Ringers in the playoffs, what do you think?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

So, my team finished the regular season in 6th place. We won our quarter final game in OT. We won the semi-final in OT, and now have a 3 game series for the final.

The first game was last night, and the other team had a ringer from a higher league playing. We lost 4-3, with their 4th goal coming with about 40 seconds left.

HE scored 3, possibly all 4 (I don't remember to be honest) of their goals.

What would you do?

A. It's low level beer league, it doesn't matter, suck it up, and just play

B. Send an e-mail to the hockey director, just as a heads up

C. Talk to the other team

D. Something else.

[chk hrd 164]

So, my team finished the regular season in 6th place. We won our quarter final game in OT. We won the semi-final in OT, and now have a 3 game series for the final.

The first game was last night, and the other team had a ringer from a higher league playing. We lost 4-3, with their 4th goal coming with about 40 seconds left.

HE scored 3, possibly all 4 (I don't remember to be honest) of their goals.

What would you do?

A. It's low level beer league, it doesn't matter, suck it up, and just play

B. Send an e-mail to the hockey director, just as a heads up

C. Talk to the other team

D. Something else.

E. Forget about it because it happens in every beer league.

It would be nice if the orginizations did a roster lock and then checked the players, but that would be to much work for them.

[Ahriman 1]

The AHA (big adult league in Minnesota) does check for ringers based on feedback from teams. League admins watch a game or two of the team with that player and decide if the complaint is valid, if it is, they have two options, lose the player or go up a skill level.

Sucks when people play down like that, even if he is great friends with everyone; personally I'd rather be beat some of the time than walk around everyone in a league.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

The AHA (big adult league in Minnesota) does check for ringers based on feedback from teams. League admins watch a game or two of the team with that player and decide if the complaint is valid, if it is, they have two options, lose the player or go up a skill level.

Sucks when people play down like that, even if he is great friends with everyone; personally I'd rather be beat some of the time than walk around everyone in a league.

This guy wasn't on the team this year, we've played them 4 times already, and we split with 2 wins each. So it's not like we are a dominant team over them.

We think he was wearing the jersey of a guy who couldn't make it.

That's whats pissing us off, it would have been a close game anyway, and an even series, but then he shows up for the playoffs.

I don't know, game was last night, so I'm still a little ticked, I'll probably be fine by the next game

E. Forget about it because it happens in every beer league.

That was option A :lol:

[ArcArsenal 0]

Its always total BS when this happens...but it does happen...A LOT.

In my summer league when you hit playoffs they make you sign in at a desk and show ID. It was amazing how many guys they were turning away because they were not even registered in the league (let alone on that team).

The only thing you can do is shoot the league an email requesting they contact the other teams rep to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I would probably bitch about it with the rest of my team while selecting option A as its not worth the hassle for beer league.

[DarkStar50 679]

D. Something else.

Old time hockey, Federal League style. Have one of your guys goon it up with him, get him in the box, get him out of the game. Minor, major, match, c ya!!

[Sed27 0]

As much as it is frustrating now, there might not be much you can do about it (but contacting the league director wouldn't hurt).

A similar thing happened to our team a couple years ago and we raised the issue at the general meeting at the start of the following season. Clear rules were then brought in to crack down on ringers (i.e regular season roster freeze after a set time, limiting the number of divisions guys can drop down, and having to submit a official team list before playoffs).

It didn't solve all the problems, but it did give the league better structure and allowed teams avenues for recourse if they felt that their opponents might be cheating.

[hockeysc23 0]

Id contact the league. It seems to be a problem at Mt.Vernon also.

I don't get why teams feel the need to do it but it is frustrating.

[guasto74 0]

Id contact the league. It seems to be a problem at Mt.Vernon also.

I don't get why teams feel the need to do it but it is frustrating.

Because there's no spirit of honest competition in adult rec league hockey. For some guys, winning a beer league trophy seems to be the pinnacle of their adult lives.

[Kevin 5]

A bit off topic, but having a three game final series for men's league rocks!

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

A bit off topic, but having a three game final series for men's league rocks!

