July 31st, 2000: Week 9 of the Youth/Adult League

Games/Series	167, 141, 154: 462
Total Score:	4,501
Rating:	Poor
Average:	166.704 (-1.508)
Team Rating, Wins-Losses:	Pathetic, 1-3
Team Total Wins-Losses, Place:	27-9, 3rd/20, 3 gms. behind 1st

Week 9 proved to be the complete opposite of Week 8. Instead of total domination,
my team was dominated. I bowled pretty badly as well. I shot my worst performance
since the second week of the season. And just like in my CJ2 League Championship
Loss in 1998-1999, I was in the "great depression" after Week 9. This would turn
out to be just the first layer of what would be a really bad week for me personally.

Game 1: Two opens, one strike, and seven spares. Easily my best game of Week 9.
Unfortunately, it was my team's worst game of the season as well. 106 point loss.

Game 2: Rotten luck? Everyone said that I was trying too hard. It could have been
the lane conditions as well. All but one of my shots were in the pocket in Game
2, with only one of those being a strike. I was ice cold in the first half of the
game. I bowled one open frame in frames 6-10 to salvage a 141, my worst game
since Week 2. However, a super-strong 277 from one of my teammates lifted my
team to a 73-point victory

Game 3: The celebrating wouldn't last long, however. I was UNABLE to strike
once in Game 3, but I managed to pull out a 154. My team, however, bowled merely
average, and the price was paid: a 22 point loss.

Then again, one of my opponents shot a through-the-roof series with a 122 average.
That didn't help.

In Week 9, numbers meant nothing, at least for me anyway, in relation to my actual
performance. 90% of my shots were in the pocket. I could have shot a 750 series
just as easily as I could have shot a 300 series. Everyone said I tried too hard.
A few also said that the lane conditions didn't allow my ball to have enough "drive"
in the pocket. Only two bowlers (one on each team) actually performed well.
Everyone said that I'm good, but it didn't show in Week 9. I should turn the tables
in Week 10 to regain some momentum for the big matchup in Week 11.

Final note: I will be bowling in Coquina Juniors 2 2000-2001 and be
league secretary for the third straight season.