Here is my situation.  I have been bowling two years now starting in on three.  I am about to start a second year in my mens league.  The same team has won the league championship there 6 years in a row.  After some revamping of my team and those of us that stayed getting better.  We are close to them average wise.  As, I talked to a few people though they said yeah you guys are going to have a good team, but you are just running for second.  Nobody can overcome what they have no matter how good you are.  Now these guys are older and have been together a long time I understand that, but what makes them special?  Do any of you run into this type of thing in your area?  Honestly I think it is bull.  They tie their shoes just like I do and while I am not good by anymeans I think I can beat anybody on any given night.  Going back through the standing sheets last year though it was like a lot of teams just crumbled against them.  Not even within a 100 pins of their team average.  

What does everyone think?
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I don't really play cards and I am not 79, but it fits together somehow.

There can be an intimidation factor that enters into the picture...there are a surprising number of decent average bowlers that, for whatever reasons, do not perform well under pressure.    

Remain cautiously optimistic and bowl well

I think the key words here is "older bowlers".  To me that means accuracy.  These guys don't make very many mistakes.  In other words, they don't beat themselves.  As Micehlle stated you have that intimadation factor.  Teams like this are very hard to beat.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

If anything being the underdog might work in our favour. With them as the best team everyone is going to do their all to try and de-throne them, let them have the attention i say, fly safely below the radar and you wont have the pressure against you that you would if you were the best team in the league.

As many have mentioned their team relationship would be very strong, and they would know everything about each persons games. I say when you go out to practice, practice as a team, watch each other closly, find each others weakness's, hell go out to a pub together, what ever it is, do it together and become a solid team. That will go along way to beating these guys.

Keep us informed how you go, and check back in the night that you have to play them and let us know! Other then that, good luck on the lanes, may the 10 pin fall your way and not theirs, and kick some butt.

Good luck and high scoring
matt

Always run into a STRONG TEAM like this .. they are tough to beat because they are CONFIDENT that they CAN WIN. When I run into this type of team I get my team to STRIVE to JUMP OUT IN FRONT .. by the 5th frame try to be LEADING THEM .. that takes the WIND OUT OF THEIR SAILS!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

There is something wrong with the HANDICAP calculations I've seen .. I don't understand .. please explain. CASE IS: 70% of 200; bowler 1 has a 180 average .. he gets (understanding) 14 handicap; bowler 2 has a 220 average .. he gets 0 handicap. To me the 220 bowler gets a -14 handicap. Where am I going wrong?
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

Look on the brite side Andy.  This guy feels like he's too good for your team.  Chemistry wasn't going to be there no matter how well everyone else bowled.  While losing your highest average bowler may look like a hard blow, find another bowler like yourself that is willing to practice and improve.  When you get 5 guys on a team that are steadily improving they are impossible to beat in the latter half of the year.  Averages won't keep up with your improvements.  May be your best bet to take down the league champs.


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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel