Going in I would have favored Mike Devaney
because I thought the guys would beat up the edge where Walter
wanted to play. Not to effect Walter just because that is how
the pattern transitioned all week. Each of the players look got
better later especially Mike Wolfe and Chris Barnes.
The TV pair has unique characteristics as well. Anybody who
knows me understands I see the sport as a battle with an
invisible course. In some cases there are things that are
visible. This pair is one of those. The two lanes have
topography differences that can definitely make a difference.
The left lane has a gradual dip that begins just past the
arrows. This is even more of a consideration this week because
that is right in the area of the lane many players are using.
Using a break point that is closer to the foul line worked well
this week.
I expected this to be more of a factor early when I thought the
players would stay right. What seemed to happen was the players
decided to get away from that area of the lane quicker. Mike
Devaney showed this in this match with Walter. Mike used a
different strategy then he had used all week. He decided to hook
it instead of squaring up to the pattern and play the yank.
Anybody who watched the show can tell you that Mike was not at
the top of his game. He used different angles and equipment than
he bowled so well with during the week. I think his body and
mind was conditioned to do one thing and he tried something
else.
Mike will tell you that he just bowled
bad and is OK with that. He can move on.
He knew it was a gamble based on the decision of the pair being
used for TV.
Walters show ball. He used the same
ball in both games
Mike Devaney's ball. He did not use
this ball during the week. He decided to hook the ball
on the show.
moved about 2 and wanted to get it off the
track. using speed control to get the ball back
not a lot different than the hit in the 1st
frame looks like he needs to move right and use
the early hook better
3
flush
4
do not like the way he is attacking the lane. I
don't think the lane is ready to be that deep
with his break point that far down lane.
flush
5
looks confused but it looks to me he cut his
angle down. still think his break point is a
disadvantage being that deep. catching it was
the key. If he missed it the ball got long
ball hitting early hook pretty hard. I like the
early break point but ball choice is a little to
quick. He will have to slow his hand down
6
softer speed
7
looks like his ball is getting to different
spots but still getting back
8
off his foot got right and was slow enough to
get back
ring 10
9
good run ball reaction is looking better. I was
concerned about his speed control because he has
been throwing it awful hard this week. Good job
of speed control
I have seen this a lot from Chris. This is the reason
Chris baulks. The ball gets in his swing early and he
misses it at the bottom. Everything is good but his
timing. It happens in the pushaway
10
looked for the scout to get back over to the 10. That is
not an easy thing to do in this house. Mike's tendency
is to gas it. He did a good job of controlling it in
this match.
10
10
I think I was surprised to see Mike play the lanes the way I
did in this match. I knew he wanted to move left but I
thought he was doing it too soon. When I watched the match
unfold I would have told you that Chris was a huge favorite
based on their strategy. I also knew that by the time either
one of these two got to the championship match they would
want to be left where Mike was at.
Bowling one game matches is different than the best of seven
format and has a tremendous effect on many bowlers.
Accepting that the TV format does not give bowlers the time
they may like to get comfortable is something they just have
to get use to. Committed to a game plane and trusting your
instincts is a very important lesson to learn for TV.
Mike has developed a very sound mental approach. Mike and I
have worked closely over the years and I would not have told
him to move left as early as he did. But what is becoming
very special about Mike is that he sorts through information
better and trusts his own instincts.
Chris is without a doubt one of if not the best player on
tour. But Chris is at his best when he has time to get a
feel for the competition environment. He gets better as he
has time to acclimate himself.
I thing Chris bowled great and did all the right things to
win this match. The shot that everybody will say was a
mental choke is not what people think it is.
Chris's physical game is based on a text book free swing and
timing. You may have noticed over the last several years
where Chris catches himself in the middle of his approach
and stops to start over again. He is responsible for the
ever more popular baulk.
He stops because his timing does not feel right. This
started several years ago when I told him that I could call
his shot in his second step. This will always be a very
important factor for Chris's game. His ball will look on
line but it will not make a move because the ball gets to
the release point early and Chris's hand collapses more than
most bowlers at this point. This timing creates more end
over end roll and less hit.
Nine time out of Ten Chris catches this during the approach
and his strike percentage after a baulk can't be far off
perfection. The shot in the tenth when he could have shut
Mike out was the one out of ten that he did not feel in his
approach.
If there was anything mentally wrong with his show
performance it was that his feel was not at its best. The
uniqueness of Chris's release that separates him from the
other bowlers creates different results when he makes small
errors. Most bowlers get grabby or over throw it. Chris's
small mistake is just the opposite and will result in what
looks like a fly by. I am sure Chris will get beat up over
this on the PBA message boards but not near as bad as he
will beat up himself. Chris expects a lot out of himself and
if this was a seven game match he would rebound without a
problem
What is a problem is that Chris has yet to accept that
bowling on TV is a crap shoot bonus round that is a reward
for bowling good and is more about being in the right frame
of mind and blowing off the results as a product of the
format. Most bowlers are neither as good or as bad as their
TV records indicate.
Mike is a great example of progress in this area and Chris
is not.
Chris's ball on the show.
Mike's ball choice for game one.
Mike made a ball change for game two.
flush
Walter using 15-20 feet
Wolfe using 40-45 feet
5
flush
looks like Walter missed it at the bottom
6
great shot.
solid 8. 3rd one of the day
7
2 pin sideways
this is when you can see the early hook he is
playing has him trapped
8
early read on the lane will need to move off
this look
it looked like less hand to me
9
flush
loose and free
10
flush
Walter's hand looked faster which caused it to rev more
and read the early friction wrong
10
10
Carry is always the issue with Walter Ray. He
won't miss the pocket in the game. Mike is more likely to get 7
than Walter is. I like Walter's angles the key is whether there has
been enough break down in the heads to keep his ball from
hitting. The Left lane has some topography issues that can keep
the ball from hitting. Mike will need to be on top of his speed
control and hand. Ring 10 is expected if he is firm. Watch for
the shots out of commercial for Mike they will be very critical.
I expected Mike to be using the track by this game but as I was
thinking about this match while writing for this site. I asked
myself when did I expect Mike to make the jump. I have to
believe that is why Mike moved left in his previous match with
Barnes. Mike really did a great job of following transitions
during his match-play portion of the tournament. At the end of
every match he was left after starting right. It was just a
matter of whether he was using the track or just right of the
track as his break point.
Hind sight has it that Mike made great choices again. Had he
played right and won against Chris in his first match would he
have had the time to get acclimated to the area of the lane he
knew he wanted to be in for the championship match. Gosh knows
there has not been enough practice shots between matches when
there is four matches being televised to get comfortable with a
zone change.
Mike made a ball change from game one and bowled great. He had a
better look and out executed Walter to win his third PBA title
and for anybody who has seen Mike's progress knows there is a
lot more to follow.
Mike bowled fantastic
Walters show ball. He used the same
ball in both games
