HOW TO REPROGRAM YOUR MENTAL GAME!

 INTRO & NOTES for the 432 ways that makeup bowling:

       Just to give you a heads up, you've found the biggest webpage on my site. You should have  noticed it took a little longer to load. The loading of my page was still quicker than the mechanics trying to fix those lane machines that keep breaking down. You shouldn't be too rattled because you have a good mental game. ENJOY my definitions! 

THE STATS PLUS WHO’S WHO TRIBUTE TO SOME GREAT PEOPLE!
    What HOW TO website would be complete without some history, a few great articles, some great photos, a little humor, honoring persons who made a difference, two top 10 lists, share how promoting attracts customers, give lessons to improve your life, tell you where answers can be found, why stats are the backbone for improvement and have more fun than going on vacation traveling listening to great music? No website would be considered complete without a dictionary to validate its great history. Everyone should learn at least one thing after reading through my dictionary!
    This maybe the first dictionary to accurately describe any sport. A must read for any bowler. 

The Dictionary for the modern bowler  By Alan Brizee © 2001. rev. 2020, 2024

        NOTE: July 5, 2020. It took two weeks to get this page to look good because of the software I had to use. I added photos and links to make it somewhat interactive. I also wanted to give those who appear, their just tribute for being remarkable persons in what they do and have done to help others including me. It’s an honor to be able to cross paths and include them as they touched my life and helped make life more fun. I obviously couldn’t include everyone, so don’t be too upset if you’re not included. With some of the definitions, you may be glad that you weren’t included. I can add to this list of over 420 later. At the end is the list of people who will appear on this long list and where they will find themselves on this page if not listed under their name. I couldn’t believe how many words I’ve added and adding to certain words, since I first wrote this 20 years ago. This dictionary shows the 50 years I have competed in our great sport and why it really is the greatest sport around. I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed writing it!

       Intro: This is dedicated to the modern bowler. Why the modern bowler? If you haven't bowled for the last 40 years, you’ll probably don’t know. Since the reactive resin balls started flooding the market about 25 years ago, scores have soared above the clouds. Who will be the first advertise a 300 game or your money back guarantee, in every ball they manufacture? What center will guarantee a 250 average if you bowl in their scratch league? The bowler with the magic sphere in their hands gives other bowlers headaches and is hard to beat. You can almost buy a remote control guided ball guaranteed to destroy racks. The future will have drones taking your ball to the center and you just sit in your living room deciding how to attack today’s condition. Bowlers will no longer be considered athletes as they won’t actually be rolling the ball. Your equipment today decides who wins and advances to the playoffs. You could be blindfolded and string strikes. You’ll only need your mental game for shooting at the few spares you’ll leave. 

     NOTE: Because I’m right handed, references to not striking due to leaving a 10 pin will be used. Obviously, but maybe not for certain, left handers or "wrong handers" as some right handers have called them, they’re sometimes not in the “right” frame of mind and have to reverse the pins they left. Sorry John, Jeff, Dwight and Kary, I really needed to warn others who maybe starting their career bowling.

      It takes at least three balls to shoot 700 and four balls to shoot above 800 today, where in years past, you had either one or two balls to bowl with. But EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT, it is the how, what, where, when and why that you must answer. How many beer frames will my team have tonight? What frame will our opponents wave the white flag? Where is the team going after they win the championship? When will the next great ball come out? Why do I keep winning brackets every other week? Of course you know the answer if you have the right equipment. Bowling is of course great when your equipment matches the lane conditions. Will it be the same for next week?

       Some of the over 420 words and phrases in my dictionary aren’t even in Webster’s. Don't lie to me and tell me you know everything about bowling. Even after reading through my entries, your head will swell from all this useful information, as only after your finished reading, can you then say without thinking and hesitation, you know almost everything about bowling. Even I don't know everything about the game I love. I know enough to be able to add a little humor to so others can appreciate bowling more. Those of you who don't have a sense of humor, should read my book, The Path to Excellence, 31 Days to the Zone, instead of reading further, so at least you’ll improve your bowling.

      None of these definitions should be taken seriously. Some are closer to reality than some of you will want to believe. This dictionary is for enjoyment only and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it back in 2001. It took many months to write this, and terms have been added and maybe more will added in the future. So kick back, take your shoes off, relax and enjoy. Just don’t fall asleep while your reading or you’ll lose your spot and have to reread some of it. This is also to give insight for those that are just taking up bowling and of course, HOW TO talk bowling with other bowlers. If I missed anything or if you have suggestions for the ones I have, message me or let me know. I’ll be happy to add them and give you credit as I did in 2014.

        I hope the PBA and USBC realizes that any entries, aren’t the opinion of the PBA or USBC. The PBA entries are to honor all the great bowlers for the over 60 years the organization has existed. Norm Duke, Len Nicholson and Mark Roth are just three PBA Hall of Famers mentioned on my website. Norm already knows about my book when he shot an 863 in the 2019 Senior Masters. I’ve added him because of the Next Level clinics and improving my overall game. Len is added because of his writing and the great books he’s published. He just received the Luby award and will inducted into his second Hall of Fame, the Bowling Writers Hall of Fame as well the PBA Hall of Fame. The few mentions of ABC and USBC are to honor the governing organization that obviously changed over the years and isn’t the opinion of the USBC. Andrew Cain is also mentioned and is a former president of the USBC. He also is a great coach and turned my game around. Andrew is still active bowling PBA events and the main reason I went to see him for my lesson. Norm Duke,  Len Nicholson and Mark Roth are just three PBA Hall of Famers mentioned on my website. Norm already knows about my book when he shot an 863 in the 2019 Senior Masters. I’ve added him because of the Next Level clinics and improving my overall game. Len is added because of his writing and the great books he’s published. He just received the Luby award and will inducted into his second Hall of Fame, the Bowling Writers Hall of Fame as well the PBA Hall of Fame. The few mentions of ABC and USBC are to honor the governing organization that obviously changed over the years and isn’t the opinion of the USBC. Andrew Cain is also mentioned and is a former president of the USBC. He also is a great coach and turned my game around. Andrew is still active bowling PBA events and the main reason I went to see him for my lesson.

      And wouldn’t think that all this fun would stop. For a more enjoyable experience, are the 25 characters that can show up to bowl any given day. Because they relate to bowling, you need to be informed and the reason why they’re listed. Because after all, it’s all about having fun, and these 24 competitors can be found in the Stats Plus Competitor’s Guide with more detailed information on each competitor, for those of you that want more info. Yes, a few might want more info. Read the guide, so you’ll now know who you are, and then determine who your competitors are and what to expect when bowling against them.

      I have honored 37 persons who made bowling the greatest sport ever. These individuals have made bowling what it is. You’ll see their name and the reason why they have their own definition. It’s more of a tribute to them as they contributed to the overall enjoyment of the game. Two have passed, but the others will know who they are after seeing their name. Again, remember that this is for fun and not making fun at them. Some humor used maybe looked at differently by others. This article could be turned into a book, but would probably collect more dust than readers. That is why it is on the website. This article shows why I love bowling and after 50 years on the lanes, can make a few jokes about it. This is to let everyone know why bowling is the greatest sport enjoyed by more people than any other sport! Thanks go out to Andrew, Beth, Bob, Bobby, Dr. Steve, Dwight, Joey, John, Ken, Laura, Len, Mark, Mike, Norm, Roy, Scott and Steve. These 17 entries have been added or had slight revisions since 2001. I added an index at the end to show where on my website they appear.

      These 432 definitions cover most aspects of bowling and is one reason why bowling is really, no matter what anyone else says, one of the greatest sports on the planet. Over 100 added since being on the web six years ago. It’s not about the Benjamins or the rings, it’s really about the beer frames, going off the sheet, getting in the roll-offs, making the finals in brackets, showing mental toughness, having fun and competing with great teammates. What other sport offers more?

     ADDITIONAL NOTES: See Xyz means Xyz is in my dictionary and see Xyz's definition. Check it out, means it's on another page on my website and you can click on it to take you to the section where you'll find it.

*added or revised since 2001. Message me with any questions or additions.  

10 pin* 1. This pin kept ABC from going bankrupt once athletes figured out that

      accuracy wasn’t really that important. 2. The reason why most bowlers don’t have

      five times the honor scores awards as they think they should. 3. One of the reasons

      why I won the Tucson USBC Senior Masters, as my opponents kept leaving them.

100% 1. The amount needed to have fun on today's conditions. 2. The amount of effort

      you need to help your team pull out a victory.

300* 1. A score so high that bowlers won’t have to lie about after shooting a perfect

      game. 2. A goal to shoot at least once every season by bowlers having shot 10 or

      more. 3. After drilling your ball, what pro shops guarantee you’ll shoot tomorrow.

      4. What score all bowlers want drilled into their new ball. 5. The score beginners

      want for bowling three games.

800* 1. A score better than shooting 300, but will anyone notice? 2. The series most

      bowlers miss by one or two strikes when throwing the ball well. 3. The score all

      bowlers want to shoot at least once.

"A" game 1. How bowlers use "a" ball and "a"ttacks the pins with their favorite shot

      because it's on a condition where they can throw some big games. 2. The “a”bility

      to throw some big games on your favorite condition. (See “B” game.)

ABC's* 1. The knowledge bowlers need to compete on today's conditions and what will

      be needed in the future. 2. The rules that the American Bowling Congress made

      over 100 years ago that the bowlers are supposed to follow. 3. What the USBC lost

      sight of after the merger of ABC and WIBC, as they now say they have the best

      interest for the bowlers after now having only one high score award for your career.

ability* 1. A skill of stuffing bills (Benjamins) in your wallet during pot games. 2. What

      most bowlers want when needing strikes to win.

accuracy* 1. A lost art and skill needed many, many years ago. 2. Young guns today

      and two handers with revs, don’t worry about not having this ability. 3. What some

      bowlers realize is needed to average 210 with today’s conditions.

action* 1. How some good bowlers put extra cash in their pockets to pay their

      mortgage, instead of getting a real job. 2. How the old timers challenged

      themselves to become better. 3. A side bet such as brackets and eliminators to

      show others that you still know how to score when you win. 4. A missing part for the

      “kids” today, as very few of them have extra money to bowl pot games or brackets,

      or the experience to beat the seniors. 5. What the reaction (Good action) of your

      ball does to knock down the pins. (Check it out, the Pin Action book in my library!)

adjustment* 1. A move most bowlers must make when competing. This is due to the

      reactive resin balls soaking up most of the oil on the lanes causing them to break

      down. Today, most bowlers start throwing in the oil around the 20 board out to the

      dry, so they won't be making more than five adjustments in a night. 2. A required

      skill that strokers need if they want to beat the crankers. 3. A tweak that is needed

      after leaving a 4–6 or a 4–6–7-10 split. 4. What every bowler should know to carry

      that corner pin that’s velcroed to the lane. (Check it out, my adjustment article.)

advice 1. What your opponent will try to give you to throw you off your game, but only

      when you're scoring. 2. What your doubles partner will give you in the hope you’ll

      start stringing strikes. 3. What coaches give to good bowlers who have been in a

      slump. 4. What some bowlers don't want as their inflated handicap helps them

      cash in tournaments.

age* 1. The years of bowling experience. 2. Knowing what works because of all your

      experience. 3. Why you can't bowl three games without getting winded. 4. Why it is

      that sometimes you feel older than you really are.

alcohol* 1. A drink that can make some bowlers unbeatable at times. 2. The drink that

      can make some bowlers obnoxious and hard to be around after having a few.

