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

[RobLV1]

You asked a while back for high average leagues to watch. Check out the Bud Almost Scratch League on Tuesdays at seven at Southpoint. I have to miss next week for a hospital procedure, but I'll be back the following week. This is the ultimate high average league in Vegas. Hope to see you while you're in town.

[Aslan]

You asked a while back for high average leagues to watch. Check out the Bud Almost Scratch League on Tuesdays at seven at Southpoint. I have to miss next week for a hospital procedure, but I'll be back the following week. This is the ultimate high average league in Vegas. Hope to see you while you're in town.

Hey Rob. Yeah, I'll try to check that one out Tuesday; thanks for the info. I was going to try and get together for a lesson but since this time I'm out here for a seminar/training...my schedule isn't as flexible as it is when I'm out here just to bowl. Besides, my game is so in the toilet right now...there'd be no point to it. Something is basically off and I can't seem to pinpoint it.

I'll try to get in some bowling, hopefully at the Gold Coast since I'll be sweeping there in a month and didn't do so hot there last time. But I don't think I'm gonna do any "marathon practice sessions". My knees, ankles, shoulder, and elbow would not appreciate such shenanigans.

But if I don't see you this week, I WILL be back next month for sweeps...and hopefully I'll have these kinks worked out and we can get a lesson set up; see what kinds of progress (or regression) I've made since the last time I was out.

Practice at the Gold Coast (Las Vegas):

I'm in Vegas for a seminar/training and after my air conditioning went out (again) Friday...and looks like it's some electrical issue (which means it could be anywhere from $50-$1200). So, as far as "spending money" that I could lose in the casino or give to an escort or stripper...well, I can only afford to bowl at this point.

Wanted to leave at noon...which means I left at 4:00PM. First thing I did was hit the Gold Coast. Was hoping for a relaxing smoke, some dinner, and a bath...before going to bed and getting up at some ungodly hour to go to a meeting tomorrow morning. But it took 45 minutes to valet the car, then I get to my room and the toilet is leaking water all over the floor. I tried to get maintenance to fix it...but after an hour figured I'd just cancel the request and throw a towel down.

Ordered food...Dominos...which of course means ya never know what you're actually gonna get. In New Oreleans they forgot the drinks and sauces....this time just the sauces...so it's a slight improvement. Tried to get ice but the ice machine doesn't work...went down a floor and get it from there.

The downside to smoking weed...other than lung cancer...is when you don't smoke...you get irritable. I'm usually not very irritable...unless I'm bowling badly. But, like cigarette smokers...going too long without a 'fix' makes you irritable. So, sorry Dominos customer service...but ya just happened to screw over (for the 2nd straight time) a guy that hasn't "mellowed" yet. I couldn't, I had to wait for the stupid maintenance person to take his sweet arts time and come up here and stop my toilet from leaking....which he never did...so, I guess we'll see if it gets wet enough to leak through to the floor down below. Maybe there's somebody more important in that room...we'll see.

529 Series: 177-207-145
The lanes are harder in Vegas. Hardly any miss room to the right. I missed on a couple shots and ended up taking out the 6-9-10. Tried the Lethal Revolver for a couple games and then the Dark Encounter in Game 3. Game 2 was clean except for the first frame when I chopped a 1-2-5-9.

512 Series: 191-156-165
In Game 1, the D. Encounter was still hitting like a marshmallow...but I managed to convert most of the spares. Only open was a missed single 6-pin in the 6th. Switched to the Asylum for the last 2 games....obviously expectations were not 'high'...but if I'm going to carry it around with me...I may as well at least try to use it. But, two more frames of poor carry and poor spare shooting.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.35 pins
Strikes: 30% (1 turkey, 4 doubles, and 9 singles)
Spares: 64% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (9/15)
Most common single pin leave: 9-pin (4x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 66% (18/27)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 1-2-4 and 3-6 (4x each).

Splits: 50% (1/2)

Average over 6 games: 173.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 182.67.

Oh well. At least I made it there before the cosmic bowling crowd showed up. There was a line like I've never seen before for cosmic bowling.

[Tony]

Hey Rob. Yeah, I'll try to check that one out Tuesday; thanks for the info. I was going to try and get together for a lesson but since this time I'm out here for a seminar/training...my schedule isn't as flexible as it is when I'm out here just to bowl. Besides, my game is so in the toilet right now...there'd be no point to it. Something is basically off and I can't seem to pinpoint it.

Just thinking wouldn't seeing a coach like Rob be the exact thing to help pin point the source(s) of your current slump ?
From what I've learned one of the most valuable lessons to be learned from the expert coaches is gaining the ability to diagnose and
correct your own game.

[Aslan]

Just thinking wouldn't seeing a coach like Rob be the exact thing to help pin point the source(s) of your current slump ?
From what I've learned one of the most valuable lessons to be learned from the expert coaches is gaining the ability to diagnose and
correct your own game.

Possibly. I just don't have the schedule I usually have when I'm out here. Usually I have entire days free to try and schedule a lesson. Now I have an hour here, an hour there. It's just too hectic.

What I meant by what you quoted is right now I have 3 world class coaches that have all given me a lot of good knowledge. But some would say I currently have "too much knowledge"....not enough "gift" or "ability" or "skill" or whatever you wanna call it. I've tried simplifying everything...slow things down...quiet the shoulder, etc... But at this point...I have a lesson a week from this Wednesday...I'm gonna work with that coach on my release and what may be leading to the elbow pain. I then hopefully will be able to fit into Mark Baker's schedule before I sweep in March. Probably also more released focused. And then I'll get another lesson from RobM at that point, when I'm back out here in a month for sweeps, so long as he's healthy and has some time available....and assuming I can get into town maybe a day early or whatever.

