Rules
MBA Qualification Rules
AVERAGE: In order to qualify to play with the Mediocre Bowling Association, and keep it fun for everyone, you must have an average of 150 or less to play. If you don't know what your average is, join! If you finish your season with a 150 average or ABOVE you will be given one more season to get your act together! After two seasons, if your average is still 150 or above you'll have to take your walk of shame to the big leagues! (Don't worry, at that point you might get recruited by the PBA Amateur League...they sniff around our league a lot).
MBA Game Rules
The basic bowling rules apply within our league: You "shouldn't" shout at your fellow bowlers as they throw. Most importantly, don't go "OVER THE LINE!" The rest of what you see below are specifics to OUR league:
GUTTER BALLS: The beautiful Gutter Trash Award is handed out at the end of each event to the player who throws the most gutter balls. A gutter is only counted when TEN PINS are standing after your throw. This isn't to be confused with, as an example, 7 pins knocked down and you miss the remaining 3 on the second throw. You have to miss all 10 pins. This CAN happen twice in a frame, but we won't point any fingers. In the event of a TIE in total gutters thrown, the player with the lowest overall score will take home the goods (bads).
GUTTER TRASH AWARD: Can be “cashed in” for bumpers, under the following conditions:
- It can ONLY be used in the event that follows the one in which it was won by the player.
- It can ONLY be used in ONE of the games within a tournament, chosen by the player before the first frame of said game. This allows the player to strategize when it can be best used to his/her advantage.
- The Gutter Trash given during February’s Theodore Donald Kerabatsos Memorial Tournament, which is the final regular season event, CANNOT be used during any of the March playoff events (Honorable Munson Wild Card, Mediocre Cup Finals, Roy L. Munson Chapter Championship.) Unfortunately, this one will only be used as a paper weight...OH and a display of pride!
SEASON, PLAYOFFS, CAREER STATISTICS: The MBA Season consists of 5 regular events, 1 pre-season event* and 3 post-season events*. Every player in the Mediocre Bowling Association will have their personal stats kept track of throughout each season and throughout their respective "careers". All numbers will be seperated for accurate counting. For instance: Any numbers a player accumulates in the playoffs (strikes, spares, high scores, etc), WON'T COUNT toward their season numbers. Pre and Post Season events will be considered "Playoffs."
*Players must qualify to participate for trophies in these events
MBA Event Rules
Here are detailed explanations for 2 of the 5 season's events. The others are pretty self explanatory:
THE GREAT DIVIDE: This event pairs the best player and the worst player, second best with second worst player, etc. EACH PAIR'S TOTAL SCORES WILL BE ADDED UP & AVERAGED to determine the winners. In the event that a single player remains after everyone is paired up, they will play SOLO and have their scores doubled in order to compete. This event has undergone a few changes since the MBA's inaugural season.
THE CAUCASIAN OPEN - TEAM DRAFT: Players will be split into teams on their own respective lanes to compete for the event's championship. Team captains and the number of teams will of course be determined by the number of people who show up that day. The players with the top season averages to date will be named captains. The number of captains will be based on the amount of members in a chapter (anywhere from 2-8 captains.) They will select their team mates who will be divided into "average pools". The captain must select 1 player from each pool to ensure that no team is lopsided with "talent". (maximum number per team will most likely be 6, which usually constitutes the amount of people who can bowl on one lane). This will all occur at the alley prior to the event.
MBA Playoff Qualification Rules
After the 5 season events are held (October - February), a Chapter will hold it's Roy L. Munson Chapter Championship Playoff event in March. Everybody in the chapter is allowed to participate in the days events, but only those players who participate in AT LEAST 3 OUT OF 5 REGULAR SEASON EVENTS will be allowed to advance. If your average going into the playoffs places you in Roy L. Munson Chapter Championship 1st thru 7th seeds, but you did not participate in enough season events, you will automatically be placed in the Honorable Munson Wild Card to play the role of "spoiler". The same goes if you naturally place in the 8th seed & down. If you happen to finish in first place via the Honorable Munson Wild Card, you will get to keep the hardware, but the NEXT QUALIFYING PLAYER will advance to the Chapter Championship's 8th seed.
THE MEDIOCRE CUP FINALS: Starting in 2014, "The Dude Award" will be given to the player with the most mediocre average after each regular season event. Come March, these 5 winners (or less depending on repeat winners, Roy L. Munson Chapter Championship qualification, or non attendance) will face off in a single game elimination in the Mediocre Cup Finals. The winner will be awarded with it's chapter's Mediocre Cup, if that needed to be spelled out for ya. The Mediocre Cup Finals will take place simultaneously with the Roy L. Munson Chapter Championship, which means if one of the Mediocre Cup Finalists win the Honorable Munson Wild Card, they have to choose which path they will take: Munson Cup or Mediocre Cup. If they choose to stick with the "easy path" of the Mediocre Cup Finals, the 2nd place player from the Wild Card tournament will take their place in the 8th seed. Now Breathe. Tough choices ahead!
It's a mouthful, but basically if you want your name on the mother of all bowling trophies, show up to at least 3 out of 5 season events!