Is what's going on with Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria considered choking ?


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Bowl up a Storm,
Jeff Carter
www.stormbowling.com
www.jeffcarterbowling.com
www.myspace.com/jeff1295

Jeff, I understand where you are coming from, but it's very hard to connect the two.  One game you do all the work (ie. Barnes whiffing a 4 pin, on the other hand Pena & Longoria are reacting to what the pitcher is throwing (on an incredibly fast level.)  I think you could equate what Barnes does to what Rick Ankiel did a few years ago.  It has nothing to do with the physical aspect of the game.  As we all know Chris Barnes is one of the single best bowlers in the game, however at unfortunate times he's made mistakes that have cost him titles.  Even though he has been in that situation many times over, he seems to struggle down the stretch.  
Many professionals "choke" down the stretch, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Colin Montgomery all did this in major championships.  It's a mental state.  He gets nervous, has trouble relaxing, whatever the case may be it's become a pattern.  He needs to overcome this from a mental standpoint.  I've choked before, I'll admit it, but I'd like to think I've learned from it and moved on.  Chris Barnes has put himself in that situation numerous times (because of performing well throughout the week) but his success rate has been fairly low lately.  I think it's very admirable the way he's handled himself, I would have gone off the map.  The only thing i can say to him is, keep up the excellent bowling.  Everyone chokes.........Everyone.

What I am getting at from my previous post (which may have been a little vague with the reference), is without fans support, the PBA would shrivel up and die, period.  Does that mean the touring pro's need to kiss fan's butts?  No way.  But, it also means that the fans do not have to kiss the touring players butts either.

Fans have a right to their opinion, the ones who are at the event are paying money out of their pocket to see the event and these players perform, and those of us at home are paying our cable company and tuning in to watch the best players in the world week in and week out.  Fans of every sport, player, or team, live and die by the way those people or teams perform.  The Barnes fans are no different.  They support the guy, but probably get frustrated by his lack of winning on TV.  And those that do not like Barnes will just have more reason to not like him by the way he bowls on TV.  I believe that Barnes is one of the greatest technicians the game has seen, as evidence by his ability to get on the show consistently.  This, BTW, has nothing to do with his ability on TV.  The lanes play different, the TV lights are hot and bright, and the pressure is amped up.

But, by seeing a touring pro flame the fans for voicing their opinion, by starting this thread, on a player that many, including myself, love to watch, is disheartening.  This whole subject could have just went away as the week progressed, but here we are still talking about it because seemingly a pro has a beef with how some of the public view Barnes and his TV struggles.  I thought PBA players had more class, that they were able to be above the criticism, especially when it is not directed at this person directly.  A few people on an internet board voicing opinions on Sunday's show causes this reaction from a pro? I guess we should stop televising the events and post the results, that way no one would ever criticize the PBA players, or praise them, for that matter.  Wow, I would hate to see what would happen if the PBA guys had 50,000 people boo them like a player at a baseball game.

I love to watch the PBA on TV.  I look forward to it every week, and I have met many touring pro's at the events I have bowled in, and had a good time each time out, with 99% of the guys being very down to earth and cool to hang out with.  I just don't feel that any good can come out of flaming the fans who comment on Barnes' TV struggles.  They are entitled to their opinion as paying customers of the PBA, just as it is another fans right to defend Barnes as a supporter of that particular bowler.  The pro's are just that, professionals, and the status, perks, and criticisms that come with it are part of the territory, like it or not.  The ability to rise above it, and appreciate the fact that they get do something that most bowlers only dream of by competing on the PBA tour week in and week out.

BTW, I really like Barnes, as a person and a player.  He is very down to earth and one of the best bowlers I have ever seen in person.  I don't believe he chokes on TV, if he is guilty of anything he may overthink things a bit, but that's all.  He will go down as one of the greats when his career is over, no doubt about it in my mind.  I just hope there is a PBA around for us to see it, but if the players do not realize that without fan support and criticism of the players, there will be no PBA, then there is no hope.  Go ahead, flame away.......
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MainePBA
"I'd rather be a conservative nut job than a liberal with no nuts and no job."