About the lefty who was in our face during the Pikeville match (I believe his name is Marchena). I was a little surprised that some took it personelly. It actually got us a little off our game.
I hope that most of the A team realize that even though you are well liked indiviually around college bowling, many programs consider us as a team, a bunch of dicks.
Don't be surprised down the road if more teams don't get in our face. We need to prepare for that. You reap what you sow...
Don't believe me ask around.
Dolph
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"It's not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
Match Play is a whole different atmosphere than individual games. The slightest thing from a large yell, to a intense messanger, a split converted can change the whole momentum of a match. A good example I remember is from last year at nationals when we bowled Arizona State in the semi's. I accidently bumped into one of the members of the opposing team after I ran out a strike and walked back to our pit area from their side. It really did change the whole momentum of the match.
Indeed, Kimani. That was great match and your actions really wasn't anything more than exuberance at a pivotal time in the match.
But there were several incidents. Dean's thing with RIT. You with the ASU and their coach barking at us. RJ said some stuff in the Calumet match.
I remember after the tourney running into Jasmine Coleman and her giving me an earful about Steve Miller's crotch chop.
All of this individually doesn't seem like a lot, but add them up and it becomes a pattern. I think back to the BV and Shea teams, they were much more "in your face" type of team, but always with dignity and respect. This team sometimes goes a little too far.
What I'd like to see is a louder, more emotional LU team, but keep the cheers and emotions directed at our team. Win, but win with honor and dignity.
In the mean time, expect more responses like Fidel Marchena's. We have the rep. Don't be so surprised or offended. The best way to handle something like this is take it out on them on the lanes. Focus and raise your game, and other teams will know not to mess with us.
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"It's not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
I feel the same way. Even though I wasn't bowling match play in Ohio, honestly as a Lindenwood Bowling member it was hard to watch us bowl as a team. Our body language just looked like we didn't even care about winning. I know it's good to win power points but we just showed no heart at all, and in order to be a GREAT team you can't do that. I hate the fact that when our backs are against the wall we want to act like we want to bowl then. Yes we are all good bowlers who can possibly be great bowlers, but your name or school name won't win a match. Pikeville wanted to win that baker match as much as we did and more. When they won how did they celebrate....It was like upsetting Duke in college basketball. Everyone is on the hunt for us like what Zolphin is saying. Its time to focus our energy on what matters most. Helmer Cup!
Ohhh and Zolphin ASU coach Jordan knew I didn't do that on purpose. Brian Makan is from Akron and he knows what I am about on and off the lanes. Im not that type of person, however what I did happened to work in our favor. Im not into taunting the opposing team because I have a hoopers mindset in a bowlers body. I like whooping ass then laughing afterwards. The point I was trying to make was where was the energy and heart from our A Team. I didn't see that and It really disappointed me. I know I am no having the year I would have like to have had especially first semester, but never will I just give up on bowling nor the team.
i really dont think i was effected either. i may of missed that ten pin right after he crotch chopped us but i missed it because i just compeltely missed it with my fingers. kimani i really dont think you can say that we didnt have heart. we all came there to win that match and the tournament. if we didnt have heart we wouldnt of made the comeback after the first game on sunday when we shot big 11's the next two games. we may not of been as loud as the other team but i dont think you can say that we didnt have the heart. we didnt bowl well enoguh to beat the other team obviosuly. but there are alot of factors like how long we have sat out and the other team has momentum coming off their win. ive noticed lots of times when i or we come off a bye the other team has momentum and we lose or they take us alot farther than the match should have gone but that still is no excuse.. just thought id put my opinion out there. not trying to hate on you kimani
We lost because the lanes played flatter and we sat for 2 hours.
Its not because we got crotch chopped or lack heart. You guys are looking too deep into a 3 game set after we crushed the whole tournament.
I agree with everything Lem said.
Perhaps, our team is very professional and analytical compared to other college teams, except of course the occasional show of emotion that tends to be directed at another team.
Not saying that's bad, just see a trend. Teams get pumped to bowl us, paint us as bad guys. We tend to do what we did last week; stay low key, get lined up and make shots.
We bowl well against the best teams, but sometimes, like last week, we don't match the emotion of the team we're playing.
Last year, I felt we were the 2nd best team in the country, and matched up well to Wichita. Problem is didn't make it past RIT and Calumet. In fact every match we started slow. Don't under-rate emotion. It's nice to be cool and analytical, but emotion can jump start a team. We need to bring our emotion level higher, of course in a sportsmanship type way.
This post season; We need to unleash the fury...
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"It's not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
I agree it helps to jump start a match with emotion, last year we really screwed up letting the donks at nationals gain any momentum at all...When we bowled the guys we knew were good you wouldn't believe how amped that team got....lol RJ and his mid games talks...RIGHT NOW!!!! We need to start proving a point to the little guys and keep them in their places, they say don't kick a guy when he's down but no one ever said you couldn't smash his face in the dirt, lets start putting the pressure on early and then press harder.....I don't think the lack of heart had any factor it was the lack of animosity that was put forth...body motion and facial expression are everything, keep your head up, shoulders back, and stern look on your face and it can change everything, not to mention the tones of your voice mean just as much. Kick ass this week fellas.
