What would you do?

[RobLV1]

On Thursday nights, I bowl in a huge handicap league with my wife who averages around 150, and two 200+ bowlers. The league takes up the entire 60 lanes of the bowling center. Last night the team that we were scheduled to bowl did not show up. We inquired with the league secretary, and were informed that the other team was planning to do a make up. Here's the problem: it states in the league rules that a team who is going to be absent must inform the League Secretary or League President, and the TEAM CAPTAIN OF THE OPPOSING TEAM. This rule was added for the simple reason that the center does not re-oil the entire lane before night leagues. They simply do a 25' head run, leaving the other 35' as it was after the entire days bowling. If a team that is doing a pre-bowl or make up chooses to bowl in the morning on a fresh condition, they have a tremendous advantage.

When we showed the league secretary the rule, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "There's nothing I can do about it, nobody has every questioned it before." Really? He said that it is the President's responsibility to enforce the rules. We talked to the President who said that she would talk to the Secretary. My question is this: how far would you go in making sure that the league rules are actually enforced?

[Amyers]

If this is a money league and from the size it probably is I would have them enforce the rule. If it was a "fun" league I wouldn't worry about it

[bowl1820]

"it states in the league rules that a team who is going to be absent must inform the League Secretary or League President, and the TEAM CAPTAIN OF THE OPPOSING TEAM."

If the opposing team didn't contact your Team captain directly (which is what the rule states, the Sec. or Pres. can't just tell you) then they violated the rule.

Then you need to file a protest, if the league doesn't enforce it. Then you follow the procedures regarding protests.

Rule 119 - Protest/Appeal Procedures

The ball is in your court, do you want to pass or play?

[Mike White]

"it states in the league rules that a team who is going to be absent must inform the League Secretary or League President, and the TEAM CAPTAIN OF THE OPPOSING TEAM."

If the opposing team didn't contact your Team captain directly (which is what the rule states, the Sec. or Pres. can't just tell you) then they violated the rule.

Then you need to file a protest, if the league doesn't enforce it. Then you follow the procedures regarding protests.

Rule 119 - Protest/Appeal Procedures

The ball is in your court, do you want to pass or play?

Lets play that idea out.

If one team protests, and wins, and other teams have (pre/post)-bowled without said notification to opposing team captains, then all of those teams captains are also entitled to the same ruling, which could cause a significant change in league standings, and create a major stink.

These are the kinds of things that result in teams quitting the league.

The question is, what is worse, the fallout of winning a protest, or the perceived disadvantage to the team bowling against a team (pre/post)-bowling?

[Amyers]

I'm not sure what the point of contacting the team captain is? What constitutes contact? I know I don't have the contact information for all of the team captains on any of my leagues. Even then it only says they have to contact the captain not that he has to approve so why bother?

[Aslan]

I agree with Bowl1820.

The League Secretary or President being lazy isn't a good enough excuse to ignore rules.

I know exactly what Rob is talking about. We have a 22-team league on Mondays...in a house that has two sides. That means one pair of teams has to bowl on the "high side" each week. The high side and low side are very different. The older, more seasoned bowlers don't like bowling on the high side. So, two weeks ago, we were supposed to bowl one of the better teams, who the league president/secretary bowl on...and they didn't show. They pre-bowled. Why? Because they didn't want to bowl on the high side.

We bowled...on lanes that hadn't been oiled since Thursday night before the holiday weekend...and I shot one of my lowest series and actually had to resort to throwing my Plastic spare ball as my strike ball in Game 3.

It didn't seem "fair" to me that teams can just "boycott" bowling on the high side like that. Obviously, I left a note for the center about my expectations that they oil ALL lanes...not just the low side...but I also think it's kinda "squirrelly" that teams are so unable to adjust their games...that they will go to the extreme of pre-bowling...just to avoid a pair of lanes they don't have 15 years experience throwing on. That's a sad comment on bowlers...especially when this team is in the top 3...with one bowler that I think has the high average.

Now, as to Rob's question...I did nothing because my team:
A) Didn't care.
B) Is in the bottom 3 of the standings.
C) Is just recovering from kicking a member off the team, which the league secretary was helpful with...so it would be a **** move to get all testy.
D) The only reason we have > 20 teams is because our team wanted to start a team. I think next year they will limit it to 20.

[Mike White]

I'm not sure what the point of contacting the team captain is? What constitutes contact? I know I don't have the contact information for all of the team captains on any of my leagues. Even then it only says they have to contact the captain not that he has to approve so why bother?

The purpose is to give the teams the opportunity to both bowl at the same time. (pre/post).

If the team pre/post bowling is required to contact the opposing team captain, they contact the secretary, and get the contact information, while at the same time informing the secretary of the need to pre/post bowl.

[Aslan]

I'm not sure what the point of contacting the team captain is? What constitutes contact? I know I don't have the contact information for all of the team captains on any of my leagues. Even then it only says they have to contact the captain not that he has to approve so why bother?

In a more competitive environment/league....it gives the other team the opportunity to bowl you at a different time. Like, if your team was facing Rob's team...and you wanted to bowl on more preferable conditions...you could contact the secretary, and the other team...and the other team could show up and bowl you on those conditions.

Nobody ever does that...but if there were really an advantage...and a decent amount of money on the line...it gives the other team a chance to benefit. At least that's what I think the point was originally.

It shouldn't even matter if the USBC would start focusing some effort on being more strict about lane conditions. The sport has become a joke because every center can completely change the game.

ETA: Mike beat me to it.

[vdubtx]

We have been confronted with this exact situation before. One league on Thursdays is a fun league and it's not a big deal. Tuesdays it is a more competitive league and we would hold to the rules as written that notice needs to be given ahead of time and our team given the opportunity to bowl with them when the pre/post bowl.

[Amyers]

The purpose is to give the teams the opportunity to both bowl at the same time. (pre/post).

If the team pre/post bowling is required to contact the opposing team captain, they contact the secretary, and get the contact information, while at the same time informing the secretary of the need to pre/post bowl.

I guess I understand but I would think that trying to get the team together to bowl on a different night/time would be difficult at best.