[League Etiquette] Is this rude or do I just need to lighten up?

CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
Possibly the answer is both.

A guy on my team spends all his time at the practice tables and doesn't really want to play league matches. He's not a bad guy, but he treats it as a free pool night.

Anyway, he never wants to keep score, which we all know is a chore. But finally we told him he had to, if he wants to be on the team. Everyone takes his turn, usually right after playing their match.

He now does it, reluctantly, but still bolts for the practice table right after his match. Someone has to go fetch him to do his duty.

I go to do that and he insists "Come on, I just broke, let me finish this rack then I promish I'll go keep score". It's not that I didn't believe him, it's just... the players are already lagging. Someone has to fill out the shoot and score the first ten minutes of their match while he plays one more rack.

To me, that's just rude, but to him, waiting a few minutes and having someone else score for ten minutes is not a biggie. He claimed he thought they would wait for him, which I've never seen in the history of league... "hey, can you guys hold off on starting your match until our scorekeeper is ready?"

We had some strong words over it. Am I just being uptight?
 
CreeDo said:
Possibly the answer is both.

A guy on my team spends all his time at the practice tables and doesn't really want to play league matches. He's not a bad guy, but he treats it as a free pool night.

Anyway, he never wants to keep score, which we all know is a chore. But finally we told him he had to, if he wants to be on the team. Everyone takes his turn, usually right after playing their match.

He now does it, reluctantly, but still bolts for the practice table right after his match. Someone has to go fetch him to do his duty.

I go to do that and he insists "Come on, I just broke, let me finish this rack then I promish I'll go keep score". It's not that I didn't believe him, it's just... the players are already lagging. Someone has to fill out the shoot and score the first ten minutes of their match while he plays one more rack.

To me, that's just rude, but to him, waiting a few minutes and having someone else score for ten minutes is not a biggie. He claimed he thought they would wait for him, which I've never seen in the history of league... "hey, can you guys hold off on starting your match until our scorekeeper is ready?"

We had some strong words over it. Am I just being uptight?
Click to expand...

Nothing says excruciating as scoring a couple of APA 3's :) I hate it myself, and when I score I don't really count as much as I "guestimate" as my mind wanders on better things at the time...

But fair is fair, eveyone has to do their part. Either keep score after your own match or you are not on the team. Plain and simple.
 
I'm restating my answer because this kind of general behavior is really why I hate and avoid dealing with other people.

Plain and simple, this guy is an a-hole. He's letting other people do his work and he doesn't care. That, in my mind, is the definition of an a-hole: Someone who willingly inconveniences other people for their own sake.
 
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That just gave me a great idea. Pay the yearly fee and don't even join a team. Get 6 hours of practice time a couple times a week for $25 annually. Can't beat that deal :grin-square:

On topic, he should have to score like everybody else or lose his place on the team. I'd rather be a man short and have everyone have a good attitude and do what they're supposed to do.

I've had to quit ring games to go score and that's definitely not what I wanted to do at the time.
 
We have a gal on our 9ball team that refuses to learn how to score 9ball. That way nobody can ask her to do it and the captain doesn't teach her.
 
He's got an agenda for league night (practice) that isn't what the team needs. And he sees his needs as more important than the team's needs.

I'd trade him for a first round draft choice. Maybe even second or third round.
 
No practice during match.

CreeDo said:
Possibly the answer is both.

A guy on my team spends all his time at the practice tables and doesn't really want to play league matches. He's not a bad guy, but he treats it as a free pool night.

Anyway, he never wants to keep score, which we all know is a chore. But finally we told him he had to, if he wants to be on the team. Everyone takes his turn, usually right after playing their match.

He now does it, reluctantly, but still bolts for the practice table right after his match. Someone has to go fetch him to do his duty.

I go to do that and he insists "Come on, I just broke, let me finish this rack then I promish I'll go keep score". It's not that I didn't believe him, it's just... the players are already lagging. Someone has to fill out the shoot and score the first ten minutes of their match while he plays one more rack.