      3. What some will need on a bad night because they didn’t break 600. 

alley* 1. The road behind the center where you might have scored better than the

      scores you just shot. 2. Where a few bowlers end up after losing their house and

      shirt to a hustler bowling pot games. 3. Where the fight will eventually take place

      after your opponent wins the match after they intimidated you. 

All Star* 1. Anyone good enough to make people notice them. 2. The best of the best.

      3. The Traveling Masters website which made the list due to Mr. Stats promoting by

      all avenues possible and having the biggest website of any league in history.

      (See Mr. Stats.) (Check it out, the Traveling Masters section.)

all the way* When someone strings strikes to finish a game.  

anchorman* 1. The bowler in the last position on the team who will strike out when

      needed. 2. The bowler the team depends on the most during those close games.

      3. The  bowler who gets blamed for losing close games no matter how much over

      their average, unless they shoot 300.  4. Someone who may miss one or two single

      pins the entire season. 

Andrew* 1. The person who sells confidence by fixing your game. 2. A qualified

      instructor who can help you after watching just three shots. 3. Someone who can

      teach “proformance”. (See cash, coach, lesson, peak performance,

       “proformance”), (Check out The Coach in Competitor's guide.) 

angle 1. How the lanes have to be played to get the maximum pin action. 2. How

      hustlers make a bunch of side bets to take your money in pot games.

approach* 1. What some bowlers do to bowlers of the opposite sex in a singles league.

      2. What hustlers will try to alter to get you out of the zone.

arrows* 1. What most bowlers use as their target on the lanes. 2. Using this target on

      all spares can be your weakness in your game. 3. The target you wish you could

      use when leaving those corner pins. (See dots.)

athlete* 1. What most bowlers are, as they walk a mile while bowling league,

      throwing a ball around 15 pounds, usually 36 times in a league night and must use

      their head to make good decisions to acquire great scores. 2. What some people

      think bowlers are not.

attitude* 1. A positive feeling by most bowlers so they can conquer almost anything,

      but only if they remain positive. 2. The remainder of bowlers are just hoping that

      nothing negative will happen to them tonight.

author* 1. A person who wrote a book or article on bowling. 2. A person who builds a

      HUGE website to help fellow bowlers. 2. A person who gives back to this great

      sport by writing to get others to improve their game. 3. The person who writes in

      their logbook to gain knowledge. (See Len & Mr. Stats.) 

average 1. The score that scratch bowlers want to be above.  2. The scores that below

      average bowlers want to shoot at least once every week.

awards* 1. What you receive after shooting a great score. 2. What you may get if

      you're lucky enough to receive after shooting a good score, depending on your

      average. 3. What you hope to add to your collection of hardware. 

"B" game 1. When you "b"elieve you can still score when your "A" game isn't working.

      2. What most pros have because their “A” game is only for walled up house shots.

      (See “A” game.)

backer* Someone with more money than brains looking for good bowlers short of

      cash in pot games. They will put up all the cash and split 67/33 after expenses.

      There are a few that will do a 50/50 split if you’re a Hall of Fame caliber of bowler. 

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus Competitor’s Guide.)

backuper* 1. The ringer a team brings in, to substitute for a regular bowler. 2. A bowler 

      who throws the ball on the opposite side of the lane because it seems easier on

      the other side. (See Ken.) (Check out the Stats Plus Competitor’s Guide.)

bad habits* 1. A natural occurrence when bowlers lose their confidence. 2. The

      occurrence that leads to a bowler’s slump. 3. Why some quit bowling because they

      thought they could solve low scoring without a qualified coach.

bagger* 1. When you go to the bar after league to buy a six pack, because they didn’t

      throw a six pack, and they have to bag it before you leave for home. 2. A string of

      strikes from any frame that can carry over to the next game, and the hope of it

      continuing to a third game. 3. Twelve in a row at any time is known as a "Varipapa

      300". (See Varipapa.)

balance 1. A juggling act with your significant other as to why you’re bowling three

      leagues a week. 2. What you’ll need, to walk to the foul line after all those beer

      frames. 3. What you need to do to your checking account after buying all the

      latest and greatest balls that come out every month. 4. Handling some free time

      for practice to work on your game, to show others you’re not easy pickings.

ball* 1. The round object you roll that can be magic if you're on a condition that ball

      was drilled for, hoping for a 300 game. 2. The lemon you’re rolling if it was not

      drilled for that condition or if you don't throw many strikes. 3. What your pro shop

      drills holes into, that you hope will cure your slump. (Check out photo below.)

bargain 1. The ball you just bought that was half off and are lucky enough just to

      shoot your average. 2. The ball, bag or shoes you just bought as the Pro Shop

      discounts them he very next day.

bed 1. Low scoring lanes that put you to sleep. 2. Where some bowlers would rather be,

      instead of shooting low scores that day.

bed posts* 1. What most bowlers try to avoid leaving when lanes are dry. 2. The place

      some bowlers will go should they leave one in league. 3. The 4-6-7-10 split that’s

      actually, harder than the 7-10 split.

beer frame* 1. The way good bowlers get drunk without buying. 2. The only way to

      keep your team showing up each week.

believe* 1. What you must do in yourself to become to better bowler where some

      don’t. 2. What each team member must have in each other to go after

      championships.

Benjamin’s* 1. The bills that the serious player need for pot games. 2. At least two are

      needed for the latest and greatest equipment today. 3. What everyone wants to

      win in tournaments.

Beth* 1. A person who shows you how important your brain is in competition. 2.

      Teaches you how to accomplish your goals later in life after your sessions. 3. A

      dependable person if on your team. (See cash, coach, lesson, mental toughness,

       peak performance,  “proformance” & technique.) (Check it out, her Testimonial

       and Dedication.) 

blind 1. A score for an absent player that usually causes his team to lose at least one

      close game. 2. What some bowlers are when they don’t notice what is going on

      right in front of them.

board A vanishing strip of wood that bowlers used to make adjustments from. Today's

      synthetic lanes have lines to indicate where the boards should be for aiming

      purposes.

Bob* A senior bowler who developed the killer instinct due to reading my book. (See

       killer instinct.) (Check out his testimonial.)

Bobby* A coach who knows how to tweak your shot. (See cash, coach, lesson, peak

      performance, proformance”, technique and video.) (Check it out, his Dedication.)

     (Check it out, The Coach in the Competitor's guide.) 

body english 1. Bowlers doing summersaults and running shots out to show the pins

      that they mean business when bowling. 2. Bowlers that use this are a lot more fun

      to watch.

bonus 1. What bowlers get after winning a match, no matter how bad they scored. 2.

      To increase entries in a tournament, tournament directors offer it.

bore A teammate who doesn't care about how many honor scores you shot last

      week, unless they shot one as well.

bowlaholic* Someone who spends all their extra money on bowling, all their extra

      time at the bowling center, bowls in a tournament almost every weekend and

      spends most of their vacation bowling. Yes, they’re even on their company

      bowling team. (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

bowling 1. A sport that is now more like golf, where you will rarely finish with the same

      ball you started with. 2. A way to get away from your wife for several hours.

bowling ball* 1. Unlike golf, you won’t have to chase it, it comes back and will be

      waiting for you if it's not eaten by the machine. 2. Today's equipment can be

      colorful, and the only reason why some sale. 3. What may be found in dumpsters

      or rivers after a bad night. 4. What some bowlers will only buy if guaranteed to

      hook 20 boards out of the box.

bowling shoes* 1. Colorful shoes that help to keep you from sticking on the approach,

      except when bowling on synthetic approaches. 2. Shoes with interchangeable

      soles and heels that are needed at more centers, as more open bowlers spill

      drinks and food, that now make changing soles and heels a necessity.

brackets* 1. Where good bowlers can earn big money as the others are distracted

      from them. 2. The added excitement when your team is in last place and you can

      win enough by yourself to pay for your bowling.

bragger* A decent bowler that’s conceited, telling good bowlers all about their

      accomplishments, so they think they made it to the next level. That next level to

      being a good bowler is having as many achievements as most good bowlers.

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

break* 1. What good bowlers get when they need it the most or what the opposing

      team gets on a bad shot during the league championship. 2. Something bowlers

      want to do when they lose their scoring touch.

break point* The magical place on the lane that most good bowlers try to find. This is

      where the ball hooks back to the pocket for maximum carry as it will change

      several times during the series.

breathe 1. What some bowlers have trouble doing and after losing a close match. 2.

      What you must control during a close match of your want to win.

Brooklyn* 1. A place where some may visit if nationals are close. 2. A place your ball

      visits when your ball hooks past your pocket to the opposite pocket. 3. Where right

      handers think that hitting the wrong pocket is a shot that Earl Anthony would be

      proud of. 4. Just one nickname for a bad shot with a good result. (See Earl,

        Phoenix & Tucson.) 

broom The essential tool needed when you destroyed your opponent as they can’t

      bowl well enough to win even one point.

buddy* 1. A teammate or friend who remembers when you choked, but won't ever

      remind you. 2. Someone who gets you a cab when you had too much to drink.

burning the maples The fire started after throwing back-to-back 270's or better.

burnout 1. What can happen when you bowl in 4 leagues a week, along with

      tournaments and/or color pins. 2. Can be when you're in a slump in the 1 or 2

      leagues you bowl in.

caffeine* 1. The drug of choice for those who failed to get much sleep the previous

      night. 2. What you may need when bowling a tournament in Las Vegas because of

      too much gambling and or playing golf. 3. You’ll need a gallon of it when bowling

      those 12 game tournaments.

calculator* What today’s good bowlers will need to compute with their new sky high

      average with their 300’s in every ball drilling.

calm The state of mind you need wen the lanes breakdown if you want to shoot over

      your average.

career* 1. The total number of years competing in your life time. 2. The achievements

      you’ve won during your entire life that you can brag about to others.

carry* 1. What you hope you won’t have to do to your teammates. 2. What you're

      wishing for with that new $200 ball even if it just missed hitting the pocket.

cash* 1. What most bowlers will need to get that next great ball to improve their

      game. 2. What bowlers should get so they can practice and improve their game,

      especially after a lesson. 3. What you’ll need to raise your confidence from

      lessons by a qualified coach. (See Andrew, Beth, Bobby, coach & Laura.) 

challenge* 1. Conditions to where a 200 is a meaningful score. 2. Bowling Nationals

      for over 20 years. 3. A senior bowler trying to beat the “kids” in the weekly

      brackets. 3. Where you have to make more than five adjustments in a night of

      league. 4. A tournament club where scratch bowlers find out how good they are.

      (See Curtis, Dwight, hustler & Mr. Stats.) (Check it out, my Accept challenges

        article.)

champion 1. Someone who knows what it takes and how to win. 2. Most bowlers hope

      to avoid them on the way to the championship. 3. Someone I’d rather bowl as it

      keeps me mental focused in the match.

channel 1. That depressed colored board that runs on both sides of the lane that

      bowlers should avoid because it doesn’t hook. 2. The ball magnet that can make

      corner pins seem impossible to convert.

charge* 1. When you finally make the right adjustment and throw a 4 bagger. 2. What

      you do when short of cash for that new ball or do to bowl pot games after league.

chart* 1. What some bowlers will do to improve their average as it will show

      percentage of strikes and opens. 2. What Stats Plus did better than any other

      secretary, because of all the statistics kept.

cheese* What some bowlers will need after scoring badly and whining about lane

      conditions when someone averaged over 240 that day. (See whine & wine.)

choke 1. What some bowlers will do a close match, as they are unable to throw the

      ball due to both hands wrapped around their throat. 2. What you want to do to

      your opponent when they beat you by one stick in an important match.

class 1. Congratulating a bowler who throws a 300 or 800 at you as it is something

      you see less of these days. 2. Congratulating the team winning the roll-offs,

      especially when your team was second. 3. Something that many bowlers don't

      have. 4. What you attend with my online Confidence 101 course. (Check it out, my

      Confidence 101 course.) 

clean game 1. Getting through a game without an open frame. 2. Finishing the night

      without spilling your drink on you.

cleaning* Taking your opponent's last dollar in pot games, where they don’t have

      enough for the laundromat. 

coach* 1. Someone who tries to get you to throw a few more strikes each game. 2.

