Sand Bagging
Sandbagging- the art of playing in a division that is easy for you to dominate.
Why? Because these leagues have post seasons in cool places :)
I think it is most prevalent in the USTA leagues. When I moved to sac I could win every 5.0 tournament but couldn't make the 5.0 team I wanted to be on.
The best sandbag I ever played was connor olson in a 5.0 (#1 for sonoma state that year, and the next, and the previous) I was pissed at first, thinking he is not a 5.0! But the truth is you have to beat everyone sometime and when people lose to me that is the first thing they say.
The best sandbag I have ever seen was eric holmes (davis player) playing 4.5
Best expierence being a sandbagger- I was playing the #1 5.0 in norcal. On my way to beating him 6-0 6-0 we got in a screaming match. From baseline to baseline he yelled "you sand bagging POS you are not a 5.0!" (Saying I am too good) I told him, "no. Your not a 5.0! Your terrible" We have played against each other since then and he apologized. (I won that match too)
Has anyone ever lost to a sandbagger? Has anyone ever played the roll of sandbagger?
post your stories here!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tim Prapong on
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Well, every division needs a top dog. Otherwise, it would just be boring, mediocre play with everyone at the same level. That screaming match is hilarious!
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Permalink Reply by Harold Bessette on
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In every game, sport, or competition, there's sandbaggers. Sandbaggers are afraid to get beat by someone better than them. If you're a 5.0 player, where's the fulfillment of sandbagging and beating 4.0 players? Sissy-la-la...play up!
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Permalink Reply by John Spoerl on
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The trips to napa, carmel, vegas, tusan, pebble beach... if your team wants to go you need to win...
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I don't think anyone would just beat up on lesser players for no reward. That's why the leagues are tougher than tournaments
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Really? And what's the reward for the 'lesser' players who go into a league expecting to play people at their own level and ability? The thrill of defeat at the hands of a cheater? Nice.
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I guess they get a free lesson =)
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Friends? Fun? Practice? My doubles partner played on a 5.5 team last yr and did not win a set.
Sparetime inc. Owns 9 tennis clubs around here. There were 3 sparetime 5.0 teams in sac last year. Only one of the teams (mine) is stacked. Same with the 5.5 teams. There is one really good one for sparetime but 1 more at another sparetime club. We do that to give us the best chance of hanging national title banners in our club. If your phone doesn't ring to play on one of the stacked teams, just play for one of the lesser ones and try to get better so you can make it next year.
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I had been asked to sandbag for my friends 4.0 team here in San Bernardino. I told them no, because I wouldn't get anything out of it. Then the captain challenged me to a match, and if I lost, I would have to play for the team. I said fine, but you aren't going to win. I beat him in three straight sets, but he sure tried hard the first set.
So John, you say you get to travel with your team everywhere if you win. Is that really true? I can see where it is tempting in that case. But my other friend sandbagged and was disqualified at Seal Beach and his entire team lost as a consequence. My friend is a 5.0 doubles player, age 54. Volleys alot like Mac and is a Farmers Insurance broker.
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Right, sandbagging is an art. I have heard of making matches close on purpose. Throwing matches against someone rated .5 below them. You also need to avoid grievences from other teams. You can file grievences but if it is not done in the regular season the player can play to the end of that season.
Ratings are done with a formula on a computer. It takes scores and opponent ratings and determines yours.
If you make nationals there can not be 3 of you on the same team ever again... I got in trouble for that one time. So between that and player grievences sandbaggers never get more than 1 good year. But one year is usually all it takes. 10.0 mixed nationals was in pebble beach. 5.0 districts were in napa, sections in pebble beach, nationals in indian wells, last year it was vegas
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It is glorious because when you first sign up for usta you get to "self rate" that is how our 5.0 singles player got on our team. He was not a usta member when he won his national title at USC 3 yrs ago. He got bumped to 5.5 after the season and so did all 3 of the people who beat him in the post season
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There is an old clever guy here in San Bernardino who got to 3.5 nationals and played all expenses paid at the U.S. Open. At least, that is what he said. He had alot of clever junkball lobs and slices. I played doubles against him with my wood racquet and won easily.
Well, he never got back to nationals as a 4.0. That was his one good year!
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Tim- This was a good look by that 4.0 captain. You are not a usta member so you could have self rated and played for that team. How did that team do by the way?
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