I Knew Better, But ...

I knew it was a bad idea to bowl today, but that didn't stop me from being stupid. The argument from my teammates was better to have me than not, because I have been generally rolling a good 20 points or so above my average ... on league night, which is Friday night. Since we knew I wouldn't be able to be there this upcoming Friday night because of Via de Cristo, since we were facing a very close competitor in the top five standings (like we were), and since blinding me means giving up 10 points of my score each game (i.e. I'd automatically post a 141 - or ten below whatever my average is at the moment), they just didn't want that. Don't blame 'em terribly, espcially after I posted games of 186, 164 and 200 this past Friday (550 series, my best yet). BUT ...


The problem is that we had just bowled a day and a half previously. Now, that doesn't seem like a whole lot of problem; and it was only three games, right? If only it were so easy. I've been struggling with a raging case of tendinitis that I'm trying to mollify with an elbow brace, something I firmly believe came about because I overused my arm rolling 'practice' games well beyond numbers I should have back in November and December. Add to that a shoulder that features a strained muscle (still not sure where that came from) which I failed to apply heat to (darnitall ...), and a hand that was beat from Friday night anyway. I knew I was gonna have a tough time performing the way I needed to. Frankly, I saw the same thing in all our games today ... and sure enough, it happened.

Don't you just hate it when you can't perform to a level you know you can? That's what I was hammered with this afternoon. I think the hand bothered me the most - specifically my thumb, which developed a real sore spot. Plus there was no strength of grip. That meant control problems, and so I wasn't picking up spares ... even on good leaves. GRRRRRRR!!! And so, my game crashed - well, by my standards, anyway. Bowled a good 10 points or so total under what I should have. Combine that with mostly poor outings from my fellow teammates, and this day shouldn't have happened. Oh, we managed 800+ series with our handicaps, but we needed to be at or above the 900's we bowled Friday - and weren't anywhere close to that. I'll be glad if we can salvage two points out of this, but I don't expect it.

So, now I've got to try and get my aching joints put back together to be ready for Wednesday thru Sunday's labor of love. Need to get some glucosamine and condroitin and see if that'll help at all. Don't want a doctor involved if I don't have to. But if I don't find some improvement, I may have to.

Other things to do now, though. Big week and Weekend to get set for (more on that in time). God be with us all ...

TMB! 8-)