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

[bowl1820]

You can disagree with me all you like, but just realize that the reason that you are disagreeing is because, as usual, you are over-thinking it to the nth degree!

Rob something that I think goes along with this is, The "My favorite line/ball" syndrome a lot of bowlers have.

Their using their favorite ball, on their favorite line, it's not working like it always did before. But they can't change nothing until they roll that "Just right" shot, using that ball and/or line and it doesn't work. Then they can say okay I guess I have make a change now, of course by that time it's 9th or 10th frame.

I know it happens, I've seen it and use to do it myself (Sometimes I still do it, I get over thinking it and then have to stop myself).

If your rolling your favorite line/ball and it's not working, then happen to say leak the ball out and it gets a strike. You try rolling the ball out there deliberately, don't just say that was luck and go back to what you know is not working.

[mc_runner]

I do that sometimes too. The most annoying part is afterwards when it's clear as day what I "should" have done early on but in the heat of the moment it's clear as mud. In other words, stop overthinking and start making calls based on what you're seeing.

[RobLV1]

Rob something that I think goes along with this is, The "My favorite line/ball" syndrome a lot of bowlers have.

Their using their favorite ball, on their favorite line, it's not working like it always did before. But they can't change nothing until they roll that "Just right" shot, using that ball and/or line and it doesn't work. Then they can say okay I guess I have make a change now, of course by that time it's 9th or 10th frame.

I know it happens, I've seen it and use to do it myself (Sometimes I still do it, I get over thinking it and then have to stop myself).

If your rolling your favorite line/ball and it's not working, then happen to say leak the ball out and it gets a strike. You try rolling the ball out there deliberately, don't just say that was luck and go back to what you know is not working.

This morning I practiced with a couple of friends of mine with whom I had not bowled in several months. They are bowling in a league at a center where I have not bowled in at least three or four years, so they wanted to practice there. They are all struggling like mad at this center! After about five frames, it became obvious to me that unlike some of the easier centers in town, this place does not have miss room in both directions, consequently bowlers have to consciously decide on a ball that will recover from misses right (more surface), or hold on misses left (less surface). In the cases of both of these guys, their misses tend to be right, so I suggested adding more surface to their bowling balls. One of them listened, tentatively, and will probably try it in their next league outing. The other one just kept going back to, I'm just not releasing it right today. I tried pointing out that anyone can strike with a perfectly thrown ball, but when you don't have the right ball in your hand, you need to perfect... when you do have the right ball in your hand, in this case one with more surface, you don't. The sad thing is that I know he will not listen, AND will continue to blame the lanes for his inability to score there.

[Amyers]

You can disagree with me all you like, but just realize that the reason that you are disagreeing is because, as usual, you are over-thinking it to the nth degree! Of course you can do a zillion things wrong on every shot, but that doesn't mean that you can't learn something on every single one of them. My point is that if you learn to watch every shot, without judgement, it should not take nine frames to make a ball change. Your statement that "The Asylum is a wierd ball. It rarely works," suggests to me that the judgement has already been made. If you really believe that about the ball, get the damn thing out of your bag and at least give your back a rest... with that attitude it's useless to you anyway!

I agree with Rob here. This is one of the problems with the bring in the whole arsenal at once thing. What to do when one of your choices was just wrong? I believe the ball is setup wrong for you and probably never gets into much of a roll. You've got data that backs up your belief the ball isn't working now what are you going to do?

My first suggestion would be to try and add surface change it to 2k. Depending on how much longer you plan to keep this arsenal I might consider having it re-drilled but I doubt I would waste the money on it. Try changing the surface if that doesn't work pitch it and buy something else that does fill a hole in your arsenal. The Asylum was a very good ball for me but every bowler is different and I think with your higher speed lower rev delivery trying a weaker layout on a ball just wasn't a good idea. Live, Learn, and Move On.

