Author Topic: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern." (Read 826 times)

JessN16 · « **on:** November 21, 2008, 03:03:06 PM »

A couple of years ago I was bowling PBAX, we were on Shark one night, my second-worst pattern.

I've had very limited success, ever, bowling it inside. I have to go outside -- way outside, in Norm Duke Land -- if I want to score.

So after about six frames of spraying the ball around inside, I went out, and I ended up shooting something like 165-180-190, and by the end of the third game it was starting to get fun. But that's where we stopped, of course.

So I'm putting my gear up and out of one ear I hear one of the guys that was on my pair griping about how "people don't know how to break down the pattern," "guys being selfish" and some other stuff. This league was sort of strange in its setup -- it was a singles league, but you bowled with the same three "teammates" every week. You just didn't count it as a team score.

So I asked one of his other regular teammates if the guy was talking about me, and he said, "Yeah, it was you and one of your teammates" -- meaning a guy who averaged about 140 that year, sprayed the ball mercilessly and wasn't really PBAX-ready in the first place. I doubt that guy had a plan to begin with.

So here's my argument:

* It's a singles league. I'm not really obliged to work with anyone. But sometimes, I will.
* However, "sometimes" isn't the Shark pattern. If I move in to try to help you break down the pattern the way you want it broken down, I'm going to shoot my IQ, if I'm lucky.
* Is it more "selfish" of me to bowl my game than it is for you to expect everyone to play it the way you want it played so you can have a shot at 240?

On top of this, this league was scored head-to-head, bowler-against-bowler, match-play style. Total pins didn't matter for any kind of league standings, so as long as you beat the guy across from you by 1, you got a point, whether that was 278-277 or 65-64.

I'm all for lane play strategy as a group, but there's a limit. Maybe if this was truly a team thing, I would have been more open to it.

Jess

Edited on 11/22/2008 0:03 AM

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2008, 11:26:26 PM »

You did nothing wrong. Being a singles league, it is every man for himself. He probably had a bad night and wanted to blame something or somebody else rather than accepting the fact that he threw the ball terrible. You were well within your right to do what you did. He needs to get over it.
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keeones23 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2008, 11:29:28 PM »

Singles league, every man for himself. That's how I see it. If it were a tournament why in the world would you want to help someone else's chances to beat you? Kinda the way I'm looking at it.

Necromancer · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2008, 11:46:58 PM »

I was on the Cheetah tonight in head-to-head competition and me and my opponent broke down the pattern correctly with me striking 8 in a row to close a game after 2 opens in the first 3 frames and get 226 only to lose to his 268.

Basically I used my Fury to dry the outside up, then I moved to my Recharge. Storm FTW!

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Edited on 11/22/2008 0:47 AM

themagician · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2008, 11:52:27 PM »

quote:
I was on the Cheetah tonight in head-to-head competition and me and my opponent broke down the pattern correctly with me striking 8 in a row to close a game after 2 opens in the first 3 frames and get 226 only to lose to his 268.

Basically I used my Fury to dry the outside up, then I moved to my Recharge. Storm FTW!
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Interesting attack, i've never found the ability to use strong stuff on the Cheetah, I always use middle of the road equipment and attack it up the lane right of 7 and have found success with it. But every center and oil machine causes differences in the shot.

Back on topic, I feel you did the right thing and in a singles league its about yourself, don't worry about the others, I have vastly different views if its team though.
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Edited on 11/22/2008 0:52 AM

JessN16 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 22, 2008, 01:53:27 AM »

quote:
Singles league, every man for himself. That's how I see it. If it were a tournament why in the world would you want to help someone else's chances to beat you? Kinda the way I'm looking at it.

Thanks, and I should add the following: If this was a team deal, obviously my strategy would have changed. I would still have let my teammates know, though, of my likely inability to help implement the "typical" Shark strategy.

Jess

KingofKings696 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 22, 2008, 06:00:36 AM »

To me it really depends many say in team play its different. However are you bowling with better players not as experienced players etc. I ask simply because a good player will score regardless. However someone not as experienced and who is somewhat single minded as to their approach to the lanes in general(for example will roll 10 to 5 no matter what) Then yes try to work the ball in such a way where you may get this guy to throw above his average and due to his handicap as long as everyone else throws handicap or better you should have a pretty good chance.

Now on to the topic I personally dont try and break the pattern down for others. I will generally create a dry spot down midlane or so 5 out at which point I will simply pull out my plastic and play up the gutter(further out then strokers) and being rev dominant slightly I can get my xxxl to pull back and carry as good as the reactives and such. So I say do anything within the rules to create issues for the other players while making the shot yours.

Strider · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2008, 08:07:16 AM »

Every "version" of PBA patterns can play very different from day to day or even pair to pair depending on how diligent/competent the lane man is. Even if you're on the same lanes with the same people all the time, you're under no obligation to help someone else out. As we've seen lately with Machuga on Chameleon or Duke on a variety of patterns, you don't have to play the patterns the way they're "supposed" to be played. Just because some donk read that Shark is meant to be played inside doesn't mean it's the best plan of attack on a given day. On my PBA summer league, the best shot, even on the longer heavier patterns, was often on the gutter. I have my doubts on how authentic the patterns were, but that's where the shot was for me.

Even with a team event, "breaking down the lanes as a team" is probably best left to people who actually know how to do it and have practiced it many times before. Unless you average 230+ on a house shot, there is more variation on your release, revs, speed, launch angle... than you realize. While you may think you're breaking down the lane, you're probably just making a mess in the heads and mid lane. Plus, unless everyone has a somewhat similar game, it's going to handicap someone. If you have an accurate low rev stroker, he's probably better off shooting straight down 12 on Shark rather than shooting 150 trying to play charcoal inside the 4th arrow "helping" everyone else for a game.
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Author Topic: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern." (Read 826 times)

JessN16

Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

TWOHAND834

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

keeones23

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

Necromancer

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

themagician

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

JessN16

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

KingofKings696

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."

Strider

Re: Opinions on "breaking down a pattern."