Last week was my first week off from bowling since the season has started.  My team is a 6 man team and instead of doing low man we just use a rotating schedule.  Well normally when my time comes up someone else calls and ask me to bowl for them.  It has been like this for almost 2 seasons so I have pretty much ditched the schedule.  I only bowl one night a week(Thursday's) and now that Thursday has passed and I was told that I didn't have to bowl that night I am really needing to get out there and bowl.  Oh well I think I might go practice tomorrow since I have a mid-term tonight . 

Up until 3 weeks ago, from the start of the second half of my Thursday night league I couldn't get my average.  I was shooting anywhere between 550 and 590.  I knew something was wrong, but I just couldn't figure it out.  The ball just didn't feel right coming off of my hand and when I did happen to hit the pocket I could not carry at all.  So I was practicing one day and another guy that bowls in my league let me throw some of his equipment.  Our span and finger hole sizes are the same but he has a little less reverse pitch in his thumb.  I realized that his ball felt better coming off of my hand then my own equipment.  When I went back to throwing my equipment it felt like I was losing the ball at the bottom of my swing although I feel that my grip fits like a glove.  So I contemplated with reducing the reverse pitch in my ball, and then I thought how bout if I put a few pieces of tape in my balls.  It is amazing what 3 pieces of black tape can do for your fit.  I have never really used tape much, but since I have made that adjustment I have been back on my game and will always have a box of tape with me.  The past three weeks although not amazing have been fun again and I have shot 605, 645, and 647.  Now I need to get out to the lanes and start working on that ten pin again.

Whassup Bowlspace?  I went and rolled in our bowling alley's monthly Desert Shootout's end of the year tournament, and I was feeling really confident.  I hadn't bowled in these tournaments since the start of the football season(because of the Sunday Ticket, and I am a big Saints fan) but there was a decent size prize fund so I decided I could Tivo my games.  So I get out there, start the 1st game off with a double and I am thinking 'ok this will be a good game to start out with'.  Third frame I leave a stone ten pin, so I am like 'too easy just pull out the trusty pink hammer and pick it up'.  I get up there all lined up and going into my slide my slide foot decides it was going to react like a sneaker, and I faceplant right onto the lane.  Oil all over my hands and shirt, and the group of other bowlers asking you if everything is alright before they decide it is alright to laugh at you, which was no problem because I was laughing at myself.  As you may guess I missed my ten pin, and I pretty much couldn't get my timing right for the next game and a half.  This was really frustrating and this is the 2nd time that this has happened in the past 3 months.  I missed the cut by 20 pins and I couldn't help but think if not for the face plant I probably would have made it.  Oh well at least I won a side pot for one game.

Tonight is my bowling night.  I am bowling on the dreadful lanes 1 and 2 but I don't care because I am just excited about bowling tonight.  I will get my usual pitcher of Amber Bock and enjoy my night.  I think it is because I only bowl once a week and a monthly tournament that keeps me excited week in and week out.  This year my team hasn't done too well in the first half of the season but hopefully we will pick it up in the second half.  I am not a member of what you would call a powerhouse team but, I have been with the same team since I was relocated here 6 years ago, and I am pretty loyal person.  I am the youngest on my team by far, but my team members are all down to earth and don't care one way or another if we win or lose.  We have finished anywhere from last place to 2nd place since I have been on the team.  This is my second FULL year with the team being that I was in the military and always on some sort of deployment, but they have always kept a spot for me.  Some people ask why don't I try to get with a stronger team, to tell you the truth I really don't know.  Right now I am averaging 205, but in tournament play that goes up to about 215-220.  I think that I just enjoy relaxing for league, and I enjoy the company of my older team mates.  They are all in there late 50's to maybe mid 80's and they all seem to bowl for sheer enjoyment.  I am very competetive and I want to win everytime I bowl, but I leave the stress of competition for my tournaments and bowl leagues for relaxation.  If I was on a more competetive team, like when I lived in New Orleans, that may change but until then I will drink my Amber Bock and enjoy my bowling.  Will post results from tonight later. 

Quick question.  Does anyone in the tucson area know where the 12 Game match play New Years tournament will be held this year?  I am in Sierra Vista and there aren't any flyers out here this year.