Challenging your rating

By Scott Kringle

The story you are about to read is one that I'm sure you've talked about in most every bar, bowling alley, ball park and every other place you find competitive sports, including soft tip darts.

Over the past few seasons, I have had many conversations with dart players who have committed the ultimate no-no. They have played on league teams strictly for the purpose of rolling down or holding their current Medalist rating.

Allow me to share some comments and statements from currently active players regarding this subject.

The saying SANDBAGGER is one that every dart player is aware of, sometimes painfully, depending on which side of the coin you're coming from. The actual definition for such a person is (noun): Someone who is deceitful about their true nature or intent in order to take advantage.

But, what is the real reason for a dart player to employ this widely frowned upon tactic?

I have been working on the reasoning behind sandbagging for well over a year now; what kind of players do it, when they do it, and most importantly at least why they do it! I found answers to all of that. Let's begin with which players are most likely to do it.

In my circle of dart shooters, I found that players rated as low as a three and as high as fifteen are guilty of this atrocity. The range of perpetrators is truly remarkable. It's not one specific group of people or location or even one isolated geographic area. The variety of dart players knowingly sandbagging is absolutely unreal! But why? What is the possible reason for sandbagging?

When does someone choose to sandbag? Most typically it occurs in league play. There is no other facet of the game that any one person was found sandbagging outside league play, not in tournaments, not in cup play, not at State or Worlds. It is always and only league play. Sure, you might find someone, some stray individuals that will do it at State maybe, but in my research, I found it to be during league play only.

Now the big question… WHY? This question is not easily answered unless you've been playing darts as long as any real sandbagger. It's all about the weekend tournaments at the local bars - weekend money shoots. I've had numerous conversations with players that say they play league for one reason and one reason only; to roll their rating down as low as they can, or at least as low the operator or Medalist will let them go.

“You can make more money today playing in weekend shoots than ever before, and if I can use Medalist as a tool to roll down, then I will in a heartbeat”, one person told me. I sat down with over 30 dart players, some rated as high as fifteen and very well known in the dart community, and asked each one the same question – why? Most of them told me there was no advantage to being the best they could be anymore. Being the highest rated person means absolutely nothing anymore. The question here is: Does the pride of being in the Top 200 and an exclusive $17,000 payout at Worlds for the Grand Master event mean absolutely nothing here?

One person put it this way, “I can go out and win $300 to $400 in a weekend playing tournaments. That makes more sense to me than working all weekend to go to The Pit at State, possibly being bumped up in rating, winning that same $400 with a hefty price to pay. Being bumped at State affects my odds of winning on the weekends where the real money is. By the time State rolls around, just a few times per year, I've won nearly two thousand dollars at local tournaments. If I go to State and have my rating bumped, I would probably lose that opportunity.”

So I pose the question; Isn't League supposed to be about a night out with friends? And going to the Pit used to be about becoming a State Champion. Nothing more, nothing less.

Dart players do everything they can in order to get the edge over the competition and win a tournament. If that means keeping your rating as low as possible by cheating, then that is exactly what they'll do. Sandbagging is morally and ethically wrong. But tell that to someone who just won several hundred dollars and watch how quickly the morality fades.

With every coin, there are two sides. First, you have to prove that someone is sandbagging but how can you possibly do that? The only person complaining is the one that loses to a supposed sandbagger. This has now become an excuse for the losing player, which they will advertise loudly throughout the room. It's also put people in danger, started fights, etc. Let's face it – it's purely speculative and highly accusatory.

Is it always about the sandbagger who needs to be re-rated? I bet you can think of two or three people right now who really oughta be re-rated. What can you do about it? Well, It's supposed to be based on the honor system. More players need to call Medalist (anonymously) so those players without morals and ethics can be properly flagged.

Some ideas as to how sandbagging can be regulated? I've got a couple thoughts:

1) A league player cannot roll down in rating, ever. Period. If you roll out a seven, you can never be rated lower than a seven.

2) All players shooting in their local bar's money shoots must play under their published league rating. No exceptions.

3) Locations should randomly record players' stats during tournaments, much the same way as during league play. Each player enters their ID number prior to the match. These stats are transmitted to the league office to ensure that the player is being rated by each performance at the board.

Wow, did I just kick a beehive? Maybe it shouldn't be called sandbagging at all. Maybe it should be called Creatively Rating a Player, or C.R.A.P!

In some cases, the league is not rating the player, but the player is rating himself, which compounds the problems. In my opinion, the process that determines a player's rating needs some adjusting. No one wants to be the bad guy, but it has to start somewhere. Maybe the location tournaments directors and coordinators that see these people every week should begin to communicate openly and regularly with Medalist regarding these problem players.

The ideas and comments in this article were formed by active dart players who walk among us, but wish to remain anonymous.

I sincerely hope that you'll offer your opinions as to how sandbagging ought to be curtailed and regulated. It is important for the overall health of this wonderful sport that draws us together. The purpose has always been to achieve a sense of camaraderie, friendship and good sportsmanship. Maybe our greed has eclipsed the true reason we began playing in the first place.

E-mail your thoughts and ideas to your operator or league office.