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Author Topic: Choke of the Century 215-214  (Read 10757 times)

Necromancer

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Choke of the Century 215-214
« on: January 27, 2008, 03:55:39 AM »
Michael Haugen Jr. wins.  Barnes chokes again by missing a 1-pin spare.

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shelley

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #31 on: January 27, 2008, 01:36:00 PM »
Barnes doesn't always choke, and coming in second (I'm waiting for the Earl supporters to say something like "he didn't lose, he just ran out of games") isn't always a choke.  I've seen Barnes lose to a better opponent, it isn't always his head that stops him.

But today it was his head.  There was no way he was going to strike on that fill ball, not after failing to strike for the last four or five frames, not after flagging that 10-pin.  As soon as he missed the first one in the tenth, Haugen had it.

A blowout 7-10 on a pocket shot ain't chokin', flagging a 10-pin when you just need a mark is.

SH

JessN16

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #32 on: January 27, 2008, 03:52:51 PM »
Some of you posting in this thread need to be realistic.

Pros are not above analysis from the masses simply because they're more talented than us. That's a given. But fans in all sports have a "right" to speak. Don't think for a minute they don't.

Some of you can't equate a very factual point of analysis with anything other than a slam. I've never met Barnes, so I can't speak for or against him as a person.

But as a bowler, today in the TOC? He choked. Choked. Say it, learn it, live it, he choked. A professional bowler in that spot in that tournament should NEVER miss a 10-pin or any other single pin.

It's not about how many 10s I've missed in my life, or if I'm as good as Barnes. If we limit criticism of Barnes to it coming from people who are as good as he is, no one on this site could say anything and neither could 75 percent of the exempt field, either.

But that's not how analysis works. The only thing that matters when analyzing something is if you are smart enough to know what you're talking about.

Today's miss was, IMO, bigger than Ballard's gutterball. Ballard needed something like 7 pins to win and had been playing an outside line all day when he guttered. Barnes needed to throw a plastic ball straight at the 10. He didn't have to play an angle or worry about revs. Just hit one pin.

Haugen deserves major credit for hanging in this game and never giving up. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity and Haugen was prepared for his opportunity when it arrived.

However, he never would have had a chance had Barnes not committed a completely indefensible mistake at a crucial moment in a tournament of epic proportions. That, folks, is the working definition of "choke" in the professional athletic sense.

I don't hate Chris Barnes. But he choked.

Jess

DON DRAPER

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #33 on: January 27, 2008, 04:11:06 PM »
first of all, congrat to michael haugen, jr.  what a comeback. never gave up. took advantage of an opening-----that's being a true pro.

why wouldn't you want your children to bowl like chris barnes ? i'd give anything to be half that good. he's a better example of what a pba member should look like and act like than most you'll run into.

would you rather your children acted like chris collins ?

someguyintucson

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #34 on: January 27, 2008, 04:28:01 PM »
What were the odds of Haugen winning this week? Makes you kinda wonder if Barnes had some money on him to win after missing that easy 10 pin spare in the 9th.

mrgriswold

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #35 on: January 27, 2008, 04:32:31 PM »
quote:
Let's keep it civil but here is why there is no denying he choked: he missed a 10 pin.  It wasn't a split.  It wasn't bad luck.  It wasn't the lanes.  It was him.  Chris is a great bowler but he lacks the internal mental state that the greats have in any sport like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.  It is a shame really.



Well put.  I feel terrible for Chris Barnes.  He is arguably one of the three most physically talented bowlers of our time.  

Yeah, he choked.  But I urge others not to pile it on and instead root for Barnes' restoration.  Who among those of us reading this forum has never choked?  

I for one hope to see the restoration of Chris Barnes and hope he wins many championships and majors.  The battle becomes more difficult now--all the more reason to root for him in my book.


CaliBowler300

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #36 on: January 27, 2008, 05:05:39 PM »
Anyone have this match on u-tube yet? I missed it and I would like to see it.
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dpunky

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #37 on: January 27, 2008, 05:18:05 PM »
This match reminded me of another finals match a few years back between Joe Ciccone and Jason Couch.  Joe had a 43 pin lead in the 6th and had the match all sealed up for his first career victory when he started making mistakes in the 7th and 8th frames.  Joe could never recover and Jason took full advantage of it by striking the from the 6th frame onwards to comeback and win the title.  Joe looked as dejected as Chris.

Chris is a great bowler.  He has all the talent in the world. When I watch him, I think he puts way too much pressure on himself and tends to make mistakes because he's overthinking.  Yes, he's human and he will make mistakes.  I just wish I could just tell him to just clear his mind on the approach and just pry it off.

Congrats to Michael on his second victory, and first Major.  He deserves this for all the years he's struggled to get a single victory.
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agroves

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #38 on: January 27, 2008, 05:50:41 PM »
He choked it, plain and simple.  He will never be the elite PBA player until he can lock it up.  Until today I thought Barnes just had bad luck and wasn't a choke artist.  But that whiffed ten pin today changed my mind.  I told my wife, if Haugen can put alittle pressure on him, he'll crumble and choke this one away....  

Andrew
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230-n-up-or-bust

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #39 on: January 27, 2008, 05:59:44 PM »
was the stat 8-18 in title matches?

