February 19th, 2000: Week 18 of Coquina Juniors 2
Games/Series154, 231, 107: 492
Total Score:8,691
Rating:Average?
Average:160.944 (+.179)
Team Rating, Wins-Losses:Good, 4-0
Team Total Wins-Losses, Place:56.5-15.5, 1st/11, 5.5 game lead
Line
Read this carefully:
I've bowled a series of 475-499 five times heading into Week 18. Out of all
those performances, I didn't miss my average and I didn't bowl a 200 game.
My high series without a 200 game is 547, which I got on October 30, 1999.
My low series WITH a 200 game is 476, which I got on September 30, 1995.
September 30, 1995 was also the ONLY time in which I failed to bowl a 500
series when I bowled a 200 game. That's about to change. I know that my team
won 4-0, but I wanted to tell you what happened in this very odd week of
bowling. A little suspense, complete with thrills and spills.

This includes the following:

1. Suspense
2. Drama
3. Terrible sportsmanship by the opposing team
4. Bowling like an expert
5. Bowling like a 5 year old
6. Me saying "I don't lose!"

Game 1: #1, #2, #3, and #6 were included in the 10th frame of Game 1. When
I came up in the 10th, I heard foul language from the opposing team directed
to me. Shortly after, I said "I don't lose!" Then, the opposing foul language
continued. I said "I don't lose!" because I was in a position in which if I
didn't perform well, I would put a great amount of pressure on my team's best
bowler to bowl 3 strikes to win. Unfortunately, I did just that in the 10th
by missing the easy spare attempt which would have given me a 165. Then my
team's best bowler successfully bowled 3 strikes in the 10th to make my
team victorious. I was relieved. Greatly.

Game 2: In a good percentage of my games, I start out with a strike. I did
that here, and this is where #4 comes in. I found a groove and started out
with 5 strikes in a row. I was fairly calm throughout, which helped me get
off to such a great start. Unfortunately, in the 6th frame, two pins canceled
each other out and left me with the 6 pin, which I then missed by the thickness
of a quarter. After that, I got 3 spares with relative ease. In the 10th, with
183 after 8 frames, I knew that I couldn't get my best game ever, but I could
still tie it. I was well on my way to doing just that with two strikes in
the 10th. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the 3rd strike in the 10th
I still ended up with an incredible game.

But, #5 would come into play. In Game 2 on January 24, 1998, I did real
poorly: (text modified from original version)

"Game 2 was like no other. That first sentence may suggest that I did real
well, but that was definitely not the case. My only highlight was a 6th
frame strike, and that was it. I missed easy spares like I was a small child
going for the 5 pin. I could have broke 100, but I couldn't seem to do it.
With 76 after 9 frames, I knew I needed 2 strikes in the 10th to break 100.
It just wasn't meant to be. I wasn't too pleased, but then, I wasn't too mad
about it. I just hope that this is my last game under 100. My team lost so
badly that even if I bowled a 200 game, my team would have still lost."

Here's how I did in Game 3 on February 19, 2000:

In Game 3, I seemed to get off to another good start, but it just wasn't
meant to be. I knew that I would have to get the 231 behind me if I had any
chance at performing well in this game. But, in the second frame, I got 7
pins on the first ball and completely missed on the second. That must have
shaken me to the point where I could not possibly do anything. I had so many
bad breaks that it clearly wasn't something to laugh about. I had more open
frames in this game than in Games 1 and 2. By the time I was up in the
10th frame, my team had already won, but I was more interested in breaking
100. I had 87 after 9 frames, so I had to do something in order to pull
this off. On the first ball in the 10th frame, I bowled a strike, which
made me only have to bowl 3 pins on the next 2 balls to pull this off. One
thing that I thought of was that the pins were just going to "give it to
me," in which I would strike out in the 10th no matter what. I thought I
had it on my second ball in the 10th until I left that solid 6 pin. I
managed to pick up the spare and survive with a terrible game.

Summary: If you look at how I've finished recently, I've been very, very
consistent. If you look at the games that I've bowled recently, you know
that it's a different story. My consistency has been non-existent in
that respect. In that 3rd game, I tried different lines to see which
one was working, but I kept missing spares, and they weren't even close.
But you know what? I don't care how I did. I care that my team comes out
on top. An individual High Game award is good, but winning the League
Championship is my ultimate goal.

The facts on how I did today:

My games: 154, 231, 107
My series: 492
Third 230+ Game of career (second 230+ Game with one open frame)
Second Highest Game of career
Second Series of less than 500 when I bowl a 200+ Game
Still haven't bowled a game under 100 since January 24, 1998
Still haven't bowled more than 5 strikes in a row
I didn't miss my average
Largest margin of 2 consecutive games (124)
But I don't care! It's my team finishing in first that counts the most!