it's just bowling after all...

Last night I bowled again with my work league (filling in for another player). Our defeat was total. We lost all three games, and the negativity level was high. I really don't care about winning the league trophy or about raising my average. I'm happy to get three digits every game. When I'm not driving myself home, I'm quite happy to enjoy a brew or two. But my team mates want to win and get very down when their bowling is average or poor. See, I don't even really believe I can control much when I bowl. I'm not very supersitious about it all. My windup is the same as it always is, yet every throw is slightly different. There's no controlling how it all comes together on a given night. Sure there is practice and skill, but I find that obsessing over the outcome is just too stressful. I don't see losing or bowling bad as any sort of reflection on me or my character. But bowling with people who hate on themselves when they get an 89 is not a fun night.