided above. I'm not in a position to give advice on your technique as I am in a similar progression in my own game, but with the mindset you have I can't imagine being relaxed enough to have success on a given night.

[vdubtx]

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE, YOU ARE WHAT MAKES THIS FORUM WORTH COMING TO DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY!!

That's what you want to hear isn't it??

I say that in jest, but really Aslan, I sure hope you aren't going to invest so much time to just leave the game because you are frustrated. You are too dedicated, as we all know, to have come this far with your game(yes you have come a long way) and then just give it up.

This game takes work and the more work you put in, the results will come to you. I think what you have done is put so much time in the technical micro-details that it is impairing your game. You have too much going through your head at any given time when you are bowling. Stick to the basics man. Too much information as what you may be experiencing, can be a detriment.