      Someone who thinks they know more than you and charge more than PGA pros.

      3. Someone who destroys your fundamentals, so you keep coming back as his

      new car isn’t paid off yet. 4. A qualified person that can get bowlers to shoot some

      great scores. 5. Someone who can make a huge difference in your physical game

      as well as your mental game. 6. A qualified individual who can strengthen your

       weaknesses to take you to the next level. 7. A person who might video tape the

      session so you can see your mistakes. 8. Someone who has a plan to get you to

      peak performance so you can look like a pro. (See Andrew, Beth, Bobby, cash,

       Laura, Norm & peak performance, “proformance”, technique, tip,

       video, wall & weakness.) (Check it Out, Beth and Laura in Testimonials.)

      (Check it out, Beth, Bobby, Laura & out Norm in Dedications.)

      (Check it out, Andrew’s Dedication for my second book.)

      (Check it out, The Coach in the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

comeback* 1. Finishing a game with a 6 bagger after being asleep the first 6 frames.

      2. With an injury, bowlers try to remember how good they threw the ball after the

      long layoff.

commitment* 1. What you need to do towards excellence if you want to compete in

      the Zone! 2. What you hope all the bowlers on your team have when bowling

      tournaments or in the Roll-Offs. 3. The way bowlers should respond when their

      game depends on it.

competitor 1. Anyone who thinks they have a change of winning a match. 2. Someone

      who can bowl great, but you want to bowl a little better, so they’ll remember it the

      next time you match up against them. (Check it out, 

        the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

concentration 1. What you will have 100% of the time during practice and only 10%

      during competition. 2. A skill needed to repeat all those great scores you’ve shot.

conditions 1. The way the lanes are oiled so that the bowlers averaging 170 are now

      instant pro bowlers on a walled up shot. 2. Why pro bowlers turn to being just

      average amateurs on tough conditions. 3. Making them consistent is next to

      impossible, because of where you live and the weather.

confidence 1. What you have after winning a tournament or a couple of 300's but lose

      when you can't throw that needed double in the tenth. 2. What league bowlers

      think they have without ever practicing. (Check out photo below.)

      (Check it out, my confidence 101 class to build your confidence.)

consistency* 1. The state bowlers want to be in by repeating strikes, spares and

      clean games which means higher scores. 2. What most newbies don’t have

      because of all the new balls and unsure how they react to their other balls.

control 1. Being able to shoot over your average over a period of weeks. 2. What you

      want your team to have because your team is in first place.

core* 1. Your friends on the bowling team. 2. What usually gets bigger because you

      think you’re burning enough calories just bowling.

corona bound* 1. The reason why you’re home instead of bowling because the virus

      closed the centers for eight weeks. 2. The reason you’re on the way to the bar

      because your team just hung you.

count 1. What you can't afford to lose in a close match. 2. What could help you win a

      few more brackets in tournaments.

courage What it takes to bowl against the best bowler at that center.

criticism* This is the last thing you want to hear after just having a low scoring night.

crybaby* 1. Someone who throws temper tantrums when the bowling gods are on

      break. 2. A bowler you don't want on your team because of definition 1.

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

Curtis* A bowler who wanted to see some great bowling by holding

      tournaments with guaranteed money of $1000 for first place.

      (See challenge.)

      Still here? I thought the ABC's would put you to sleep. At least some of the humor has

kept you awake! You decision to keep reading shows your dedication for this great

sport. And just in time as dedicated is the third word down. I'll check on you later to

see how you're doing.

      To keep you motivated about your interest in talking bowling, I've added some pics to

help you stay awake and have more fun! 

dad* 1. Someone you looked up to as he got you involved in this great sport. 2.

      Someone who didn't care what you bowled. 3. A father who wanted the best for

      you and paid for coaching to help you.

DC 1. A great place to visit if nationals happens to be close. 2. A chiropractor who

      keeps you competitively ready with his monthly adjustments along with your

      stretches. (Check it out, Dr. Steve’s Testimonial and Inspiration.)

dedicated* 1. A bowler showing up to bowl every week. 2. The bowler who spends time

      to practice, subscribes to all the bowling magazines, reads books and surfs the

      internet to improve their mental game as well as their physical game. 3. Someone

      who takes 15 balls with them to tournaments. 4. A bowler who spends two out of

      four weekends on the road bowling tournaments. (See Dwight & Steve.)

delivery 1. The steps and release throwing the ball. 2. Waiting for the next new gadget

      you ordered online to increase your confidence.

denial* Anyone who feels that practice and seeing a qualified coach won’t help them.

desire* An athlete who reads my book and goes to my website to improve their game.

deuce 1. What you hope to shoot, when you’re not shooting a 300. 2. A good score on a

      grind-out condition.

Dewey* 1. A person that literally played the gutter shot so well, that very few good

      bowlers could beat him. 2. A bowler always willing to bowl pot games.

      (See edge, Hall of Fame and hustler.) (Check it out, his Dedication.)

      (Check it out, The Hustler in the Competitor's guide.)

dictionary* 1. A list of words so you can talk smarter to others. 2. To understand

      bowling better in the Mr. Stats New World Bowling Dictionary. 3. Another way to

      inject some fun in sports for all athletes.

distraction* 1. A good looking member of the opposite sex, on the opposing team. 2.

      Anything that keeps you from focusing on destroying your opponent. 3. Something

      the opposing team will pull out of their bag of tricks, when the league

      championship is up for grabs.

DJ* 1. Someone who plays your feel good songs so you can feel good after destroying

      your competition. 2. Someone who tries to psyche you out by playing their music

      on their phone too loud for way too long. 3. The person responsible for getting you

      ready for your match. 4. Plays your favorite music on XM while traveling to bowling.

      Check it out, The DJ in the Competitor's guide.) 

donate* 1. Bowlers who lose money because they are bowling against the best

      bowlers at that center. 2. What some bowlers have been doing because they

      continue to bowl the national tournament. 3. What I have stopped doing after my

      last three nationals due to the heavy oil and no help in opening up the lanes to

      create a better shot.

dots* 1. Another target for more accuracy as they are closer to the foul line. 2. Another

     way to confuse the average bowler as there are more of them. (See arrows.)

double* 1. What every bowler wants to throw every game. 2. Most bowlers want at

      least one on a bad night.

drive 1. How most of us get to the center. 2. What you need to keep at this game,

      especially when you stopped scoring.

dump 1. The center that would rather see good bowlers shoot 180's than a 300. 2. A

      place your ball will be found after it will no longer shoot those honor scores.

Dwight* 1. A bowler that makes you better in match play tournaments because you

      have to bowl you’re best to beat him. 2. Someone who bowls in many tournaments

      to challenge themselves. (See challenge, dedicated, Hall of Fame and

       shot maker.) (Check it out, his Dedication.)

      (Check it out, The Shot Maker in the Competitor's guide.)

Earl* 1. A beautifully executed shot :) that hooked more than expected and still carried,

      also known as a Brooklyn, Phoenix and Tucson, depending on what city you live in.

      2. What some handicapped bowlers wished they threw more of. 3. What some

      action bowlers hope he doesn’t show up. 4. A bowler who worked on his weakness

      until it became his strength. 5. The bowler who realized he needed to learn

      different releases to start winning on tour. (See Brooklyn, Hall of Fame, release &

       weakness.) (Check it out, his book in library.)

     (Check it out, The Pro Bowler in the Competitor's guide.) 

edge* 1. A place where bowlers making huge adjustments live. 2. The first two boards

      from the gutter where a few bowlers played hoping to stay away from that

      painted board. 3. What you sit on in close games. (See Dewey)

eleventh frame* 1. The place you take the team after shooting 300 or 800. 2. The most

      important frame when you have the ten strikes and still need one more strike at a

      possibility of a 300 game.

encouragement*1. What your opponent will give you hoping you’ll feel more pressure

      and choke. 2. What your team should give you when your opponents seem to have

      all the good luck going their way.

energy 1. Motivated good bowlers will use it, trying to throw their opponents off their

      game. 2. Something that bowlers who just finished a 12-game tournament block.

      3. Tournament bowlers in Las Vegas seem to have no problem finding some as

      gamblers always have energy!

enthusiasm* 1. Positive attitude bowlers have plenty of it. 2. Bowlers that don’t use

      their mental game, want more of it.

error 1. What most good bowlers can avoid at times. 2. You and your team need to

      minimize them in a close match.

excellence* 1. What all bowlers should commit to because bowling is not about

      perfection. 2. The reason why I continued to bowl to reach some of my goals. 3.

      Where you game should be after reading my book, The Path to Excellence.

excuses 1. What bowlers come up with when their game is a little off that night. 2.

      What so-called teammates will give you a week before the league starts as to why

      they won’t be bowling with you this season. 3. What you don’t want to hear from

      teammates after losing the championship by one stick.

execution 1. What may be missing when you put too much pressure on yourself. 2. The

      art (Yes, it is an art.) of continuing to throw great shots after great shots. 3. What

      you tell your team that it must happen to win the championship.

exercise* 1. Something more bowlers need if they want to continue in this great sport.

      2. Something that has made me better by keeping the pounds off. 3. The reason

      why champions keep winning because they’re in better condition.

expenses* 1. Those side tournaments some forget about when bowling in

      tournaments. 2. A few bowlers never have to worry about it because of their job. 3.

      Most bowlers bowling on the side, determine the risk/ reward factor because of it.

experience 1. Something that all competitive bowlers need more of. 2. Bowlers will not

      only learn from it but should become better bowlers due to it. 

expert* Someone who thinks he knows more than everyone and lets everyone know it.

      (Remember, I didn’t say coach!)

failure* 1. Someone who didn’t believe they could win. 2. Anyone who won’t learn from

      any defeat. 3. Bowlers who stop trying and quit on themselves. (Check it out,

        my failure article.)

faith* 1. A bowler who really believes he will shoot 900, for 3 games. 2. Someone who

      hopes to shoot 800 one day.

fame* 1. The reason why some are considered great. 2. Your lifetime achievements, no

      matter how small they are.

fantastic day 1. Shooting an 800 series or 300 game. 2. Winning three brackets in

       league. 3. Claiming the League Championship. 4. Finally winning a tournament.

fear 1. What you can't have on the lanes if you expect to be a winner. 2. The main

      reason why some won’t bowl tournaments. 3. It sometimes is the combination of

      winning and losing that holds some back. 

fence posts* 1. A spare where getting one of the two pins may be the difference of

      winning the game. 2. A spare so rare that it has been made three times on TV with

      the great Mark Roth being the first to make it. 3. Leaving the 7 and 10 pins on your

      first shot. (See goal posts, Mark and snake eyes.)

fight* 1. What must happen till the very end of the match. 2. The reason champions

      keep wining because they never quit. 3. The only way you’re going to get better

      because of challenging yourself.  

fingers What some wished they had more of after coming in light and not striking.

finish* 1. The time most bowlers want to shine. 2. The time all good bowlers wake up

      when the match is close.

fire 1. Something you need to light before you start throwing strikes. 2. What the

      championship team starts before winning the league.

first* 1. The most important number in tournaments as it represents a title. 2. The

      place to be at any given time. 3. The time you finally achieved that goal. 4. What

      you hope won’t happen from the opposing team.

fish* 1. A bowler that usually loses most of his money in pot games. 2. What I was until

      I got better and became a shark. (see prey.)

focus* 1. The reason why champions have won. 2. Bowlers that use it seem to score

      better. 3. Something you could use when you're fighting to win a quarter.

foot 1. What you slide on in hopes that you don't go ever the foul line or stick. 2. What

      you must avoid putting in your mouth after making a statement about your

      opponents. 3. What your teammates want to kick you with after you just left a split

      to lose the game.

fore* 1. What you yell when a bowling pin bounces out of the back and will cross the

      foul line. (I’ve seen it twice.) 2. The count after hitting the headpin for crankers,

      leaving a split.

foul* 1. When you try to keep your big feet from crossing the line, but stuck and

      crossed it anyways. 2. When the opposing team bends a rule to benefit them. 3.

