Well, Friday night didn't turn out so good. For whatever reason, I had some swelling going on in my hand, and I was having trouble getting a proper release. It didn't help that the lanes started exhibiting a wet/dry reaction quite early. I bowled a 161 average for the night. Good thing was, the team took 5 out of 7 points, and the second place team only took 2 points in their match, so we stay in first, and stretch the lead.

Melissa,
Sometimes we are our toughest critics. I know i am. Your be back in the 500 series territory soon!

I know I'm my own toughest critic. I'll bowl a game in the 230s and my teammates will be like good going and I'll reply not really and not be happy with it. I'll be upset that I missed that easy single pin spare or pulled a shot that left a split, or the strikes were on poorly executed shots.

I do the same thing Cal. The last month or so I'd roll a good game and everyone would be like "hey good game!" and I'd be like "thanks, but I should've done better." Stupid ringing 10 pins!

I went to sub tonight in a very competitive mens league. I was real hard on myself, at least during the first game. I bowled a 136!!!?? I tried to force a line to work that I normally can use, with a ball I normally use and just couldn't get in the pocket solid. Next week I'll have a dull ball set up to start with. I had four marks and three of them were strikes. I missed two 7 pins in back to back frames, had a couple of nasty splits, missed some easy multiple pin spares, basically threw the ball terrible. The second game I started out hitting the pocket but with only one strike in the first four frames and two opens, a 10 pin and the 4-6-7 split. I missed the ten after saying in the first game give me 10s instead of 7s I can make them easier. I then run a four bagger, the first of which I missed completely right, the ball skid into the three and should leave me the 1-2-4 but a pin bounces into the back of the 4 tripping it into the 2 and in turn it into the head pin. The next one was high tripping a four after I adjusted off of a 4-6-7 split I left on that lane the last time on it. The next two were solid ten in the pit strikes and I hit the pocket first ball of the tenth and leave a 10 pin that I whiff again. That was the last single pin miss on the night, and the last none split open. I roll 194, my entering average. At this point I'm 0 for 4 on corner pins, both 7s pulling it into the gutter and the 10s one in the gutter and one just inside of it. The last game I marked besides for I think one split, including the 7 and 10 pin I left. I don't notice lane transition and try to adjust when I do and continue to run in high trying to adjust so I decide to change from the Ogre that I've been using all night to the Radical Inferno in the ninth frame. I leave a 4 pin and adjust for the tenth. I strike out for a 196 for a 526 total. We took I think 1.5 points out of 7. The first game handicap, and tied the last game handicap. I am now going to be a regular on this league for this team. Its my sister-in-law's father and brothers' team. One of the brothers took a job working at night and the league takes 10% off the average and not just 10 pins for an absentee. They added me to the roster in a normal spot. The father is going to pay for the spot, so I get a free ride for most of a season, can't turn that down. I'll find out what is going to happen next Sunday with the AMF league, if I still do that I'm going to be bowling league four days in a row until mid April when my Saturday league ends, the it will be three days in a row until either the Tuesday or Monday league ends. The Sunday league isn't over until early June I believe. I see a few things happening, either I improve with all this bowling, especially while in a more competitive league, or I get tired and my scores suffer or I just get burned out on bowling. Hopefully it will be the first.

1/6

143-121-91 Total:- 355

Not a best game in 3rd because I bowl blow off and ate french fries was not good idea.

1/11

181-134-100 Total:- 415

Again no best in 3rd because I missed spares and burn out my power after 1st game.

I will reduce to 1 a week practice (Friday afternoon) because of my college.

Too much practice will demote my power in league games.

Tonight was my Tuesday mens league at the dry/hooking house. After overhearing someone say that they were told that the house changed the shot again and back to dry and then showing up tonight and hearing that the pattern ended at 26 feet I was glad I had my Groove. I go 234 clean the first game, coming off if 5 with a slight angle. I was 9/ or strike up to the ninth frame where I didn't quite get the lift on the ball and left a bucket, and then the second ball in the tenth was similar leaving the 2-4 I think, converting both of them. My ball was actually at one point not rolling out at all. I start coming in light to start the second game and adjust right a little and get back in the pocket but then start to come light again, I guess coming across some carrydown. My first open of the night was the fifth or sixth frame of the second game, which was the 6-9-10 of which I only picked off the ten. I did something funky with my hand and wrist on both shots that just threw it off. The next open was a gutterball and 9 count on the spare attempt. I was playing way right and the ball didn't come of my hand clean, by the time it did it went a foot down the lane right into the gutter. Things started to fall apart a little then. I finished the game with a 162. I was leaving plenty of 4 pins at the end of the second game so I try to make some adjustments. I could strike on the left lane but not on the right lane still leaving 4 pins. The first time on the right lane I barely caught the right side of the pin, having thought I missed it. The next time over there I pull the ball missing it left, which is also the main reason I left it to begin with, I pulled the ball. Things start to fall apart again. I start pulling the ball, missing single pin spares like a 3 pin or 6 pin. the anchor on the other team runs the front seven on us spares the eighth (8/) throws a turkey and an eight count on the fill for a 276. We were having issues that game. I decide to do a ball change to my Radical Inferno with a 12 board move inside and swinging the ball in the ninth frame since the game was out of reach at that point and throw a turkey that allowed us to keep total since we lost the second and third game by around 140 pins total but we won the first by over 160. On the second ball of the tenth I felt some pain in my slide leg around the shin from trying to make sure I didn't foul so I just threw the ball straight and hard at the head pin for a 172 giving me a 568 for the night. This was the end of half position round and we finished eleventh our of twelve by half a point. For the most part we are starting to do well with a few down weeks so next half we should be able to do better. I'm going to try to get another urethane thats a little stronger than my Groove for next week.

Pbateson.... where do you bowl. I used to live in Marysville WA and bowled on a league out there. Not sure if it was in Mville or Everett though...

Well tonight was tough, I bowled ok, but not great.

Shot 174-196-224-176 for a 770 series.

However, I ruined two chances to split games tonight.

It was the final week of the quarter, we entered the night in 3rd place, needing to win at least one game to lock up 4th at worst.

2nd game, I need to punch out, I double and then a 6-count, we lose by 3.

4th game I need to double and I lock out their anchor, I throw a nasty 1st shot dead flush destroying the rack. Next shot, I go a tid bit high and leave a 4 pin, we lose by 3.

We dropped from 3rd to 5th tonight, and from 2 points out of 1st going into 2 weeks ago.

I can't take too much blame as I've carried my weight, but it's still frustrating.

Same old.... same old. I'm getting tired of this story. But, each night has a different wrinkle.

Tonight, I had my Terminator wet sanded to 1200, and the Pro Shop guy asked my if I wanted it polished. I said yes. I was anxious to use this ball, cause I have laid it down with the lane conditions I have faced. Used it in the first game with terrible success. 4 opens, a ten, 2,7''s and chop a 6 off a 6-10 for a 150. Didn't know where the ball was going to go, or how it would finish. Switched to the Conqueror in game 2.

Started with a double. Then a 4-9, open on a ball that I didn't think was bad. Followed with a Hambone. Then another 4-9 on the same kind of ball. Finished with another Hambone for a 232. 10 strikes and 2, 4-9 splits. That game could have been special.

Final game, I was close, but didn't carry. An open split in the 10th left me with a 194 and a 576 series. The lady Coaches all beat me tonight. I was low on the team.

We only won 1 game, my 150. Go figure.

For the first time in 4 nights, there wasn't a 300 on the next lanes. A fellow did bowl a 296 though, leaving a washout. Missed the head after 11 strikes.