Why does APA and BCA skill ratings stop at 7?

I've been meaning to ask this for some time. I've looked into finally joining a league, but the skill ratings have never made sense to me.

You don't even have to be a good player to become a 7. So you end up with 7's that can't play, and 7's that are near pro speed. How do you expect those two to play even?

You would need to expand the ratings to about 25 if you wanted to be realistic.
 
You don't even have to be a good player to become a 7. So you end up with 7's that can't play, and 7's that are near pro speed. How do you expect those two to play even?

I was wondering when PP would pop up again..

Have you ever heard the term, "league player"? Iirc, it generally describes somebody that's decent at the game, but not superb. Leagues most often cater to the bad-decent player, since that's what is mostly out there. Why should they screw around with a 50-point rating system when there are 10,000 1-20s but only 10 40-50s? That, and the matches do need to finish sometime during that same night.

If a bad 7 was playing well, they could take 5 games from a strong 7. Otherwise, just like a bad 2 playing a good 2, the better player will win on average.

Maybe you should join the pro tour.. :rolleyes:

Edit: BCA rankings differ..
 
Not only that ... why is the APA have 7 as the max rating in 8-ball and 9 as the max-rating in 9-ball?

The fact is that very few top players play APA ... at least where I play. Seven out of 77 players are SL 7's in 8-ball. Our nine ball league has only one SL8 and one SL 9 out of 76 players.

Most folks play both; so some 6's and 7's in 9-ball are 7's in 8-ball.
 
I think the simple answer to this question is: Because they can.

I think that most players good enough to be an APA 7 (which, I agree, is a very broad range of players) don't make a fuss about playing a race to 5 with any other player for a league match. If there were more really strong league players, maybe it would be a problem, but most 7's can beat most other 7's if they play well that day.

Also, having a ranking system that goes beyond 7 when handicapping is done by the game would create the potential for some long races. A 7 playing a 2 already needs 7 games. Would a 10 need 10 games? Fine for a tournament, but probably a bit much for a league night where people are trying to play and get home so they can go to work the next day.
 
I think the simple answer to this question is: Because they can.

I think that most players good enough to be an APA 7 (which, I agree, is a very broad range of players) don't make a fuss about playing a race to 5 with any other player for a league match. If there were more really strong league players, maybe it would be a problem, but most 7's can beat most other 7's if they play well that day.

Also, having a ranking system that goes beyond 7 when handicapping is done by the game would create the potential for some long races. A 7 playing a 2 already needs 7 games. Would a 10 need 10 games? Fine for a tournament, but probably a bit much for a league night where people are trying to play and get home so they can go to work the next day.

Maybe. Most 7's I've seen would need weight against mediocre players.
 
Maybe. Most 7's I've seen would need weight against mediocre players.

Maybe this will help put things in perspective: Based on the GSBT rankings I've seen, the APA 7 category includes AA, A, B, and possibly some C players. In other words, pretty much anyone good enough to play in a handicapped GSBT event is going to be a 7. If your definition of a mediocre player is a A or AA player, then yes, I suppose most 7's would need weight against then since there are far more B players than A/AA players, and only a fraction of A/AA players play in the APA.
 
I think that most players good enough to be an APA 7 (which, I agree, is a very broad range of players) don't make a fuss about playing a race to 5 with any other player for a league match.



I don't know the first thing about leagues, but I just wanted to say, I thought this answer made sense. :thumbup:
 
To op
What tournaments have you played in ? an how did you fair ?
I was just wondering...I don't know about other areas, but, bca does have a higher rateing then...say seven.
But you probably...know this too.
Okay,okay...bcapl...forget sometimes...haven't played that format since 03/04..but did enjoy it.
I also play apa,an enjoy the time I spend with family an friends.
I do know who a few pro's are,an watch them in person once in a while...an not just the women.
Yes there are those who play an don't know crap about the pro's..no biggie..I don't follow to many sports myself anymore,this has no effect on my relationship with my friends that do.
So you see...it matters not that can't play at pro speed..I usually beat my friends..most of the time,they keep coming back,because I'm fun to play.
I will add,that there are a few that show up that play close to Atwell,Stan,Louie...that I rack for..lol.those guys just don't show up often enough,other wise I might end up with a complex.when I am really haveing a good day,I can run three racks of nine ball,an a couple of eight...an maybe 45 in streight,
I am only a little fish in a very big pond...skill level five in apa,an was a seven in bca...thats not saying much I know..I have helped a couple folks advance to sevens in eight ball,an eight in nine ball..this isn't saying any thing either...an I've helped many advance to become fives..but most really do not want to put in the work it takes to move from there..they just want to be able to make a few shots an have fun,an feel good with their game..nothing wrong with that.
Like I said..I'll never advance much,because I don't take the game real serious..but I am seriuos with what I do.kicking,banking are my weak points,but I can do both,only 70 percent tho...
There, thats enough about me.what about you?
Crap...I forgot..been playing off an on since 68...an yeah..I still suck..
Have a good week end
 