      The taste you get after losing by one stick and missing three single pins spares. 

foul line 1. The line that has cost teams valuable points. 2. The line that a bowler

      crosses due to sticky approaches and then injures themselves after falling from

      stepping in the oil.

foundation 1. How bowlers build a high score by throwing a strike in the 9th frame. 2. A

      good foundation would be a double in the 8th and 9th frames and a solid

      foundation would be a 4 bagger.

frame* 1. A place to put your profile shot photo when luckiest enough to throw three in

      a row. 2. It’s where you want to see more “X”’s than “/”s. 3. For bowlers without a

      strike, they want more “/”’s than “O”s and “-“s.

free* 1. Feeling you want your arm swing to be in delivering the ball. 2. What you hope

      will be offered by your league if there are optional events. 3. Promotional tool used

      by Stats Plus. (Check it out, the Stats Plus section and promotions.)

friend* 1. Who you hope show up when you make the finals of a tournament. 2.

      Someone who tries to comfort you no matter what you just shot. 3. Someone who

      you borrow from to bowl pot games. 4. The person who actually pays you back

      after borrowing money! 5. Colin, Bruce, Joe and Donovan, just to name some who

      are more of an acquaintance, but still like to know how you scored. (See John.)

      (Check it out, their Dedications.) 

frustration 1. What sets in after not being able to throw a strike in your last game. 2.

      The reason why some bowlers won’t achieve many of their goals. 

full roller How the seniors threw the ball for slightly higher scores over 20 years ago

      and some still do.

fun 1. What a lot of bowlers forget to have unless they're winning. 2. What you should

      have in competition. 3. The reason why several champions continue to win

      tournaments. (Check it out, my Have Fun article.)

fundamentals 1. What most good bowlers have down. 2. What bowlers forget about

      when the pressure is on and then the fun stops.

future* 1. Bowlers reading my book will have a brighter one. 2. Most bowlers hope that

      good scores come with it. 3. Good bowlers already know that great scores come

      with it because they took the time work on their game to improve and or read my

      book. (See The Path to Excellence.)

gambler* 1. Someone who spends 10 times the entry fee in brackets and side action

      in the hope of a big payday. 2. Anyone willing to compete in brackets. 3. Anyone

      going to the casino after a great night hoping their luck is still running well. 4. A

      person willing to bowl action because they’re not only good, but know they will win

      75% of the time. (Most gamblers are pretty smart. They know when they have the

      advantage.) (See John & Mr. Stats.) (Check it out, the Stats Plus

        competitor’s guide.)

game* 1. What some say this sport is. 2. What your competition will try to play on you.

      3. A portion of a set or series. 4. Bowlers will hope their “A” game is working that

      night. 5. The poker hand bowlers play drawing cards for getting strikes and spares.

give up 1. What too many bowlers do when they know they can’t win. 2. What all good

      bowlers never, never, never do, because they will learn from the experience. 3. The

      reason why certain bowlers can’t win as it’s easier to quit then to work on their

      game to improve.

glasses* 1. What will usually get fogged up after leaving your third 10 pin of the night.

      2. It will be used as an excuse why they missed their 300 game, whether wearing

      glasses or not. 3. What you MUST bring back from the bar with the picture of beer

      you just bought because you got hung in the beer frame. 

goals 1. Something you shoot for but usually will fall short of. 2. The reason why some

      bowlers find greatness, because of the goals they reached in their career. 3. What

      some great coaches expect from you before the next lesson. (See Laura & lesson.)

      (Check it out, my goal setting article.) 

goal posts* 1. One example of bringing in other sports to this great sport. 2.

      Handicapped bowlers think getting the ball between these two pins gets them

      three points, but those points only matter in football. (See fence pots and

       snake eyes.)

graph* 1. A Stats Plus tool that shows how good of a bowler you are. 2. What a travel

      master looks at. (See travel master.) (Check it out, the Stats Plus section.)

      (Check it out, a travel master.)

graveyard 1. A center that has less excitement than the cemetery due to conditions

      creating lower scores. 2. Where you go to pay respects to a great bowler who can

      no longer defeat you. 

grind out* A low scoring condition like the U.S. Open or Senior U.S. Open, where even a

      190 can seem like a 250. 

 Hall of Fame* 1. Where most bowlers would like to be while they’re still alive. 2. Where

      some won’t get until they pass, due to the politics involved. (Check it out,

       the Hall of Famers who gave testimonials and who I dedicated the book to.)

     (Check it out, the Masters Hall of Fame.)

handicap* 1. Something that keeps some from becoming a better bowler. 2. What

      usually gets   bigger as you get older. 3. What scratch bowlers don’t usually want

      to see. 4. What you won’t see bowling in the USBC Open Championships. 5. One

      reason why entries keep dropping in some tournaments due to sandbaggers.

happiness 1. Shooting an honor score to earn a ring. 2. Winning anything that matters.

      3. A senior bowler just being able to bowl because they’re physical in shape. 4.

      Anyone who can get back to bowling after rehabbing their injury. 

hard work* Something that few want to do hoping to improve without all the extra

      hours.

headless horseman* Someone who has no clue to what’s going on. Someone never

      ready to bowl when it’s their turn. (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

healing* 1. The time needed after an injury. 2. The time needed after losing the

      championship in a close battle.

hero 1. The pro who you looked up to when you were younger and idolized. 2. Any pro

      who has a title that you can now beat because of the reactive balls. 3. The bowler

      who threw three great shots in the 10th frame for their team to win by less than ten

      pins. (See Norm.)

hesitation* 1. A losing effort because of failure to adjust faster. 2. What will happen

      when you weren’t sure if it was you or the lanes for that high pocket shot. 3.

      Something you hope won’t ever happen in the future.

hindsight 1. What everyone has after losing the championship, knowing that they

      gave it away. 2. Second guessing a loss due to missed single pins and not getting

      the most count after leaving a split in a close match.

history*1. Going back in time to reflect on a good experience. 2. The number of times

      you face an opponent in your career. 3. What some hope is never repeated due to

      a bad experience. (Check it out, the Traveling Masters history.)

hook 1. What your ball will do except in pressure situations. 2. The reason why you

       need to clean your balls after every match. 3. The weight block and cover stock

       that determines how much your ball has.

house mouse* 1. Knowledgeable person on what every lane in the center does and

      the proper time for adjustments. Some have been seen with two big black ears

      and they seldom bite bowlers. 2. Bowlers who bowl at only one center. 3. Bowlers

      who don’t tournaments except where they bowl league. (See Joey.)

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

 hungry* 1. The reason why some wake up in the morning and feel it’s their time to win

       today’s tournament. 2. The reason why some fail to cash in tournaments, as they

       got up late and missed breakfast. 

hustler* 1. The smooth talker you lose your money to because he is better than you.

      Hopefully it was just pocket change and not the title to your car or house. If you did

      lose the car, you better find another way to get home. If it was your house, google

      hotels. 2. A person who knows how to win the most money from the bowlers they

      challenge. (See challenge & Dewey.) (Check it out, the Stats Plus

        competitor’s guide.) 

hypnotized* 1. What you want to do to your opponent by continuously throwing great

      shots to throw them off their game. 2. What will happen when your opponent

      carries everything, even if they threw only one great shot. 3. The state you want to

      be in when competing as this help you travel to the zone.

    Did the last word put you in a trance? I'm so sorry if it did. Maybe, just maybe, I

found my new hobby! Writing dictionaries. I think I had more fun writing this, than

you're having reading it! Take a quick break before the I's. Do remember that there

are no I's in team, but continue to read my I's. (Check it out, my No I's in team article.) 

I 1. What isn't in the spelling of team. 2. When your mind decides it is I, not me that

      have to make decisions to record better results. (Check it out, 

       my There's no I in team article.)

incompetent 1. When a bowler can't back up what he says with his bowling. 2. The

      reason why some bowlers lose money.

inconsistent 1. What most bowlers are including some pros. 2. Something you don’t

      want on a regular basis.

individualist* A stubborn person who doesn’t need no stinking team because it’s ALL

      ABOUT THEM. Some bowlers even think there is an “I” in team. (Spelled teaim)

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

insanity* 1. Something that keeps happening like leaving the 10 pin until you adjust for

      it. 2. The same goes for missing 10 pins because you won’t practice at them. 3. The

      reason why you keep shooting low scores, because you’re too proud to seek a

      qualified coach.

insecurity When you bowl against one of the best bowlers or team at their center in a

      match. 

intimidate 1. What good bowlers can do just by showing up for a match. 2. What some

      bowlers do by having fun.

intuition The feeling you get after buying the new ball that this ball will have a perfect

      game drilled in it.

jam 1. Being late to an important match. 2. What you put on bread with peanut butter,

      because you are running late to bowling. 3. What you hope you don’t run into on

      the road, because you left late. (My question is Why are you late? You need to

      leave earlier.)

jersey* 1. The state some bowlers are from. 2. A colorful shirt with bowling logos on it.

      3. A team shirt that bowlers wear because they are really into the sport.

jinxed* 1. Someone who thinks they can’t win. 2. Just missing winning the

      championship two consecutive seasons.

job* 1. An excuse why you’re late for league. 2. What you must have to pay for your

      bowling. 3. What bowling can seem like when you’re not having fun.

Joey* Working at one bowling center made him a house mouse and has now shown

      he can bowl at other centers as well, but just not as good. (See house mouse.)

      (Check it out, his Dedication.)

      (Check it out, The House mouse in the Competitor's guide.) 

John* 1. A great partner who you can depend on when bowling pot games. 2.

      Someone who can average 220 in the parking lot blindfolded. 3. A person who can

      remember every pin left without a logbook. (It’s because he throws a lot of strikes.)

      4. A great bowler who’s in two Hall of Fames. (See friend, gambler, Hall of Fame &

        partner.) (Check out his Testimonial and Dedication.)

      (Check out The Gambler in the Competitor's guide.) 

joy 1. When someone says something good about your game before you go into a

      slump. 2. The reason why seniors still bowl into their 80’s. 3. The reason why you

      show up just to compete. (See thrill.)

      And we will be at Ken after a short photo break. Ken was one of Tucson's best

bowlers who's also in Tucson Metro USBC Hall of Fame. And yes, he's also Mr. 900.

 Ken* 1. Any 18 bagger including carrying over to the following week. He has thrown at

      least four, all in the same night, with two I have actually witnessed. 2. A bowler who

      can throw 300’s and 800's rolling a backup ball. 3. Rolled a perfect 900 during

      moonlight bowling after Money Madness hit the previous week. 3. A tough bowler

      to beat because he can bowl on either side of the lane to win the match. 4. The

      bowler holding most of the Traveling Masters league records. 5. A bowler I

      dedicated my second book to. 6. One of Tucson’s greatest bowlers and in two Hall

      of Fames. (See photo on right, Ken is far right and Mr Stats on far left.)

