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

[MICHAEL]

First off quit lifting your arm sideways

Second my wife had to start bowling leftie due to carpel tunnel problems her average went from 140 to 68 upto 89 now

Third we know what causes your arm pain there's another mental picture none of us wanted

Lastly get better

YES ICEMAN way ahead of you!!! That's why I suggested him finding a WOMAN!!!

[Aslan]

READ ABOUT DMSO,,, and MSM,,, I have used both for YEARS! DMSO, can be ordered on like from several places,,, just make sure its 70 percent, mixed with purified water. AMAZING healing properties, BUT MAKE sure you read ALL about it from many blogs on line. Many of my friends also SWEAR by its healing properties, and is less toxic to the body then a common aspirin! Good LUCK!

Normally I wouldn't consider hippie medications...but given this may threaten my run to future bowling greatness...I may get drastic and get some of that.

It's better today, but I can still feel pain if I extend my arm out to the side and move it up and down (like a bird flapping it's wing). Pain right in the front of the shoulder. Pretty sure it's inflammation/tendonitis...but sometimes the ball sticks on my thumb and when that happens...that could be enough of an acute trauma to cause a tiny tear...which would then require rotator cuff surgery. Which would be a bummer. Especially since it may cause me to have to throw girlie weight 14lb balls like the women and old men...which means I'll have to sell the 11 undrilled 15-16# balls in my closet collection.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice: medium oil synthetics

455 Series: 151-166-138
Game 1 I opened with 5 straight spares. Game 2 ended with a wonderful miss of the single 5-pin in the 10th. Game 3 was just embarrassing.

471 Series: 177-161-133
Game 4 was clean except for back-to-back chopped multi-pin leaves. Games 5 and 6 were typical disasters.

395 Series: 128-135-132
Games 7 through 9 weren't worth even mentioning.

448 Series: 132-145-171
Game 10 was stupid. Game 11 I actually did quite well on spares…but just couldn't strike. I switched from the Slingshot to the polished Encounter midway through game 11. Game 12 wasn't great, but I struck in 3 of the first 4 frames and other than a 4-6-7 split I was clean through 8.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.93 pins
Strikes: 25% (4 doubles and 24 singles)
Spares: 46% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (15/20)
Most common single-pin leave: 5-pin (8x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 38% (27/70)
Most common multi-pin spare leaves: 2-4-5 (6x).

Splits: 7% (1/13)

Average over 12 games: 147.42.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 151.75.

Disappointing night. I felt better about the single-pin spare shooting but that was about it. Still can't seem to strike and I'm still leaving far, far too many multi-pin spares. A lot of weak hits leaving single 5-pins. A lot of moving around laterally and changing my target vertically trying to get the Slingshot to strike. I even had the polish taken off of it.

The shoulder held up okay…so maybe I was worried for nothing. But the left knee acted up for a few games…so I gotta keep an eye on that. Old Little League issue that has always caused a bit of an issue.

Had more thumb fit issues…the first shot with the Encounter carried me onto the lane. It'll be interesting when I have the Slingshot thumb-hole plugged and re-drilled to see if there's a noticeable difference. It just feels like I'm swimming upstream with this thumbhole stuff.

Been thinking a lot about bowling and where my future is going.

I looked at last season's stats compared to my first season. A whole season and my average only increased 1 pin. And if you look at the linear trend line…I actually improved the first season. About 6-7 pins (per series) over the course of the season. But then last season I lost 14-15 pins (per series) over the course of the season. I was much more consistent than in season 1…not sure if thats good or bad.

And my recent struggles…despite the knowledge and the coaching and the practice…just makes me wonder if these are just growing pains as I adapt to a new style/technique or if this is a sign that perhaps a 155-170 below average bowler is the best I can aspire to. Maybe there is something to the "gift" and I just don't have it. I realize bowling should be fun regardless of the score…but as golfers will attest to…sometimes being really bad at something causes it to not be "as fun".

It's just weird that bowling has become so much easier over the years…yet I can't seem to benefit from it other than being a 155-170 average bowler that on harsher conditions would probably be 145-155.

