APA rule check and a warning

[David in FL]

I can see why you, and many others, would disagree. As gamblers and guys who take the game seriously, it's all about the win. Yes there was a time I played to win but towards the end of my organized league play it was all about the fun. If I can win the match without making the 9B I don't really care, as long as it was fun. And speaking of fun, I'm probably the only player you'll meet who has actually directed their opponenet(s) on how to shoot a shot. I like to teach also.

I don't disagree with you but there are absolutely ways to handicap nine ball in a way that it retains the integrity of the game itself.

USAPL and Fargo is a perfect example.

Having said that, I agree that the purpose of league is to not only win, but to have fun, and to encourage players of all levels.

Last session too low rated players were playing.

The low rated player from the other team was struggling during one game and obviously needed help. Her team had pretty much abandoned her and wandered off elsewhere. Even though I was captain of the team playing against her, I asked her if she would like a time out from me.

She gratefully accepted and we were able to come up with a good solution for her.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I don't disagree with you but there are absolutely ways to handicap nine ball in a way that it retains the integrity of the game itself.

USAPL and Fargo is a perfect example.

Having said that, I agree that the purpose of league is to not only win, but to have fun, and to encourage players of all levels.

Last session too low rated players were playing.

The low rated player from the other team was struggling during one game and obviously needed help. Her team had pretty much abandoned her and wandered off elsewhere. Even though I was captain of the team playing against her, I asked her if she would like a time out from me.

She gratefully accepted and we were able to come up with a good solution for her.

I didn't think you'd disagree with that, I've read your posts, we're similar in that regard and kudos to helping others. LOL, I once helped my son's opponent, he wasn't too happy about it but understood why I did it. I don't play organized pool anymore so I'm not familiar with USAPL, maybe I'll take a peak and see what it's about.

 

[justadub]

I have always heard that once you hit SL 7/9 (8B/9B respectively) you are stuck there and cannot go back?

We've had SL7s go back to SL6 here. They go back and forth between the skill levels. Not often, but I've seen it. The one player that I recall seeing it most with isn't Vegas-locked as a 7, I believe he has gone as a 6 before.

 

[Tom1234]

It does make it easier to advance players. But not for your reason. That's the excuse people use when they don't want to admit that they've improved or that they got caught cheating, or in their words (because it sounds like a legitimate strategy), 'working' the system. In 25+ years as an APA league operator I've never once raised a player in the hopes that the team would break up and become two teams. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It always comes down to whether I think the player should be higher. If I suspect manipulation as the reason (making someone appear weaker than they actually are, i.e., sandbagging, no matter how you cut it), I often hope the team will break up and go away. That is what makes me MORE MONEY.

It used to be easier, long ago, for the LO to lower a player. But APA took that power out of the LO's hands because it was being overused by LOs who were either incompetent or actually complicit in the cheating. It can still be done, but the LO may have to appeal the skill level to the APA to get it done, all in the interest of curbing the cheating.

In reality, it is actually easier to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be measured at a higher skill than it is to lose those same skills and knowledge, and the Equalizer is not a system that tries to measure your average performance. It tries to measure how well you play when you play well, and although those cases may become less frequent as you age it doesn't mean the number is wrong. So a lot of what The_JV is talking about is perception, but a small part of that is the necessary reality (unfortunately) of a handicap system.

I had a feeling my comment would bring your comment. Your comment “In reality, it is actually easier to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be measured at a higher skill than it is to lose those same skills” is on a one way street. As people age, skills diminish and their ability to play at a high level diminishes too. I’m only speaking from my local area. Having been diagnosed with multiple chronic diseases, not the least of which is chronic kidney disease, I’m finding it difficult to play at a SL7. Yet pigs will fly before my hcp will change. I’m glad your personal view of someone’s skill level is always correct. You can’t possibly know all that is going on in a player’s life.

 

[APA Operator]

I had a feeling my comment would bring your comment. Your comment “In reality, it is actually easier to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be measured at a higher skill than it is to lose those same skills” is on a one way street. As people age, skills diminish and their ability to play at a high level diminishes too. I’m only speaking from my local area. Having been diagnosed with multiple chronic diseases, not the least of which is chronic kidney disease, I’m finding it difficult to play at a SL7. Yet pigs will fly before my hcp will change. I’m glad your personal view of someone’s skill level is always correct. You can’t possibly know all that is going on in a player’s life.

One way street? Please don't put words in my mouth. Where did I say they can't be lost? That phrase is there just to illustrate why it's seemingly much harder and takes much longer to go down than to go up when it's actual ability that the system tries to measure and not just average performance. Unless there's some extenuating circumstance, it takes much longer for skills and knowledge (especially knowledge) to diminish than it takes to acquire them. Extenuating circumstances include chronic health problems, which maybe you should discuss with your LO.

I don't have a personal view of your skill level, because I don't know you, so I don't know why you're so bitter toward me. For the large majority of the population though, what I said holds true. Maybe you already have discussed it with the LO, and maybe they disagree, based on history and data, or maybe they're just a hard ass. I'll tell you one thing though - they're not making more MONEY because you're a 7.