Author Topic: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund (Read 7622 times)

tomgriffin · « **on:** August 11, 2009, 06:30:09 AM »

We're a four person team - me and my pal just started bowling again after a few years and we have two ladies that just started bowling (their first league). We joined a small, non-competitive 10 team summer league to have a good time and introduce the girls to league.

We ended up clinching the league, much to the dismay of a handful of house teams who came up with every excuse in the book about why we didn't deserve to win (sandbagging was their hot topic). Yes - it's true that we're not that consistent as we just started up bowling again - but we're not sandbagging. We knew these teams complained to the house, but we shrugged it off. We figured they were just sore losers.

Despite the USBC rules and the league's bylaws, no prize fund was ever distributed until the second to last week of bowling. By this time we had already clinched the league. What we got was the flattest prize fund I've ever seen, with only a $30 difference between 1st and 2nd place. Let's just say we were really disappointed with the distribution and wished we had a chance to propose a prize fund from the start versus having this prize fund pushed on us in the second to last week of league.

I went up to the desk and asked the obvious questions - why wasn't the prize fund voted on? why wasn't it distributed earlier? why was it made so late (we know it was made in the 2nd half of the league because a team dropped out and the prize fund reflects that - and all the numbers are even so its not like they just took the money out equally). There were no answers to any of these questions - just an attitude as if I was wrong for questioning it.

I told them that I would be filing a protest with the USBC due to mismanagement of the league (the house runs the league and fills all officer spots). I was told, point blank by the house, that if I do that I can expect several written protests against my team for sandbagging and that we'll end up getting nothing.

Wow.

So we wanted to get all of the score sheets to prove that we weren't sandbagging. We were going to recalculate all of the points based upon much higher averages and prove out that we could have averaged much higher and still won. We asked the house for the score sheets. They gave us the score sheets cut in half, with only our scores visible. They refused to give us the entire sheets.

Wow again.

So tonight is the last week of league. We bowl last place because we clinched - and totally expect attitude from every team and the house. There's no win in filing a protest against the house because at the end of the day there is a rule that the president has all authority over the prize fund if it was not voted on by the league. So we have at least found some humor in it - check out our video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED94ahjOPn0

And remember - ALWAYS make sure they follow the rules about the prize fund. We think the house was out to screw us. It's the only reason things have panned out this way. Interested to hear if anyone else has had similar problems where you have teams influencing how the house runs leagues/make decisions/favors bowlers/etc...

TG

iamnas22 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 11, 2009, 03:41:07 PM »

If you were so worried about the rules, how come you didn't bring this up in week 6? No? I mean a rule is a rule after all. You're just as much to blame as the league if they did change prize funds. Bottom line is, you won, wanted money, and didn't get what you though you should.

tomgriffin · « **Reply #17 on:** August 11, 2009, 03:49:55 PM »

The league is sanctioned.

mainzer · « **Reply #18 on:** August 11, 2009, 03:56:42 PM »

I don't understand why you have a issue with a flat prize fund in a league that is supposed to be for fun.

You contribute nothing to the site 4Pin, At least he is honest in what he is saying. You are the liar even though that is not how you see thing in your fantasy world

quote:
Thank you for contributing nothing to the thread. Are you going to chime in every time I make a post and call me a liar? You are a hateful human being who has done nothing but harass me for several days.

You need to get the f**k away from me.

quote:
LIAR!

quote:
Are you sure the league is sanctioned? Many summer leagues around here (I am in New York) are not sanctioning if they are not competitive. My PBA Experience league is VERY competitive with a decent payout, however it is NOT sanctioned.

You may be assuming that the league is sanctioned when it may not be. In which case, they are not required to follow USBC's rules.

quote:
@4PinHatesMe

You misunderstood me. We were not looking for the actual cash. We were looking for the % breakdown of what each place gets. Per USBC it needs to be voted on by the 5th week of bowling.

--------------------
Are you ready?

RIP ThongPrincess

--------------------
GetOffMe10Pin

Starting 5:
1. Hammer Cherry Vibe
2. Raw Hammer Psycho
3. Raw Hammer Burn
4. Ebonite NVD
5. Target Zone

Bench:
1. Columbia 300 Rival
2. Ebonite Complete NV

--------------------
Are you ready?

RIP ThongPrincess

--------------------
''Don't you Forget their is a price
you can pay.
Cause I am the Game!
And I wanna Play!''

-MotorHead Song ''THE GAME''-

MainzerPower

Edited on 8/11/2009 3:59 PM

tomgriffin · « **Reply #19 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:03:23 PM »

Re: I don't understand why you have a issue with a flat prize fund in a league that is supposed to be for fun.

Then why have a prize fund at all?

tomgriffin · « **Reply #20 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:04:16 PM »

And there's no way a house is going to lose their sanction. It's just not realistic.

snowspike1 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:14:25 PM »

will have to whatch the vid tonight after work.

I had something simmiliar.....

2nd to last week the 1st place team had 2 subs(3person team) that part was fine. the 3rd bowler had abad night and they were bowling against the ghost team. so al they had to do is be within 30 pins of their ave to beat the ghost....

the 2 subs had to set an ave... so they not to far off the 3rd bowler was70 pins uner for 1st gm 35 under 2nd gm and i didnt see the 3rd and the sheet was so scribbled on i couldn't read it.. all 3 of those bowlers said they lost all gms. which would have put my team in 2nd place and dropped them to 3rd.

last night of bowling i get to the lanes and they are bowling for 1st place. the lady that does the books/sheets and ect.. works for the house and that team was the league pres.. they were in 2nd place because she said they won the 3rd gm.....

i took it in stride and put it off cause they got their butt stomped (whats bad though is my teams scores would have beat the "1st places scores by 30+ pins each gm). My team ended in 2nd place and for the 12wk league we got 36.?? each the last place team got 35.00 so the pay out there is real hohum and questionable....

with that and the fact that the house would't fix my new ball properly (new one. Virtual Energy 3rd gm bowling with it the lanes or ball return took a chunk from the edge of my thumb hole. the ball had only been released early that week, and i go by the warrenty plug it and by by warrenty... they should have replaced the ball. the sanding their pro shop did made my thumb hole sloppy.

mmcfarland300 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 11, 2009, 04:21:20 PM »

quote:
The USBC stepped in and removed the New York State association's leaders for embezzling our monies. There currently is no New York State USBC.