[Amyers]

A few things bud. When your having them drill the thumb holes make sure they are oversized enough to hold at least three pieces of tape that way you can add or subtract due to the thumb size changing. This is a must if your using a correct tight fit. Believe me I know more about thumb issues than I care too. You can also stick your thumb in your ball and remove over and over for a couple of minutes before starting to bowl at least with me it helps my thumb seems to go down in size after a few balls rolled. usually when I first pick the ball up I can't hardly get my thumb out after a couple minutes it's fine.

I don't get your continual weak hit problem. I can't say it never happens to me but its rare. If you don't have enough revs, angle, hook whatever we want to call it move right until you do. if you have to just throw the damn ball in the pocket I know your pretty accurate you couldn't pick spare up the way you do if you weren't. you may not be able to stand left and throw right you may have to stand right and throw left if that is what it takes do it. We all know what Albert Einstein says about people that continue to repeat the same action and expect different results.

Iceman not withstanding all of this gift crap is just that. There maybe a few with superior hand eye coordination that have an inherent advantage but I've met very few people who just pick up a ball and average over 150 and most of them that do as they learn how to play properly they move backward before moving on forward. I started this game in 1982 at 8 years old I don't know what I averaged that year but I can tell you it wasn't good by about 13 I was up to 150 or so and at 16 I was at 180-190 my high average was at 17 at 192 this was back in the days of urethane when 200 would get you close to the PBA. I may beat that this year but I can tell you I'm still not the bowler I was then and I've been back bowling somewhat regularly for almost a year now although this is my first fall league back.

I get where your coming from I work with the kids on my daughter youth league some with making lane adjustments and things like that because a lot of bowlers don't know how to do this anymore they just get a different ball. It's painful sometimes to watch these kids that are better than me now throwing the ball with speed, power, and revs like none of us dreamed of when I was coming up. The moral of the story is keep your chin up you'll get there as I've told you before many times I've had to go backward to get better and often when I improve it's a light bulb thing and something just clicks usually when I least expect it and I get better by 20 pins or so. Keep at it.

P.S. Why the slingshot you've got better balls in your bag?

[Aslan]

I don't get your continual weak hit problem. I can't say it never happens to me but its rare. If you don't have enough revs, angle, hook whatever we want to call it move right until you do. if you have to just throw the damn ball in the pocket I know your pretty accurate you couldn't pick spare up the way you do if you weren't. you may not be able to stand left and throw right you may have to stand right and throw left if that is what it takes do it. We all know what Albert Einstein says about people that continue to repeat the same action and expect different results.

Well, there's a few issues that are making it more complicated:

1) Inconsistent release. As I've tried to release the ball better and more behind the ball or under the ball...if I do it correctly; I get a good reaction. If I don't, well, I don't. That makes lateral movement rather difficult because if I hit Brooklyn...I would normally adjust a couple boards left to compensate. But if I then have a poor release...I may miss way right...then I'm trying to figure out if I missed right doe to the release and should just stay where I'm at or if I should move back a couple boards right.

2) My best came is outside in. Throw a ball with some surface up the 6-9 boards and have it go into the pocket. However, the further outside you go and further inside you aim...the more likely you are to leave a split and then you simply can't spare your way out of it. I threw 13 splits in practice. Thats ALOT for me. Generally I only throw 1-3 per league night. Watching a lot of Earl Anthony I realized that one thing that made him so much better than the competition...same can be said for WRW and other straight players...if they miss...they have make-able spares. They may hit weak and leave 10-pins (7 for Earl)...but then power players/high rev players miss..they leave horrible spares or splits. So I TRY to move a little right if I'm hitting weak...but too far right and you're in trouble.

3) Many players have said the key is to find a ball and line that gives you the most miss room where you can still strike. For some reason, I have NO miss room...even on a house shot. Back when I played on wood lanes I had 2 boards left and 6 boards right. That was a BIG target. So my inaccuracy with the loft wasn't a huge deal. Now, on the new synthetics...I'm down to having to hit 1 board or else. Not even 1 board left or right of miss room. Accuracy isn't an issue for me...but timing is. So if my timing is so much as slightly off...I'm pulling or pushing that shot and I miss my small target and bad things happen.

So it's a combination of a lot of things happening all at once. Wood to Synthetics....Loft to No Loft...Timing inconsistencies....Release inconsistencies...and trying to avoid splits.