[Aslan]

My slight disagreement with Rob is just that he still has this concept that a below average to average bowler can approach league night with absolutely zero preconceptions...and that if something isn't working...it's likely based on the bowler using a preconceived line or preconceived ball choice.

I would contend that at the lower-mid level bowler range...the ball is probably the least likely culprit. I think most pro shop owners and even ball reps would agree that while they love customers coming in and trying to improve their game by adding the next best, greatest, most awesomest thing/ball....98% of the time a new ball isn't going to matter. If your timing sucks, you fall off your shot, you can't bend your knee, and you can't hit your target (or any combination of those)...you can throw a house ball. The ball doesn't matter.

And, back to the point of pre-conception, I would contend that a bowler MUST have some idea of how they are going to approach the lanes...because there simply isn't enough time to randomize everything. And 99.999% of bowlers...have EXTREME preconceptions...like they only have one ball...they only throw at 2nd arrow...they have one speed. Some bowlers have arsenals but leave certain balls at home on certain nights. That is also a preconception/preconceived idea.

But where Rob is right...and this is why I can't say I've "given up" on the Asylum...is if I was absolutely sure that my technique was top notch and my execution top notch...and I thus knew it was just that ball wasn't any good...absolutely....I'd love to leave one of the 6 balls at home...not have to take the shoulder bag with me...absolutely! But at this point...I'm not confident my ability is good enough...because if it was...I could throw the worst equipment on the market and still average 170.

[RobLV1]

You just need to believe that you're a good bowler. I know it, but the problem is that you won't believe it!

[Aslan]

And that's why I rarely post in the "Which ball should I get" threads. Because unless it's VDub asking...and he likely wouldn't...it doesn't matter. All people do is just throw out their favorite brand or a ball they saw someone throwing that looked cool or performed well...but it doesn't matter. Odds are the bowler asking the question is completely lacking the skill set to truly benefit from the technology.

Now, high level tournament players...and those that SHOULD be (VDubb)...absolutely. If you can execute near perfect shots...and you see signs in the ball's path through the pins isn't optimal...then a different ball MUST be one of your options. But I'm starting to revert back to my old 2013 stance on arsenals...that if you don't average 190+ on a THS...just bring a strike ball and a spare ball and save yourself the aggravation and $$. Learn to bowl...THEN learn ball technology. Take it from someone that did it in the reverse order.

My next "arsenal" (750 games from now) is likely going to be three strike balls and a spare ball. And one of the strike balls would just be the Bullet Train coming out of retirement. I'm not drilling up 4 new strike balls for Arsenal #3. I'm just not talented enough to benefit from that and it makes me think about stuff I shouldn't be thinking about rather than focusing on execution and technique.

[Aslan]

You just need to believe that you're a good bowler. I know it, but the problem is that you won't believe it!

I appreciate the confidence and encouragement...I really do...but I rolled a 128 last Wednesday, I'm missing 30% of my single pins, and my pocket % is nowhere near what it should be. And many times...as much knowledge as I have jammed in my gigantic cranium...I'm completely LOST on the lanes.

I'll be out in Vegas the week of February 6th-11th. Let me know when/where some of the better leagues are bowling and maybe in the evening I'll come out and just watch some of the "actually good" bowlers. I know Vegas has some pretty competitive and high level leagues. I looked on some of the websites to see if any tournaments were going on during that week but it looks like the ABT Nationals will be over then and the So. Nevada USBC championships are the weekend after. I can't enter anything...not with my fictitious 200 average weighing me down...but I'll have some free time and watching old guys bowl is WAY cheaper than Cirque de Solei and monumentally cheaper than the strip clubs.

Other than that...probably get some practice in...probably at Gold Coast since I think that's where both my leagues are sweeping in March...and it's the closest to the Rio where I'm staying.

[Amyers]

And that's why I rarely post in the "Which ball should I get" threads. Because unless it's VDub asking...and he likely wouldn't...it doesn't matter. All people do is just throw out their favorite brand or a ball they saw someone throwing that looked cool or performed well...but it doesn't matter. Odds are the bowler asking the question is completely lacking the skill set to truly benefit from the technology.

