Mike, where are the pin and MB on the drilling? I am thinking my next ball will be a strong pearl with a lot of backend - it's something that's missing in my arsenal. I am down to The One Pearl, the Cell Pearl, and the Rapid Fire Pearl.

Dennis, being the anchor means coming through in the 10th. You did that. Yes, it would have been easier if you had made those spares earlier, but if you were somewhere else in the order, and another bowler were anchor, could they have stood up to the pressure?

I have been in the anchor spot the last 3 weeks - the past 2 we bowled the bye, and this time, we bowled another team. I have made great shots when we needed them in the 10th - 4 times so far it's come down to what I did. I left a ringing 10 once, and that was on a shot I needed to win by over 100 so we would get a bonus pin - the rest of the times we got what we needed. It feels so amazing to do what you needed to do in the 10th.

Thanks cg. But, when I reflect on the night, if I had picked up my spares, we wouldn't have been in that close of a spot. Struck out for a 17?..... Ha. Start with a turkey only to have 80 something in the fifth..... Ha. Horrible.

Like I've mentioned in a different thread, my brother couldn't bowl and we picked up a sub for him but our sub ended up not bowling since he was sick. I also picked up a spare ball today and bowled a few games before league to get a feel for it. I think I'm going to need to go back and get somethings fixed. The inserts seem a little too big and I think they put a slight too much bevel on the thumb.

Now for the actual night. I fought the first game and half or so with releasing any ball cleanly due to the thumb. It was hot and a bit humid and I had to constantly play with tape in the back side of the thumb. I think this was also magnified by early rotation at times. First game was a two open, two strike 168. One open was a 1-2-4-6-10 and I only got the 2-4. The other was a 4-10 split that I only got the 4. Ok so maybe those aren't manageable leaves but I still made terrible first shots that caused those leaves. We lose this game by a good bit. Our high game was our anchor's absentee score of 169. I think only our leadoff bowler was close to average and she only carries a 130something.

The second game was another two open but three strike 170. One miss was a 10 pin, just bad body alignment on the set up, and I'm not sure what the other was, maybe a split but definitely a multiple pin leave. We win this game, our sub really rolled it good for a 240+ maybe 250+ and the other team trailed off a good bit.

The third game was a 4 open and 5 strike 170. I started out with 3 straight opens, got things going after that with only one open the rest of the game. The first three frames were multiple pin leaves, I know one was a 3-6-10 that I lined up more for a 6-10, another was 5 pins including the middle cluster with the 5 still standing at the end and a 2-4? that I only got the 2, just didn't get enough angle on the ball across the lane, and the later open was a 5 pin that I lined up wrong once again and missed a couple boards right of. Our second bowler and anchor bowls good giving us the game and total going 3 and 1 on the week.

Instead of explaining it you can see it for yourself. I don't usually lug them up stairs but it's brutal cold again and I don't want them damaged out in the truck.

http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album...R/otsi=SPIClink

289-255-214 = 758 today. First game was front 10, then left a 4-pin which I thought I threw a slightly less than optimal shot. I came to the conclusion that I didn't get the break because of transition though. Second high game(after 290, darn it) and highest series in the league now. That's also my high series ever by 2 pins, but my highest sanctioned series by 27 pins. I had a reall good shot at 800 today, but unfortunately I threw a couple too many bad shots and didn't see some transition before it hit me. Nothing wrong with what I did bowl though, so no complaints.

WTG. Nice Bowling Amatuer.

Nice shooting, Amatuer.

Nice going Amatuer.

Very nice, Amateur.