Maybe this will help put things in perspective: Based on the GSBT rankings I've seen, the APA 7 category includes AA, A, B, and possibly some C players. In other words, pretty much anyone good enough to play in a handicapped GSBT event is going to be a 7. If your definition of a mediocre player is a A or AA player, then yes, I suppose most 7's would need weight against then since there are far more B players than A/AA players, and only a fraction of A/AA players play in the APA.

Right. I'm calling a GBST A player mediocre. AA players are good players. Even though A players can shoot a bit, they will almost never beat an AA player in an even race.

AA players are what I would call a good player. They can shoot well enough to beat a pro on occasion. BJ Ussery, Tony Morrison, Sam Monday, Brian White, Alex Olinger, an A player doesn't beat these guys too often in an even race. The typical APA 7 is not even on the map with these guys.

And as good as these guys shoot, they are not pros. So you see how far down an APA 7 starts. You're right, it probably starts at a GSBT C level.
 
first things first. bca does not stop at 7. they go to 10. your rating is based on balls made / winning percentages, and there is no cap on skill levels. you should know what you're talking about before you go trolling.
secondly, and i have posted this before, i feel bad for the players in other areas that have week apa divisions. we have more than a few strong players here in atlanta. i'd be happy to watch you suffer while playing them and then beg like a b*tch for a spot to get your cash back.
lastly it's amazing to me how it never gets old to you trolling around with this dumb shit.
 
Right. I'm calling a GBST A player mediocre. AA players are good players. Even though A players can shoot a bit, they will almost never beat an AA player in an even race.

AA players are what I would call a good player. They can shoot well enough to beat a pro on occasion. BJ Ussery, Tony Morrison, Sam Monday, Brian White, Alex Olinger, an A player doesn't beat these guys too often in an even race. The typical APA 7 is not even on the map with these guys.

And as good as these guys shoot, they are not pros. So you see how far down an APA 7 starts. You're right, it probably starts at a GSBT C level.

just an added note, the apa "7" and "9" handicaps cover a broad range of players. we have a few "7's" around here and at least one from the carolinas that can hang with the names you dropped. and no a 7 wouldn't be a c player in a gsbt event. i've played in gsbt events as c when i was a 5 / 6. a week 7 would be about a b. the strongest, anywhere from a to aa.
 
Easy answer: Because they don't want people higher than 7's to play league as they'll scare off the masses, aka C players, aka Drinkers, aka Money Pit....
 
Several years back I played several apa ranked 7 players even and didn't have to win. I assure you I'm far from being mediocre when in stroke and playing all the time, which I'm not now, by any means. I've heard of "super 7s" but have now idea what that means. I've also heard of other rankings which escape me at the moment. It sounds to me like local, made-up stuff to me.
 
Right. I'm calling a GBST A player mediocre. AA players are good players. Even though A players can shoot a bit, they will almost never beat an AA player in an even race.

AA players are what I would call a good player. They can shoot well enough to beat a pro on occasion. BJ Ussery, Tony Morrison, Sam Monday, Brian White, Alex Olinger, an A player doesn't beat these guys too often in an even race. The typical APA 7 is not even on the map with these guys.

And as good as these guys shoot, they are not pros. So you see how far down an APA 7 starts. You're right, it probably starts at a GSBT C level.

I believe Alex Olinger just had an apa team out in vegas. There are some pretty good shooters in league play.
 
Several years back I played several apa ranked 7 players even and didn't have to win. I assure you I'm far from being mediocre when in stroke and playing all the time, which I'm not now, by any means. I've heard of "super 7s" but have now idea what that means. I've also heard of other rankings which escape me at the moment. It sounds to me like local, made-up stuff to me.

super 7 is a generic term thrown around (super 9 in 9 ball also) to describe the guys i am talking about. generally it is a player who is a 7 or 9 simply because the apa only has rankings that go that high. in bca terms they would be averaging a high 9 which means they are shooting close to perfect matches. in a gsbt style event they would be an easy a player or robbing if they were lucky enough to be put in as a b.
 
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