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Author Topic: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck  (Read 1502 times)

Ramtart

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Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« on: March 01, 2006, 02:40:23 AM »
Hey everyone. I'm sure most of you have been in a position where you are forced to Mark, Strike, Double, PUnch Out, etc. for the win.

Recently, I have been put in that situation in our 4-person Tuesday night league. Before last night, I have been put in that situation and as the anchor I feel that I have to rise to the occassion and make a great shot. Here's a recap of what has happened through the first 25 weeks of winter league.

1st situation - Needed a Strike in the 10th. Result: I left a solid 10 pin and we lose.
2nd situation - Needed a double in the 10th. Result: Struck on first ball, but left a solid 10 pin on the 2nd ball and we lose.
3rd situation - Needed a Strike in the 10th. Result: Threw a good shot and Stoned a Solid 8-pin and we lose.

Ok, so we a trend here right? Even though I felt like I threw good shots, I couldn't carry and it has cost us some games.
Well, last night we got some redemption.

4th Situation - Last night, our team comes from behind in the 10th and I have an idea of what I need to do, but to make sure I don't add extra pressure on myself, I don't look at the scoring screen. I took my time and threw my first ball in the 10th.
I get a light swisher/mixer and the 7 pin goes down late for a strike. The 2nd ball in the 10th, I take my time again and take a few deep breaths and stayed aggressive and flushed one in the pocket for a strike. Then I finally look up at the scoreboard and we only need 3 pins to win, so I threw it down the 4th arrow, stayed away from the channel and made sure I got count for the win.

So I finally get some luck with a light swisher. I guess luck has a lot to do with certain outcomes. As you can see, the first 3 situations, I threw decent shots in the pocket and couldn't carry. Then last night, I get a light swisher and carry that for the first out of two strikes to win. Got real lucky with that first ball in the 10th.

Lesson Learned...Luck is unpredictable.
Felt like St. Patrick's day came 17 days early.
Glad it finally came last night =)

What are your thoughts and making shots and luck?
Would love to hear your opinions and stories...

Thanks!
Ram
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Regards, M.C. RAMmer


Edited on 3/1/2006 11:30 AM
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Ragnar

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2006, 10:54:46 AM »
Long ago, in a forum much like this one, but blue, there was a raging debate about the role of luck in bowling.  I said then, and I'll say now, there is no such thing as luck in bowling.  What there is, is preparation.  Ram, you weren't lucky - you were prepared.  Prepared to make a good shot, prepared to win.  In the three situations where you didn't carry I'd bet that you, despite the feel, didn't quite throw the shot as well as you might have liked to.  You were a bit tight, a bit too loose, a tad fast or a smidge slow.  On the one you carried you took the pressure off by not being aware of exactly what you needed and you threw an excellent shot; maybe not quite the one you wanted, but still an excellent shot.  A classic example of preparedness meeting opportunity.  In my opinion when someone becomes too aware of exactly what they need they will tend to make slight, unnoticed, changes - maybe they stay in the ball an extra 1/1000th of a second or maybe the flick up just slightly with the ring finger - but they  do something slightly different in trying for that specific outcome.  By attempting to just make a good shot, as you did, you let it flow more naturally and got what you wanted.
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shelley

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2006, 11:20:27 AM »
Last week on Tuesday night was barely a clutch situation, but a good story nonetheless.

We're bowling the proprietor's team.  We hate bowling them.  They aren't any better or worse than any other team, we just don't like bowling them.  We lost in the position round to them after they pre-bowled without telling us, we ended up splitting the games and tying for second, I think.  Real sore spot.

So four of us get up and more-or-less punch out in the tenth.  Some get 20, some more.  We're down by seven for the game and have already won total by a handful.  The lanes are total crap.  The anchor gets up, ball takes off halfway down the lane, and he gets four.  He gets up again, we need four more to win (and it will e a sweet victory).  Loses it off his hand and it's in the gutter by 20 feet.  We split, 2-2.

SH
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Pinbuster

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2006, 11:33:41 AM »
I pretty much agree with Rags.

You have to have the training and confidence to perform when needed.

Far too often when a shot is really needed a bowler will try and get to precise with a shot. They do what I call place the ball onto the lane rather than letting their mind go and throwing the ball on the lane.

That little bit of lack of free wheeling will often be the difference in from a strike to a ringing 10.

It is one of the reason scores are getting higher. It is so easy to get to the pocket you can be loose and free wheel you shot rather than having to fit the ball into the pocket as in the past. Bowlers can max out on every shot.

It feeds on it’s self. You have room so you free wheel. Because you free wheel you have more room. And in reality because you know you have room you end up not using it as much.
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mumzie

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2006, 06:25:42 PM »
I attempt to approach every shot as if it's the 10th frame of a tight game. Because I usually come through in the 10th frame of a really tight game. I just don't execute as well the other 9 frames...

As far as luck - you make your own. With relaxation and practice.
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DON DRAPER

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2006, 09:40:50 PM »
our local association just finished with our city tournament. the team event was held at a 40 lane house with badly worn( 46 years old ) wood lanes with laneshield over the top. i shot 697---not bad by my standards. i threw the ball well, hit the pocket 29 out of 30 frames. the carry was another matter. game #1, two solid 9's. game #2, two solid 8's. game #3, four, yes four, solid 7's. several of the association officials and fellow bowlers extended their sympathy after seeing all those solid taps. were these taps all due to bad luck ? bad racks ? bad shots ? i know i was able to make the shot---i just didn't get the carry.

the singles and doubles portion of the tournament was held at a smaller house with 8 wood lanes that are the original ones from 1969. this house is really in very good shape. the interesting part is that they just got automatic scorekeepers two years ago. they just got a machine to clean the lanes----oiling is done with a ketchup bottle of lane oil and a mop ! anyway i shot 674 in singles with one solid tap---a solid 8. in doubles i shot 715 with just one solid tap---a solid 9. this time i made the shots but carried better.


i believe there's some truth in luck----good luck if you throw it right through the beak and you get a strike and bad luck if you leave eight solid taps in three games.
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jd1319

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2006, 10:36:34 PM »
there is definately an element of luck.  Much of bowling is guessing on which adjustments to make and when.  Nobody guesses right every time, being prepared and experience increases your chances, but it's still guesswork.
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JessN16

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Re: Survey: Being in Pressure Situations, Pin Carry & Luck
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2006, 11:07:42 PM »
Yeah, I disagree with the "no luck" thing. Or more appropriately, "chance." Ninety-nine percent of it is on the bowler, but anytime you're involving so many other physical variables, there's a chance factor in there.

Recent case in point: Tuesday night, I'm in the 10th needing to strike out (and hope the other guy doesn't) for my team to win. I get up and throw the first shot, I strike. He gets up and throws his first shot, he strikes. Both shots dead in the pocket.

My second shot goes dead in the pocket -- the six pin is in the process of falling down, until some other pin comes off the side board, hits it, and stands it back up, spinning on its base. Game's over at that point for us, anyway, but to add insult to injury, the guy I'm bowling against throws his second shot right in the face, and all 10 pins fold over to both sides like Moses parting the Red Sea. Bad luck for me, good luck for him, times two.

Jess
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