This section will be used to discuss the weeks strategies.
The strategy this week was to try and keep up with all the
demands. A very busy week for myself. This was the first week of
the PBA Women's Series. My opinions about the combination of the
men and women bowling a combined tournament is very positive. I
think it works, and I think it is great for the fan...even
though it is very busy for me.
It will be very interesting to see how the show works out. It
seems they are crowding a format that will be very difficult to
fit in the TV time slot. Format has a lot to do with game plans
and I have been putting some thought into tomorrow game plans
for Mika and the girls.
As far as the girls are concerned Brunswick is in a pretty good
situation as both girls on the show are Brunswick staffers. As a
matter of fact 3 of the 4 in the semifinals were Brunswick
girls. Even though it will be a win for Brunswick no matter who
wins I still approach the match the same way. My job is to help
bowlers perform their best and let the chips fall where they
may.
The TV format has the two semifinal matches between the guys
will be held first. Then the ladies will come on to the lanes
and compete for the title. This is going to be interesting
because the girls will not have many practice shots. I believe
they are going to be given 4 shots a piece and start scoring. As
soon as the girls are off the guys are back on for their finals.
Again they will not have many practice shots. It will be very
interesting to see how this effects the scoring pace and outcome
of the matches.
To get to the show the fans were treated with a very exciting
match-play format that saw a lot of transition and adjustments.
That is very common on the Viper pattern and was compounded by
the fact that they PBA used an oil (Absolute Control) that goes
down the lane quickly.
Viper pattern is all about controlling and adapting to carry
down transitions. It does not matter what the bowlers strategy
is in game one they will se quick and dramatic transitions. The
viper environment on tour usually starts out with a low scoring
pace until the pattern blends out. Once the oil gets down lane
the bowlers jump zones and the scoring pace goes up
dramatically.
The Viper pattern is 37 feet which does not allow bowlers to
shut down their angles from in. The field is forced to start
further right. Some will use less angle stretching the oil
towards the pocket while others will open up their angles and
push oil sideways. When the oil is pushed sideway the scoring
pace is lower longer. The fresh is quite difficult. It takes
about 3 games to blend the condition out. At which time the
bowlers will recognize hang right that only a few can square up
to. Those that can square up to the pattern have the biggest
advantage on Absolute Control.
Those that can not square up struggle with carry. If they stay
right and fight it they begin to fight early and late reaction.
The move is to move the break point closer to the pocket and
adjust angles accordingly. Bowlers will move left not because of
the heads but because of the oil down lane. There is always a
sufficient number of bowlers trying to use a break point too far
right with balls that try to get around the corner only to
amplify the carry down issues.
Another characteristic of Taylor lanes is carry. Getting the
head pin off the left wall and back up to scout the back row is
left for a select few. The best hit is trip 4 and controlling
the 6 off the right wall. This effects ball choices and angles
choices. I did not like to amplify entry angle because it did
not allow the bowler to use a deep pocket. The light pocket
percentage forced bowlers to half pocket more often than the
trip 4 look. The trip 4 look favored balls that made a smoother
move.
The show environment has low ceilings, a big crowd and a larger
number of bowlers on the TV pair. I expect the oil to get down
the lane fast. The amount of practice will influence the
outcome. I anticipate Jeff Lizzi to try and blend the lanes as
soon as possible since he did not have a good look on the fresh
and he is in the first match. Walter will likely be right to
left unless the lanes get beat up dramatically outside of 5.
You can't effect Walter's ability to get to the pocket, the best
bet is hope he looses his carry. Eugene and the girls will
likely use quite a bit of surface which should have an effect.
Pay very close attention to the angles and the 6 off the right
wall. If a bowler over shells they will leave a lot of 6's in
the gutter. I expect cleaner covers that allow bowlers to use
surface. I prefer ball motion before 37 feet or after 43 feet.
If they do not practice much anticipate a lower scoring pace in
the early matches especially with the heat level being created
in the TV environment. That will change late in the matches.
Well I think I am going to call it a night. When watching the
matches tomorrow don't forget the pattern length is 37 feet. It
takes a pretty weak hand or extreme speed to square up to 37
feet with oil at the end of the pattern. There is no doubt we
will see both tomorrow.
Bowler development
The invisible course in bowling can be as easy or as
difficult as desired.
This invisible course is what makes bowling so unique when
compared to other sports. The playing surface in all other
sports is either regulated to very tight specs for consistency
across competitive environments...or the course challenges are
visible to the human eye. Bowling is an obstacle course that
bowlers must use their physical skills and probing tools to
challenge their opponent.
Many bowlers deal with the invisibility in different fashions.
The first thing I teach my students about the game is that
bowling is...always has been...and always will be about
transitions of this invisible course. What other sport can boast
the skills required to deal with an invisible course.
Imagine playing any other sport with the invisible challenges
bowling deals with...it will bring a smile to your face.
Football, Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Hockey, or any other sport
you can imagine would take on a totally different look if they
had to deal with a constantly changing environment that is
invisible to the human eye.
A bowler is required to use a combination of repetition,
versatility, creativity, feel, observation skills, knowledge,
experience, and a type of mental thought process that separates
our sport from any other.
A bowler is challenged to commit their strategy and execution in
an environment of constantly changing obstacles. Bowling has a
recreation is quite simple but bowling as a sport is not a game
for the mentally weak.
The bowler with physical skills is at an elementary level of our
sport and unless he or she realizes what the sport of bowling is
about they will plateau. There are a lot of bowlers who get to
this level and simply do not fair well when they are challenged
with what sport bowling is all about.
Great bowlers are artists with the ability to see, feel, and
trust what their senses are telling them. The creativity and
feel of a great bowler is a product of the development in their
human senses. This requires a level of focus and confidence in
human senses that rivals that of any sport. Bowlers who have
reached this stage of development get feedback that is then
processed through the mind to develop strategic Game Plans.
As a bowler moves up the competitive ladder he or she will find
that being physically better then their opponent is much more
difficult. At the elite level of our sport bowlers learn to
appreciate the mental challenges or are sent home looking for
answers. Some minds just do not deal with a constantly changing
invisible environment very well.
The uniqueness of a great bowler is easier to identify by their
mental makeup than their physical makeup. Confusion is the
number one enemy of a bowler. Sorting through information and
making decisions with commitment is a common trait of a great
bowler.
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