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

[J Anderson]

Sometimes a week off is what you need.

[Amyers]

I hate to say it, but that point is when you've given up on improvement. A "big first step" may be consistent and repeatable, but it will also consistently result in timing issues at the line. That's what coaching is about: seeing causes and effects to help bowlers to improve. You're not helping anyone to improve with advice like this.

NTB I have to agree with Rob here. There are some items that a bowler can have that may be technically incorrect and they have ways of compensating for that don't really hold back their game. There are also issues that limit you and will keep you from growing as a bowler. A really good coach knows the difference between the two. It also depends on what your mind set for the game is. If you want to be a once or twice a week league bowler it's fine to just go out and rip it but if you want to bowl higher level scratch leagues, tournaments and PBA Regionals as Aslan has set as goals for himself he's not going to get there but just being the best Aslan he can be on his own he will have to become a technically correct bowler.

[Aslan]

Saturday Weekly Color-Pin Tournament:

Just brought the Hammer Rhythm 16lb ball out of retirement. Brought one ball with me and a pair of shoes. Now transitioning to my "I don't care" phase of my bowling development.

439 Series: 110-160-169
Good times. It was more of a learning experience just trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do now that I bowl just for fun. Like, I ordered a couple drinks...so that cost me like $10. I stared at a woman for a bit...not sure if she liked it or not. I tried to think very little about actually bowling.

No stats. Not necessary. First game was a struggle...not quite sure how to line up throwing the Rhythm on these lanes. I don't get the same revs with the 16b equipment...and the speed is slightly lower. These lanes are older and tend to transition faster so even though there was just 6-8 of us on the pair and it was freshly oiled...I really couldn't play outside of 2nd arrow.

Not sure how I feel about bowling if this is all there is. It's less mentally draining, which is nice, but it's kinda pointless. And drinks are WAY too expensive for me to get hammered each league night...especially now that I'm no longer making money in side pots and brackets.

Not sure how I'm gonna approach Wednesday. I'm gonna be traveling for work and miss Monday league and I hate to just show up on Wednesdays and start bowling like a slapee...since that team is kinda serious and was hoping I'd be a key player on the team...not sure they'd appreciate my new found appreciation for being an average league bowler...especially when I currently have a 203 average in that league.

But, the Rhythm got to leave the bowling ball rack of fame and make a celebrity appearance...nice to take the old boy for a walk now and then.

[mc_runner]

You have a 203 average man, don't get your head down. We all go through some slumps, keep working at it and don't give up. You've worked and gotten yourself to a 200+ average in one league in what, 2 years? Keep at it and throw your best. Working through slumps is one of the hardest things about bowling especially when it happens for weeks... but man does it feel good when you get the groove back.

[Aslan]

You've worked and gotten yourself to a 200+ average in one league in what, 2 years?

On Cheese Cakes...sure. But the numbers point to my true average being much more in the 160-179 range.

Wednesday League: medium-heavy oil synthetics, played long tonight...seemed like the lanes were oiled to about 50ft.

521 Series: 146-205-170

Game 1 I couldn't find the line. I tried outside, I tried the track...with the length and the outside not having the same generous bounce as usual...the inside shot was certainly out.

Game 2 I had an open on a 1-2-7-8 washout in frame 1 and was clean the rest of the way.

Game 3 I had a Cincinnati in the 5th frame and then barely missed a single 4-pin in the foundation frame...was otherwise clean...but I just didn't have the carry.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.71 pins
Strikes: 35% (1 turkey, 1 double, and 7 singles)
Spares: 65% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (8/10)
Most common single-pin leave: 6-pin (3x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (5/10)
Most common multi-pin leaves: n/a (all leaves were different)

Splits: 0% (0/2).

Average over 3 games: 173.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 180.33.

Almost identical to last week.

Really disappointed that they apparently decided to make the pattern tougher out of the blue. I don't mind a different pattern and have been as vocal as anyone about making the shot harder...but you can't just change it overnight. If the pattern is going to vary week to week, then I'd expect a pattern sheet to be available before the league play begins. And hoping for that is like hoping that Santa Claus is real and brings you a bag full of money.

Looks like my days of 600 series, dominating the brackets, making more money bowling than I spend, and carrying a 200+ average are now behind me. I thought maybe the time off would be beneficial...but not so much. I kinda blame Game 1 on the fact that I got up at 7:45AM CST, flew from New Orleans to Dallas to Orange County and arrived at 3:55PM PST. So, 10 hours in shuttles, airports, and planes...then another hour in Southern California traffic. But after a 170 game to finish the night...I couldn't blame it on being rusty.

I had to change speeds...which isn't my favorite thing to alter. But, with such a long pattern...and me throwing about 19.5mph at the pins...it just wasn't going to work. I moved up in the approach and got the speed down to 15.8 at the pins and that worked better...but carry/power suffered as a result.

Team lost 3 out of 4 to an inferior team. I think our hopes of being Top 5 in the league are probably pipe dreams at this point. Our leadoff and female bowlers just don't have the skills for us to be competitive. Our anchor had a 706 series...and a guy two lanes over threw a 300-game...so not everybody was struggling.

Still have a lesson with M. Baker I think this weekend or next weekend....and a lesson with my regular coach next week or the week after. Not sure how long I'll keep the lessons going. I love the game...I love bowling...but I can't seem to reconcile my skills with my expectations and as long as my expectations are to be a 200+ average bowler....I just don't have the natural ability necessary to achieve that realistically.

[vdubtx]

A Cincinnati? Haven't heard that term before.

Don't get down on yourself. We all have bad weeks. How did you know the pattern changed? Did they tell you it did, or, are you just assuming since the ball didn't react the way you usually want it to?

[Amyers]

Hey buck up man. If it was easy it would be kind of boring. You've been bowling maybe 6 months longer than my wife who has pretty decent form and she averages 140-150, she gets it together and shoots good series for a while then slides back, struggles with her release, and has issues at time finding the pocket. Sound like anyone you know? You are a vastly superior spare shooter compared to her. She hasn't had the lessons you have but she spends almost as much time as you do bowling. My point is you're not behind the game. I don't know of any sport you can pick up and compete at the upper echelons of in 2 years why do you expect to this to be different?

Have you considered the fact that your ball speed is too high causing some of your problems? I know my PSO suggests 14-16 mph on the monitors. If you are hitting 19.5 at the pins that's better than 20 mph off the hand. That's insane to be balanced you would need to generate 450 revs!! You not doing that and most likely will not anytime soon. I realize that you are a big PBA fan and you see those guys throwing balls in that speed range but they have perfected their release over years of coaching and trial and error. 20 mph and 225 revs = dart. It's no wonder you struggle getting the ball to roll and hit the pocket at those kind of numbers the ball isn't reading the lane it's mostly just you throwing the ball into the pocket or not.

Try reducing that speed back to the 15 mph mark and work on building your revs up then slowly work the speed back up as your release improves. You've got the PBA level speed down but if your not capable of generating the revs to go along with it they do you no good.

[vdubtx]

Having seen some of Aslan's videos, I highly doubt the speed is even close to accurate. No way that he is almost 20mph at the pins.

[Amyers]

Having seen some of Aslan's videos, I highly doubt the speed is even close to accurate. No way that he is almost 20mph at the pins.

I had not seen anything like that from his vids either although the point still holds water at 16-17 with lower revs. Speed dominance can be just as difficult to overcome as rev dominance and believe me I'm familiar with that.

[NewToBowling]

20mph we're talking Osku spare shooting speed