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

[Aslan]

Sunday Night Established Mixed League

Week 4

We had to play a team with the same anchor as Wednesday's league...and the anchor of my summer team. We're on good terms, but he HATES to lose and was probably still feeling the sting of Wednesday when we swept him. Granted, two of my teammates on Sunday can't even seem to get 100 pins per game....so my expectations at ticking him off too awful bad...were pretty low.

644 Series: 187-266 (clean)-191

Felt good, but I just couldn't string anything together. The new surfacing I did to the Zen Master Solid (ZMS) was causing it to react more than I thought...so I had to make more adjustments than I planned. Finally switched to the Perfect Mindset (PM) in the 9th.
9 /, X, X, 8 -, 7 /, X, 8 -, 8 /, X, X 8 1.

Once I got the PM dialed in, I was able to run some strikes together. After breaking the streak in the 8th, I made the move to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP). Thought I might be able to tie my high sanctioned game, but couldn't quite strike out to finish.
7 /, X, X, X, X, X, X, 8 /, X, XX8.

Started off with a turkey, but then it was a pulled shot (5th) bracketed by two pocket 10s...then another pulled shot in the 7th...and I was just hoping I could still hit 200.
X, X, X, 9 /, 8 -, 9 /, 8 /, X, 9 -, 9 /X.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.21
Strikes: 55%
Spares: 64% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x).
Also left a single 2-pin and 6-pin.

Makeable spares: 64% (9/14)
Multiple Pin spares: 55% ([COLOR="#008000"]5/9)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: n/a

Average over 3 games: 214.67
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 218.33.

Positives
- Felt good, timing felt good, and relatively few 'bad shots'.
- Anytime I get even one clean game...I'm happy.
- It wasn't the 650-675 I aim for (ideally)...but it was pretty close.
- Probably won the team Game 2...givenI think I was the only bowler on our team to exceed 135.

Negatives
- This team is horrible bad...and I don't think I can coach them. One girl is special needs and the old lady on the team wouldn't take advice if it would avoid her getting hit by a bus.
- I really needed to strike out in the 10th of Game 3...because the game was very close...and I couldn't get it down. We only ended up winning because their last two bowlers had splits in the 10th and our anchor struck out.

Really happy with how things are starting out. 4 weeks in and I've had a 240+ game in 3 of the last 4 weeks and am averaging 195...which is the highest I've ever averaged...back in my 2016/2017 form. I just gotta stay focused and stay healthy.

The only downside is I'm still having to work out this new arsenal progression. I'm gonna take the PM from Royal Compound to 2000 to see if I can get a similar look as I'm getting with the ZMS. The OLP is still performing very well, I just think I may need to go up one size in finger inserts...because they're tight.

[Aslan]

Wednesday Night Established Men's League

Week 2

Played probably the best team in the league. Its close between them and the team that won the league last year, but these are all experienced bowlers...two of them are always in the running for high average/high scratch game, etc... So, I felt a LOT of pressure to bowl well. Especially because, in pregame, one of the guys mentioned that I was all dressed up or something to that effect. I think he was just pointing out that my shoelaces and knee brace had neon colors...and I was wearing a personalized jersey. But, it kinda made me feel like he was challenging me to bowl well enough to justify wearing a jersey with my name on it.

652 Series: 164-245-243

8 1, S6 2, X, X, X, S7 -, X, 9 /, X, S6 2.
This was SO disappointing. I was ready to just quit bowling altogether. Probably an over-reaction; but it was just so, so disappointing that everyone around me is bowling 200 games and I bowled 20 pins under my average.

9 /, X, X, X, 8 /, S8 1, X, X, X, XXX.
Definitely got a few lucky breaks...but after switching to the Perfect Mindset (PM) in the 2nd frame, everything was just working. Didn't think we'd win the game...because the other team was rolling really well...but me and the two bowlers after me all struck out...and their last two bowlers opened on splits and we barely held on for a second win of the night.

9 -, X, X, X, X, X, X, X, 9 /, 6 / 9.
Once again (like last week), I fought off the urge to switch to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP)...and like last week; I was glad I did. I was very close to switching after the 10-pin leave in the 1st frame...but I really just felt that it was more of a ringing 10 than a flat 10. The line didn't really start breaking down noticeably until the 10th.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.21 pins
Strikes: 63%
Spares: 45% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Also left a single 3-pin.

