The Other Side of Sandbagging...

[Aslan]

There've been lots of posts about sandbagging...and how people that sandbag are the scum of the Earth...which is true...given.

But recently...I've been experiencing it from the opposite point of view. Over the last 8 weeks...I've had at least 3 instances...where at least one person on the opposing team has either questioned my average or eluded to the possibility that I'm a "sandbagger".

Now, this is ridiculous.

First, I would never sandbag. I don't even think I could bring myself to purposely miss a shot in the 10th frame to try and get a triplicate...and have never thrown a ball in the gutter as an anchor...knowing that our team already had the game won...despite seeing many other bowlers do that.

Second...people on this site...have seen me bowl. There is video evidence of how my game has at times looked "improved" and at times looked like a bowling version of a liquid fart.

But, just for the sake of illustration...here's why these folks are maybe making the wrong judgement:

Over the last 9 weeks;
I have averaged 197
My high game was a 258 and my high series was a 656.
My low game was a 135 and my low series was a 458.
I only had one series < 500. I had 7 clean games. I had 5 series over 600 and 14 games 200 or greater.

Over the 9 weeks previous;
I averaged 176
My high game was a 215 and my high series was a 584.
My low game was a 135 and my low series was a 459.
I had 2 series < 500. I had no clean games nor any series 600 or greater and only 7 games 200 or greater.

So, roughly 7 weeks ago...I shot a 621...two clean games > 200 and a 196. Well, the anchor on the other team was kinda grumbling something like, "yeah, and your average is 175?" Then the next week...I shot a 600 series with a 258...which the other team was kinda griping about but when I threw a 146 in Game 3 they kinda just figured my Game 1 was luck.

Then last night...the 197 average, old curmudgeon bowler who was anchor on the opposing team...only bowled about 581-582...I bowled a 591...and I guess he was so ticked off that he almost got in a car accident in the parking lot because he went tearing out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell(o).

So...I try not to let it bother me...I mean, I can totally see how they'd think I was a sandbagger. But I know the truth...which is, this is a new house...it's an older house...the pro I talked to said she thinks it's one of the trickier houses to bowl in because it has older lanes and they behave very differently pair to pair and one side versus the other...and it just took me awhile to figure them out and where to play.

I was trying to fire my aggressive ball up the outside...and just couldn't get any carry. There isn't as much miss room versus the AMF house I was bowling at. The backend is dirtier than my old Tuesday house. I ended up having to play more in the 10-15 range at the arrows...and I had to have a much more consistent shot. I had to change my approach and move up...slow down...shorten my step...re-adjust my timing to compensate. And while doing this....I've spent about $380-$400 in lessons over the last 9 weeks...practice at LEAST 3 games a week...did 2 tournaments. Now I'm finally starting to reap some rewards...and I gotta deal with snickering and scowls. It's not like I'm winning sidepots or anything...in 99 games I've only won 1 or 2. And nobody was snickering when my average went from 174 to 169...and I couldn't find a strike to save my life. But now that it's up to 180-181...suddenly I'm a sandbagger. :confused: :mad:

[manke]

Sonds like your figuring things out. Good bowling.

[jimgilmore]

I myself have many ups and down. I may at times think a bowler is a sandbagger when they never easy spares when they are ahead and and almost always win by just a few points. Sometimes it is hard to find a league to bowl in where the prize fund is the only reason some come to bowl and they aren't there to have fun as much as earn money. A prime example was when I bowled in NY. I was bowling what was in the league the number 2 team. My team was me and I at that time had no teammates which put me at a big disadvantage. I had 2 vacancy positions n myteam and it was an 80% hcp league.Buy the first game I bowled like 60 pins over average to put up a 200 game I still lost even though the other teams first and second bowler had both bowled well under average. But their third bowler bowled a 299. Which was 100 pins over his average. But whom do you think they were accusing of sandbagging ? Yup me because I bowled about 50 pins over my average. Go figure.

[Amyers]

Don't my worry eventually you'll hit your next slump. That'll show them

[Hot_pocket]

I averaged 180 this season but I came in at 201. Wasn't dumping, it was just a sport shot. Good bowlers know when someone is dumping, it's obvious. What it looks like to me is the amount of bowling you were doing, helped you develope consistency. I was a better Jr bowler because of how much I bowled, now I just suck lol

[NewToBowling]

My first week in Summer League I had 141-169-103 = 413 series

Yes, a 103. Of course I have one bad feet from gout so basically hobbling to the line.

