People throw the term ball death around usually when they stop scoring high with it.  I have an elite black label and the first night I threw it I had the best scores of my life.   It hadn't done much for me since. I am bowling with an injured middle finger now and can't get as much lift on the ball, because I'm only using my ring finger and my thumb, so instead of swinging it I went more down and in and it seemed to be hitting harder again.  
#1 has anyone ever experienced a similar thing
#2 is ball death possibly the ball doesn't have the ooomph to come back from where it was and if you change the line it can hit as hard as before?
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High game 300
High series 804
High triplicate 774
High average 221
best game. when I was 6 I bowled a 158