He may not be the mother of all chokers, but, with that much talent, he should have won a LOT more than eight times.
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NOTHUMB

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #40 on: January 27, 2008, 06:21:06 PM »
Ill give Barnes this---I do believe he is a great bowler, Id be an idiot not to.

Ive always said that he makes ok shots on tv---not professional shots. His off shots are 2 pins or 4 pins that could be 4-9s. Im not saying that he is horrible. Its just how many times have you seen him guide a shot in by 3-4-5 boards and then act dumbfounded as to why it hooked? I know some of us want to believe with is wonderful physical game, that he cant make mistakes---watch the replays in the past. Too many times Ive seen him cave buckets for key strikes to win a match, then he comes back the next game---leaves a bucket, and wonders where it came from??? He just never seems to make the right move on the shows. I remember when he used to match up with Walter Ray periodically he would always seem to try to play Walters A game, even though it wasnt his A game. He would try to pipe it up 10. Walter would shoot 258 and Chris would shoot 225 with 1 BIG MISTAKE. It is what he does.

Shafer was the perfect person for Chris Barnes to draw in the semis---someone who just doesnt win. Its a confidence thing. Everyone is siting when they knew Chris would lose the match---how about when Haugen came back and said "Make him show up at least." That planted a seed in Chris' head. He is thinking at that point, "I just need to show up, just stay clean and I win". And look what happens. People say he rushed, or whatever---he missed. He made a HUGE mistake. As many times as Ive trashed him in the past, I will say this....

He has come back from what I would consider chokes, so many times. Now this is a by definition choke---if he comes back in the same way---even if its just to finish 2nd all the time like he does now, Ill be impressed. Todays loss had to be, at best, disheartening. He is a professional bowler---in the 6th frame he throws a shot through the break and leaves a 2 pin. Then in the 8th on the same lane, he gets it out and throws it soft---he leaves a 4 pin. Then in the 10th frame he throws it through the break again.

Did anyone else find it curious that he hooked at the 2 pin??? I know you all may not read this whole post---but he always goes hard and straight at spares unless its the 2-8 or 3-6-9-10. That just basically said that he had lost faith in what got him there. For most bowlers, that would be the perfect position to do what you need to do, make the spare and stick with the program.

Then he throws his fill ball---pulls it a couple boards---and would have been VERY fortunate to carry.

He just never seems to be able to make that one move. That one adjustment that will win him a tourney. I know he has won. 8 times. I know he has a ton of 2nds. I know he is an incredible talent. Still put his talent with some other guys brains and you have the best bowler EVER.
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Strider

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #41 on: January 27, 2008, 06:41:50 PM »
quote:
Chris Barnes' career is over. $400,000 of his winnings are from a Brooklyn strike from the Motel 6 Roll to Riches. Yes he has 8 titles, 8 more than me, but he will never win again. He is like Notre Dame, a has been.


Never win again?  Want to lay some money on that?

quote:
And in regards to Earl Anthony, he was a left hander with no competition except Dave Davis and Johnny Petraglia. Earl would not win a single title today. Mike Aulby would struggle too.


Do you honestly believe that Earl Anthony would be a non factor today? I've read some interesting opinions over time, but this just might take the cake.  Earl dominated during weeks when no other lefty made the top 24 and even during weeks when they made an effort to shut out the lefties.  He wasn't flashy, but was insanely accurate, knew how to adjust his carry, and never beat himself.


I did notice that Barnes threw his strike ball at the 2 pin.  He hadn't missed a single pin all week and made all the previous ones during the telecast.  I've had a bad day where I've flagged a few corners and eventually switched to something different for spares, but losing confidence after one blown spare was something else.
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agroves

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #42 on: January 27, 2008, 06:55:57 PM »
quote:
Chris Barnes' career is over. $400,000 of his winnings are from a Brooklyn strike from the Motel 6 Roll to Riches. Yes he has 8 titles, 8 more than me, but he will never win again. He is like Notre Dame, a has been.

And in regards to Earl Anthony, he was a left hander with no competition except Dave Davis and Johnny Petraglia. Earl would not win a single title today. Mike Aulby would struggle too.


Uh, sure.

Barnes will win again.  I sure about that.  It will be win nobody puts pressure on him.

That last paragraph is ridiculous.

Andrew
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vrbowlinfl

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #43 on: January 27, 2008, 07:34:35 PM »
Earl in his prime can bowl in today's game. I just look at Walter and see not the perfect form but just the able to be so consistent in hitting a mark which was learned from yesterday's game. Put a resin ball in Anthony's hand, he would be a top player.

Barnes will win again. One thing I would give him is the ability to overcome his bad breaks and choke jobs. I would not be shocked if he makes it close to the show if not make it the next tourney.
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tonybowls

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #44 on: January 27, 2008, 07:36:21 PM »
Barnes is very resilient that's for sure!!! He'll bounce back from this.

baltimora

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Re: Choke of the Century 215-214
« Reply #45 on: January 27, 2008, 07:46:13 PM »
i don't see how you can tell his personality by the smirk on his face. that is just an asinine comment. his mental game is far outstripped by physical game it appears. Chris unfortunately did choke again. I wonder if he has ever worked with a sport psychologist? my mom said to me after 5th frame well there is no need to watch the rest of this match. i concurred and boy we were wrong. i hope michael bought chris a drink. a double.
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