Visiting other sites

liljol · **Joined:** Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:41 pm **Posts:** 2497

In the aftermath of the recent exchanges on a recent visit to one of the network's most prominent sites, surely some of us have given some thoughts to:

The way(s) we as guests should consider conducting ourselves when visiting sites we don't regularly visit.

The expectations we have of the sites and other players when we visit.

As most of you know I have acquired extensive experience with visiting various sites. For now I'll toss this out to get other opinions.

lewser · **Joined:** Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:25 pm **Posts:** 1028

I have little expectations when I visit. Years ago I was in Orlando during NASCAR season, I wanted to visit Wally's a top tier location (we were 1st they were 6th ish IIRC). I called a week in advance to let them know they would have some visitors from Colorado for Raceday. The bartender said, they use all the boards so you may not get one, they are reserved. Fair enough. Julia and I got there an hour early and eat at the diner across the street. We finished and went over to play, it was still before any trivia started for the day. We were the first to arrive, about 15 minutes later regulars started getting there. I said we came to join them for Raceday, they explained as well that the boards were spoken for. I also called a week ago, She said (KCJENN), 'yes.' I replied, "have you paid attention to the top bar and individuals?" Yes, well I play under LEWSER, and my wife is ZOLTAN (currently #1 & #2 for year." Within 1 minute we had four boards sitting in front of us and everybody was ready to go. We stayed all the way through sports trivia and had a great time.

I have two expectations, mostly from being burnt by visitors;
1) If you say you are coming on a day that I don't normally play, you better fucking be there.
2) Don't fucking sandbag (If sandbagging occurs we play cutthroat the next game to let you know we don't need you to do well).

I am generally very easy to get along with, I have even offered rides back to their hotels. You at some point will be called a sandbagger, even if you don't just to see your reaction. Be on your toes..

liljol · **Joined:** Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:41 pm **Posts:** 2497

lewser wrote:

I am generally very easy to get along with, I have even offered rides back to their hotels. You at some point will be called a sandbagger, even if you don't just to see your reaction. Be on your toes..

BUD · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 12:41 pm

Having visited both of the above poster's locations...the only expectations we had in SD & LV was to drink enough so that the bartenders were happy with Buzztime player visitors and their tips. :mrgreen:

Other than that we just hope the BT system is working and that's all you can expect.

tiefly · **Joined:** Mon Jan 11, 2010 11:54 am **Posts:** 1665

Somtimes they throw a parade when I arrive...right NOLES! Sometimes when I leave, too.

A guy at Peanuts in New Smyrna, FL got a little pissed after I gave one wrong answer, after aiding and abetting for free drinks from opening til round 4. I could onlly sit in the front of the bar if I shared answers. They didn't say they ALL had to be right.

Generally, I just show up and play. If folks want to share, I will...although all the talking cuts into my drinking. I also only play a single PM..with the exception of Winchester, where the servers know me.

I have no expectations of people taking time to come out and play. Like BUD said, working PMs and system, along with decent beverage service, is about all I need.

That said, my bridge/tunnel/heavy traffic phobias severely limit my site visiting junkets these days. But if I hit the lottery, I'll hire a driver, so watch out!

kent · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:35 pm

I am with BUD and TIEFLY on this topic.

zog741 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:51 pm

lewser wrote:

I am generally very easy to get along with...

...and the Brooklyn Bridge really is for sale!... :mrgreen:

scar · **Joined:** Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:57 pm **Posts:** 2218

I pretty much try to get the lay of the land and follow the old adage when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I also never multibox.

As far as expectations of hosts, I generally feel like if anyone shows up it is a bonus. Heck, when I played team in louisville and you got text messages from x number of people they would be there in 15 minutes, I felt one wouldn't make it and one would be an hour.

MitchWolf · **Posted:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:59 pm

Best advice I give is:

*Get your plans set with no hesitation and right to the point.
*Know that you are the visitor and follow ground rules (such as if you allowed to multi-box or not)
*DON'T blare out answers unless you are sure it's right...Let people know that you making a guess without mentioning the answer you made
*DON'T be arrogant and use common sense when you mingle with the regulars

FrankC · **Posted:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:39 pm

scar wrote:

I pretty much try to get the lay of the land and follow the old adage when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

I also never multibox.

As far as expectations of hosts, I generally feel like if anyone shows up it is a bonus. Heck, when I played team in louisville and you got text messages from x number of people they would be there in 15 minutes, I felt one wouldn't make it and one would be an hour.

I am with Scar on this. I usually am pleasently surprised when I visit. I only got hassled by a guest player at a bar in Florida. He was trying to impress his girlfriend and I kept beating his ass.

THE ICEMAN · **Posted:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:44 pm

FrankC wrote:

I am with Scar on this. I usually am pleasently surprised when I visit. I only got hassled by a guest player at a bar in Florida. He was trying to impress his girlfriend and I kept beating his ass.

You're an animal, Frank. 8-)

S O B · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:29 am

I got hassled once by a player who recognized my handle when I visited a bar in Orlando. He said "You're that guy who hates Budweiser."

