TIP 8

Ok it's match play, what's your attitude toward your opponent  


    You have bowled your heart out. You have finely made match play. Now it is a little one on one each game. In the new format of the PBA it's get
by this next guy or go home. Or maybe it is the big roll off for league. Your team must beat the challenging  team or no grand prize for you. Well 2nd
place is not bad. BS! you want to WIN!  So how do you think about your opponent?  There are tons of things you can think about other than your 
 opponent but for most people thoughts of your opponent will creep into your mind. Do you sit there as he bowls and think "Come on split" or " OK 
Big 4" I know a lot of people do that. The problem is, if you think that negatively about your opponents bowling then every lucky break he gets will
really get under your skin. He will suddenly become the luckiest man on earth. "Did you see that? He went right through the nose and got a strike".
The other problem with this attitude is it will start to mess up your game. After a few lucky breaks from him and you ring a 10 pin or two all of the
sudden now you are the most unlucky man on earth. That my friend is a bad combination.  I suggest a totally different train of thought. Instead of 
thinking so negative about your opponent and trying to put hexes on him all the while trying to manage a fake smile. Get on his team! That's right
I am saying root for your opponent. Now before you call the guys in the trucks with the pretty flashing lights to come take me away hear me out.
     I actually root for my opponent like he was my doubles partner. He gets a strike I jump up and slap his hand sure, but I mean I cheer for him.  
He gets a lucky break  I feel like he is on my team and we needed that. In short I draw a positive energy from any good thing that happens to him. 
The best part is if he gets a bad break I know deep down inside he is not on my team so it  does not effect me in a negative way at all. Have you 
ever bowled on a team and all of the sudden it gets hot. You feel the positive energy from your teammates and you just get better and better? Well
this is the same idea. I really believe in positive thoughts even when you are bowling poorly. I think they can help.  I know that negative thoughts 
can hurt your performance. I always wanted the people that I bowled against to bowl well. I just wanted to bowl better. Give it a shot.