It was "just" practice (although it's never JUST practice to me) and I didn't feel nervous or tense, but I was anxious to get it over with. The previous 11 shots had all been solid and well thrown.  Even 2 Brooklyn's that were technically off the mark but delivered with the same smooth (for me) delivery as the others at just the right speed and angle. 

 

Had been here before too.  A total of 4 times.   But the previous 4 times I had been nervous and anxious and didn't throw the ball quite as hard cause I was trying to counter my tendency to throw too hard when I'm excited. No... this time I was cool as a cucumber.  Even considered sitting down for awhile or walking around and chatting with people. Anything that would be different from the first 4 times.

 

But I wasn't worried. I would just pick up the ball and throw it soon as I could before I forgot how to duplicate the exact delivery I had executed 11 times in succession.  So I picked up the ball and calmly got ready to throw and then ----there it was again.  The voice in my head!

 

It said to be sire to throw the ball hard enough (unlike the last 4 times) to compensate for the likelihood that I might not throw it hard enough. And then the other voice said that was hogwash, and that I shouldn't change anything and shouldn't be listening to the first voice or even the second one.  And I threw the ball and it was a relatively clean delivery and release, but because I had been thinking was just a hair slower then the previous balls (about 17.5 or so compared to the relatively high 18.3 for this mid fifties guy who still relies more on power than rotation), it started it's movement just about 2 seconds too soon, and ended up on the Brooklyn side. but this wasn't the hard type that would bury all 10 pins or the super light kind that would mix them into submission. This was just plain old stupid [choke!] of a Brooklyn, and the end result was another 298.   Have now thrown 4 of those and a 299 in the last 3 years.

 

And although this was my first time over 290 in 18 months and I should be happy about that in some way. right now I just see it as the 5th time I have messed up the 12th shot.

 

I wish I HAD been nervous, but I wasn't.  And I could have thrown a ball that I felt was a good shot and still gotten a 298 if 2 pins remained standing, but I KNOW (just like on the other 290 games) that the 12th shot was a stinker.  Not a horrible one, but it was not just bad luck. It was a choke.

 

Only it wasn't a choke from nerves. It was a choke of stupidity from thinking too much about the 12th shot. How does one stop themselves from doing that?  Maybe next time I should stop and go to the bar and order a drink or something?

 

Ugh !!!!!!!

 

Edited by Neptune66 on 1/14/2012 at 4:49 PM

 

Edited by Neptune66 on 1/14/2012 at 4:52 PM

I have to slightly disagree here.  I know it is hard to ignore the situation, but to be more successful in times like this, you can't tell yourself you are going to strike this time.  That is worrying about the RESULT and not the PROCESS.  The minute you can ignore the score you have, or might have, and concentrate on throwing the proper shot, you will have better success. 

Pin-chaser is right about applying pressure.  The pressure should be the same the first ball as it is the last ball, but to do this, you have to worry about the process of throwing the ball.  This is where the pre-shot routine and imagery comes into play.  It should be the same for every ball you throw, irregardless of the score.  And this is why scores don't matter.