Just a little rant

[SteezeOG]

Instead of hopping on here to complain why not go back to the TD and ask him why he told you one thing and yet there was evidence other players weren't treated the same. Maybe the other players in rec lied to the td. Ever think of that one?

You finished 3rd overall. You were in the right division. You are bitching over nothing.

It's a discussion board about disc golf....he wanted to ask a question and get opinions on a disc golf related subject.....why is it wrong to "hop on here" when that is exactly the purpose? You could've read the thread then hopped right on out if you didn't like it. Ever think of that one?

 

[Brall]

Instead of hopping on here to complain why not go back to the TD and ask him why he told you one thing and yet there was evidence other players weren't treated the same. Maybe the other players in rec lied to the td. Ever think of that one?

You finished 3rd overall. You were in the right division. You are bitching over nothing.

hello mr. grumpy pants

 

[Thumber]

hello mr. grumpy pants

Indeed.

My point is the OP should have talked with the TD, even after the event to clarify what happened and why. I really dislike seeing how many people here are so ready to jump on volunteer TDs for a perceived mistake, and in this case outright calling the TD a liar.

If you go to the TD, get an answer and are not happy with the outcome, then by all means rant it out. This is a case of someone not empowering themselves and instead whining about it.

In fact, I am sure he will tell all his friends to never play this TDs tournaments because the TD is a "liar".

That is no fair to the TD, and my default position is to always give the TD the benefit of the doubt over the complaining player.

 

[joe_kool315]

^ LOL ... NICE

Yeah living in SN country, I hear it all the time. if this is your first tournament you can play novice, if you've played more than a couple tournaments you need to play Intermediate ... BUT they let fools sit in intermediate for years and then in Advanced for longer with no ratings or anything other than folks getting to know you and how you play to run you out of a division. MAJOR sandbagging going on.

ANYWAY ... since it was a non-sanctioned event, chalk it up to 1) you'll know better next time and since you played so well, maybe you found yourself a new favorite tournament ... or 2) don't play in any tourneys that TD puts on... therefore limiting the tourneys available for you to play, I assume, locally and feel righteous in your decision since he's obviously out to get you, maybe.

 

[Pwingles]

OP were you trying to play rec or novice? In some places theyre different things.
Basically, the spirit of the novice division is sorta what the Td was saying, its really for first timers or folks who are super green with the sport in general and dont have much of a clue about the tournament side.

Rec however is different, its for players who are rated in a specific range in the ratings system.

Some people dont differentiate or dont offer it at tournaments (novice), generally its just an extra hassle is why.

Anywho, back to your experience. Were you local? Play with those guys a lot at leagues or casually? Why i ask is, if the TD or other players know you, and know youre capable of playing at a higher skill level than the people in the division you signed up for, the TD has an ethical obligation to put you in te appropriate division if he doesnt have another means of judging your skill (rating). This doesnt explain him lying to you however.

 

[Toro71]

Sounds kinda dicey, but I'd want to be there, or like hear a playback before I judge....

I would say that dominating a tourney in novice...?

This TD may have done you a solid, in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Dave242]

I would say that dominating a tourney in novice...?

This TD may have done you a solid, in the grand scheme of things.

You verbalized my thoughts quite well. :clap:

 

[DavidSauls]

Funny, I was thinking that in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter much.

It's only 1 tournament and, as it turned out, the O.P. played well. One event doesn't mean that's his skill level.

Nor does it change the question of what to do when the TD is wrong.

 

[DavidSauls]

Nor does it change the question of what to do when the TD is wrong.

.....which is, in part, for both the player and TD to be tactful (at least, to start out that way).

I was wearing the TD hat yesterday and was told I was wrong in some details as to how we were cutting the field for a final round. As it turned out, I was right, but at the time I wasn't sure. The player was polite, and right to question me, and I have no problem with it.

 

[gcanter2376]

Tourney

I thought about saying something to him as I left about it but figured it was best just to leave it be.

What would y'all have done in this situation?[/QUOTE]

I understand what your saying. Not about being told to play up but the fact that others did not according to the guidelines the TD placed on you. I've been on the wrong end of it myself 3 times in the past year. Played in 2 different tournies where I signed up for Int and got bumped up to Adv without my knowledge. One of which only offered Rec, Adv and Pro. When I said Int they just placed me in Adv without telling me lol. I even played in a doubles tournament once where i was told we tied the team we had shared a card with that day, only we beat that team by 9 strokes. It happens. Sucks but it does happen. I pretty much would do what you did and cut my losses and not go back.

 

[Thumber]

.....which is, in part, for both the player and TD to be tactful (at least, to start out that way).

I was wearing the TD hat yesterday and was told I was wrong in some details as to how we were cutting the field for a final round. As it turned out, I was right, but at the time I wasn't sure. The player was polite, and right to question me, and I have no problem with it.

How would you like it if someone didn't understand one of your decisions, didn't talk to you about it and then jumped online to call you a liar?

 

[Dave242]

I even played in a doubles tournament once where i was told we tied the team we had shared a card with that day, only we beat that team by 9 strokes. It happens. Sucks but it does happen. I pretty much would do what you did and cut my losses and not go back.