Now, high level tournament players...and those that SHOULD be (VDubb)...absolutely. If you can execute near perfect shots...and you see signs in the ball's path through the pins isn't optimal...then a different ball MUST be one of your options. But I'm starting to revert back to my old 2013 stance on arsenals...that if you don't average 190+ on a THS...just bring a strike ball and a spare ball and save yourself the aggravation and $$. Learn to bowl...THEN learn ball technology. Take it from someone that did it in the reverse order.

My next "arsenal" (750 games from now) is likely going to be three strike balls and a spare ball. And one of the strike balls would just be the Bullet Train coming out of retirement. I'm not drilling up 4 new strike balls for Arsenal #3. I'm just not talented enough to benefit from that and it makes me think about stuff I shouldn't be thinking about rather than focusing on execution and technique.

I can't say I disagree with you here completely 5-6 strike balls are more than the average 170-190 bowler needs, most would suffice easily with 2 and a spare ball. You or I aren't your average bowler though we both bowl in multiple houses and on different shots but I will still admit I could easily do it with 3 and a spare ball even though I'm seriously considering drilling up something new. It's why I tend to think of my arsenal more in the terms of oil handling ability than shot shape. The day when you can quit thinking in terms of getting to the pocket and start thinking in terms of how the ball reached the pocket is when your ready for a larger arsenal.

PS your not alone with that 128. I threw a 121 in my travel league last weekend . Followed it up with a 233 sometimes I'm an idiot.

[Aslan]

Monday League: long/wide THS, synthetics, plays like a longer sport (48-51ft) with some out of bounds at 1-4.

584 Series: 182-203-199

Game 1 I started with the Lethal Revolver which was tearing it up in practice...switched to the Dark Encounter after leaving two weak 7-pins in the first 4 frames. But the 8-10 pocket split on the first fill shot in the 10th made me switch to the Asylum for Game 2. Missed 2 single-pins...my only opens.

But, after a flat 10 and a 5-7 split to start off Game 2...I angrily deposited the Asylum back in the bag and went the rest of the way with the Melee Jab. Only open was a chopped 2-4-5 in the 4th off a bad release.

Game 3 was actually my best game in terms of striking (6), but missed an easy 2-pin in the 3rd and chopped the 2-4-5-8 bucket in the 9th...needed to convert the 1-2-4-10 washout on the 3rd shot in the 10th frame to hit 200..but couldn't pull it off.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 45% (2 turkeys, 1 double, and 7 singles)
Spares: 61% picked up

Single Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 2-pin and 10-pin (3x each)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (4/8)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6-10 (2x).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 3 games: 194.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 205.33.

Had to do a make-up bowl because our 4-person team is down to 3...and one of the three is always out of town...and the other had to go to an Aunt's funeral on Monday. Supposed to be at 6PM...she showed up about 7:30. Supposedly she was gonna come over to my place on New Year's because she was all lonely...but instead partied with her ex who just got out of jail. I thought maybe I'd have a shot with her being on the rebound...but she spent most of the night texting some new guy that she met at a bar. Afterwards I invited her to my place...but she claimed she was gonna go meet a friend and do some cocaine.

THIS is why you don't attempt to date women in their 20s. They have ZERO idea of what they want...and what they DO want...aint a stable boyfriend in his 40s. Sidenote; she mentioned this "new friend/guy" is willing to join the team to fill the vacancy...deja vu all over again!! I'm very, very anxious for this nightmarish season to be over. I WILL NOT be back on this team next season...if I do stay in that league...different team is in order.

As to the actual bowling...it was better than usual. I think I was more relaxed with there being no opponents...wasn't in my own head as much. Still a tough house though...lines are just really tight there. Worked on executing my footwork and timing with my new, shorter, slower approach that I use at this house now. My high speed shot just isn't working here...so the coach helped slow my speed down. Seems to work better.