win a ball from Bowling.com

Author Topic: Friend says I am a bad teammate  (Read 11655 times)

Neptune66

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 461
Friend says I am a bad teammate
« on: May 02, 2019, 02:14:05 PM »
I have a tendency to want to put a ball away after I've had a really good game with it, and my friend (and teammate) says that's selfish if I do it in league.

I can see his point if the team is still in contention for the playoffs and if the game was a 230 or better or with a really strong finish. To put the scores in perspective, I'm only averaging 172 in this league, but 180+ in my other two leagues, and even with those averages, used to get my fair share of 220 or better games.  But not so much this year.

And my team was out of contention weeks ago and we're only bowling for points, but still...   I bowled a 215 the first game and then decided to switch to a different ball.  I had my reasons and again...  the 215 was a solid, reasonable game for me ... and clean too.  But it wasn't like I was on fire at any point.  And I really thought the ball I switched to would work better or at least as good.

It was a colossal mistake with a bad result, and my friend remembers that earlier in the month I had bowled a 255 in the 2nd game and then put that ball away for the 3rd, with similar results.  And even that time, I felt that even though I was throwing a phenomenal shot, I was really laboring to get the ball far enough down the lane  to maintain the shot, and decided to switch balls before I started missing my mark if I didn't keep the speed up.  He accused me of wanting to put the first ball away so I could put it (figuratively speaking) in a trophy case.   He was not 100% wrong, but he was not 100% right either.

Unfortunately that perception is there now. I'm not clairvoyant, so am I not allowed to guess which ball I THINK will be best in the next game....even if it's not the one I just bowled great with?

Granted...  if we were in the playoffs or in contention, I would be much more conservative and not want to change ANYTHING. Even what I had for dinner or what street I drove on, etc... and, of course, the ball.  But we are NOT in contention, and 215 was decent ---especially for me in that particular house---- but it was not phenominal and off the charts, so I don't agree with my friend's view.

Am I a jerk?

 

SVstar34

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5451
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2019, 02:30:59 PM »
Short sighted teammate that only sees scores and not actual ball reaction.

I had a clean 226-206 Monday night, but I knew I wasn't getting the right shape through the pins. Made a switch to get a different shape and finished 258.

When you understand ball reaction and your equipment, it allows you to make decisions that a lot of average bowlers don't really see
« Last Edit: May 02, 2019, 02:36:01 PM by SVstar34 »

BallReviews-Removed0385

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 0
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2019, 02:47:50 PM »

I bowl in a second shift scratch league full of good bowlers, but I choose teammates who I want to bowl with, rather than ones who might max out our team strength, but be jerks if someone has a bad night, etc.

It's a long season full of highs and lows by every bowler, so a little kindness and understanding goes a long way in the team chemistry department.   Team chemistry is critical when you want feedback (or are asked for feedback) regarding ball choice, angle to the pocket, or any other time when an extra set of eyes are needed. 

Bowling should be fun.  Anything less will be disappointment over the long haul.

Skip H

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 125
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2019, 04:09:20 PM »
Only you will really know why you put the ball away but I can see your teammate's view as well. If you put the ball away because you knew you were going to shoot 700 with it and wanted to keep your average down for handicap you probably should be tossed out of the league. If you did it because you can't throw the ball faster and feel that balling down will give you a better chance to score better than by all means change. I've done that often only to go back to the original ball after making a bad choice.

psycaz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2019, 08:54:33 PM »
Time to be completely honest with yourself...

Why are you truly putting the ball away after good games?

Bowlaholic

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 711
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2019, 09:30:00 PM »
You're not a bad teammate.  As you stated your team was not in any kind of contention, so if you wish to do what you did that's your call.
Now if you had a good look in competition where it mattered, then that's another story.


leftybowler70

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1710
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2019, 09:43:15 PM »
You're not a bad teammate.  As you stated your team was not in any kind of contention, so if you wish to do what you did that's your call.
Now if you had a good look in competition where it mattered, then that's another story.


This.

Skip H

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 125
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2019, 09:54:58 PM »
Is it still USBC Rule 17a regarding unfair tactics in order to gain an unfair advantage?  Otherwise just known as sandbagging.

Impending Doom

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6288
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2019, 10:27:25 PM »
Is it still USBC Rule 17a regarding unfair tactics in order to gain an unfair advantage?  Otherwise just known as sandbagging.

If someone accused me of bagging because of a ball change, there would be an altercation. Where I'm from, you call someone out, you better have rock solid proof

Mbosco

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 242
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2019, 10:59:40 PM »
Are you a jerk?  No.  Good bowlers trade one ball reaction for another all the time, even after decent games, as they read the pattern shifting.  However...good bowlers do that well.  170-180 ave bowlers do that...well, like they average 180 (read: late novice, early intermediate bowler).  I would suggest the next time you're in this situation that you ask your teammate to watch your shot and discuss whether the best adjustment is a move or ball change.

MI 2 AZ

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8150
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2019, 11:05:08 PM »
So what happens when you bowl bad and continue to use the same ball, while trying different foot, target, hand or speed adjustments, which may not be as obvious to them?  Are they asking you to change balls?
_________________________________________
Six decades of league bowling and still learning.

ABC/USBC Lifetime Member since Aug 1995.

Skip H

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 125
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2019, 06:24:17 AM »
Is it still USBC Rule 17a regarding unfair tactics in order to gain an unfair advantage?  Otherwise just known as sandbagging.

If someone accused me of bagging because of a ball change, there would be an altercation. Where I'm from, you call someone out, you better have rock solid proof

I understand that accusing someone of sandbagging is a bad accusation but the he did say that the team wasn't in contention anyway. When you use your team's standing in the league as a factor to switch balls in a manner that appears to be noncompetitive it does open you up to be questioned.  Would he make the same choice if his team was 1/2 point out of first place and this is the last week of league?

I only bowl regularly in a scratch Sport league. No motivation to sandbag and everyone averages around 20 -30 pins less than they would on a THS. It can be very humbling.  Getting your feelings hurt by shooting 150 after a 220 is common.

BallReviews-Removed0385

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 0
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #12 on: May 03, 2019, 06:26:15 AM »
So what happens when you bowl bad and continue to use the same ball, while trying different foot, target, hand or speed adjustments, which may not be as obvious to them?  Are they asking you to change balls?

Excellent point here!

In addition, I feel that sometimes Joe Bowler goes through ball changes because he feels obligated, since he lugged 7 balls into league on a house shot... ;)



Skip H

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 125
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #13 on: May 03, 2019, 06:36:12 AM »
So what happens when you bowl bad and continue to use the same ball, while trying different foot, target, hand or speed adjustments, which may not be as obvious to them?  Are they asking you to change balls?

Excellent point here!

In addition, I feel that sometimes Joe Bowler goes through ball changes because he feels obligated, since he lugged 7 balls into league on a house shot... ;)




I feel that way about everything in my basement. 

psycaz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
Re: Friend says I am a bad teammate
« Reply #14 on: May 03, 2019, 07:24:48 AM »
I think a lot of you guys are missing something here.

Reread the OPs first sentence of his post:

I have a tendency to want to put a ball away after I've had a really good game with it, and my friend (and teammate) says that's selfish if I do it in league.

He admits it’s not solely because he feels a ball change is necessary due to lane conditions.

He has to be honest on why he’s doing it.