P.S. Why the slingshot you've got better balls in your bag?

This will result in a very boring dissertation that will likely offend Mudpuppy's Cliff Notes nature...BUT...

My arsenal system is based on using a Benchmark ball on 3 different lines in practice. The ball that hits the best and cleanest...thats the line I choose to play.

Now, to determine the benchmark ball involves what I call "overall hook" and is a calculation based on the target board and where my left foot is. So a target further outside...with my foot further left...is the more aggressive versus where I might be standing further right and the target a little left. The Benchmark ball is simply the ball that falls in the #3 slot on that list (the middle of the pack). That allows me to have two balls to ball UP to and two balls to ball DOWN to should I need.

Now, before I explain "why the Slingshot"...which should be the weakest ball according to specs and PerfectScale...I just want to remind readers that my recent testing of all 5 balls in my arsenal (see the other thread) showed that the difference between bowling balls, with a low rev release, is relatively nothing. With higher revs...sport patterns...maybe then you can see a noticeabe difference. But in general, the idea that some balls are SO much stronger than others as far as I'm concerned has been proven to be nonsense. And really surface has more to do with it than anything else. Even the USBC has stated that. In general, if you measure the span between your left foot and right shoulder (opposite for lefties), that gives you the differnce between where to place your foot and where to target. For me it's about 10 boards. So not surprisingly...my overall hook score for my arsenal...all numbers around 10 (average = 10.27) with the weakest being a 7.5 (which indicates a ball I am throwing a bit "in" and the strongest being a 12 (which indicates throwing it a little "out"). There are two sheets...practice and league. For practice (because you don't always have fresh oil), the numbers are considerably higher as the ball hooks more on the drier surface ranging from 12-18.

So, "why the Slingshot"?

For the MIDDLE (2nd arrow"ish") and OUTSIDE (1-7 area)...the Slingshot is the middle ball of the 5. Why? How can this be!? It's specs show it to be straight and it's a Pearl and it has a PerfectScale score of < 160 and a Diff. of virtually nothing!!

Well, in the middle, the Encounters are stronger as expected. But the Rhythm I have to throw more inside...because of it's coverstock. And the Frantic is rather "dead" on the middle line but also requires it to be throw a little more in due to it's coverstock. Now, the Slingshot, Frantic, and Rhythm all have scores of 9.0...it's just the Slingshot allows me to start targeting the 11-board rather than the 12 or 13 boards.

The outside is a little trickier because it tends to be more erratic. The lesser aggressive/polished Encounter will react too strongly if it gets too far outside and not very much at all of I get too far inside. It's just not a good ball for that line. And the more aggressive Encounter (drilled/surfaced) I can't throw outside of the 12-board or it grabs too early. The Rhythm is the most aggressive ball on the outside because of it's coverstock so I can't really use it unless the outside is rather slick. The Frantic works "okay" out there...but is kinda dead so it's more of a "ball down" option on that line. Again, the Slingshot is the middle, reliable ball on that line to start with.

The INSIDE line (throwing more up the middle) is at best experimental right now. I rarely mess with it given my rev rate. And the benchmark ball is the more aggressive Encounter.

But these change from time to time. I used to use the less aggressive Encounter as the Benchmark ball. For awhile I was using the Frantic on the outside as the benchmark ball and the Rhythm inside. Depending on how the balls perform...I may bump them around a bit and change things up accordingly.

Now, this may be massive OVERKILL in terms of choosing balls to use...but one of the BIGGEST problems I've seen with people that have "arsenals"...and one of the rare points Rob might agree with me about although I imagine he hates my overthinking of this....is that many people switch balls for either no real reason...or because they simply missed on a couple shots. I'd say relatively few house league bowlers really take the time to get to know their arsenals. They have some $200 ball that they use and if it's hooking too much they ball down to a Tropical Breeze or Punch Out ot Strike King. If things aren't hooking enough...then they just grab another $200 ball that is sanded and aggressively drilled and try that. They assume that each ball performs according to it's specs on every line on every lane. They don't bother to let the lanes dictate what line to play...they always play the same line. I feel that if you're going to make the investment in 3-9 balls and roller bags...you should know what ball does what on which line and you should always know WHY you changed balls...and that "why" cannot be "because I missed".