A house can lose their sanction if they are altering the prize fund and pocketing the monies. If you are not willing to contact USBC directly, I can only assume you are simply here looking for someone to cry to.

quote:
And there's no way a house is going to lose their sanction. It's just not realistic.

--------------------
Are you ready?

RIP ThongPrincess

It would be certification not sanctioning. If it is a true PBAX league it has to be sport sanctioned. If it shows on the USBC page it is sanctioned.
--------------------
"Another day will bring a different result"
"Pick your battles because stressing over things will not change an outcome"

tomgriffin · « **Reply #23 on:** August 11, 2009, 05:04:24 PM »

Just make sure you check out my video :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED94ahjOPn0

Strider · « **Reply #24 on:** August 11, 2009, 05:06:23 PM »

Not too long ago, our scratch league did something similar. Although we agreed to have the prize fund voted on by week #8, it didn't actually happen until there were two weeks left in the season. Of course, by then, everyone pretty much knew where they'd finish. The teams near the top voted for a top heavy payout, teams in the middle voted for a "normal" payout, while the teams at the bottom wanted a more balanced payout. There was a pretty good amount of added prize money, so it was even more unfair than it should have been.
--------------------
Penn State Proud

Ron Clifton's Bowling Tip Archive

JOE FALCO · « **Reply #25 on:** August 11, 2009, 05:07:52 PM »

If I was grading you .. I'd have to say:

Complaint= 0
Video= 100%
--------------------
Hit them light and watch them fight
J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess

trash heap · « **Reply #26 on:** August 11, 2009, 05:42:55 PM »

THAT VIDEO WAS GREAT!!!! LOL!!!!

duvallite · « **Reply #27 on:** August 11, 2009, 07:45:57 PM »

Man, that is the funniest use of a video that I have seen in a long time. Very nice job with the dubbing!!

looseleftie · « **Reply #28 on:** August 11, 2009, 10:51:00 PM »

One of my leagues is a friendly 8 team mixed league. We won, for presentation we got a few trophies, and the $600 prize fund is going back into prizes/fun nights throughout our season. So no money!! Life goes on. If you only received $20 more than second, well, thats life (certainly not inconsistant with some of the prize funds that I have received over the year, you did say this it is only a 10 team league), but I personally would want to see the breakdown or treasurers book on this.. But to be honest, I don't know why you and your team would want to bowl with these stupid knobs!! Find another night to bowl, or another centre. Unless if this is the only suitable time for all of you to get together. Better idea, stick around, bowl another year, that way you may win again (rub it into them) or they may eventually see that you guys do bowl hot and cold, and hopefully may be a bit more accepting of you...

Your video simply is brilliant. I do hope that the staff and the president/secretary and treasurer of your league see this. This must make them feel real big!!

Sensational, very original and clever, you serve as a testiment to the term "PAYBACK"...
Well done. LL

mikeywg · « **Reply #29 on:** August 11, 2009, 11:11:15 PM »

As per USBC rules, once league games are bowled. The scores and sheets are considered PUBLIC RECORD and can be seen by any one.

I am a league Secretary and USBC Director. Sounds like you need to get the local Directors involved if you feel it is that important to prove your point.
--------------------
300 x 8 800 x 2 815 & 825 & 827

Proud new owner of lane #1
Buzzsaw C/2
Cobalt Bomb
Black Cherry Bomb

And the almighty

SUPERNOVA XP

The BUZZBOMB is Da-Bomb.

JessN16 · « **Reply #30 on:** August 12, 2009, 01:10:45 AM »

quote:
As per USBC rules, once league games are bowled. The scores and sheets are considered PUBLIC RECORD and can be seen by any one.

I am a league Secretary and USBC Director. Sounds like you need to get the local Directors involved if you feel it is that important to prove your point.

This is kind of what I was getting at. I don't think there's much of a protest to be made in this case for a flat prize fund, but the real question is what the house thinks they can do with league records. I'm willing to bet they don't know what's required of them.

I would have to do a lot more research than I care to in order to explain the relationship between a league secretary and a league, but there is somewhat of a fiduciary relationship there since there is money involved, and on top of that it's bonded by the USBC.

The most important question to ask here is, if this house feels it can get away with what they're doing in this league, could they also do it in a high-dollar league? And someone will have to find me the bylaw that connects a team having a protest over the prize fund with a charge of sandbagging, because that's not in my rulebook.

Summary: The OP probably doesn't have any recourse, but the local association needs to straighten this out before it pops up in a money league down the road.

Jess

Author Topic: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund (Read 7622 times)

tomgriffin

Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

iamnas22

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

tomgriffin

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

mainzer

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

tomgriffin

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

tomgriffin

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

snowspike1

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

mmcfarland300

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

tomgriffin

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

Strider

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

JOE FALCO

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

trash heap

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

duvallite

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

looseleftie

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

mikeywg

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund

JessN16

Re: Screwed by Boonton Lanes Over a Rigged Prize Fund