Author Topic: Do you sandbag? (Read 1649 times)

qstick777 · « **on:** May 24, 2005, 06:56:30 AM »

I'm bowling in a league where we establish our averages the first week. I notice that 2 people on a certain team seem to be bowling just well enough to win games. Both of these guys average around 200+, but somehow they were bowling 140-160 games, maybe high 170s. It can't be "rust" because they both just finished bowling a fall league in the same house. I didn't see the final scores, but I think they both managed to keep their average in the 150-160 range.

So, does anybody else sandbag like this? Obviously if you can bowl just well enough to win, why enter with a high average?

Overhand · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2005, 02:59:36 PM »

no...anyone who does this is scum

on the other hand, it is very hard to prove. (but you're still scum)

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qstick777 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2005, 04:48:44 PM »

I agree, but how do you prove it? Do you just chalk it up to "I had an off night"? You can go to bowl.com and pull up the person and see he averaged 200 between his leagues. We were watching and commenting (amongst ourselves) on how he had a really low score in the 5th or 6th frame and his team was losing pinfall. the guy then strung a couple together to pull his team ahead.

of course I've had weeks where I shot 40 pins under average, but I'm still a beginner -- this guy has been bowling for a while, bowls multiple leagues, enters tournaments, etc. It all just seems fishy to me.

all this in the 1st week where the averages get established. He'd have to be pretty good at figuring out what they need before handicap, but he might be willing to sacrifice the first week to get a higher handicap.

I'm in the league to have fun - the prize fund isn't very high, and I just need the reason to practice. it just kills me that some people would stoop to such low levels. he might be trying to win individual improvement awards, or maybe he just had an off night.

Beef STL · « **Reply #3 on:** May 24, 2005, 05:31:28 PM »

Yeah, you should have proposed that the fall league stuck for the first 9 or so games, or something like that.

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Member of the St. Louis, Missouri YABA

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stanski · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2005, 05:36:38 PM »

Go to any good handicap men's league and you will find sandbaggers. Its a part of the game, you have to either not bowl handicap leagues, do it yourself, or deal with it.

I remember watching a guy bowling, and the guy I was talking to said "that guy is the best bowler in the center," and I said "no way look at all the spares he's missing." The guy replies "He's just practicing missing spares." I personally wouldn't sandbag, as I like carrying a high average and trying to achieve the most i can, but if I was in it for the money, I would definately sandbag.

And guys, most of the time people sandbag so that they can enter tourney's with a low average, not so that they can make money in league, so that argument really doesn't help.
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stanski

Edited on 5/24/2005 5:29 PM

qstick777 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2005, 06:20:54 PM »

quote:
Yeah, you should have proposed that the fall league stuck for the first 9 or so games, or something like that.

I missed the meeting, and I think this is a league with quite a few "first time" league bowlers. I know that rule wouldn't have affected the new people, but general feeling is that it's just a "fun" league (except for a select few).

quote:
And guys, most of the time people sandbag so that they can enter tourney's with a low average, not so that they can make money in league, so that argument really doesn't help.

True, but most tournaments around here make you use your highest verifiable book average from the past year. These guys are 200+ bowlers. The money might be the thing, but its a short league and it isn't that big, so the money isn't even that big of a deal. I can't imagine somebody would compromise their ethics to win an extra $25-50 (assuming these guys have ethics, and we know what happens when you assume!).

I guess I will just watch them over the course of the league and see what happens.

thfonz98 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2005, 06:24:42 PM »

ive been accused of it in all my leagues(once even to the manager) but I dont bag....i will throw plastic on fill ball in the 10th once in a while though(not in the gutter)
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stanski · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2005, 10:50:55 PM »

quote:
quote:
Yeah, you should have proposed that the fall league stuck for the first 9 or so games, or something like that.

I missed the meeting, and I think this is a league with quite a few "first time" league bowlers. I know that rule wouldn't have affected the new people, but general feeling is that it's just a "fun" league (except for a select few).

quote:
And guys, most of the time people sandbag so that they can enter tourney's with a low average, not so that they can make money in league, so that argument really doesn't help.

True, but most tournaments around here make you use your highest verifiable book average from the past year. These guys are 200+ bowlers. The money might be the thing, but its a short league and it isn't that big, so the money isn't even that big of a deal. I can't imagine somebody would compromise their ethics to win an extra $25-50 (assuming these guys have ethics, and we know what happens when you assume!).

I guess I will just watch them over the course of the league and see what happens.

Yea in that case, I doubt its worthwile to even watch for them bagging. I know some leagues around here can be worth thousands for the best bagger... but you might just chalk it up to bad lanes, lanemen, bowling, drunkedness, burnout, or some other factor.
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stanski

sunnyrt · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2005, 12:30:28 AM »

The conditioner was broken the first week of our summer league. I pulled the high average at 204 after bowling 159 in the first game. This league has about 8 200+ average guys and they just couldn't handle the messed up conditions. There was oil 10 out to 50 ft. and stripes of oil between. This league also establishes the first week so we've got a whole lot of people 40+ below their averages from winter.

Maelstrom · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2005, 01:03:01 AM »

No. I honestly think it's the worst form of cheating in this sport, and one of lowest things you could do. I personally have never done it and never will. Even with that said, as seeing that both leagues I was in last season were scratch (I will be in these same leagues next year as well), this eliminates the option for anyone to do it.

Besides, I shot 210's the first week of bowling the past season, so it wouldn't matter anyway

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9andaWiggle · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2005, 12:08:33 PM »

The only way I would sandbag was if it was my sole intention to keep my average at 130, then give the known or suspected sandbaggers a taste of their own medicine by shooting 650+ when I bowl against them!! It would be great if you could get a whole league in on this and run them out of the center.

That's the only vindictive thing I can think of to do to a sandbagger that wouldn't involve jail time... my other ideas involve lead pipes and knees, bolt cutters and fingers, etc...

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9~

Ernie McCracken · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2005, 12:12:18 PM »

Sandbaggers are the reason I bowl in scratch leagues! As someone said before, baggers are scum.
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Author Topic: Do you sandbag? (Read 1649 times)

qstick777

Do you sandbag?

Overhand

Re: Do you sandbag?

qstick777

Re: Do you sandbag?

Beef STL

Re: Do you sandbag?

stanski

Re: Do you sandbag?

qstick777

Re: Do you sandbag?

thfonz98

Re: Do you sandbag?

stanski

Re: Do you sandbag?

sunnyrt

Re: Do you sandbag?

Maelstrom

Re: Do you sandbag?

9andaWiggle

Re: Do you sandbag?

Ernie McCracken

Re: Do you sandbag?