      (See backupper & Hall of Fame.) (Check it out, his

        Dedication in my Success book.) (Check it out, my Mr. 900 article.)

      (Check it out, The Backupper in the Competitor's guide.) 

keys* 1. What some leave lying around while bowling and then can’t find them when

      they want to go home. 2. The factors that can raise your level of bowling. 3. The

      tool needed to adjust your thumb slug before the interchangeable thumb slugs. 

killer instinct* 1. What most champions have because of their desire win. 2. What is

      needed to win in brackets. 3. The reason why certain bowlers win a lot of league

      championships. 3. What Bob has now, due to reading my first book. (See Bob.)

      (Check it out, Bob’s Testimonial.) 

king pin 1. The pin closest to you. 2. The pin you normally need to hit to strike. 3. The pin

       that laughs, should it be the only pin standing after you threw the ball. 

K.I.S.S.* (Keep it simple stupid.) 1. What holds some bowlers back because they over

      analyze everything. 2. The music group some bowlers need to listen to, to get

      motivated to bowl.

knowledge 1. What bowlers wished they learned from all their experience. 2. Why a

      few bowlers never seem to learn anything from their mistakes, because they think

      they know everything. 3. It is also something that every bowler wished they had

      more of. 4. The reason why champions won’t keep repeating the same mistakes. 

lane 1. Something good bowlers defeat before finishing off their opponents. 2. Most

      bowlers think it is something you bowl on, but a few know that the lanes can make

      or break a bowler. 3. Today’s bowlers know they need to match the conditions to

      the ball they’ll throw to achieve great scores.

lane man* 1. The person solely responsible for bad scores as it’s never the bowlers

      fault. 2. The person often overlooked when great scores are being shot. 3.

      Someone who never gets tips no matter how many great scores are thrown.

      (See Len.) (Check it out, Len’s Testimonial and Inspiration.) (Check it out,

       his the Tucson Tribute & Honor page.) (Check it out, Len's books in my library.)

last 1. The place where bowlers don't want to find their team in the standings. 2. Where

      you might find your team that has no chemistry. 3. Where your team might slide to

      in the standings if your team puts too much pressure on themselves.

Laura* 1. A coach who has a system for peak “proformance”. 2. A coach that doesn’t

      use video because she doesn’t need to use it. 3. The coach who teaches you the

      “big picture” to focus on your next shot. 4. She gives you goals for every event to

      become a better competitor. (See cash, coach, goals, lesson, peak  performance,

      “proformance”, technique, video & whammy. A quad whammy for your

      opponents.) (Check it out, her Testimonial and Dedication.) (Check it out,

       The Coach in the Competitor's guide.)  

leadoff bowler* 1. The bowler usually getting the team off in the right direction and

      usually throws a turkey, even if they may not be the first bowler listed in the lineup.

      2. The position the team needs a double from when behind and to be clean when

      leading the game.

learn 1. What all bowlers should do. 2. The reason why certain bowlers excel at the

      sport.

left-handed 1. What right-handed bowlers want to be when they get beat by one. 2.

      Why some throw back-up balls because the shot is better on their side.

legs* They become weak and wobbling when trying to shoot for that first 300 game

      or 800 series.

Len* 1. Someone who can tell the greatest bowling stories all day long. 2. A person

      who can make or break your day by how the lane conditions are. 3. A promoter for

      the great sport of bowling. 4. The person responsible for the Phantom Radio

      podcast for the last 17 years. 5. A great writer as his books and articles got him in

      his second Hall of Fame. (See author, Hall of Fame, lane man & storyteller.)

      (Check it out, his Testimonial and Inspiration.) (Check it out, his

       Tucson Tribute & Honor entry.) (Check it out, Len Nicholson's seven books

        in my library.) (Check it out, The Storyteller in the Competitor's guide.)

      (Check it out, Len's podcast on Phantom Radio as the Phantom Strikes Again.)

lesson 1. What you learn after losing that important match. 2. The reason why your

      scores go through the roof after seeing a qualified coach. 3. What certain bowlers

      will teach others when they feel like they have been disrespected. (See Andrew,

       Beth, Bobby, coach, Laura, Norm & respect.) 

library* 1. A group of books that can help you improve your game. 2. The books that

      good bowlers refer to at times to help them continue on The Path to Excellence

       and then From Excellence to Success. (If I can’t promote my books here, when

      will I?) (Check it out, my library of over 200 books and Len's seven books..)

life* The reason you bowl and spend your hard earned dollars. (Check it out,

        Traveling Masters is life article.)

list* 1. What you want to accomplish during your next practice session. 2. Showing

      your future goals. 3. Your team's lineup for next season.

Lite The beer we drink to loosen up, so that big scores will follow.

logs Heavier pins that a lot of amateurs have trouble knocking down.

love* 1. What most bowlers have for this game if they want to stay competitive. 2. It

      happens when carrying everything. 3. What you do to your equipment when high

      scores keep happening. 4. What your feelings are for the person of the opposite

      sex when they say, "They love your game."

luck* 1. Good fortune that all bowlers want more of but will usually find that their

      opponents will always have more of it than they do. 2. What you need to shoot a

      300 game. 3. You hope your team has it in position rounds and Roll-Offs.

Mark* 1. A bowler who was the first to convert the impossible 7-10 split on TV. 2. A

      bowler where his ball started hooking in his back swing. 3. The bowler responsible

      for the explosion of reactive equipment because his ability to throw more hook

      than most and explode the pocket. (See Hall of Fame & fence posts.)

      (Check it out, The Pro Bowler in the Competitor's guide.)

match* 1. A series of games that may not determine the better team or bowler. 2. The

      winners can be the luckiest people around because they had the higher totals

      that day. 3. What you ligh that fire with your team off to a slow start.

mental monster* 1. What champions become after mastering the mental game. 2.

      What you be close to being after reading my first book The Path to Excellence. 3.

      What you may become after reading my second book, From Excellence to

       Success. (Another good time to promote my books.) (Check it out, my first and

      second book.

mental toughness* 1. Something reserved for athletes who constantly work on their

      mental game. 2. What mental coaches can make you. 3. The reason to seek

      qualified help to improve your mental game. 4. What more bowlers should try to

      attain after their explosive attitudes. (See Beth.)

Mike* A competitive bowler who uses his head to keep fighting till the end. (See

      Hall of Fame & thinker.) (Check it out, his Testimonial and Dedication.)

     (Check it out, The Thinker in the Competitor's guide.) 

mismatch* Team or individual with astronomical advantage over their opponent

      and will win 99% of the time.

miss What the team does when their best bowler is gone and lost points due to it.

mission 1. What you hope to accomplish from this great sport. 2. Where some bowlers

      go to pray for their first 300 game.

mistakes 1. An error that is a natural condition of bowling, where most bowlers make

      a lot of them. 2. An error that good bowlers learn from and put them in their past

      as others can’t admit they made.

mo* The energy a bowler or team gets after their opponent has an open frame. (See

       momentum.)

mom* 1. The person you love as she was the reason you’re in this great sport. 2. A

      person so busy to be able to watch me bowl every time, but always asked how I

      did bowling. 3. The person who taught me a several things when she got me

      started on this great sport. 4. The person who finally got to see me throw a perfect

      game, an 800 series to finsh the Senior Masters and saw me accomplish my

      lifelong goal of a major championship, before she passed away.

      (See photo above.) (See motivation.) (Check it out, my Inspiration for my mom.)

      (Check it out, my Motivational page.) 

momentum* 1, What can change after just one shot. 2. The reason for great scores. 3.

      The sub who starts stringing strikes on a team to help them win the game. 4. What

      all good bowlers and teams want on their side. (See mo.)

money 1. The green backs needed to enjoy this game we love. 2, What's needed for

      new equipment every other month so bowlers stay competitive and be able to

      shoot some great scores. 3. What everyone tries to win when bowling in lots of

      tournaments.

mood* 1. The side of the bed you got up from. 2. Those with a positive attitude will

      always be in a good one.

more* 1. It's how often you want to strike when you start this great sport. 2. Something

      you want after winning the league championships or shooting some great scores.

motivation*1. The championship awaits the winner of the upcoming match. 2.

      Having another chance at redemption. 3. What you need to keep your head in this

      great sport. 4. What my mom helped me with before competing for money.

      (See photo above.) (See mom.) (Check it out, my motivational quotes!)

move* 1. What you must constantly do when the lanes keep changing after around six

      frames. 2. What you'll be doing about once a month when a machine breaks down.

Mr. Stats* 1. A great promoter who help double the teams in the Traveling Masters. 2.

      Someone who not only kept more stats for bowling than any other secretary ever

      did, but also used the stats to predict winners of each division. 3. One of the few

      secretaries who organized the sweeper to make the Traveling Masters league the

      greatest league ever. 4. He was always looking to make the Traveling Masters a

      better league by offering events no other league ever did. 5. A secretary willing to

      give part of his salary back to the league to make the Traveling Masters the most

      unique and best league ever. 6. Now is an author to give back to this great sport.

      7. A gambler who kept offering the Traveling Masters more events that made it the

      greatest league. (See All Star, author, gambler, partner,  promotion, senior, stats,

       tribute & vision.) (Check it out, the Author, the Traveling Masters and Stats Plus

      section.) (Check it out, his Tucson Tribute & Honor entry.)

      (Check it out, The Gamble in the Competitor's guide.)

negative* The games you avoid when bowling tournaments.

nerves What stiffens up when throwing a shot under pressure.

new* 1. The only reason why these balls generate higher scores. 2. The start you’re

      willing to make after last season. 3. The way to start after getting back to bowling

      after an injury. 

Norm* 1. The successful strokers stringing strikes together again. 2. Why would anyone

      want to be normal when you can consistently hit the pocket with that straight up

      the boards shot like the great Norm Duke and rack up 40 titles? 3. The only great

      bowler that has helped my game. 4. A senior who still has game and can beat the

      “kids” on tour. 5. A kid realizing that for his 2nd major title to happen, he would have

      to work on his weaknesses to see a Grand Slam. 6. An athlete who loves the sport

      and gives back with clinics and his video. (See photo on right from Bowling's Hall of

      Fame) (See coach, Hall of Fame, hero, lesson, pro bowler, release, senior,

       technique & weakness.) (Check it out, his Dedication.) (Check it out,  his

       DVD video in my library.) (Check it out, The Pro Bowler in the Competitor's guide.)

number one* 1. The only number that really counts. 2. Your reason to continue your

      journey to success.

obligation* The reason you show up for league and tournaments.

obstacle* The thing between your ears that can get in your way.

off game What the great bowlers have once in a while and the others have more

      often.

off the sheet When a bowler finishes a game from any frame with strikes, no matter

      how bad some of those strikes were. (See punch out, X’d out.)

ONE SHOT* 1. Your mindset on every shot, no matter the circumstances. 2. Your routine

      to reduce pressure during all matches.

opening The door you hope to walk through after your opponent gives you an

      opportunity.

optimistic* 1. Knowing that every situation could have a positive result. 2. Those who

      have worked on their game so the odds of winning are in their favor.

over The amount over a 200 average that all bowlers want more of.

partner* 1. A bowler and usually a friend who you think can help you the most when

      the money is on the line. 2. Someone who gives emotional support and

      encouragement. 3. People who usually are having all the fun because they work

      together to achieve their goals. 4. The reason why John and I were great doubles

      partners as we were both gamblers and enjoyed the competition and winning

      cash! (See friend, John & Mr. Stats.) 

passion* This for those bowlers who really love the great sport.

past* 1. Something to learn from. 2. What you hope to repeat after winning a

       tournament or league.

