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

[Aslan]

That is Joaquin Phoenix from the movie Gladiator. He is the emperor Commodus who killed his father to steal the throne from Maximus. It is a great must see movie.

Why to I have a feeling Iron Mike is thinking, "why would a commode need an emperor?"

I appreciate the encouraging comments (minus Mike). No, patience is not one of my virtues. Actually, I don't think I have any "virtues"...but definitely not patience. My average has went up 16 pins over the last 220 games in the past 3.5 months (how long I've been bowling more seriously)...yet I've nearly quit bowling 2-3 times because it just absolutely pisses me off to no end when I go out there and can't even hit a 400 series.

I tend to magnify my mistakes x1000 yet completely overlook the accomplishments such as:
- Went from averaging 121 in July to now averaging 137.
- 2nd best bowler on my sanctioned Friday night team.
- Averaging > 160 on Fridays, which is probably in the top 35% or better against some very experienced bowlers.
- Most improved bowler in the Thursday league; +16 pins over 10 nights (118 to 134).
- Thursday league season record for high handicap game (270).

[Aslan]

Friday League: (wood lanes, low-oil)

448 Series: 155-156-137

Suckage!! Struggled ALL NIGHT keeping the Rhythm on the right side of the headpin. Was staying true to my improved approach and release…but with the earlier release and lower ball speed…I just couldn't keep the ball right of the headpin. The league has 3 weeks off in December, so I have plenty of time to figure things out or possibly move back to the Frantic for wood lanes. Also struggled with spares. Seemed to get a lot of "deep" spares like a single 9-pin…and I'm really not used to shooting at those. I seemed to do well with the other spares…so-so with the 6-10 and single 10…but the single 9-pin and single 8-pin were causing me issues.

[Aslan]

Thanksgiving Weekend Bowling/practice:

Game 1: 98
Was having trouble staying on the right side. The lanes appeared to be very, very dry…which was unusual for this bowling center. I tried to work further outside…but by the time I got out to the 6 board…I decided to experiment with playing inside.

Games 2-4: 432 Series: 128-155-149
It was working….but man…with my new approach keeping the ball speed down…lets just say a LOT of Brooklyn strikes. I woulda had a higher score…but as someone who prides himself on shooting spares without a "spare ball"…lets just say it took a lot of missed opportunities before realizing I needed to not turn my wrist over because even the Frantic was hooking like a beast.

Game 5: 111
Decided since I was running out of room on the left side of the lane…that I needed to move down a ball from the Rhythm to the Frantic by frame 5. Then took another 4 frames to figure out a line since the Frantic was hooking like a madman compared to what I was used to.

More can be found in my videos thread….

[Aslan]

WHAT A WORKOUT!!!

Monday Practice. Normally I practice on wood lanes…but since my wood lane league is on a 3-week break and I got 1 more week of Thursday league…figured I'd practice on synthetics/heavy oil where I really need the help.

363 Series: 99-138-126
Struggled, struggled, struggled.

436 Series: 118-142-176
Worked on slowing things down. 16mph was NOT working!! Got it down to 15-15.5mph…but was still struggling…

341 Series: 128-110-103
Terrible. I was moving around all over the place trying to find my line. I was throwing the ball right…not getting turned toward my target…just everything falling apart at once.

388 Series: 155-79-154
The second game I wanted to kick my ball bag into the bathroom I was so mad. In the 3rd game of the series I tried to just really, really slow the ball down…got it down to about 13.5mph. But I was still having trouble getting square to the foul line. Finally I just got pissed and decided to THROW IT!!

461 Series: 169-138-154
In the first 2 games…I just aimed at the headpin and chucked it at the arrows. 17-19mph…very nice momentum and pin action. Seemed to pick up spares more accurately as well because at that speed…the ball can't really do anything but go straight. But after the first two games…I was dog tired throwing that 16lb ball that hard so I went back to a more traditional approach for the 154 game.