[mc_runner]

If you looked at my stats from winter leagues (both) it looks like I could have been. My lowest average in both was week 1. My highest average in both was the last week of the season.

In reality, I just struggled a bit in the first half and really picked it up in the second half. That's why it is so tough to prove. I'm with you guys - I have too much self respect and respect for my opponents to intentionally dump a ball or throw a bad line. The closest it gets is trying out a different line or ball in a fill frame.

[Aslan]

Don't my worry eventually you'll hit your next slump. That'll show them

Exactly. But they never see that and come over and ay, "Hey...I thought you were good and and a sandbagger...turns out you suck...sorry I thought you were good and sandbagging."

Friggin people.

[Mike White]

...turns out you suck..."

I thought that's what I've been telling you all along.

[Aslan]

I thought that's what I've been telling you all along.

Yeah, but you say that about everybody so it doesn't have the same effect.

[1VegasBowler]

Aren't the slumps great!? It's like not being able to hit the ocean with an aircraft carrier.

[Royalt239]

lmfaooo
Don't my worry eventually you'll hit your next slump. That'll show them

[Tampabaybob]

Asian..... One of the side effects of kicking someones but on a league night is being able to listen to them whine. While it might not happen every night, take advantage of the opportunity if some idiot is stupid enough to say something to you, to rub a little salt in the wound. You don't have to be nasty, just something like, "Gee maybe next time you bowl me you could try left handed". You know something just enough to get their goat. Lots of guy's have gone through that. Had a young (21-22) guy I was bowling against in my league, put his arm around my shoulder, and tell me he was going to take it easy on "the old guy". I just smiled and said, "Thanks I appreciate that. He had started with the first 3. I went off the sheet with the next 8, finished with about a 760 series to his low 600 and took all 4 points from him. He never said another word to me like that again. Of course over the next few months I made sure to remind him. Next time you bowl against your guy, get in his head early in the first game, and watch him implode !

All's fair in Love and War, and last time I checked, serious bowling isn't Love !!

[LOUVIT]

I am just coming back after 25 years, 3 or 4 months back so far and I can shoot 108 or 198. I will be bowling in a winter league and have to establish an average. So if I average 150 for 9 games and then get better guess what I'm in for....lol

[Jconner91]

Had a young (21-22) guy I was bowling against in my league, put his arm around my shoulder, and tell me he was going to take it easy on "the old guy". I just smiled and said, "Thanks I appreciate that. He had started with the first 3. I went off the sheet with the next 8, finished with about a 760 series to his low 600 and took all 4 points from him. He never said another word to me like that again. Of course over the next few months I made sure to remind him. Next time you bowl against your guy, get in his head early in the first game, and watch him implode !


LOL nice

[JaxBowlingGuy]

I used to be questioned about sandbagging ALOT about 7-8 years ago. It wasn't ever from people within my own center, but when I would go to local tournaments and such. My home center was the lowest scoring center in the city and the only one that was still totally wood (and horrible wood at that). We had one 300 in 5 years and the high average for any league was in the 205 range. I would bowl there, which I averaged around 190 yet when I would go to tournaments at other centers my friend and I would usually go in the 220-225 range. This drew a lot of attention to us in that aspect. I still get some grumbling to this day from certain people, but for the most part its stopped. That center has since been closed down and I have moved to one of the highest scoring houses in town now.

This past season was my first year back after taking a year and half off. The last night of the league when we get the print out for the whole year and what we shot/averaged, I saw that for the first 8 weeks i was averaging 225. Then like ever year I hit the slump mid season and only ended with 204. Still not horrible being my first full season back, but the complaining came just 2 weeks ago. I bowled a local handicap tournament at the same center and went 936 scratch for 4 games on a 204 average. The complaints started rolling in that I shouldn't be getting any handicap because with handicap it put me at 1044 and winning by 80 pins. They sure didn't complain the next week though when i only shot 780 scratch for 4 games at the other house (it alternates centers each week and awarded points to qualify for a year end tournament). We shall see how this week goes, but this week will primarily be a practice session for a larger tournament this weekend.

[billf]

We have a regular bowler in our scratch league that is a legend in his own mind. Swears he is the best bowler in the county. I called him on it and said he wasn't even the best bowler in his house (his wife averages 210). He said he keeps his average low for state tournament. This past state tourney he bowled a 440something in team event first day. I calmly walked down to see how others were doing, saw that and said "Jason, so much for your handicap. Thanks for the bracket wins."
Exactly one month later I eliminated him from the center's Singles Championship. I finished third but didn't care as all I wanted was to make sure he didn't win.