Random Thoughts on Handicaps and Rules

After this past game, my team was discussing whether the handicap system was fair.  After a few games early in the season, all of the teams in the league are sorted into groups A-D.  If an A level team plays a C level team, the C team gets 2 points; if a C level team plays a D, the D gets 1 point; etc.  (If an A level team plays a D level team, the A team automatically gets hammer.) 

This past game happened to be played at 6PM, in between the 4PM and 8PM leagues.  Also, the 4PM game on our sheet went long and we didn't start our game until almost 6:15.  Does that give the handicap team an advantage because there are fewer ends for the other team to catch up? 
If a good team is up three and is able to make takeouts, the game might be (essentially) over after a few ends.  There are only a couple of teams in my league that I would put in that category.  I consider myself pretty good and I'll miss easy takeouts just by being a little wide or I didn't read the ice correctly.

So anyway, I don't have an answer.  I've been beaten by D teams and and I've won games against D teams that weren't even close.  I've skipped a D level team one season and I was very appreciative of the handicap then. 

I think if the league had teams that were a little closer in experience/skill, I would propose something along the lines of A vs. B = B gets 1 point/A gets hammer, A vs. C = B gets 1 point and hammer, A vs. D = D gets 2 points/A gets hammer.  But it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference.  Anyway, I'll stop rambling about this.

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On another subject, during this past season, we've noticed several teams with some minor infractions.  Things like skips "warming up the ice" (don't do it) or not knowing what to do with rocks touching the back line (they're still in play) or measuring a rock with your broom before the end is over (don't do it).  I'd just like to implore you, especially if you're a skip or third to read through the rules of the game.  There are several books for this, including Curl to Win and Curling For Dummies.  It's less than 20 pages in  both of these books.  Or if you don't know the rules, don't be afraid to ask.

Hopefully that wasn't too much of a rant.  Just needed to get that out.

Game 5 Recap

This past game was against a C level team and they got one point.  I was surprised at this because I know that this team (at the very least their skip) has played in some international type competitions.  They were playing with only 3 while I had my regular team together.

I think this game might have been determined by the front end play.  This just wasn't a good night for the opposing first as only a handful of his rocks would stay in play during the game.  In the second end, this helped lead to my team having all 6 rocks in play before I even threw my first rock and no opposing stones; we stole three in that end. 

Now, the final score was (I believe) 7-4 after 6 ends, but I have to say that the opposing skip had some really lucky shots.  One of them was pretty similar to my own luckiest shot (he missed his original shot, but made an unbelievable double raise to score two).  The other lucky shot came in the fourth end.  I don't remember exactly what all was happening on the left side, but no one was going to draw on that side.  The opposing skip draws to the right side.  The rock looks like it's going through the house and Vice gets ready to sweep it, when all of a sudden, it picks on something in the house and makes a sharp right turn to land on the button.  They score one. 

Afterward, we looked under the rock and we found a hair.  We believe that it's one of Vice's beard hairs.  If this happens again, I'm going to make him shave or wear a surgical mask or something. 

Our record is now 4-1 and our competitive record remains at 1-1.  I'm wondering if we'll be bumped up to A level soon.  I feel weird about that; I can't imagine anyone thinking that my team is one of the best in the league.  It's not like we have matching outfits or play multiple times a week or go to lots of bonspiels or have really expensive equipment (only Vice and I have curling shoes). 

Also on this subject, I've always felt that our handicaps are based on small sample size (in my case, two of my wins came against D level teams and one against a C level).  It'd be cool if someone could come up with a BCS type algorithm, maybe take the final scores into account to come up with a ranking that's a little less subjective.  Just a thought.