PBA The organization where about half of its members, think they're better than they

       really are.

peak performance* 1. How champions perform when on top of their game. 2. Why

      many amateurs will be closer to it after reading my two books. 3. What some

      coaches helped me with later in my career. (See Andrew, Beth, Bobby, coach,

        Laura and “proformance”.) 

perfect game 1. A game that requires 12 strikes out of 12 shots, and is usually anything

      but perfect, as very few perfect games have had 12 perfect shots. 2. 10 perfect

      shots might get you 12 strikes with today's equipment. 3. After you throw your 300,

      nobody that watched, knows how many perfect shots you threw to be perfect.

      (See pro shop.)

perfect shot 1. What the modern bowler should avoid as the solid 9 will appear when

      least expected. 2. It is where the ball hits dead center in the pocket and should

      carry all ten, but bowlers will still leave something to pick up.

perfection* 1. What a few bowlers have achieved with their 900. 2. What no bowler has

      done over any period of time. 3. Making a commitment to excellence may lead to

      perfection. (See pro shop.)

performance 1. Hopefully it was an enjoyable experience where you learned

      something. 2. What bowlers hope that good breaks for them will happen. 3. A step

      away from the ultimate “proformance”, which should happen after reading my

      book. (See “proformance” & pro shop.)

persistence*1. What most will need to reach their goal. 2. The work that must happen

      for improvement. 3. The reason you keep showing up with the hope of a 300 game. 

      (See photo above.) (Check it out, my Persistence spells title article.)

pessimistic 1. A bowler you won’t want on your team. 2. Someone who believes bad

       luck is better than no luck.

Phoenix* The wrong pocket if you live outside of the Phoenix area in Arizona. (See

        Brooklyn & Tucson.)

pit Where you want all 10 pins to be after each shot.

pocket The place bowlers try to hit, even though it may not result in a strike every shot.

positive 1. What your attitude must be if you expect to shoot 800 or win the league

       Roll-Offs. 2. The reason why you got out of bed this morning knowing that

       anything is possible.

pot* 1. The bowl that holds the entry fees every bowler hopes to claim by winning a

      pot game. 2. What you hope your opposition will go to during the match. 3. What

      you hope your opponent smoked before the big match. 

potential* Bowlers that keep missing shooting 300’s and 800’s.

practice* 1. What almost every bowler needs, but finds excuses not to. 2. The best way

      to keep shooting those high scores. 3. What should occur after seeing a qualified

      coach so the change feels natural.

pray* 1. Bowlers do this after opening a game with 8 strikes, in hopes that the bowling

      gods will help them carry the last four. 2. Bowlers will do this during a slump with

      the hope that good scores will follow.

preparation* 1. The mental exercises to psych you up for the big match. 2. Getting

      your equipment ready for bowling tournaments. 3. One of the reasons why you

      cashed as others just showed up.

present* The state of mind you want while competing.

pressure* 1. What 99% of all bowlers put too much on themselves, causing an

      avalanche effect. 2. What friends, family and buddies will put on you during the

      last game of a tournament.

prey* 1. The reason why some bowlers watch pot games hoping to find some fish. 2.

      The reason why some teams change leagues they have trouble winning in. 

       (See fish.)

pride* The reason why you show up every week and pay your fees on time.

pro bowler* 1. Someone who thinks they are the world’s greatest. For some, it’s not 

      bowling as shown by their scores and spare shooting abilities. 2. For the few that

      have a card, demonstrate why they make a living in this great sport and are happy

      to sign autographs for the fans. 3. A weekend warrior who competes against other

      pros to test the waters. (See Earl, Mark, Norm & Steve.) (Check it out,

        the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.) 

“proformance”* 1. What all amateurs do when throwing great scores, with some

      thinking they were pro bowlers. 2. How your pro shop operator can make you look

      like with the right layouts of the ball. 3. What coaches can sell you if you work on

      your game. (See Andrew, Beth, Bobby, coach, Laura, pro shop & Roy.)

promotions* 1. The reason why you bowl in a certain league. 2. The reason why the

      Traveling Masters league doubled in size. 3. It was the FREE entry into the $700

      Tournament of Champions that Stats Plus offered and more that got most bowlers

      attention. (Check it out, my Why promote? article.)

pro shop* 1. Where bowlers can get quick advice and buy the latest gadgets. 2. A

      place where bowlers go to get an advantage over their opponents, hoping their

      next ball will have a 300 drilled into it. 3. The place where “proformance” can be

      drilled into your equipment. 4. The place that guarantees a perfect game if you roll

      12 strikes in the same game. (See peak performance, perfection, “proformance”

       & Roy.)

psyched up What bowlers get after they throw the first double of the day.

psych out (artist)* Anyone who tries to get you off your game by whatever means,

      that works for that day. (Check out the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

punch out 1. Something you want to do to your opponent after just being beat. 2. The

      act of throwing a string of strikes to finish the game to hopefully win a close game.

      3. What is done during the celebration after winning the league championship, you

      pop open a bottle of wine and throw the punch out, it time to celebrate. (See off

       the sheet & X'd out.)

quad* The string of four strikes or a four bagger, that lost its identity, because of a

      skeleton (ham bone). 

quiet* Shushhhhh! What you hope your team will get after a non-spectacular

      evening, because you just want to go home.

quitter 1. A bowler who gives up too soon before a match is over. 2. Someone who

      doesn't care about being a better bowler. 3. That bowler you hope to bowl against

      when bowling in a match play tournament.

rack* 1. What usually leaves a pin off spot when you're shooting for a 300. 2. What the

      lady bartender or waitress may have.

reaction* 1. What you hope your pro shop operator drills in your ball. 2. You hope your

      ball will have a positive one when bowling nationals. 3. You hope it will be positive

       when asking a bowler of the opposite sex out on a date. 

reactive What occurs after winning an important match, league or tournament.

reading the lanes 1. What is required with reactive equipment. 2. What a few of your

      teammates do during league play. 3. If your good at it, you or your team can walk

      out of the center with the win. 4. The trial-and-error method used by several

      bolwers who really thinks it helps them. (See trial-and-error.)

recognition*1. What USBC used to do and now put the awards on the local level. 2.

      What Stats Plus did better than any other secretary with the weekly newsletter.

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus section.)

record* 1. What most bowlers want to break, but with today’s equipment, it comes

      down to just trying to tie it. 2. What seniors put on their phonograph years ago, so

      they could listen to music to relax before bowling.

relaxed 1. The best way to continue to make great shots. 2. The trouble is, that there

      are just too many things to keep you from being in this state and getting back

      there.

release* 1. What must happen to avoid injury. 2. Having just one, limits your scoring

      ability. 3. What good bowlers and Hall of Famers worked on to get better. (See

       Earl and Norm.)

repetition* 1. Anything done twice like shooting a 300 or 800. 2. What you want to do

      after your first 300 or 800. 3. What champions expect after their first tournament

      victory.

reset* 1. The button you hit when a bad rack happens. 2. What you need to do after

      getting tapped three frames in a row.

respect* What you hope others will give you before you can no longer enjoy this

      great game. 2. What all bowlers should give towards other bowlers because they

      know that every dog has their day and today just might be that day.

retirement* Something rarely spoken about, as you can still enjoy this great game

      when you’re in your 90’s. 

rev* 1. The shortened version for hook. 2. What strokers which they had more of. 3. The

      rev dominate players continue to find a solution to acquire at least one more

      revolution for their ball.

reward* 1. What few leagues offer their members. 2. The reason why the Traveling

      Masters doubled in size. (Check it out, the Traveling Masters section.)

ringer 1. A high average substitute that the opposing teams uses to beat your team.

      2. One reason why leagues have a maximum entering average for teams. 3. The

      reason why one league I subbed in, didn’t want me back. 

risk 1. What all good bowlers take to become better bowlers. 2. The 1st step towards

      improving your game. 3. What most bowlers take when trying to bowl in a PBA

      regional. (Check it out, my risks article.)

rival When you're battling the changing lanes instead of your opponent.

roll-offs 1. Where you want your team to be every season. 2. The end of the season

      playoff where a few lucky and even a few teams with no skills are found.

routine* 1. What you want consistent on days you bowl league. 2. What has to be

      consistent before every shot.

Roy* 1. Someone who knows what new ball will work best for you. 2. Someone who

      knows the best layouts for your ball when you’re ready to get that ball drilled. 3.

      Someone who has drilled 300s in my equipment and helped me win a title. (See

       photo above.) (See “proformance”, pro shop & tribute.) (Check it out,

       his Dedication.) (Check it out, his Tucson Tribute and Honor page.) 

rules 1. Something that most bowlers follow. 2. What some bowlers try to bend in order

      to help their situation.

sandbagger* 1. What a low class hustler will do to get a side bet with you. 2. Some

      bowlers will do this before tournaments, hoping for a big pay day. (Check it out,

       the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.) 

scenic route Bowlers should avoid going down this road when the lanes are tight or

      down and in.

schedule* 1. The systematic way to raise your level of play. 2. An itinerary for your

      upcoming tournament.

score 1. What tells you if you won or lost the game or series.

      2. Something that never indicates how well you've bowled.

Scott* 1. A bowler that has more sportsmanship than ten other bowlers combined. 2.

      A bowler who will be hard to beat even if you’re bowling your best. (See Hall of

       Fame, smile, sportsmanship & zoner.) (Check it out, his Testimonial,

       Dedication and Praise for this website.) (Check it out, The Zoner in the

       Competitor's guide.) 

scratch* 1. What bowlers do to their head after leaving a ringing corner pin. 2. What

      crankers will do after getting a 4 count while hitting the head pin. 3. A serious

      league where good bowlers can bowl for sometimes great money. 4. One of the

      reasons why the Vantage Miller Lite Traveling Masters was the greatest league

      ever!! (Check it out, the Traveling Masters section.) 

second* 1. The first loser. 2. Where you want to end up, should you not be able to win.

      3. The worst position you want your team to be in for all four quarters.

second chance* 1. A last ditch effort to possible win an entry into a tournament. 2. A

      way Stats Plus gave bowlers a chance to win their entry fee after being eliminated

      in the regular tournament. (Check it out, the Stats Plus page.)

second wind* After bowling a 258 in the 7th game, it will give you a boost of

      confidence and energy to finish the 12 game tournament.

self-talk*1. What most bowlers do to wake themselves up, after back-to-back 160

      games. 2. The reason why champions keep winning because they do a lot of it.

senior* 1. Anyone who has trouble putting two revolutions on their ball. 2. Someone

      who is old and always underestimated. 3. A bowler that has been around the block

      more than a few times and can still beat the “kids” from time to time. 4. Anyone

      who has enjoyed this great sport for over 40 years. 5. A bowler with injuries who

      feels old because of arthritis. (See Norm & Mr. Stats.) 

series* 1. The number of games or total sets bowled. 2. What you hope to finish

      without getting injured. 3. What you hope is over your average at the end of the

      night.

serious* 1. The reason why some fail to have fun. 2. The reason why you see good and

      great bowlers. 3. Why a few bowlers will actually start being after having thrown

      below average games. 

set* 1. What you get before bowling. 2. A series that you hope will attract good scores

      from your teammates.

setback* 1. Any injury that requires a month of rehab. 2. Not winning enough points

      during position round to make the playoffs. 3. Taking the entire summer off

      expecting to bowl better than last season. 4. What the coronavirus did in 2020 to

      all the bowlers.

setup* What some good pot bowlers have done to victims to pay off their mortgage.

shark* 1. A good action bowler who will always go home with more cash than he

      started with. 2. What fish can turn into when they get tired of losing more than they

      win.

short pin The pin that spins on the deck failing to knock down standing pins that are

      close by, because it isn’t taller.