441 Series: 130-142-169
I started playing the inside line. I found that moving inside forced me to keep my ball speed down and really use the lane to help guide the ball. Harder to hit spares with the ball moving so much…but if I picked up 2-3 spares in each of those games….I coulda had some real nice scores. In the 3rd game, I started out with 4 strikes…unusual for me.

So…I'm tempted to "chuck it" in the final night of league play on Thursday. I mean, it's a straight shot at the headpin…but I'm pretty accurate with it. And I'm more accurate shooting spares at that speed. And I wasn't getting as many splits as I thought I would…mainly because of the explosive pin action.

But…I think I'm gonna try the inside line first. I "felt" good…it felt like I was right on the verge of something special. But…after 18 games of practice…I was "done". I think I've thrown 20-22 once…but 18 is a LOT. Im very sore!!

And it "felt" like I was really having a bad night of practice…a 99,103, 118, 79 certainly didn't help that. But to be honest…I averaged 135 over 18 games…and my average at that center is about 134…so it really wasn't as bad as it felt…especially considering it was "practice" and I was trying different approaches and techniques.

[Aslan]

Couldn't find a decent center to bowl at…so I wound up at the Cal State Fullerton student commons. A nice little 8-lane alley. Can't beat $1 games!! Even though it did cost me $8 to park. : ( California!!

344 Series: 115-120-109
Blah. Couldn't really figure out the lanes.

407 Series: 135-146-126
Started getting a better feel for them…started moving inside a bit.

466 Series: 153-179-134
Tried setting it down earlier, slowing it down even more, using as much of the lanes as possible.

379 Series: 125-141-113
Tried improving my release…to get at least SOME revs…but if I try to high rev it…I end up "chucking" it further down the lane…so it was a struggle. And my spare shooting was really starting to falter. By game 3 I was just "done".

I want to use more of the lane, slow it down, etc… But the sooner you set it down…the more the lane can affect the ball…so it's less consistent than firing it at the headpin at 19mph. I really struggled playing the outside…seems like if I didn't get the ball down and the release just right…the ball just wouldn't come back to the pocket or worse go to the gutter. And I can't seem to hit spares with my strike ball…not throwing it that slow. Too much variation based on the lane effects. I started just throwing my back-up ball with a flat release…seemed to do better that way.

[Aslan]

Thursday League: synthetic/mod-heavy oil

428 Series: 149-141-138
I'm not that upset with tonight's performance given that it was 26 pins above my average so I at least moderately helped my team each game. And I was happy with the consistency in scoring game to game. Not as high as the 448, 449, or 470 nights I've had over the course of the league…but my 4th highest scoring night over 11 weeks and by far my most consistent.

Slowing the approach down…getting the ball down earlier to use more of the lane surface…seemed to be working.

But spare shooting was 40/60. The more you let the lane work…the more variation in your spare shot. I'm trying to resist the urge to go to a flat wrist or plastic ball spare shot…working on lateral adjustments and consistent delivery…but when releasing a higher hook ball earlier…it doesn't take much variation to miss a single pin. Work in progress.

[Aslan]

Saturday Afternoon practice: Tustin Lanes- medium oil synthetics

I wanted to go to the clinic at Fountain Bowl but the special olympics was there again (despite it NOT being on the website!). So, I headed back towards home and stopped off at an alley I never bowled at before for an hour of practice.

463 Series: 177-166-120 then 160-123.
Slower speed, nice and easy release. Wasn't getting many revs though. And that led to a lot of shots that hit right of the headpin because there was virtually no hook. I noticed I was varying where I started the ball (waist versus chin level) so I'm sure I was also varying my ball speed a bit…which also explains why the ball would sometimes hook into the pocket and sometimes hit right of it.