Makeable spares: 71% (5/7)
Multiple Pin spares: 66% (3/4)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 3 games: 217.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 221.00.

Positives
- Both teams bowled really, really well. 5-man teams and I think the total was 3700+ to 3600+. I bowled a 652 series and that wasn't even top 3 of the 10 bowlers. I mean, they probably average over 240 per bowler...and we averaged almost 230 per bowler (we got about 70 pins of handicap per game).
- Bowled impressively in front of the one team I most wanted to impress.
- No physical ailments.
- 13 strikes over 14 frames...so maybe a 300-game is possible.
- I won the 3rd card game!
- Its early, but I'm averaging over 200 over 6 games...never cracked 200 before as a league average.

Negatives
- Obviously, the first game really hurt me.
- Another night with 4 splits.
- No clean games.

I seem to be able to elevate my game when playing other good teams. I just need to find a way to play with that same focus when playing teams that aren't so good.

[Timmyb]

I have done this plenty. Absolute **** game 1, and then go off the next two. Frustrating as all hell. Next Monday we start at a new house. Hoping I don't get the new house blues. I walked in there a few weeks back on their house shot, and popped 237 off the bat.

[Aslan]

Sunday Night Established Mixed League

Week 5

We're like in 14th place at the bottom of the league. Tonight we played the team currently in 1st. They don't have any super-talented bowlers...but they have a guy averaging in the high 180s and the other 3 are in the high 150s to high 160s.

574 Series: 213-200-161

Seemed to be doing okay. Just, a bad time for a split (the 9th).
7 2, X, X, X, X, X, 9 /, 9 /, S8 1, X 9 -.

Switched to the Perfect Mindset (PM) for game 2. Left a pocket 7-pin in the 2nd frame...then again in the 9th frame. Felt okay, but I just never felt like I had the exact best line...like it was just a little off.
X, 9 -, 9 /, 7 1, X, X, X, X, 9 /, X S8 -.

Started off with the PM...but after a couple pocket 10s, I made the switch to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP). But, I just never got it dialed in...until the 9th. And, some bad luck...like a pocket 7-10 in the 7th and a pocket 10-pin in the 10th.
X, 9 /, 9 /, 9 -, 9 /, X, S8 -, 5 3, X, 9 /X.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.15
Strikes: 48%
Spares: 47% picked up

Single Pin spares: 72% (8/11)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (5x).
Also left a single 2-pin, 5-pin, 7-pin (2x), and 9-pin (2x).

Makeable spares: 57% (8/14)
Multiple Pin spares: 0% ([COLOR="#008000"]0/3)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 191.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 199.00.

Positives
- It was a pleasurable team to bowl...and we took 1.5 points as a very bad team bowling a better team.
- Physically I felt great.

Negatives
- This team is...tough to bowl on. They're nice and there's no drama...so that's great. But, when one bowler is bowling < 50...and the other bowls around 100...and our anchor fluctuates around the high 130s to high 160s...it just puts a lot of the team's success/failure on my back.
- Still trying to figure out what adjustments I need to make when switching to the OLP. It doesn't seem to have the snap it did early on. The ZMS and PM are so darn strong...that it's been hard to figure out how to make that move to the 3rd ball.

I don't feel "bad" about tonight. I think I bowled okay and ran some strikes together. Just couldn't quite make it last 3 games.

[Aslan]

Wednesday Night Established Men's League

Week 3

My parents are in town visiting, so they come out and watch me bowl...which is kind've a distraction...but its only for about a month and then my routine will go back to normal.

562 Series: 178-193-191

8 -, S8 1, 7 /, X, X, S8 -, X, X, X, 9 -.
Couldn't miss in practice/warm-ups...then 'poof'. Freshened up the surface on the Zen Master Solid (ZMS) and it always seems to be about a 1:2 move left when its recently resurfaced. Once I got dialed in, I did quite well. I just pulled a couple shots and got penalized both times with baby splits that I couldn't convert. Then, missed the 1st of 4 missed 10-pins in the 10th.

X, 9 -, 9 -, X, X, 7 /, X, 6 /, X, X 9 /.
Stuck with the ZMS for game 2, and proceeded to miss two straight 10-pins in the 2nd and 3rd frames. Hard pocket hits, but I couldn't carry. Again, I was fairly dialed in...just pulled a shot in the 6th and missed right in the 8th...but I converted my spares from the 4th frame onward...helping the team narrowly take Game 2.