Not going back is indeed one solution. Maybe not you, but some reader here will notice how certain organizers can be overwhelmed at the front end of events getting things organized and moving and/or at the end getting scores sorted out and prizes awarded........and they will step up and offer to be the organizer's right hand man.

Anyone who has ever tried to run an event you will know full well the chaos of people showing up late, grunting things at you and expecting you to understand, scribbling things down illegibly, expecting you to cover for them since they forgot their money, asking to be put on certain cards or not be put with someone they don't like, ignoring you or talking over you when you are trying give instructions, forgetting to turn in their scorecard and have to get chased down, looking over your shoulder and talking to you when you are in the middle of trying to concentrate on scoring or payout calculations, coming to you with petty rules disputes when you are trying to get things wrapped up, etc etc etc.

TD's that last for a full season are amazing.....thick skin, sense of humor, love for mankind. And the ones that come back to do it again for another season......fuhgetaboutit - they are saints.

 

[DavidSauls]

How would you like it if someone didn't understand one of your decisions, didn't talk to you about it and then jumped online to call you a liar?

Well, my suggestion was to talk to the TD. Politely. Which I'd prefer a disgruntled player to do to me, as well.

But in fairness, unless I'm missing something, the O.P. didn't name the event or TD here. Calling someone out, before getting all the facts, would be the worst thing to do.

 

[Thumber]

Well, my suggestion was to talk to the TD. Politely. Which I'd prefer a disgruntled player to do to me, as well.

But in fairness, unless I'm missing something, the O.P. didn't name the event or TD here. Calling someone out, before getting all the facts, would be the worst thing to do.

agreed

 

[disctildeath]

Here's my question, you say people you know said players in rec had more than the allotted experience, do you know they weren't told this rule of thumb? Maybe they just entered a low division anyway and didn't care about the rules, my friend td's most of the local non sanctioned charity events here (I usually do the set up work with painting drop zones, putting up sponsor signs etc.), and they have a Joes (Rec) division where you are supposed to have 2 years or less experience but they always have people who enter low to win prizes (these are usually the people who get caught taking peoples discs they find and selling them to PIAS). The last one I was at two guys showed up each with backpacks full of 20 discs a piece, decked out in expensive gear to compete in the low division against mostly guys who would qualify for masters or older in a PDGA event carrying like 4-6 discs and absolutely squashed them, they were told, but I'm going to guess they were bagging a bit. The thing to do is to get with the guy and work out better policies and oversight, especially if you don't know if for certain you were singled out, don't start rumors or bad press if it isn't necessary. Like the situation I described many local players were angry, but the players were out of town so who knows if they didn't start within 2 years and just really took to the hobby and bought a bunch of nice stuff and had a good round, always look for ways to make things better, it's better for everyone in the long run.

 

[FriedInTheDesert]

BDD223,

1. You were wronged.
2. I'm hoping the TD knew the sucky veterans belonged in the rec group. Still doesn't make it right.
3. People will lie/cheat to get that winning feeling. Sand bagging has been around for a long time.
4. You played with better players and did well, congrats.

 

[nolangherity]

bro i let some dude get a place on me in a tourny because the prize was discs and i already have more than i could ever bag. half the fun of tournaments is leaving being pissed off about how the day unfolded.

 

[Dan H.]

If it's not PDGA sanctioned, the TD has a right to put people where he thinks they fit. the 6 months or less thing seems to be more of a Novice division rule than recreational. Also, he probably doesn't have time to ask every single player how long they have been playing when they register. If he doesn't know you he just has to go by your word. Glad you played well. Sounds like he put you in the right division. TDs do not have the power or knowledge to stop all sandbaggers. They are in every tournament and unless it's PDGA sanctioned or he/she knows all the players well, it's impossible to make sure every player is in the exact correct division.

 

[discgolfbandit]

why are people bagging the OP.

He was happy with the outcome...he wanted to sign into a division he felt he belonged in, but the TD created a rule preventing him from doing so...which he was fine with. However, the same TD moments later changed this rule. Not only that, the TD went from preventing people who should be able to play into a division...to allowing others who should NOT be in that division to play in it.

One moment a strict, slightly unfair policy...the next an open door policy for anyone to do anything.

I would feel victimized here too, it makes zero sense. People chalking it up to the 'stress of being a TD" are truly delusional.

Would be similar to being told you are too big to ride a certain ride at the fair then 5 minutes later witnessing people bigger then you enjoying the ride.

 

[Dave242]

One moment a strict, slightly unfair policy...the next an open door policy for anyone to do anything.

I would feel victimized here too, it makes zero sense. People chalking it up to the 'stress of being a TD" are truly delusional.

Would be similar to being told you are too big to ride a certain ride at the fair then 5 minutes later witnessing people bigger then you enjoying the ride.

People who hear one side of a story and buy into it lock stock and barrel are the ones that lean towards being "truly delusional".

People who realize that all are fallible and that every story has at least 2 sides/perspectives are rational.