Is it sand bagging?

[Martin "BLUFLAME" Seay]

Looking aroind in league tonight, watching the different lines people were playing, and from my own practice saw you could swing it anywhere and it came back. I wondered is it sandbagging if you refuse to play the easy swing line and play a tighter line?

[Chase]

No, that's not sandbagging...that's practicing something that might be a little more challenging for THAT particular person's focus...at that particular time.

I spent the night trying a lot of different things...and just had fun. But, there will definitely be times when I will be MORE focused on WINNING the game...than just having some fun. The pinstrikes league is pretty relaxed. I mean, if you win a high game scratch.. you get like $18...LMAO.

But, now when we started "pot-bowling" after league, I changed my whole thing up because I knew I could win $40...and you saw me bowl accordingly. I played "the shot" that I have used to score high in that center.


...of course, next week - the Brackets will start...and I believe that will change a lot of my own personal "focus" :)

[Isom]

It is exactly a scenerio like this that makes it difficult to determine how to define or identify sandbagging.. In general I feel a person is bagging, if they KNOW where the strike line is and they purposely bowl on another part of the lane, thus causing lower scores... But in the defense of that person, maybe they have decided to play that part of the lane in effort to practice, so that when the common strike line ISNT there, they will feel at ease playing that portion of the lane. You can really only determine sandbagging over time... Does a person constantly average low in league and constantly average much higher in tournaments? If this is the case, then you can be assured they are probably sandbagging

But how about this.. what if a person decides to throw plastic as a strike ball, on lanes that ARNT dry instead of throwing resin? We both know that it would drag your score way down if you did that... but would that be sandbagging?

[Chase]

Well, unlike 99% of the rest of us...Isom you would still average 225+ with a plastic ball...lol

[Isom]

You give me too much credit chase... I wouldnt average 225 with plastic...

[Chase]

uhu...http://www.shamrockbowlingcenter.com/tournament%20results%202009.html

well, im glad you are a modest man.... :)

maybe my math is off, but when I "search" the name "isom"...lol, it seems to keep coming up on that page. Now, maybe it's a different "Isom"... but...well, you get the point. :)

[Isom]

Trust me i didnt do that with plastic!

[Chase]

..yeah, I know. But, I DO NOT give you too much credit. You are very well respected...and I was just trying to reinforce the fact that you are a great bowler...

[Martin "BLUFLAME" Seay]

Yea Isom, I didn't really want to bring in the obvious sand bag stuff, just kind of wondered about it. I have heard of people that throw there old dead stuff in league and new stuff in tournaments. To each his own. I have given up on the whole sand bag debate, I'm just trying to get good enough to throw the ball the same way that I know it should be thrown for 12 shots in a row. As Lil bron bron has surpassed kobe, I'm coming after you Isom and Chase lol.

[jermarace miller]

The example you gave is really making sandbagging an "old" term. Its so easy to yell out SANDBAGGING!!! that is becoming part of our regular vocabulary. Its good not to play the same line as everyone else, but to some you are trying to lower your avg to get some sticks playing that line but you are really trying something new.

The Atlanta area needs to have a Plastic Ball Tournament. That shows what you have learned in your years of bowling. I would compete no doubt.

[Chase]

You know Martin, there is something that I must admit. First of all... I never sandbag...and usually try my best at anything I do. But, I must also admit that at the beginning of a new league, I just try to bowl somewhere that I can "manage" to bowl on a consistant basis. If I am anywhere around 207 to 210... i feel like I can work to get better every week. Tonight I only bowled 585 (missed a few spares), but I was fine with that.
My team won 17 points total, and I won 3 of those...so cool.

I have been working to become a better spare-shooter - to go straight at spares....so that's the way I approach my spares now in league...even though there are many times I KNOW I can make the spare by hooking at it. But, Dannial and others have told me to "make up my mind" and stick to "one way"...and learn to apply what you practice...even during league.

[Martin "BLUFLAME" Seay]

Chase can you explain this 24 point system. I am so lost. I have only did the one point per game and series.

[Chase]

Each Team win per game is worth 3 points (3 games = 9 points)
Team Total Points is worth 3 points (Total = 3 points)
So, if a team “sweeps”, then that is 12 points.

Total 12 points

Then…

Each player’s win per game is worth 1 point (3 games = 3 points)
The player’s total pins is worth 1 point (Total = 1 point)
So, if you beat your opponent’s score every game, then that is 4 points.

For example:

Bowler 1 could win 4 points
Bowler 2 could win 4 points
Bowler 3 could win 4 points

Total = 12 points.

In the end, a total sweep would equal 24 points (if each bowler on the team beat his rival)