The anti-sandbag law:
"if a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer's recorded time in the past two years, the meet director may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seeded time to a realistic time" (104.5.5.A(10)).
Concerning my Auburn nationals entry, I confess, when faced with a 7 hour 2 stop flight and 3:45 nonstop at an earlier time, I did what any warm-blooded middle-aged American swimmer with low self-esteem would do--sandbag my entry so I could catch the earlier flight, thus diminishing the possible time spent sitting next to a 400 pound Alabama slammer with sleep apnea wearing nothing but overalls and body odor. Of course, I was caught in my bold fabrication and my time was "fixed."
USMS seems to have an identity problem. Are we hard core with rigid qualifying times? It would seem not as 2 of my not-so-speedy family members were allowed to swim four events last year in Puerto Rico. If we are not hard core, why does anybody care that I sandbag? More to the point, why can one person enter a crappy time and another cannot? Just wondering.:)
It's difficult enough for many to find the time and energy to even attend meets. And it's difficult to estimate times in the non tech suit era. Most people do their best with entries.
I wouldn't call making a mistaken prediction, "sandbagging." You enter the approximate time you think you will do. There is a chance (like the previous poster who hadn't swum in 17 years) you might be off by quite a bit.
Your comment about time & energy works both ways. Sandbagging lessens the experience for others who expend "time and energy to attend meets." There is a reason it is against the rules, after all.
If getting blown away throws off your race, consider that it happens in all the heats (I was next to Mike Ross in the 200 Free at Indy and I believe I was beaten by around 10 seconds).
I don't think this is quite the same thing. I seem to recall that Mike enters a time he has done previously, or something close to it. If you are next to someone that you know is much faster than you, it shouldn't surprise you that he goes out fast. But if you are next to someone you don't know with the same entry time as you, and s/he blows you away on the first lap, then yes that can affect some people.
Look, I don't think sandbagging equates to child molesting or anything. It is a minor aggravation in the big scheme of things, like being exposed to second-hand smoke. But be honest about it: if you think it doesn't affect anyone else (even if in a relatively small way), then you are kidding yourself.
It's difficult enough for many to find the time and energy to even attend meets. And it's difficult to estimate times in the non tech suit era. Most people do their best with entries.
I wouldn't call making a mistaken prediction, "sandbagging." You enter the approximate time you think you will do. There is a chance (like the previous poster who hadn't swum in 17 years) you might be off by quite a bit.
Your comment about time & energy works both ways. Sandbagging lessens the experience for others who expend "time and energy to attend meets." There is a reason it is against the rules, after all.
If getting blown away throws off your race, consider that it happens in all the heats (I was next to Mike Ross in the 200 Free at Indy and I believe I was beaten by around 10 seconds).
I don't think this is quite the same thing. I seem to recall that Mike enters a time he has done previously, or something close to it. If you are next to someone that you know is much faster than you, it shouldn't surprise you that he goes out fast. But if you are next to someone you don't know with the same entry time as you, and s/he blows you away on the first lap, then yes that can affect some people.
Look, I don't think sandbagging equates to child molesting or anything. It is a minor aggravation in the big scheme of things, like being exposed to second-hand smoke. But be honest about it: if you think it doesn't affect anyone else (even if in a relatively small way), then you are kidding yourself.