At that point, if sweeps goes as badly as January has...and as bad as February is looking....then it's not just a "slump" and while I'm stuck in my Monday league until May...I think my bowling "career" may have hit a brick wall. And as knowledgeable as Rob and Mark et al are...and thats VERY knowledgeable...there also is some truth to some people "got it" and some people "don't got it". Can I average in the 160s-180s as a league bowler? Sure. But anyone without a serious disability should be able to do that with a little work, a decent ball that fits their hand, and some experience. I'm not saying I'm totally done...but if I can't break into the 190s/200s...then I'm just a weird dude with a bowling habit. I guess there's worse things. But I'll probably stop taking lessons, investing in new equipment, bowling in multiple leagues, entering brackets/sidepots, etc... It just feels that I'm 'acting' like a good bowler with the skills of a bad bowler. And that makes it a lot less fun.

And like I've hinted at before. I probably won't be in California by Fall of this year. I don't plan on joining any leagues once Fall/Winter is over. I may try to sub or something...but I can't commit to any leagues until I know my status.

[Aslan]

511 Series: 192-156-163

428 Series: 150-140-138

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.58 pins
Strikes: 31% (1 5-bagger, 2 doubles, and 13 singles)
Spares: 44% picked up

Single Pin spares: 52% (9/17)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (4x)
Never left a single 1-pin nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 38% (10/26)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-5, 6-10, and 2-4-5 (3x each).

Splits: 0% (0/5)

Average over 6 games: 156.50.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 170.00.

[Timmyb]

The PinPal you use, is that a one-time $8.99 charge? I noticed the RollTech app is $5 a month.

[NewToBowling]

PinPal is one time fee. The iOS version is more full featured than Android. iOS has pindicators that display when you share/export the image of your games

[Aslan]

More Practice at the Gold Coast, Las Vegas

571 Series: 214-162-195

540 Series: 167-200-173

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.66 pins
Strikes: 37% (1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 3 doubles, and 12 singles)
Spares: 75% picked up

Single Pin spares: 93% (15/16)
Most common single pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 62% (15/24)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-5 and 2-8 (3x each).

Splits: 40% (2/5)

Average over 6 games: 185.17.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 186.83.

Just used the pearls and experimented with getting the ball lofted out on the lane a bit more. Still can't say I'm happy with the results....primarily just better spare shooting. Still gonna be a tough sweeps if I'm going out there with a 189 average and the only way I can get close to that is if I convert 93% of my single-pin spares.

[Aslan]

Saturday Practice:
Monday Bowling Center: Medium-oil synthetics

400 Series: 119-122-159
Just couldn't seem to hold the pocket or carry when I accidentally found it. Just a very disappointing first few games after ending on a positive note in Vegas on Wednesday.

568 Series: 173-181-214
Switched to the Loaded Revolver for the last few games. I tried and tried to keep playing that inside line; standing left toe about 25-30 and targeting 12-15 at the arrows...but most of the time it ducked through the middle and when I accidentally missed right...wouldn't make it back. For the last game I decided to move back out to my comfort zone standing left toe 17-23 targeting 8-12 at the arrows.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.53 pins
Strikes: 29% (1 4-bagger, 2 doubles, and 11 singles)
Spares: 55% picked up

Single Pin spares: 81% (13/16)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (4x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, nor 5-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 41% (12/29)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 (4x)

Splits: 0% (0/6)

Average over 3 games: 161.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 166.33.

I think slowing my speed down caused the slump...and trying to adopt my line to accommodate the lower speed has moved me too far left where I just don't have the release and still have too much speed to play. So now I have to find a way to move back to the track but either add the loft back in or some speed back in so I can stay right of the headpin.

[Aslan]

Monday Practice:
Monday Bowling Center: Medium-oil synthetics

A bit sore from my new running regiment I tried to start yesterday. But no rest for the wicked.

Series: 202-189-236-169
Game 1 I used the Dark Encounter and it worked well. Shoulda been a higher score but I couldn't quite convert the 4-6 in the 10th. Same thing in Game 2...couldn't quite convert the 4-7-10 in the 8th and then pulled a shot in the 10th and ended up chopping the 1-2-5-6 leave.

Game 3 I switched to the Asylum and struggled out of the gate. I was so upset I was going to just Ebay that damm Asylum. One of my more perfect shots in the 3rd frame and of course I leave the 10-pin. I tried the Melee Jab in the 4th, but it's just too strong on the backend and too erratic. So I went back to the Asylum...and while I did rather well that game...to be honest most of those strikes were rather weak.

Tried the Jab and Loaded Revolver in the 4th but switched back to the Asylum after both those options dove through the nose. Was hoping for another 200+ game but a 4-6-7 split in the 9th ruined that.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 46% (1 7-bagger, 1 4-bagger, 1 turkey, 1 double, and 4 singles)
Spares: 63% picked up

Single Pin spares: 72% (8/11)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 54% (6/11)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 6-10 and 3-10 (2x each)

Splits: 33% (2/6)

Average over 3 games: 199.00.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 206.75.

Somewhat encouraging. Another 1.5 hours to try my luck on league conditions.

I tried the new line, left toe on center and targeting 9-board...but ultimately found my way back to standing 3-4 boards left of center and targeting just inside of the 11-board (at the arrows). I also have started targeting the arrows again (versus the dots).

Despite the semi-success I had with the Asylum today, I think I'm going to put it at the end of my progression tonight and then talk it over with my coach Wednesday. The theory behind putting it 3rd after the two solids was with a hybrid cover, it should hook sooner than the pearls. But Brunswick balls just seem to have so much more built in hook...that even the pearls are stronger. Might add some creedence to RobM's philosophy on sticking with one brand. It's really hard to know where a ball fits in a rotation when it's designed to go with other balls similar in composition.