Overall a good practice. Averaged a 149 at a lane I had never played at before including a 177 right out of the gate. Also got a lot of strikes. Still striking Brooklyn more than I'd like…but as long as I can stay around the pocket, good things should happen.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: AMF Carter- medium to heavy oil synthetics

451 Series: 129-179-143
Felt pretty good; working the outside; board 9. The first game was just loosening up.

442 Series: 126-164-152
Tried working even further outside; 8 board. But I can never seem to have much luck out there. I get nervous of the right gutter and start pulling it. And these lanes don't have the usual dry edge so the ball just doesn't seem to come back from that far out. Started moving back inside after the first game.

436 Series: 148-151-137
Started moving even further inside…standing 3 boards left of center and by the last of the trio was standing as far as 9 boards left of center. Was throwing the ball at about board 11, 12, 13, and finally 14.

452 Series: 117-191-144
The first game I got about 4-5 splits and was getting real frustrated. So in game two I shot high loft directly at the headpin. I was tempted, after scoring my highest score of the night, to keep doing it…but after 11 games…I couldn't keep heaving that 16lb ball 17mph. I tried it in the first 3-4 frames of the last game but was too tired and was losing accuracy so I finished strong moving back inside with a more traditional approach.

Overall felt good. Probably the best I've ever bowled on these lanes. It wasn't "league conditions" with fresh oil…but I averaged 13 pins higher than I usually do at these lanes. Probably my last practice there since our last league night is this Thursday. Then I'll be back to practicing on low oil/wood for my Friday league which is on break right now.

[Aslan]

Thursday League: Last Night/Fun Night!!

398 Series: 112-129-157
Struggled early trying to hit the headpin. The two lanes were behaving very different than each other. I started to get it figured out late into the second game…had a decent 3rd game…but overall disappointing night.

As much as I liked playing with Bunny and enjoyed the challenge of bowling on heavier oil…I admit I'm very glad that I'll be just bowling on one lane, one center, low-oil for awhile. I need to start building up my confidence again.

Overall for the 12-week league:
Average: 135
Trend/Slope (series): 3.9965 (positive value denotes positive trend)
Variance/STD DEV/R2 (series): R2 = 0.10077 and standard deviation = 43 pins.
High Scratch Game/Series: 210/470
Low Scratch Game/Series: 87/319
Awards: Most Improved bowler +12 to 13 pins over starting average. Second highest handicap game (season): 256.
Team Finish: 3rd (of 6). 2 points back of 1st, 1 point back of 2nd.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: wood lanes

Well, I tried to get back into the swing of things on wood lanes…getting ready for the home stretch in Friday Leagues. Unfortunately, with most of the leagues on break….the place was pitch dark with the black lights going so it was a bit difficult to work on hitting my spots when I couldn't see the damn dots or triangles.

421 Series: 125-158-138
Started out way too far left. Not enough hook in the Frantic to start out 6 boards left of center and throw at board 8-9.

530 Series: 174-176-180
Once I moved over, just left of center and started aiming more towards board 10…I started getting some consistently good scoring. The first 2 games were a frame shy of a clean game.

376 Series: 143-125-108
Things started going downhill for some reason. Same ole situation…pulling it left, then pushing it right.

512 Series: 206-123-183
I decided to go back to "chucking" it; high loft. The first game was clean including a 4-10 split pick-up in the 2nd. But as is the case with the "chucking it"/high loft style…I inconsistently followed it up with a dismal 123 the following game. Decided to go back to the more consistent method of lower speeds/loft and finished up with a nice 183.

I think I'll stick with the Frantic for now…try to stick with the more consistent style rather than "chucking it". Once leagues are back up and running in a few weeks…I may start out with the Hammer in game 1 on the fresh oil…see how that goes…play a little more of an inside line. Then in game 2 or 3 of the series move right and use the Frantic. Or..maybe just start center with the Frantic throwing more of a straight ball…then move left and throw more right as the right side dries up and allows the ball to hook more. I'd like to get as much use out of the Frantic as possible while the wood lanes are still around. Once we go to synthetics, it'll be put into the reserve role as the back-up ball until later in the year when I get the Slingshot drilled up.

Overall a good night of practice though.