Shot maker* 1. A very accurate bowler who pick up splits more than half the time. 2. A

      bowler who may have one eight bagger each season. 3. A bowler who knows the

      value of half board adjustments. (See Dwight.) (Check it out, the Stats Plus

       competitor’s guide.)

six pack* 1. What some finish off before the end of the night. 2. My goal every session,

      getting lucky enough for six in a row. 3. What you grab at the store if you were not

      lucky enough to throw one in league.

skill* 1. What some bowlers have, but what good bowlers have more of and strive for

      more of it. 2. What is needed to shoot an 800 series. 3. Why champions continue to

      win. 4. What separates good bowlers from those who use trial-and-error for

      adjusting to transitions. 5. Reading my first book should get you more of it.

      (See trial-and-error.)(Check it out, my Top 10 reason to read my book.)

sleep* 1. Something often over looked the night before you bowl for the league

      championship or tournaments. 2. A key ingredient often needed for a better

      mental game. 

sleeper* 1. What you are after the neighbor’s dog kept you up all night. 2. The pin, also

      called ex or in-law that you’ll see if you look from either side of the lane. 3. The pin

      that keeps standing in close matches.

lump 1. That period in time bowlers wants to forget about due to bowlers consistently

      shooting 50 pins below their averages. 2. How bowlers come out of it, determines

      if they will be in one again and for how long.

smile* 1. What must happen after throwing a strike, as you may not know when the

      next strike is coming. 2. What will also help you relax to throw more great games.

      (See Scott & sportsmanship.) 

snake eyes* 1. Another example of tying other games to our great sport. 2. Something

      you normally don’t want to see playing craps, so why would you also want to see it

      in bowling? 3. The third moniker for the same next to impossible split so if you

      should leave it three times that same night, you’ll have a different name for every

      time you left it. (See fence pots and goal posts.) 

social director* 1. A person always on the phone texting friends, family and relatives.

      Some have bowled with their phone in their non-bowling hand. You always have

      to tell them when to bowl. (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

social media 1. Another distraction that sometimes your teammates get involved in.

      2. A great way to brag to those who you don’t even know about your 800 series or

      300 game.

space cadet* They never have a clue to what’s going on around them. Have been

      known to throw someone else’s ball. Some have shown up as a trekkie. (Check it

        out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

spare What even the great bowlers must shoot at from time to time.

spare ball* 1. What most bowlers today use to convert corner pins. 2. What some pros

      use to combat dry lanes.

speed* 1. What can kill a great night during league. 2. What you don’t want to get

      caught doing if you’re running late for bowling. 3. What a few bowlers might take

      after having no sleep.

spill What might happen to your drink instead of the pins on the deck.

split* 1. A leave that today’s bowlers have trouble avoiding. 2. A better night then the

      weeks with only one win. 3. Going several weeks without these can make bowling

      fun. 

sport 1. What several think bowling isn’t. 2. The lane condition where 190's can win

       tournaments and is above average. 3. What USBC is trying to get in the Olympics.

sportsmanship* 1. How others view your character. 2. What you should have if you

      don’t win. 3. What may be a regional happening as living in Las Vegas for a year

      and a half, there wasn’t a lot of it going around. 4. Congratulating a bowler that

      shot a good game in the hope that they’ll be so surprised, that they lose their

      focus. 5. Thank god that there are still bowlers that appreciate it and have it. 6. The 

      reason why certain individuals continue to have good luck with their bowling.

      (See smile & Scott.) 

standings* 1. A sheet filled with numbers to show how well your team is doing in the

      league. 2. A sheet listing those who bowled well enough to cash. 3. The place

      where you order drinks as you just hung in the beer frame.

start* 1. What you need your team to do right from the start. 2. How good bowlers

      throw strings of strikes. 3. When the next segment of your league begins.

stats* (statistics) 1. A tool that can help most bowlers improve their game, but few

      realize it. 2. Numbers that can tell you what area of your game needs

      improvement. 3. Something used by Stats Plus to show why the best bowlers in the

      league are the best. (Check it out, my Stats are your friend article.) 

Stats Plus* 1. The person responsible for the most statistics of any league in the

      history of bowling with published achievements, offering unique optional events,

      rewarding accomplishments, giving back to league members and promoting. 2.

      The main reason why the Vantage Lite Traveling Masters league was the greatest

      league ever and doubled in size. 3. The person who tries to help others by having

      this website. (Check it out, the Stats Plus section and the

      Traveling Masters section.)

Stat watcher* Anyone including Mr. Stats who is constantly checking out their stats at

      all hours of the day. Can you say, TOO MANY STATS? (Check it out, Stat watcher

        in the Competitors guide.)

Steve* 1. A pro bowler who is dedicated to excellence and achieved success. 2. A

      bowler who has cashed in pro regionals by playing a different part of the lane.

      (See dedicated & visionary.) (Check it out, his Dedication.)  (Check it out,

        The Visionary in the Competitor's guide.)

sticks 1. What you knock down to show how good you are. 2. What you’ll need to knock

      over if you didn’t throw a strike. 3. What may attack bowlers after ricocheting from

      the pit. 

story teller* 1. They talk about their tells of yesteryear hoping that you’ll listen. Most of

      the stories are good if they don’t put you to sleep, so ask for the short story version.

      2. How you quickly learn the history of this great sport. 3. How to relive the glory

      and make informed decisions about the future. (See author & Len.)

      (Check it out, Len's books in my library.) (Check it out, the Storyteller in my

        Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)  (Check it out, Len's podcast on

        Phantom Radio as the Phantom Strikes Again.) 

strategy* 1. "A" plan of attack for the big match. 2. What can backfire if you don’t have

      a “B” or "C" game.

streak 1. What every bowler goes through whether their hot or not. 2. What you hope

      will be red hot for your team this season.

strength* 1. One reason why you’re not throwing 16 pound equipment. 2. What you

      could lose by not going to the gym. 3. The number of ringers you have on your

      team.

stress* 1. What you might get by reading this dictionary. 2. The bad set you just threw

      was caused by this number one reason. 3. The Champions win because they try to

      avoid it. 4. Leaving it at the house will make league and tournaments more

      enjoyable. 

stretching* What older bowlers must do if they want to shoot some great scores.

      NOTE: Of course, they now tell you to stretch after your muscles are warmed up,

      just to give a heads up.

strike 1. Something that can frustrate you when you're not throwing any of them. 2.

      Most hope that 36 will happen. 3. Those magical X's that appear when you're

      throwing the ball well.

string* 1. What some tie to their finger to remember to focus. 2. Any length, including

      the next game, of strikes thrown. 3. What most good bowlers will do and make it

      look easy. 4. What Andy Varipapa threw a lot of and called any 12 bagger, a

      "Varipapa 300" and was famous for it. (See Varipapa.)

subconscious The only way great bowling happens.

success 1. What most bowlers are trying to find. 2. It can happen after committing to

      excellence. 3. It usually happens to those who dedicate extra time to improve their

      game. (Check it out, my success page.)

suggestions 1. Tips you get from lower average bowlers when in a slump. 2. Why a

       good bowler might get into a slump if they get too many of them.

summer* 1. What many consider practice time. 2. The best time for knee

      replacements. 3. Another time to shine if you bowl the No-Taps or in a league.

superstitions* 1. What keeps some bowlers from reaching their full potential. 2.

      Something you’ll never want to hear from a good bowler.

support* 1. When you throw a string of strikes to help your team win. 2. When you

      encourage your team during a close match. 3. When you loan money to your

      teammate to get the latest and greatest bowling ball.

surrender* 1. What you and I will never do. 2. What you hope your team never does.

survivor* 1. Any one above the cut line in a tournament advancing to the next round.

      2. A bowler who sticks on the approach and is able to finish the set.

talent* 1. How a bowler is able to convince their partner to let them bowl in three

      leagues for the season. 2. Any bowler who can consistently cash in tournaments. 

tap Where the drinks from the lounge come from after not being able to carry all 10

      pins.

target 1. What a team has on their back if they are in first place. 2. The spot you try to

      hit, but have trouble due to lanes breaking down faster than the adjustments you

      make.

team captain* 1. A bowler who tries to find the right members for his team that can

      have great team chemistry and show up most weeks. 2. Hopes his team can

      afford to pay almost every week. 3. The person who gets stressed out from

      members who get behind in league fees. 4. The person you curse at by not

      wanting the best possible lineup for next season. 5. Someone who should keep

      the team informed of his decisions about the team. (Check it out, my

       Team Chemistry article from 2024.)

teammates 1. Bowlers who encourage you when you're not scoring. 2. They cheer you

      on when you are shooting the lights out. 3. The ones who want to have fun, but still

      want to win.

team work* 1. A team understanding what goals need to be set so they can be

      accomplished with good team chemistry and then going after those goals as a

      team. 2. When the lowest average bowler on the team shoots the high game and

      the team wins by three sticks. (See sticks.) (Check it out, Team needs goals too,

       Team chemistry and There's no I in team.

technique* 1. The way bowlers go after that 10 pin they left. 2. What qualified coaches

      will teach ou to improve your game. 3. Some coaches use video to help their

      students see their mistakes to correct them. 4. What separates qualified coaches

      from other coaches and the reason, you need a qualified coach.

      (See Andrew, Beth, Bobby, coach, Laura, Norm & video.)

temper 1. What good bowlers seldom lose. 2. What some bowlers will lose after

      consistently leaving corner pins.

tempo* 1. What your opponent will try to change if you’re bowling well. 2. What your

      team wants to dictate in any close match.

tension* What will happen when a teammate says you lost the match by not

      throwing a double in the tenth frame and you’re over your average and they shot

      below theirs.

tenth frame bowler 1. Someone who can throw 3 strikes in the 10th except for when

      the game is close. 2. Anyone who has helped your team win by tossing two strikes

      in the 10th at least five times in a season.

thinker* 1. Finally, we have a bowler who uses his brain. A few still question why they

      need to use it. 2. Some have been known to even outthink themselves. 3. Many of

      them get in the Hall of Fame. (See Mike.) (Check it out, the Stats Plus

        competitor’s guide.) 

thirteenth frame A place for buddies to hang out after friend a shoots a 300 or 800 to

      celebrate their good fortune. (I realize there are only 10 frames!)

thumb Part of the hand that more and more bowlers are not using to hopefully create

      better carry. The best part of just using your fingers is that your ball will need only

      two holes drilled in it which will save time at the Pro Shop.

tilt* 1. A phenomenon that is very common playing Texas Hold-em and can also

      happen bowling after your team loses a close game. 2. What you should avoid like

      the coronavirus. 3. What you hope will happen to your opponents.

