Well, it depends upon when that statement is uttered. If everything (300-800, tourney title, etc.) is riding on a single shot, while I'd like to throw a great shot, I'll be more than happy to live with myself if a good break gets me what I want. Still, all things being equal, I'd like to pure the shot AND get the result I'm looking for.
We all just need to realize that there is almost always a clear reason why we leave what we do. If you drill the pocket and leave a 7-10, it means your ball probably came back a little too late, causing it to come in slightly behind the head pin, which thus impacts the deflection into the 7 and 10 pins. Sure, the ball technically got to the pocket, but it didn't get there at the right time and with the right angle to carry. Sure, sometimes we get away with those shots, but it's not quite the unbelievably bad break some people make it out to be when both pins end up standing. That's also the case with solid 8-pins. People always used to say that it's the only true tap in bowling. These days, solid 8's are very easy to leave, especially when you're playing deep angles. Sure, the ball comes up and gets flush into the pocket, but it doesn't have the continuation to get through the deck to the 8-pin. If you watch the ball leave the pin deck on those hits, you'll see that it goes straight back or just slightly in the direction of the 9-pin. Is it still a pretty good shot? Sure it is, but it's not terrible luck - or terribly hard to understand.
Again, I just posted about this as a reminder that we all need to take a look at where and how our bowling balls are moving on the lane and leaving the pin deck. The information you gain from doing so will help you understand what you are leaving and why. There are times when everything looks good, but you still end up leaving something behind. That's what happens when two round objects collide; however, more often than not, you should have a pretty good idea why you left what you left. It's not bad luck; it's bad ball motion-matchup at that point in time.
Spencer,
You're exactly right. Last night wasn't the most fun evening of bowling I've ever had, but I was very pleased with my spare shooting. If I can make nine out of every ten 10-pins I shoot, I will be quite happy!