I think most everybody would admit that bowling's a mental game as much as it is physical (that way with most things).  So, my question is about the mental game when it's getting exciting (when you're doing poorly is another issue).

This is the background.  A local tourney with qualifying rounds over 2 days.  Sets of 4 games. I played 3 sets, the first with a 918, and the second an 824.  The first set was enough to get into the next group round of 32.  Was persuaded to try a third set.  Figured no harm, and maybe I'd get into the top 8 and be able to skip the second round.  First three games did very well: 264, 263, 267.  That's when some friends came around and the trouble started.  One noted that I was just shy of a 3-game 800 series, and I think that was what got me thinking.  Anyway, long story short, last game was a 169.  A 190 or 200 would have put me in the top 8, but I blew it.  

No big deal, just count it as a learning experience, but I would like to learn from it!  So this is the question:

When it's getting good and the adrenalin is pumping, what sort of mental strategy do you use to prevent a blow-out?

That's ultimately what separates the big boys from the rest of us.  I'm not a bad bowler and I think my physical game is okay, but I do tend to let the moment get to me.

You better bowlers out there, what do you do?  What do you think?  What do you not think?  What do you focus on?  Do you try to calm down or rev it up even more?

Cheers!
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Wildcard

"An unpredictable or unforeseeable factor"
(American Heritage Dictionary)

In reference to my scoring