Tim* 1. A knowledgeable player who knows when to offer a tip to genuinely help

      another player. 2. A person who enjoys the competition by volunteering to help out

      in tournaments. (See tip.) 

time* What most bowlers don’t want to spend to improve their game.

timing* What you hope will not lose when shooting for an 800 series.

tip* 1. What some will give to their opponent in an attempt to win the game. 2. How

      some bowlers actually get better with enough of them. 3. A trial-and-error method

      to the madness for a few bowlers instead of seeing a qualified coach. 4. What

      some coaches may give you if you’re a regular for free. What’s not to like about it

      being free? 5. What I give to teammates to improve their game. 6. What you may

      not give to the waitress if your drink takes over five frames to arrive. (See coach

        & Tim.)

titles* 1. What most good bowlers will chase until they finally win one. 2. The reasons

      why champions keep coming back for more.

today* 1. The only day that matters. 2. Why you should not wait for tomorrow. 3. The

      reason to prepare for the future.

tomorrow* 1. The day that good bowlers don’t wait for. 2. The day to do a post-match

       evaluation so your brain is fresh the next day and help you get some sleep that

       night. 

tools* 1. The tips you’ll use from your experience to win matches. 2. What you’ll use to

       alter your equipment for peak performance.

top 10 1. The reasons for something being significant. 2. The list of things to work on

       when practicing. (Check it out, my book's Top 10 list and of course you

         wanted it, the Traveling Masters Top 10 to bowl that great league.)

tournament 1. A test of your ability that only a few can pass. 2. A way for several

       bowlers to supplement their income.

training* 1. What bowling camps are for. 2. Why certain bowlers continue to win

       because of the coaching. (See Coach.)

track* 1. That area of the lane where the ball reacts the best. 2. An area that breaks

       down after a half game because of reactive balls. 3. What you could be on to

       bowl nationals. 

transition* The reason why many bowlers have low scores for their second game. 

trash talk* 1. One form of intimidation. 2. Something you shouldn’t pay attention to

      when competing.

travel* 1. The way you get to nationals. 2. It occurs after the season is over. 3. What

      some good leagues will do. 4. One of the reason why the Traveling Masters was a

      great league. (Check it out, the Traveling Masters section.)

Travel Master* 1. A bowler who plans his journey to travel all over Tucson in the hope

      of becoming a Champion and win the trophy. 2. Wanders to win lots of cash in

      brackets. 3. Waited eight months to bowl in Tucson’s best sweeper. 4. Their favorite

      symbol is “$”; favorite letter is “X”; favorite number is 300; favorite profile is a

      turkey. 5. They have no fear of the dreaded 10 pin. 6. They love to fill any frame with

      a strike. 7. They throw a colorful bowling ball to get their name in lights and in the

      newsletter. 8. They will without hesitation hang teammates to drink Miller Lite, our

      league sponsor. 9. TheI travel to league by a Flintstone mobile or by car

      depending on their age; travel by plane, motor home, train or by car to bowl

      nationals. 10. They travel to bowling listening to music on XM. 11. They love to see

      Stats Plus chart their average using stats and show the top averages on a graph.

      12. They have their sight on winning a ring with the hope of multiple rings. 13.

      They're hoping that they’ll never leave an unmakeable spare during the Roll-offs

      or the sweeper when the money is on the line. 14. They love the fact that their

      family, relatives and friends can see them on the world wide web. 15. And they love

      that Vantage Bowling Centers and Miller Lite beer along with team sponsors add

      over $10,000 to the prize fund. (Check it out, the travel master with graphics.)

trial-and-error* 1. What some good bowlers have done in their career. 2. Why

      bowlers miss cuts in tournaments because they're tweaking instead of finding the

      shot. (See reading the lanes and skill.)

tribute* 1. Roy Tietz showing respect for bowlers and their great accomplishments in

      Tucson Tribute & Honor. 2. What Mr. Stats did with his two books and with this huge

      website with over 38 pages giving back to this great sport. (See Mr. Stats &

       Roy.) (Check it out, the Dedications page, Inspirations & the

       Tucson Tribute & Honor page.) 

trigger* 1. Key word in pre-shot routine. 2. The first strike in a string of strikes.

trophy 1. Something you win if you want it bad enough. 2. Only a few leagues offer

      them anymore as most bowlers want the cash.

trust Something that is a MUST or your game is a BUST. 

try* 1. What many bowlers have done with the PBA. 2. What some do on demo days. 3.

      What you hope your team does during the playoffs.

Tucson* Knocking down all 10 pins to record a “x” on the telescore to beat a bowler

      from the Phoenix, AZ area. (Note: If it is a strike on the other side, it is a Tucson to

      Brooklyn flight.)

tunnel vision* The side effect of being in the zone.

turkey The profile seen on automatic scorers when a bowler is lucky enough for 3 in a

      row.

twelfth frame 1. The only frame that really matters when shooting 300. 2. Throwing for

      count after a double in the tenth frame.

two-hander* 1. Bowlers trying to out rev even the other two handers with only some

      having some success. They like the effect of the grenade in their hands and the

      explosion 60 feet down the lane after release. 2. Most right handers see this group

      as annoying due to the lanes changing twice as fast requiring faster adjustments.

      3. Someone who will carry more strikes because of their rev rate until the lanes

      transiition. 4. A bowler who just wanted to be different by throwing a few more

      strikes per game. 5. A group who forgot that spares actually wins games ever now

      and then. (See USBC.) (See photo before the t's from 1909.)

      (Check it out, the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

USBC* 1. A group of bowlers “trying” to make the sport better but make decisions that

      turn some bowlers off. 2. An organization that wants to make the sport more

      competitive with sport bowling, but still allow reactive equipment that have 300’s

      drilled in them. 3. The organization that now allows for two handed bowlers to put

      even more massive revolutions where scoring has gone through the roof. 4. The

      group trying to get our great sport in the Olympics, but because of the inflated

      scoring from resin balls, the Olympic committee keeps turning bowling down. 

under What bowlers are when they miss shooting their average.

urethane* 1. A ball manufactures make to limit hook on the ball. 2. The type of ball

      some wish they would be illegal because the way it changes the oil on the lanes.

      3. The ball that pros throw on TV due to drier lanes because of being

      uncomfortable making adjustments.

urgency* 1. Your mental state just realizing how close you are to cashing or making

      the cut. 2. What teammates should have in very close games. 3. The act of

      praying for some great scores for the last game during position rounds and

      playoffs. 

 Varipapa* 1. A fierce competitor. 2. The art of achieving a high score anytime during

      a series. 3. Any 12 bagger that even continues to the next game shall be known as

      a "Varipapa 300". (See zeroed in.) 

video* 1. What most great coaches produce to show during lessons to improve your

      game. 2. A sure-fire way to prove that you’re throwing the ball better, then you were

      a month ago during the last video. 3. Something Laura doesn’t use or need

      because she’s a great coach using her own techniques. (See Andrew, Bobby,

        coach, Laura and technique.)

vision* 1. What you see happening in the future but must still live in the present to

      make it real. 2. What Stats Plus saw after being elected secretary/ treasurer of the

      Vantage Miller Lite Traveling Masters league. 3. What Mr. Stats had for the Traveling

      Masters league and why it was the greatest league ever. 4. The reason why some

      go big and the others just go home. 5. How you determine your future after

      consulting your crystal ball. (See Mr. Stats.) (Check it out, the Traveling Masters

       and Stats Plus sections.) 

visionary* 1. They’ll be looking at a wealthier future after tackling the lanes and taking

      down some of the best bowlers in the center. 2. Since it’s not their first rodeo, they

      will expect everything and are prepared for it. (See Steve.) (Check it out,

       the Stats Plus competitor’s guide.)

visualization*1. One reason why bowlers have trouble focusing. 2. An experience

      unlike any other. 3. Why most great bowlers continue to do to amaze anyone

      watching them.

wall* 1. A lane with a super easy house shot where four boards produce guaranteed

      strikes. 2. Bowlers that have trouble on this shot need to see a qualified coach for

      better repetition. 3. What Andrew used as no other coach ever used it as a prop

      to rebuild my confidence. (See Andrew & coach.) 

wallbaby* A bowler who only bowls on easy house shots and quits on a shot that

      requires accuracy. (Added by Joe P., 2014) (Check it out, the Stats Plus

        competitor’s guide.)

want 1. A wish list of the latest and greatest balls. 2. The reason to bowl tournaments.

      (Check it out, my What I want article.)

want-to-be 1. Bowlers dreaming about wearing someone else’s shoe. 2. Wishing you

      could bowl with your opposite hand.

washed-up Over the hill champions who have trouble shooting 200.

washout 1. What happens to bowlers who can't make it on the pro tour. 2. When

      bowlers miss the headpin and leave pins that look like a split.

weakness 1. What all bowlers should work on to be better performers. 2. Anything

      holding a bowler back from their true potential. 3. Great bowlers like Earl Anthony

      and Norm Duke who worked on them and came back to win at least 40 titles. (See

       Brooklyn, Earl and Norm.)

weather 1. Something that shouldn't affect the sport except when it rains, the power

      goes out, the snow collapsed the roof or possibly a tornado to blow the roof of the

      center. 2. Bowlers need to survive them during slumps.

weight 1. With technology, something that is now less important. 2. What you feel on

      your sholders from your team in a close match. 3. Something you take off your

      team shooting a 250 game.

whammy* 1. What you hope happens to your opponent. 2. What few coaches teach

      their students to insure it will happen less to you. 3. A solid mental game will defeat

      it. (See Laura.) 

whine Bowlers who didn’t adjust and now needs some cheese and wine to go with

      their complaining. (See cheese & wine.)

Who’s who?* 1. A list of who you think would be on a list. 2. A bowler who’s in the Hall

      of Fame. 3. If you accomplished something special, you’ll be one of the who’s.

      (Check it out, the Traveling Master’s Who’s who?)

will 1. The power all bowlers have, unless they choose not to use it. 2. Distractions that

      keep some bowlers from knowing how and when to use it.

wine* 1. A drink to forget your bad scores. 2. Something that goes great with cheese.

      (See cheese & whine.)

winner 1. Whoever comes out on top in a match whether they deserve it or not. 2. The

      reason we compete.

winter* 1. The season that can make getting to the center next to impossible, due to

      snow and ice. 2. The time of the year where you need to check your shoes more

      often.

wisdom What great bowlers have and everyone wants.

work* 1. What can get in the way of being on time for league. 2. The way good bowlers

      turn into great bowlers.

worry* 1. What, me worry? Don't worry, be happy! 2. Those bowlers with strong mental

      games won’t have to.

wrist 1. What crankers cup until their injured. 2. What crankers break for their

      comeback.

X What you want to see in each and every frame.

X’d out* 1. Nothing but strikes to finish the game. 2. Going off the sheet with a string of

      strikes. (See off the sheet.)

yatzee* 1. Game that some teams play during league hoping you’re the bowling

      claiming a yatzee. 2. Good teams can’t play because every member will be rolling

      five strikes in a row.

yes* 1. What you tell yourself after throwing that strike to keep the pressure on your

      opponent. 2. The group you listen to before bowling to psych yourself up for the

      mismatch.

yesterday* A day you hope will teach you something to help you win the upcoming

      tournament.

zeroed in 1. The state you're in when you've thrown a "Varipapa 300", which is a 12

      bagger at any time. 2. Throwing two eight baggers in league. (See Varipapa.)

zone 1. That magical place where all bowlers want to go to and need to be, but some

      bowlers will have only a short visit. 2. Those who visit for a long period and who are

      return travelers, welcome their trip here and of course want to return here the next

      time they're at the lanes. 3. The place that reates higher scores where some

      opponents have trouble keeping up with. 4. The reason why you should read The

      Path to Excellence. (Zone article is coming.)

zoner* 1. These bowlers know what to expect at every center. They have the best

      mental game of all the local bowlers. 2. They usually find the zone in practice and

      the reason you need to worry about them. (See Scott.) (Check it out, the

       Stats Plus competitor’s guide.) 

See you in the ZONE!

Message me, Alan Brizee  Path to Excellence  w/ Q's