SPL

Welcome to the Sandbagger Prevention League!

The SPL is an experiment I created in an attempt to identify the best format to eliminate sandbagging in bowling leagues. Using scores from five real bowlers in seven real leagues, I will place these volunteers against a fictional bowler, Sam Sandbagger.

The goal of the league is to find the format that encourages and rewards good bowling, is competitive, and whose final standings most directly reflect the ability of the participants.

Participants: Please post the week number and your three games in the comments (example: Week 1 190 178 201). Once I receive all of the games for the week I will clear the comments.

Below are the formats being tested and their most current stats:

Averages After 14 Weeks
Zach - 194
Lauren - 114
Sam Sandbagger - 169
Matt 1 - 213
Matt 2 - 209
Matt 3 - 204
EBH - 176
Doc - 161

Scratch

This format is based solely on the performance of the bowlers. One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and two points for the higher series.

Week 11
Zach (1) v. Matt 1 (4)
Lauren (1) v. Sam Sandbagger (4)
EBH (1) v. Matt 3 (4)
Doc (0) v. Matt 2 (5)

Week 12
Zach (3) v. Matt 2 (2)
Sam Sandbagger (0) v. EBH (5)
Lauren (0) v. Matt 3 (5)
Matt 1 (5) v. Doc (0)

Week 13
Doc (0) v. Sam Sandbagger (5)
Lauren (0) v. Matt 2 (5)
Matt 1 (2) v. EBH (3)
Matt 3 (5) v. Zach (0)

Week 14
Zach (4) v. EBH (1)
Lauren (0) v. Doc (5)
Matt 1 (1) v. Matt 2 (4)
Matt 3 (5) v. Sam Sandbagger (0)

Overall
Matt 3 (53)
Matt 1 (51)
Matt 2 (45)
Zach (40)
Sam Sandbagger (34)
EBH (34)
Doc (22)
Lauren (1)

100% Handicap (Head to Head)

This format gives each bowler a handicap based on a 200 average (200 - bowler's average up to 199). One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and two points for the higher series.

Week 11
Zach (1) v. Matt 1 (4)
Lauren (5) v. Sam Sandbagger (0)
Doc (0) v. Matt 2 (5)
EBH (2) v. Matt 3 (3)

Week 12
Zach (3) v. Matt 2 (2)
Sam Sandbagger (0) v. EBH (5)
Lauren (5) v. Matt 3 (0)
Matt 1 (5) v. Doc (0)

Week 13
Doc (1) v. Sam Sandbagger (4)
Lauren (1) v. Matt 2 (4)
Matt 1 (1) v. EBH (4)
Matt 3 (4) v. Zach (1)

Week 14
Zach (4) v. EBH (1)
Lauren (4) v. Doc (1)
Matt 1 (1) v. Matt 2 (4)
Matt 3 (3) v. Sam Sandbagger (2)

Overall
Lauren (44)
Matt 1 (41)
Matt 2 (40)
Matt 3 (37)
Sam Sandbagger (36)
EBH (33)
Zach (31)
Doc (18)

100% Handicap (League Wide Series)

This format gives each bowler a handicap based on a 200 average (200 - bowler's average up to 199). One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and 1-8 points are awarded based on how the bowler's series ranks within the entire league.

Week 11
Matt 1 (10)
Matt 2 (9)
Zach (8)
Lauren (8)
Matt 3 (5)
EBH (4)
Doc (3)
Sam Sandbagger (1)

Week 12
Matt 1 (11)
EBH (10)
Lauren (9)
Zach (6)
Matt 2 (5)
Sam Sandbagger (4)
Doc (2)
Matt 3 (1)

Week 13
Matt 3 (10)
EBH (9)
Zach (7)
Matt 2 (7)
Lauren (5)
Sam Sandbagger (5)
Matt 1 (3)
Doc (2)

Week 14
Sam Sandbagger (9)
Matt 3 (9)
Matt 2 (8)
Lauren (7)
Zach (6)
Doc (4)
EBH (3)
Matt 1 (2)

Overall
Matt 2 (99)
Matt 1 (98)
Sam Sandbagger (95)
Lauren (93)
Matt 3 (85)
Zach (84)
EBH (71)
Doc (59)

80% Handicap (Head to Head)

This format gives each bowler a handicap based on a 200 average ([200 - bowler's average up to 199] x .8). One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and two points for the higher series.