9 -, X, 6 /, 9 /, 9 /, 8 /, X, X, X, S8 1.
Switched to the Perfect Mindset in the 4th, but didn't like the look so I switched to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP) in the 5th frame. The line held up well...right up until the 10th...when the line finally broke down and I got the maximum penalty of a 4-6 split. We lost the game by 1 pin. Ughhh!

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 48%
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 42% (3/4)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (5x).
Also left a single 2-pin and 6-pin.

Makeable spares: 61% (8/13)
Multiple Pin spares: 83% (5/6)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-7 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 187.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 202.33.

Positives
- I don't think I bowled "badly". I was hitting the pocket most of the night.
- Won a card game?

Negatives
- Lost our first games of the young season...so we'll likely be 8-3 and somewhere in the top 5.
- Still struggling with the new arsenal...trying to figure out how these things all fit together.
- OBVIOUSLY...10 PINS!!! Every time I think I need to buckle down and practice, I end up having a good night and re-thinking it. But tonight was just abysmal. I gutter, then I adjust and miss left, then I adjust and gutter, then I adjust and miss left. In a close series like tonight...where we lost both games by less than 25 pins and the total by less than 25 pins...I just can't afford to be 40-50% on single-pins.

This is a tough league. And, the opposite of my Sunday league. On Sundays, we have a few good teams and a lot of sub-par teams. On Wednesdays, It's like 15 really good teams and a few that , well, not so much. Gotta figure out the new arsenal. The Perfect Mindset seems a lot weaker than the ZMS...and it shouldn't be based on the stats. And, the OLP isn't as "snappy" as it used to be...not sure why...not sure if its something I did with the surface or what.

[Aslan]

Sunday Night Established Mixed League

Week 6

620 Series: 189-219-212

The score was negatively affected by an open in the 10th. Actually, things felt good. I just had to make some adjustments early on and had a couple bad shots in the 7th and 8th frames.
X, 9 /, 9 /, X, X, X, 8 /, 8 1, 9 /, 6 3.

Switched to the Perfect Mindset (PM) for game 2 and things were going well until the lanes started transitioning in the 5th and 6th. Switched to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP) in the 9th and finished strong, but not enough to get past the opposing team.
X, X, X, X, S6 1, 6 3, X, 7 /, X, XXX.

Continued to slam the pocket with the OLP. Essentially 9 straight strikes once I switched to the OLP. Ran into some transition in the 6th, but it was really the 1st single-pin miss in the 10th that killed me.
X, X, X, X, X, S8 1, 9 /, 8 /, X, 9 -.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.12
Strikes: 59%
Spares: 53% picked up

Single Pin spares: 80% (4/5)
Most common single-pin leaves: 2-pin (2x).
Also left a single 3-pin, 4-pin, and 6-pin.

Makeable spares: 63% (7/11)
Multiple Pin spares: 50% (3/6)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 206.67.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 210.67.

Positives
- Took 2.5 points from a much better team.
- Physically I felt great.
- Much better spare shooting tonight.

Negatives
- A chopped bucket in the 10th cost our team 1/2 a point.
- Single-pin improvement was in nor large part due to not leaving any 7-pins nor 10-pins.

A good night. Granted, 230 pins of handicap helps. But, just need to keep my focus and try to erase those '2' bad shots per game...that always seem to derail me. I feel like a big game/series is just barely outside my grasp. I'm almost there...just need to keep on track

[Timmyb]

Good week!

[Aslan]

Wednesday Night Established Men's League

Week 4

Had to rush to get there because I had a phone call with my daughter that ran long and had me stressed out. I also was bowling sick...some kind of respiratory issue. I was tempted not to go, but I knew one of the guys already had cancelled and we got a sub for him...and I won't be in town next week.

560 Series: 166-210-184

7 /, 6 /, 9 -, X, X, 9 /, 8 1, X, S6 2, 9 /X.
With missing warm-ups...took me a couple shots just to get lined up and my timing right. Badly missed a 7-pin and chopped a 2-5. Not sure why I keep having trouble hitting 2-pin combos. But, I've had a miserable time with 2-pins, 2-4-5s, etc...

X, X, 8 /, X, X, X, S8 1, X, X, 8 1.
It was a good game...just the dang open in the 10th killed me.

