Re: League Scoring

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] says...
:|:Are you saying that a "fair handicapping" system in league play would allow
:|:the better teams to compete with the "average" teams and if both teams shoot
:|:their respective "average" then they should tie?  If so, I disagree.  The
:|:better team should score above their "average" when playing a  "good" team
:|:because the better team has the more skilled players.
:|:
:|:

There is no such thing as a "fair" handicapping system. The whole 
purpose of a handicapping system is to give the weaker player an 
advantage (or the illusion of an advantage) so he will play in the 
first place. Gamblers use it to give weight to an opponent so he will 
play, not to be a nice guy or to "let him win". Having this advantage 
against the better player IS the incentive for the weaker player to 
play. It doesn't matter if you are playing for money or bragging 
rights, or the trophy for the league championship. That's the purpose 
of the "handicap", to get the weaker player into the game in the 
first place. You don't see handicaps in the Pro tournaments. Long 
races and good rules will have the better player (on that given day) 
win. Any handicap based on anything other than a win/loss record is 
open to manipulation. The NPL system is the best I have seen to level 
the playing field and not be open to sandbagging. It is the most 
"fair", but if you are in a 17-2 race, and scratch on the 9 in the 
first game, then win 16 in a row and miss the 9 on the next game 
leaving the 9 sitting in the pocket, was it really a contest? The 
weaker player didn't win, the stronger player lost, IMO.
YMMV
-- 
Frank Glenn
reply to rsb _at_ quick-clean.com (change _at_ to @)