Aslan's Scores (of the non-lady kind)

[RobLV1]

Nope. It didn't bother me. If I can bowl a 689 I'm sure I can bowl a 700 eventually. Ya can't get greedy. If ya bowl a 700, ya can't then say, "I just wish it had been an 800." or bowl an 800 and then say, "I was only 3-4 light hits away from a 900-series!" It'll drive you nuts. My goals haven't changed (even though my expectations keep creeping up)...525+ Series and a clean game every game. I easily exceeded the 525+ but came 1 frame shy of a clean series. That chopped 3-6-9 in the 6th frame of Game 1. Had I picked that up...it would have been my first ever clean series AND...yup...a 700 even. One frame was the difference.

As a fellow head case, I understand your feelings completely. Before I eventually shot 700, I had at least seven or eight series in the 690's. When I finally shot seven, I was so far past the number that I didn't have a chance to choke. My first seven was 749! Hang in there. It will come!

[jab5325]

Congrats Aslan. Great series.

[bubba809]

Excellent bowling Aslan! See...this will be enough to make you excited all summer about bowling and for leagues in the Fall.

[mc_runner]

Nice bowling, Aslan! All that work is definitely showing results

[Amyers]

I'm actually a bit terrified that I just witnessed my peak.

Well if that is true then I peaked in 1992-1993.

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

589 Series: 149-200-240

Game 1 I dealt with a split, then a few weird multi-pin leaves, and my only missed single-pin; a 5-pin for crying out loud. Game 2 was pretty much a dutch-200…just couldn't figure out one lane. But I only made two bad shots, both too much speed and missed right leaving two 1-2-8s. I unfortunately missed one of them for my only open. Game 3 was a 4-bagger, a stone 8, another 4-bagger, and then…after 2 games of strong 10ths…I leave a 4-6-7 split and miss left into the gutter trying to convert it.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.79 pins
Strikes: 50% (2 4-baggers, 3 doubles, and 3 singles)
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 87% (7/8)
Most common single-pin leave: 5-pin and 7-pin (2x)

Multiple Pin spares: 28% (2/7)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-8 (2x).

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 196.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 199.67.

The first game was a letdown but that was probably my fault. I got a little high after work because I had some time before bowling and I think I overdid it and some of it carried over to Game 1. But the other two games I was really doing well…especially Game 3. My former instructor was on the other team and he had a hell of a good night as well. But you could tell he was impressed with my improvement since summer 2013. Afterwards he approached me and said he was really impressed with my improvement. So those are all good things.

Add to that; I bowled my highest series in that league thus far…the harder center…my average is up to 169 in that league…and my composite average is now up to 180. Timing seemed improved as I try to shorten that first step. And my small adjustment to my corner-pin shooting worked well also. Both of those items are straight out of my lesson last Thursday. So thats encouraging.

Here's hoping tomorrow isn't a letdown night in my other league.

[Amyers]

Congrats on two more good games.

[vdubtx]

Nice shooting Aslan. Keep it up. Don't get too many thoughts in your mind when you are bowling. Yes, I know that is like talking to a brick wall, but had to say it.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Congrats on a good SET. I say entire set because many guys just say, well it is just a bad night after a bad 1st game and lose focus and it becomes just that. It tells me just the opposite from your scores. Good job.

[Aslan]

I think I'm mentally different than most bowlers/competitors.

Insert multiple insults, laugh tracks, etc...

But what I mean by that is, a lot of bowlers get frazzled under pressure. I tend to elevate my game under pressure and when the pressure is off, I lose focus and my game suffers.

My best scores? Citrus Belt BVL tournament 591 in the A-Division (where I didn't belong). I also have been performing very well in my Wednesday league where I'm the highest average bowler on the team and many of the other high level guys have nicknamed me (right or probably most definitely WRONG) "the professional".

So "why" is that the case? Well...it's not that I THINK MORE (to VDub's point)...it's that:
1) I focus more.
2) I EXPECT to do well and am more confident.

That's why I don't do "social leagues" or non-sanctioned or no-tap. Yes...bowling is FUN. But if I got no real stakes in the game...if it "doesn't matter"...I don't do well. I think that's opposite of most people/bowlers.

And last night was the epitomy of that psychological abnormality. I was playing against one of the best teams in the league with 2 women who are 2 of the top 5 female bowlers in the league and 3 guys that are all 190s average bowlers (in a tough house). They only got like 172 handicap to our team's 304. But for me... I LOVE those nights!! I love proving myself against the best in the league. It's like I want to prove that I belong in the club too. And last night was even MORE significant because I was bowling against my old coach. It would be like bowling in a Vegas tournament after not seeing Rob M for a few years and we get paired up against each other. It's not that I want to BEAT Rob...but I want him to respect my game...so I'm gonna try hard, stay focused, not get rattled, etc.. Last night the SET was nice...highest in that house for me this season...highest single game in that house this season...it showed me I CAN strike in that center...thumb fit was solid (a little too loose on the spare ball, but manageable)...and I was a missed single 5-pin away from 100% single-pin spare shooting...AND I had the 3rd best series scratch...outbowling 5 bowlers that are higher average and skilled.

But all that being said...the BEST part of that night was in those last two games as me and my old coach would start off with a double in Game 2 and then a 4-bagger in Game 3...it was like he and I were equals. And not only was he very complimentary of my shots and ball motion...but he went out of his way more than once to say how really impressed he was with my improvement and current skill level. I'm not a guy that NEEDS a lot of kudos and ataboys...but to get positive reinforcement from higher level bowlers that actually watch me in person or compete against me directly...it's just really special and encouraging. When I bowled in my first league at the AMF house...I was on a 4-person team, I averaged like 135, and my only hope each night was that I'd only gutter a couple times and would at least outbowl the worst girl on our team. Now, in my Wednesday sanctioned 5-person league in that center (post-pattern change to MECHA-EASY mind you), I walk in as the guy that is in the running to win sidepot every game, that all the high average bowlers know, and my team relies on me to consistently bowl in 180+ range. I'm not the anchor in terms of order...but I'm as close a thing as we have to an anchor.

So yeah...good night...and I just need to follow it up tonight with another good set at the AMF center. I really, really hate when I have a really good "turning the corner" moment only to be followed by a 157-181-139 where I get 7 splits and miss all but one corner pin spare and chop all but one 6-10.

And yes VDub...getting my mind out of the way is a work in process. Last night I let myself think about what I needed to think about...but before each shot I kinda said to myself, "Okay...just do X and Y...relaxed and easy...and good things will happen." Even just a little reminder like that, to myself pre-shot, is what it took to just roll the ball and not get hung up in it or pull it or whatever. But relaxing my mind isn't going to be an overnight thing...that's a LOT of MIND...and it's very used to the idea of juggling 10+ thoughts simultaneously and over-thinking everything...going to take some time to ramp that down.