S8 1, X, 9 /, X, 7 /, X, 9 -, X, X, 8 / 9.
Switched to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP) in frame 2, but the line was just too tight. Seemed to strike every time on one lane and 0 times on the other...right up until the 9th/10th frames.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 50%
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (3/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin and 9-pin (2x each).
Also left a single 10-pin.

Makeable spares: 66% (8/12)
Multiple Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-5 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 186.67.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 194.67.

Positives
- I didn't bowl terribly.
- I'm still feeling healthy.

Negatives
- Left a couple pocket 7-pins and missed both of them...not even close to picking them up. Ughhh!
- Still working on the adjustments going from ball to ball. And still struggling to see the same movement with the OLP that I saw when I first bought it.
- Lost 3 out of 4 to one of the other league leading teams.
- Not sure why I was leaving so many 2-5s. I think it was just that every time I missed well right....that would be the leave.

Average dropped a couple pins in this league...so I'm at 196 in this league and 197 in my Sunday league. Still quite a bit high...gonna be tough to live up to...but, now that I'm healthy (knock on wood)...who knows? The stats and series were almost identical to last week.

[Aslan]

Sunday Night Established Mixed League

Week 8

490 Series: 159-129-202

Missed right a few times and got hit with a 7 count each time. Otherwise I was hitting the pocket well with the Zen Master Solid (ZMS); but two pocket 10-pins and two pocket 7-pins...which I was 50/50 at converting.
X, 7 /, 9 -, 9 -, X, 9 /, 7 /, S7 1, X, 9 /X.

After two good shots that were clearly just not carrying, I switched to the Perfect Mindset (PM) in the 4th. That was clearly doing the exact same thing as the ZMS....just with a different path...so I moved to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP). But my line needed some adjustments since I changed the OLP surface to P5000. Given that I was 1 for 4 on single pins, chopped a 6-10, and chopped two washouts...I tallied a 'wonderful' 129.
X, 9 -, S6 3, 9 -, 8 1, X, 6 2, 9 /, X, 9 -.

Thought I might finally have a decent line to play...but I was off balanced, rusty, and just not making consistent shots with balance and leverage. Fortunately, I ran some strikes together a couple times to salvage a 200+ score.
X, 9 /, X, X, X, 9 -, 7 1, 8 1, X, XX8.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.91
Strikes: 42%
Spares: 33% picked up

Single Pin spares: 40% (4/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (5x).
Also left a single 7-pin and 9-pin (2x each) and 6-pin.

Makeable spares: 37% (6/16)
Multiple Pin spares: 33% (2/6)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 163.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 183.33.

Positives
- Team took 4 points from a better team.

Negatives
- Spare shooting was abysmal.
- Carry was almost non-existent.
- Perfect Mindest was unusable.
- Had to make significant changes to my line with a P5000 surface on the OLP.
- Achilles was sore during and afterwards.

The team we bowled had a terrible night. One of their bowlers did well, but the rest of them struggled mightily. This is why I can't take the summer off. I literally missed 1 week of bowling (training out of town for work) and came back just terribly off-balance. I was slipping and sliding on the approach...which I think aggravated my Achilles. And, even though I thought I had figured out my spare shooting issues...I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn tonight. Ughhh....

[Aslan]

Wednesday Night Established Men's League

Week 6

Wasn't expecting much after a week off, but I performed better than Sunday.

565 Series: 234-192-139

9 -, 7 /, X, X, X, X, X, 8 1, X, XX9.
Was so 'ticked' after badly missing a 7-pin in the opening frame, that I really had to calm down and refocus. I also had to make some thumb adjustments...going down one insert size on the strike ball and adding a piece of tape to the spare ball. Started with a pocket hit leaving a 7-pin and ended on the 3rd shot of the 10th by again leaving a pocket 7-pin.

X, 9 -, X, S7 2, X, 9 /, 7 /, 9 /, X, XXX.
Switched to the Perfect Mindset (PM) in the 3rd. However, it just wasn't quite right. Decided to just switch to the Outer Limits Pearl (OLP) in the 7th...after another dang pocket 10-pin leave. Three (3) pocket 10-pin leaves...fortunately, I picked up 2 of them.

6 -, 9 /, 9 -, - 9, 7 /, 9 -, S7 2, 8 /, X, 8 /9.
When you only strike once in a game...you're not gonna put up a very big score. When you only mark in half the frames, ya might as well stick your head in the ball return.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.74 pins
Strikes: 45%
Spares: 47% picked up

Single Pin spares: 42% (3/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (4x).
Also left a single 4-pin, 6-pin, and 7-pin.

