I do that with my teammates on Tuesday night.  We have a hanging pot, if you're hung you owe a dollar.  I'm captain, so if everyone strikes, I'm hung whether I struck or not.

I bowl third, so if the first two strike, I always say I'm not worried, that Richie (anchor) will save me.  Either I won't strike and he won't either so no one is hung or I'll strike and he doesn't so he's hung.  Upset him at first.

SH

A friend of mine once hit on a girl we were bowling against when I was in junior league.  He wasn't rude or anything, but it did throw her concentration off a bit.  That and it was funny as heck.

I love to patronize my opponents.  When they throw a high shot and leave a 4-pin, I'll just shake my head and tell them there is NO WAY that pin should have stood up.  A flat shot resulting in an 8-10, I'll tell them that they got robbed and that everyone else around us is carrying, why aren't we?

It keeps them thinking that they are making good shots, and continually adds to their frustration.

I love bowling!!!

It is tricky.... very tricky... normaly I don't try to play mind tricks on my opponents... I think it is poor and shaby and... I just don't do it.

BUT I do during training... My training partner and I we try to get us oof our concentration each other... just to get used to it...

And it works... I found myself much stronger about mind games played on me.

Also trying such stuff during league can end with a warning from the referee if the words get too harsh...
Also once I was justeld/knocked when I got to the balls from the guy that came of the approach.. lucky him the referee didn't see it othervise he might have get a red card and been thrown of the lanes... these things are handled as an assault during league play.
Mind games... huh... who needs such childish things... though I have to admit they work...
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"Have fun and bowl well!" - Grayson


Check out my Vid in my profile.. just short clips cut together about how I bowled and how I play today

and by the way... I am a "Fritz" a "Jerry"... I am from Germany! (And please don't call me Kraut! Cause then I call you Dumbarse)

people use them but i dont, and it dont work on me.  we bowled a team 2 weeks ago and i'm anchor for my team.  i usually wait til after their last guy throws his first ball, to see what we need if we need anything.  well he opened and we needed 2 strikes and 5 count to win.  before i got on the approach to bowl he says out loud to his team..."he needs 2 strikes to win so we got this game"  now i know he was saying it to get in my head, but all it does to me is make me laugh because i know it doesnt effect me.  proceeded to punch out.

second game same thing, came down to the tenth, i needed strike on first ball.  he says the same thing, but this time as im setting myself on the approach.  i go double, stone 9.  last game we just stomped them so it didnt matter.

when im on the lanes, i clear my head and all i hear is the voice in my head telling me to relax and hit the spot and watch the ball do all the work.