I don’t understand the logic of some of the recent handicap changes.
Last year the US Open Championship Crab Orchard team (handicapped at 27-goals because David Sterling was bumped from seven goals to eight before Open play began) jumped from a 26-goal team to a 29-goal team, yet they barely managed to sneak past Jedi by a goal in the closing seconds of the game.
It appears that there might be some political reasons for either raising or lowering players’ handicaps. The question is, who’s next?
Catamount will be the first team to come under scrutiny. Capturing the Joe Barry Memorial and playing well in the opening round of the Ylvisaker Cup it will be easy for the handicappers to overlook the fact that Catamount will be through after the Ylvisaker Cup. There is no 26-goal competition for them (with the exception of Roldan, who will be playing with Pony Express) and because of that, they are mounted on their top horses.
The teams which they are competing against are, for the most part, riding back-up horses. They are starting to get their 26-goal horses into shape, but they are not playing their top horses.
Remember, horses are at least 80% of the game, so I guess Catamount’s advantage has to be credited to the horses, and the great teamplay among the players.
The possibility that some of the Catamount players have their handicaps raised is a real possibility, but the wisdom in it has to be questioned. A good tournament, a winning streak are short-lived in the polo world (unless you’re Adolfo Cambiaso) when the handicappers should be looking at what handicap these players are able to carry without this team around them.
Maybe the Handicap Committee will take a look at some of the players that were elevated last year to see how well-merited the changes were. Only time will tell.
th000000205am08, 22008vUTC02bUTCTue, 05 Feb 2008 09:13:08 +0000 11, 2007...08:46p02
Handicapping Players, Not To Be Taken Lightly
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8 Comments
th000000206am08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 06 Feb 2008 00:14:41 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
I agree with your handicaping statements. Well done!
What about the NAPL? Isn’t the point of the NAPL to allow teams to stay together all year and play in several tournaments together to help the general public recognize and follow the same players and teams? If the USPA is constantly changing handicaps, teams can’t stay together, thus, not people are not allowed to follow their favorite teams or players.
The “good old boys” (USPA) need to help North American players and teams, not dismantel them and lose jobs for it’s players.
th000000206am08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 06 Feb 2008 06:34:03 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
Last year at the draw for the Open almost every team represented questioned Sterling’s handicap,the handicap committe (Hughes) said that he had been reviewed and would stay at 7-2 days later he was raised.What did he do in those two days to get raised-must have had a hell of a practice somewhere.The same thing will happen with Nachi this year.Is he 9 here because he hasn’t played here or payed dues for 2 years?He is ten every else in the world ,why not here.
th000000206pm08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 06 Feb 2008 23:41:40 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
I know that in days of old you carried your home country’ handicap when you didn’t have one in the country you were going to play in… I guess thats not the case anymore. I can’t figure that one out. I’m sure Crab Orchard doesn’t mind…I wonder if others do?!
th000000207am08, 42008vUTC02bUTCThu, 07 Feb 2008 05:56:28 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
I agree. However I would not want to downplay the success and competitiveness of Catamount. In an era when many do not believe North America can compete with the Argentine imports, Catamount continues to prove that theory wrong by winning five major tournaments at IPC in 20-26 goals since 2004.
th000000213am08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 13 Feb 2008 07:23:10 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
I am sure they know what they are doing……I only talked with three 10 goalers who said Nachi was playing 12 goals this summer in England. It will be fun to watch those two play together.
th000000213pm08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 13 Feb 2008 22:54:12 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
I have said in a previous blog there is absolutely no doubt that if a patron will do what Adolphus Busch did for us here in America and what Urs Schwarzenbach did for us in England(for about 5 seasons), we as American Pros can compete with our argentine friends. PoloSport you mention Catamount… There is also a team in Palm Beach now called “Mount Brilliant” with a host of american players who likewise are doing very well. It can happen, it can be done and its nice to see it when it does. My hat is off to Scott Devon and to Hutton Goodman for taking some of our finest into thier organizations and proving that we can compete.
Until next time…
th000000214pm08, 42008vUTC02bUTCThu, 14 Feb 2008 23:07:57 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
And I forgot… Charlie you are soooo right when you say it should be great fun to watch Nachi and Adolfo play together!!! I know it was never easy to play against you, Nachi, Eduardo and Henry DK back in the day! In fact Debra Couples, Mike Azzaro, Luis Escobar and I were playing against you guys when I had a BIG crash and burn on that Super Bowl Sunday many moons ago, remember!
Anyway, I like you have heard he is playing as well or better than he ever has and I look forward with great anticipation to seeing them together as well!
See ya…
th000000220am08, 32008vUTC02bUTCWed, 20 Feb 2008 08:09:55 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p02
Dale
I tell people that was one of the worst wrecks in polo. We were flying down to the north/east corner of field one ..One second you were taking me out the next second you were gone. You got slammed to the ground so hard we thought you were dead. It is a good thing you are such a tough SOB or we might have been right.