To me, that's just rude, but to him, waiting a few minutes and having someone else score for ten minutes is not a biggie. He claimed he thought they would wait for him, which I've never seen in the history of league... "hey, can you guys hold off on starting your match until our scorekeeper is ready?"

We had some strong words over it. Am I just being uptight?
Click to expand...

In leagues that I have directed, the players get free practice time before league (varying amounts), but when the match starts, practice is over. Not only is practicing and making others wait for you rude, but it's not fair unless there's a practice table for every player. It's always in the league by-laws.

This goes for players showing up late as well. If you can't arrive in time to get some warm-up in, just accept it or don't play league pool.

Another courtesy thing: If you get a call on your cell phone and stop the game to talk, you're charged with a time out, the number of which is limited in most leagues.
 
Put him on the waiver wire or even injured reserve if needed, that way nobody else can get stuck with him either.
 
CreeDo buddy. This person has the same responsibility as any other person on your team.

If he won't pitch in all the way on team effort, it's time for him be turned out.
 
I think it is up to Captain to resolve. Were I one of the players, I'd take my turn in the box keeping score and if an extra turn were required because of this guy, I'd simply turn it over to the Captain. He could either keep score for the guy or resolve it. Were I the Captain, it would only take one week to resolve this problem, one way or the other.
 
it's not rude. if you play in leagues you know the deal. everyone has to take a bite of the shit sandwich. if you're above it then don't play league pool. pretty simple.
 
As we have seen for a long time, forcing pool to be a team sport when it clearly isn't just does not work.

A guy is looked down on for wanting to be at a table shooting pool? I simply do not see the up side to such a perspective.





.
 
Chopdoc with the bold statement!

Seems like about a dozen other guys think he's a jerk, but if I'm reading you right he's just doing what any pool player wants to do... and due to the weird idea of 'team pool' he's now forced to choose between tedious paperwork or playing pool. Not his fault.

But, didn't he know the deal when he signed up? Is it ok to break an agreement you made, just because you think team pool is a broken concept in the first place?

What if he deeply loves throwing darts and he made someone wait on him while he threw some darts?
 
I don't think your being rude at all..if it were me..I'd say hey..you
really need to do your part man..every one else scores..some
of us score many of the matchs..when was the last time you
came up and ask to take over..I'm streight forward..I'm not up
in their face..an do try an use tack..but if we have some one on
the team thats not a team player..their gone at sessens end.
The same goes for that 7/8/9 that thinks their the most important
player on the team..I scored nine ball most of the time,because
I liked to..it keep me from being bored..and I was able judge differnt
peoples skills,I really think its important that everyone helps out..
I had a capt. once that thought it was his job to deligate..this caused
me to laugh..dude..your not the boss..we as a team can demote
you..the look on his face was priceless..But no..you were not
rude imo..
happy holidays
 
Retracting my knee-jerk thread-derailment. Instead I'll just say that as arbitrary as a team structure may be, the guy agreed to play on the team and I believe understand what the team's expectations of him would be. By agreeing to but not meeting those expectations, the guy should be dropped.
 
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Just some run of the mill narcissism, he's above it all and deserves more consideration than anyone else. He should be a tournament player, not a leaguer.
 
I dont think you're out of line at all.

In full disclosure, we don't do that on my teams, a couple of us do most of the scorekeeping. Some don't know how, and at this point in their development its not important for them to be keeping score. I would rather them be practicing. They aren't going to score the defensive shots properly, and i'd be concerned about them getting it right, especially the way Apa 9-ball is scored.

Most of our experienced players take a turn scoring, so I'm lucky, I guess.

If your guy doesn't wanna do his part, get a different guy.
 
When I was asked to play on a league team I had it in my contract that I was not keeping score. It was 9 ball and I didn't really want to be there but did it as a favor. We made it to Vegas and I never kept score. No one complained because it was agreed going into the session. I had leverage and used it!
 
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