Week 11
Zach (1) v. Matt 1 (4)
Lauren (5) v. Sam Sandbagger (0)
EBH (2) v. Matt 3 (3)
Doc (0) v. Matt 2 (5)

Week 12
Zach (3) v. Matt 2 (2)
Sam Sandbagger (0) v. EBH (5)
Lauren (5) v. Matt 3 (0)
Matt 1 (5) v. Doc (0)

Week 13
Doc (1) v. Sam Sandbagger (4)
Lauren (0) v. Matt 2 (5)
Matt 1 (1) v. EBH (4)
Matt 3 (5) v. Zach (0)

Week 14
Zach (4) v. EBH (1)
Lauren (2) v. Doc (3)
Matt 1 (1) v. Matt 2 (4)
Matt 3 (3) v. Sam Sandbagger (2)

Overall
Matt 1 (46)
Matt 2 (42)
Matt 3 (40)
Sam Sandbagger (38)
Lauren (32)
Zach (31)
EBH (31)
Doc (22)

80% Handicap (League Wide Series)

This format gives each bowler a handicap based on a 200 average ([200 - bowler's average up to 199] x .8). One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and 1-8 points are awarded based on how the bowler's series ranks within the entire league.

Week 11
Matt 1 (10)
Matt 2 (9)
Zach (8)
Lauren (7)
Matt 3 (6)
EBH (4)
Doc (3)
Sam Sandbagger (1)

Week 12
Matt 1 (11)
EBH (10)
Zach (7)
Matt 2 (7)
 Lauren (6)
Sam Sandbagger (4)
Doc (2)
Matt 3 (1)

Week 13
Matt 3 (11)
EBH (9)
Matt 2 (8)
Zach (6)
Sam Sandbagger (5)
Matt 1 (5)
Lauren (2)
Doc (2)

Week 14
Matt 2 (9)
Matt 3 (9)
Sam Sandbagger (8)
Zach (7)
Lauren (5)
Doc (5)
EBH (3)
Matt 1 (2)

Overall
Matt 1 (109)
Matt 2 (109)
Matt 3 (96)
Zach (90)
Sam Sandbagger (88)
EBH (74)
Lauren (57)
Doc (55)

Divisions (Head to Head)

Bowlers are split into two divisions based on their averages: the four highest averages in Division A and the four lowest in Division B. One point is awarded for each game won in a head to head match-up and two points for the higher series. Bowlers only compete against the people within their division and divisions are reset and locked at the beginning of each quarter. The two division leaders then compete for the league championship with a handicap based on the average of the better bowler.

Division A: Matt 1, Matt 2, Matt 3, Zach
Division B: Doc, Sam Sandbagger, EBH, Lauren

Week 11
Matt 3 (1) v. Matt 2 (4)
Matt 1 (4) v. Zach (1)
EBH (4) v. Sam Sandbagger (1)
Doc (5) v. Lauren (0)

Week 12
Matt 1 (5) v. Matt 2 (0)
Matt 3 (1) v. Zach (4)
EBH (5) v. Lauren (0)
Doc (0) v. Sam Sandbagger (5)

Week 13
Matt 1 (0) v. Matt 3 (5)
Matt 2 (2) v. Zach (3)
EBH (5) v. Lauren (0)
Doc (0) v. Sam Sandbagger (5)

Week 14
Matt 1 (0) v. Zach (5)
Matt 2 (1) v. Matt 3 (4)
EBH (1) v. Sam Sandbagger (4)
Doc (5) v. Lauren (0)

Overall
Division A
Matt 1 (47)
Matt 2 (36)
Matt 3 (30)
Zach (27)

Division B
EBH (53)
Sam Sandbagger (48)
Doc (37)
Lauren (3)

Divisions (Division Wide)

Bowlers are split into two divisions based on their averages: the four highest averages in Division A and the four lowest in Division B. 1-4 points are awarded for how each game and series ranks within the division. Bowlers only compete against the people within their division and divisions are reset and locked at the beginning of each quarter. The two division leaders then compete for the league championship with a handicap based on the average of the better bowler.

Week 11
Division A
Matt 1 (15)
Matt 2 (10)
Zach (10)
Matt 3 (6)

Division B
EBH (14)
Doc (13)
Sam Sandbagger (8)
Lauren (5)

Week 12
Division A
Matt 1 (15)
Matt 2 (10)
Zach (10)
Matt 3 (5)

Division B
Doc (18)
EBH (16)
Sam Sandbagger (12)
Lauren (4)

Week 13
Division A
Matt 3 (15)
Matt 2 (10)
Zach (9)
Matt 1 (6)

Division B
EBH (15)
Sam Sandbagger (13)
Doc (8)
Lauren (4)

Week 14
Division A
Matt 3 (13)
Zach (11)
Matt 2 (10)
Matt 1 (6)

Division B
Sam Sandbagger (15)
EBH (10)

Doc (10)
Lauren (5) 

Overall
Division A
Matt 1 (162)
Matt 2 (148)
Matt 3 (141)
Zach (111)

Division B
EBH (181)
Sam Sandbagger (170)
Doc (146)
Lauren (63)