But the system I developed and am experimenting with...it's based on using the MIDDLE ball in your arsenal (for the line you are playing) so you have the MOST ability to either ball UP or ball DOWN. Too many people use the most aggressive ball to start with and then spend all night complaining that the lanes are too slick and there's nothing they can do. They have no ball to "ball up" to. Most people when setting this up would just assume that the aggressively drilled/surfaced Encounter is the MOST aggressive and the Slingshot the LEAST aggressive...and keep the lines/targets consistent. But that kinda ignores the fact that balls don't hook MORE or LESS...they hook SOONER or LATER. For example;

Aggressive Encounter has a PerfectScale of 209; Hammer Rhythm a PerfectScale of 211. Both have virtually identical RGs. Both OOB had the same 2000 finish but I've brought the Encounter (A) down to 500 and scuffed it with 1000 grit sandpaper. However, the Rhythm is a SOLID coverstock and the Encounter a PEARL. One would expect the Encounter with that amount of surfacing and the stronger assymetric core to be the most aggressive. But on the OUTSIDE LINE...it IS or ISN'T most aggressive depending on your definition. On the one hand, the Encounter (A) with it's surface hooks so soon that I can't play it right of the 12-board. So in that regard, it IS the most aggressive. However, the Rhythm I can throw up the 7-board and get it to hook smoothly into the pocket...covering a total of 11 boards where as the Encounter (A) also only covers a total of 11 boards when thrown up the 12-board. It's the difference between the slightly more angular snap of the Encounter (A) versus the "big sweeping hook" of the symmetric core Rhythm.

[Amyers]

Well I get what you are saying with the small target area. I felt that way and struggled with the Euphoria when I first started my summer league this year. Playing on the fresh oil with the euphoria with its original finish just didn't work for me and I was having issues with weak hits and feeling like the ball was coming in behind the head pin. Some additional surface and the Asylum helped with that. There are still nights that I feel like my pocket area is 3 boards wide and I have night as long as I get the ball right of the second arrow at some point its going to be in the pocket.

Inconsistency is the hardest thing to work on I have that problem sometimes myself although mine is usually the opposite of getting too much hook on the ball. The release is the one thing it can be wrong and still bowl ok but if it's inconsistent it's darn near impossible to do anything.

On the balls I haven't seen enough of some of your balls to really speak a whole lot don't see much Brunswick stuff around here at all (some DV8 occasional Radical) but I do see some guys using the sling shot as a spare ball. Worry less about papers and maintaining multiple step down balls and throw what works where it works. On a league night I know which ball I'm starting off with and I know within 5 boards of where my feet and target are going to be my main concern is figuring out far to the right I can get it angle at the break point than target without it losing so much energy it hits weak and does something stupid like leave a pocket 7-10. I can pretty much move no more than a couple of boards with the feet and maybe a board or two at the arrow and just tighten my line up as it gets drier outside this is with 4 man teams over a three game set but we do have a pretty heavy pattern. I don't know anyone who uses more than a step up or down unless they are just changing to be changing. Pick two you really want to work with get the drills identical on them and concentrate on those two would be my advice for whatever it's worth.

[Aslan]

I've been tempted to go back throwing the Rhythm up the 6-7 board like I used to. That shot was what got me my 256 game and 575 series last season.

And the longer these struggles continue, the more tempted I am to just start lofting the Frantic 15-20ft and say "screw it".

BUT...I've put too much time and work into becoming a better bowler to essentially go back to what I did when I started. The plastic ball WILL work for spares...I just need time to get my stance and approach lined up right. And eventually my timing and release will be working and I'll start getting consistent shots to work with. I just gotta stay the course and not get overly discouraged. Easier said than done.

But I've went through this before. I tried to pick up Joe Slowinski's DYDS method and it felt like I had taken a few huge steps backwards. After going out to Vegas and working with Rob...same thing...I got all discouraged as sweeps didn't go well and then I didn't get off to a hot start in Spring/Summer. But, improvement is there. It's not easy to see right now in terms of average...but if you look at things like spare shooting or # of gutter balls...a remarkable improvement. Now I got another coach...and we're working on things I've never much paid attention to....and I got a new spare shooting system...it's just going to take some time.