It does, first time I've ever played in a "series"

We are sort of stuck between

"what are you going to do, it's only beer league hockey, lets just play"

and

"god damnit, we played a damn good game, and were beat by the ringer, that ain't right"

[Kevin 5]

I would report it to the league asap, so the ringer is not there for games two and three. However, it all depends on the league rules.

[Chadd 916]

Our league requires a player to have played in at least seven games with a team for them to be eligible for the playoffs, goalies excepted. We use pointstreak and it makes it easy to monitor the rosters.

[johnpace2 0]

You play at Fairfax right?

The rules are clear. That guy has to be on their roster and has to have played at least 5 games.

If it really is a ringer wearing someone else's jersey, it's grounds for a forfeit.

Either way, the guy is a douche. Talk to Todd and get it taken care of.

[fieldofdreams 0]

Don't just bend over and take it. Report it to the hockey director. If he DOES play in game 2, do what Darkstar said: bring your own goon to fight with him. Should take him out of that game, and possibly the next as well.

[JR Boucicaut 3803]

Our league requires a player to have played in at least seven games with a team for them to be eligible for the playoffs, goalies excepted. We use pointstreak and it makes it easy to monitor the rosters.

My rink is the same way - you have to be on the original roster. Substitutes cannot participate in the playoffs, and we use Pointstreak.

[Law Goalie 147]

Report it, then get one of your own.

[flyerman 0]

My league requires 6 games minimum played on a team in order to be eligible for playoffs. Also, no new players can be added to the roster after the first week in January. This solves the sandbagging issue during playoff time.

And, as someone said, technically if the guy is not on their roster then you should be able to appeal for that game to be forfeited by your opponents....or at the very least get a rematch. Check with your hockey director about the specific rules in your league. Seems you have a good case to me.

[ExitTwoEighty 7]

Don't just bend over and take it. Report it to the hockey director. If he DOES play in game 2, do what Darkstar said: bring your own goon to fight with him. Should take him out of that game, and possibly the next as well.

Seconded. Fight fire with fire. We have a really dirty team in our league that everyone complains about, we have subs on our roster with the understanding that they would take care of business against this team. I know it sounds dirty but when you get punched in the back of the neck for screening the goalie that is crossing the line.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Don't just bend over and take it. Report it to the hockey director. If he DOES play in game 2, do what Darkstar said: bring your own goon to fight with him. Should take him out of that game, and possibly the next as well.

Seconded. Fight fire with fire. We have a really dirty team in our league that everyone complains about, we have subs on our roster with the understanding that they would take care of business against this team. I know it sounds dirty but when you get punched in the back of the neck for screening the goalie that is crossing the line.

They are not a dirty team, he is not a dirty player. They are good guys, but he just doesn't belong there. I shot an e-mail to the hockey director. We have a 5 game minimum played, but I think he was wearing the jersey of someone who couldn't make the game, so without us having challenged them there about his eligibility (which I DO think would have been a dick move), there is probably not a lot we can do.

I'll wait to hear back.

Even the refs indicated (without actually saying it) that he was ringeresque

[RecLeagueHero 0]

I don't know if your league runs this rule, but here if the other team challanges your identity you have to show proof that you are who you say you are. If you can't produce ID then you get tossed, and if you can the other team gets a 2 minute bench minor. I know there's a strong tendency to not care, and it's not the biggest thing in the world, but you paid for the season. If you can win legit you should be able to and the other team shouldn't be allowed to cheat.

[Vishi05 0]

In my league if you play with a player who isn't on the roster it's an automatic forfeit.

[Reaper 0]

If I knew the player was a ringer during the game I would be asking him if he has such low self esteem that he feels he has to play in a lower division than he should. If he acted like a dick after that I'd be making sure he met the ice whenever he got near me.

[cdoug55 0]

I think everyone seems to agree here that yeah its just a beer league, so don't get too worked up over it. But the truth is you guys paid for the season and you don't mind losing as long as its fair. We are all competitive to a point, I just don't get why some people will go to such great lengths to cheat and then tell themselves that they won because they were better.

[pantherfan 0]

Give him a Vinny ball grab with a twist. The twist being a twist.