Well, no, I don't HATE Budweiser. I would never drink it and I would even rank it above light beers (a communist plot) but I don't hate it. Really. I may have pointed out in some of my numerous site reviews that the location offers only Budweiser and its derivitives on tap and that therefore it is not a recommended site for people that enjoy real beer taste but that's not hatred, is it? Can't we all just get along?

Anyway, wherever I go I try to play nicely with others. If I'm visiting a well-known site, I try to make contact before I arrive to introduce myself. I'll be visiting Peanuts Friday afternoon so I called CHICAU to let him know. They're possessive of the playmakers there and it's always advisable to let them know so that a box and a coveted seat at the bar are arranged.

Visiting unknown bars is different. Team or cutthroat play is fine by me either way. I won't try to join a team unless invited. If a visitor ever comes to the places I play he will always be invited to join but some other places are less welcoming.

Haven't been to as many sites as LILJOL but it's not from lack of effort...

tchoiniere · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:05 pm

Us at Adam's Mill had a few people come in from Lyme Tavern. They came in and sat at the opposite end of the bar. Didnt say anything to us so we assumed they wanted to play by themselves. That being said, we had a full team that night and a couple of visitors (ironically from Peanuts - Boost and Stoob) so we promptly wiped them out in every game. They left in the first round of Six and went to BWW down the street to play the rest of Six.

S O B · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:20 pm

tchoiniere wrote:

...Didnt say anything to us so we assumed they wanted to play by themselves...

I would have invited them to join you. As a visitor and an outsider, I just think it's not my place to ask a group of locals if I can join them. They don't know me and they've got their own chemistry. Perhaps I'm just shy but most of my bar buddies would laugh at that thought.

But LILJOL started this topic to ask about manners. There are manners that go with being hosts as well as being visitors and it's just good manners to make visitors feel welcome. It's my belief that if we treat visitors well then there's a chance we can turn them into regulars and that helps our bar and supports NTN with the bar ownership.

Maybe BO will read this and remember when I wandered into the Hofbrau Steakhouse in Addison in 1998 and played solo at the bar while his team shared answers in another room. I apparently played well enough to their standards that I was invited to sit at the table with "The Big Boys" and became a regular Tuesday Night fixture for several months before my job required me to move back to Tampa. I've always remembered the hospitality they offered and tried to emulate it to visitors in my home locations.

I can remember inviting a visitor to join us once and being told "I was hoping you'd ask." I've also been told "I just want to play alone and I think you guys are all assholes for sharing. That's cheating!" You can't please everyone but it never hurts to try.

If you ever see the S O B log on in your bar, I hope you'll make him feel welcome and not assume he wants to be alone.

-BO- · **Joined:** Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:20 pm **Posts:** 2291

S O B wrote:

Maybe BO will read this and remember when I wandered into the Hofbrau Steakhouse in Addison in 1998 and played solo at the bar while his team shared answers in another room. I apparently played well enough to their standards that I was invited to sit at the table with "The Big Boys" and became a regular Tuesday Night fixture for several months before my job required me to move back to Tampa. I've always remembered the hospitality they offered and tried to emulate it to visitors in my home locations.

Ah yes, good times and good steaks. And the favor was returned when a couple of us at separate times made a visit to Tampa.

When visits are made to other bars all sorts of things can and will happen. Each and every time I've visited a team bar for a premium game I have informed those at the site ahead of time so there are no surprises. And each and every time the visit has gone well. There have been times where I've visited a team bar for the sole purpose of kicking their asses. I'll walk in unannounced, grab a box and start playing. Nothing will be said until they start getting beat. Then, and only then, will they invite me to join them. They don't care about me, they just want to improve their score and not get beat in the process.

Accepting visitors can be a little tricky at times. Sometimes they want to play with your team for the sole purpose of improving their score not caring about the team. These players typically cheer when they take the lead or something meaning that others missed the question. Others get what the deal is but just don't fit in socially with the group, that can be awkward as well. There have been players that walk in and sit near us to hear all the answers and then cheer if they win, those types get chased out quite quickly by those of us who aren't overly nice to this type of thing.

But most of the time, if an out-of-towner is planning on joining us on either Monday or Tuesday they'll let us know and things go well. About the only thing that can go wrong is sandbagging, which happened once. Although one well-known visitor got completely shit-faced and insulted a few of our players during the night, he was in town for many weeks but was smart enough to not return.

It's pretty cool though how trivia players get together and make new friends through BT. Have met some great people through trivia. Off the top of my head have officially hosted players from 10 states and been officially hosted in 12.

tchoiniere · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 5:35 am

S O B wrote:

tchoiniere wrote:

...Didnt say anything to us so we assumed they wanted to play by themselves...

I would have invited them to join you.

If you ever see the S O B log on in your bar, I hope you'll make him feel welcome and not assume he wants to be alone.

They had started to sit down next to us but then got up quickly to go to other end of bar. We took that move that they wanted to be by themselves. Having been burned by other being people saying that they wanted to play as a team then they sandbag you, it can be a little awkward.

We are open to anyone joining us but watch out if there is sandbagging.

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