Orange County BVL Tournament is in January or February so I'm just hopeful I can get things straightened out in time for that. I did well last year but I'd like to win the < 170 division before my average creeps any higher.

[Aslan]

Tuesday League Night: medium oil synthetics

444 Series: 151-144-149
Game 1 I chopped a couple 2-4-5s. Game 2 I chopped another 2-4-5 as well as a couple single pins. Game 3 some more chops and another missed single-pin.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.22 pins
Strikes: 21% (1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 47% picked up

Single Pin spares: 57% (4/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 9-pin (2x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 43% (7/16)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5 (4x).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 3 games: 148.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 157.67.

Another bad night. Single-pin spare shooting was slightly improved but still well below average. And strikes were at a premium so I had to shoot at a lot of multi-pin spares.

Was trying to continue to focus on improving my timing and to stay level in my approach…even if I was a bit taller and more straight up and down than I am used to. But being that straight up and down affected my accuracy. Timing still off, shoulders not always getting square to the foul line…just rough. The only thing that did seem to work is trying to release the ball more naturally and not "force" it. Those ended up being good shots.

Team took 3 of 4 though so I guess it wasn't a complete failure. I just need to get this new style/technique nailed down so I can start seeing some improvement, thats all.

[Aslan]

Virtual Bowling Tour: Round of 8

442 Series: 125-132-185

I had not gotten scores from classy granny nor noeymc by the 15th so the pressure was off a bit since I knew I'd advance to the Final Four regardless. But it was still tough to bowl in Temecula. I never should have picked that center for my list of six. The lighting totally sucks and the music/video screens were distracting not to mention it was $5.25/game and that alley is HOT and HUMID as hell(o).

Game 1 was a disaster. Just a ton of multi-pin spares I couldn't convert. Game 2 wasn't much better. Game 3 I settled down and started to focus and try not to get frustrated. And with the exception of a 2-5-7 split in the 4th frame; I was clean.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 7.83 pins
Strikes: 16% (7 singles)
Spares: 44% picked up

Single Pin spares: 42% (3/7)
Most common single pin leave: 5-pin and 7-pin (2x each)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 44% (12/27)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (4x).

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 4 games: 138.75.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 148.75.

Really tough day on the lanes. Had it not been for noeymc being grounded by his mommy and classyG being too busy being classy and a granny…I'd have likely been knocked out in round 1 despite being the top seed. Something is SERIOUSLY wrong with my bowling lately. Ever since my last lesson, I've been virtually unable to bowl. The ball isn't even close to where I'm trying to put it.

I left there hoping that working with MWhite prior to the Sunday league would maybe snap my game back into shape.

[Aslan]

Sunday Sport League: WTBA Mexico City 45' Pattern

587 Series: 154-167-106-160

Game 1 was okay except I went 2 for 5 on single-pin spares. Most of the time I hit my targets, but still having trouble lining up properly. Game 2 was okay, just chopped a couple multi-pin leaves and left a split. Game 3 was horrible. 3 splits and numerous multi-pin spares. Only single-pin spare I left I picked up. Other than that just one strike. Game 4 was 2 splits and going 1 for 3 on single-pin spares…kinda like Game 1 except I managed to strike out in the 10th to salvage a decent score and help the team take at least 1 point for the morning.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.51 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 double and 5 singles)
Spares: 36% picked up

Single Pin spares: 58% (7/12)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin and 10-pin (3x each).
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 6-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 22% (4/18)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2 (3x).

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Average over 4 games: 146.75.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 158.75.

Exact opposite of last week with almost identical results. Last week I couldn't strike and couldn't pick up single-pin spares. This week I was okay (not great) with those but couldn't seem to pick up multi-pin spares and left more splits.

Mike worked with me on where to line up and some spots to hit…but other than helping me with 2-pins and 3-pins…it didn't really help much because I struggled hitting my spots. There's something off with my timing. I think with the attempts to make it later; we've made it "too late" and I'm getting to the line and the ball is still up in the air and one minute I'm trying to slow down and send it right…the next minute I'm trying to pull it down quickly and missing left. It doesn't do any good to have someone give you proper marks to aim at if you can't hit them.

I stuck around and practiced on a regular THS shot just to try and get some confidence back…more on that in a moment.