Makeable spares: 53% (8/15)
Multiple Pin spares: 62% (5/8)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 188.33.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 198.67.

Positives
- Achilles wasn't sore.
- Won a card game.
- Surprisingly, this was the highest game I've bowled in the last 3 weeks.

Negatives
- Not living up to my inflated mid-90s average.
- 'Tweaked my knee in Game 1.
- Game 3 was a nightmare...worst game in either league this season.
- Team lost 3 out of 4...so we'll be fighting to stay in the top 5 after this debaccle.

Impressed the opponents in Game 1. By the end of Game 3, I think they were just full of pitty for me. While this night doesn't seem very consistent; this is 3rd straight week, in this league, where I've had a 560-565 series (562, 560, 565). And, it's 4 out of 5 weeks having a series in the 560-575 (575) range. Four (4) games in a 15-pin spread is pretty consistent. And, even though I was very disappointed with game 3...I really try to limit my expectations to a 550+ night. If I get 550 or above, I will accept that.

My teammates were a little annoying tonight. Not all of them, just the one that drinks a little heavy. And, not to sound like a "ball snob"...but bowling is full of a LOT of older bowlers that just simply don't know anything about basic bowling ball technology. If RobM were here, I'm sure he'd say I'm preaching to the choir. But, our anchor is a very consistent bowler who can usually just throw a ball just outside of 2nd arrow and strike. He'd struggle like ***L on sport patterns...but he doesn't bowl on sport patterns. He has a 2nd strike ball, but he switches from one to the other without really being able to explain "why". It's just..."well, that game I struggled to get to 200....so maybe I'll try the other ball."

Well, I have 4 strike balls....and generally 3 "progressions". Of the 3, I really only use 2 because I currently am not bowling tournaments or on sport patterns. The progressions are listed below, and based on sound bowling technology/ball movement principles:

Progression 1
Zen Master Solid, Brunswick Perfect Mindset, Radical Outer Limits Pearl

Progression 2
Zen Master Solid, Radical Outer Limits Pearl

Progression 3
Brunswick Perfect Mindset, Brunswick Endeavor, Radical Outer Limits Pearl

It's pretty simple (to me anyway). I start out with the Zen Master Solid to figure out if I need to adjust my line at all or if I'm good to go. I either use it for one game or into the 2nd...depends on how fast my line breaks down. When I leave a flat 10 or see significant deflection....after a move left...then I ball down. If its early in the 2nd game, I ball down to the Perfect Mindset. If its later in the 2nd, I switch directly to the Outer Limits Pearl.

It's not a "foolproof" system....sometimes its hard to tell the difference between a ball burning up/losing energy...and a line that might be just a little "off" or maybe a bit too much speed, etc... But the progression is based on SOMETHING tangible. Yet, to teammates that couldn't tell you two things about the balls they are throwing...they just look at my ball changes and think its random. And you hear, "Why would you switch balls?! You just shot a 234!!"

Well....I'm switching balls because in frame 2 of Game 1, I threw a very good shot and left an obviously flat 10. I then threw the same ball on the other lane...and was very lucky to strike...because the ball had obviously lost its "pop". What happens when I make the ball change? I struck. So...I made the right decision. But, my teammate is the kind of bowler that would never switch balls until he threw so many back to back to back shots leaving 10-pins...that by that point you've essentially given away the entire game.

The issue I ran into, after making the change to the Perfect Mindset, is that I usually need to make a slight lateral adjustment...because no progression is perfect. The balls are from different manufacturers and you try to surface them to make the transition as smooth as possible with as few adjustments as possible...but there usually will be a slight change. Well, when I made the change, I really should have moved a little more left than I did...to account for a ball #2 that is stronger than ideal. By the time I got it fixed...I was starting to see the same problem as I had seen earlier in the game and it was really just time to move to the Outer Limits Pearl...which I did....and the next 5 shots were 9 /, X, XXX.

It's 5-man teams....lanes can break down fast on the right side...so you gotta be mindful of that. But there's no way of explaining that to bowlers that are just stuck in their ways. And I don't care whether I can change their mind or not....let em bowl however they want...I just ask that they not crawl up my posterior over my ball changes....when they don't have any idea what they're talking about. Rant over.