Worst/lamest excuses

**Chire** · 05-14-2007, 07:28 AM

People often think up excuses for losing. What are the worst or lamest excuses you've heard someone tries to justify someone's defeat? There's a heavy load of them, but here to bring up a few (just ignore my comments):

"I/someone would've won, but...
The lights were too bright." Duh. That's for both players.
Had no crowd support / too much crowd support." That sucks. There's no way you could've won then.
Was not in the mood for playing/winning." Neither was the opponent andyet he won. I guess the gap between you two is just that high.
Was too nervous." That's a part of the game.
There were too much distractions from the crowd. Were they breathing too heavily perhaps? Well that's for both players anyway.
The opponent was much more lucky." Yep, he made it this far with luck only too.
Wasn't playing seriously..." Congratulations? You're a loser. This reason is the embodiment of lameness. Did I also mention you're a loser?
Wasn't playing at his best..." ...and you lost miserably. No credit to the opponent?
Something was bothering his/her/my mind." What? Cookies?
Chose the wrong tactic to play this opponent." Say what? The smash smash tactic didn't work?! Either that or he chose the right tactic to play you.
Made too many unforced errors." So? It only means the opponent has more experience/trained more.
He/She/I hadn't had enough sleep last night." Well FYI the opponent had even less.
The age is catching up." Then quit playing. Also, age can be considered experience.
The opponent had a better racket/gear." Yep, that way he had the psychological advantage over you.

While some of the above can actually possibly have some reasonable basis (to some extent), the one with completely no reasonable grounding, the lamest one I can think of and probably the most widely used one too, especially on lower levels:

"It wasn't my day."

I wonder if some people actually think their gameplay is somehow connected to the day on which they're playing. Plus they manage to put this reason to every possible place they see it would fit. It's a versatile reason after all - it covers all the errors you do and at the same time denies the fact that the opponent played better.
If a player really believes he can't play well because "it's not his/her day", he/she for sure won't be improving his game on that day either.

The funny thing is we never/very rarely see the professionals state these kind of reasons for losing, it's the fans instead who favor these.

I personally find it pretty offensive when the opponent whom I beat tells me his reason for losing is one of the above or the like.

Guess we should gather a top 10 list

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Looking forward to hear your inputs (feel free to comment them too)!

**jerby** · 05-14-2007, 08:06 AM

never liked excuses like that much..though subconsciencely we all do it, I think.

in the long run: someone won, somebody lost..no matter what they say, and better luck next time around...

**phaarix** · 05-14-2007, 08:06 AM

A friend of mine says:

When I win against him "Man I played like crap" - yeah well thanks... that's saying a lot for me isn't it.

When I lose to him "Don't worry I played crap too" - erm ok thanks, that really makes me feel better. Knowing I lost to someone who was playing like "crap".

And he says one of the two after just about every match we have >_>. I don't really mind because I know he's just trying to be nice (though he obviously hasn't thought very hard about how what he's saying might be interpreted by me or others).

Although he did say after the first game of a match against me where he played really well and thrashed me, "you see? that's what I can do at my best!". But that worked against him as it gave me motivation to do my best (I have a problem with motivation, usually I'm a bit lazy and even when I try to do my best I usually can't without a good reason). So I thought... alright we'll see. And I beat him in the second game. He withdrew from the match looking really demoralized and saying I'd just win anyway. Very satisfying haha. Especially as I was really worn out from all the effort and I probably would have actually lost the third if we had continued

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**silentheart** · 05-14-2007, 08:33 AM

Dear Chire,

I think this is actually a good excuse. The opponent's XD female partner is too good looking and the whatever she is wearing fit just right.

Another bad one. The opponent's XD partner is your ex and you are not ready to face the truth yet.

**jerby** · 05-14-2007, 08:36 AM

How about "there was a funny smell on court..I was just trying to get away as soon as possible"

**silentheart** · 05-14-2007, 09:31 AM

Jerby,

It is ok to tell me I stink, I can take that insult

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SH

**battousai15** · 05-14-2007, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by silentheart

Dear Chire,

I think this is actually a good excuse. The opponent's XD female partner is too good looking and the whatever she is wearing fit just right.

I think this is an exception. It's a good reason and you're complimenting the opponent :P

**Chire** · 05-14-2007, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by silentheart

Dear Chire,

I think this is actually a good excuse. The opponent's XD female partner is too good looking and the whatever she is wearing fit just right.

Another bad one. The opponent's XD partner is your ex and you are not ready to face the truth yet.

Haha, yeah, not an excuse at all. Your own XD partner might take it as an insult though if you gave that compliment to the opponent.

**silentheart** · 05-14-2007, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Chire

Haha, yeah, not an excuse at all. Your own XD partner might take it as an insult though if you gave that compliment to the opponent.

Well, if your XD partner is your gf, all hell break...

You are going to get killed on the court and at home... A very sad situation.

***Cheung*** · 05-14-2007, 10:01 AM

http://www.badmintoncentral.com/badm...nt/view/44/26/

**Chire** · 05-14-2007, 10:55 AM

Damn, I searched the forums but didn't realize I should look at the articles section too.

Well no harm done I guess there are a few new ones on my list anyway, plus you get to give yours too.

Heh luckily I don't play XD so I can't get myself into such awkward situation. If I ever will, at least I will now remember not to give any compliments to the opponents

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Originally Posted by silentheart

Well, if your XD partner is your gf, all hell break...

You are going to get killed on the court and at home... A very sad situation.

***Cheung*** · 05-14-2007, 11:06 AM

I know it because of being with BF for a long time.

I must admit I haven't heard any lame excuses for a long time. Not sure why. It may be because when it comes to badminton in HK, there's a hardcore community who are pretty knowledgable and those excuses don't really cut much ice.

Something quite common in HK sports centres is the drift. Many centres have air conditioning. The worst was a drift that would affect netshot by about 6-10 inches. Quite amazing. Good for me though that day. The opponent would normally beat me quite easily. Although he still won, it ended up being a lot closer.

**Chire** · 05-14-2007, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Cheung

Something quite common in HK sports centres is the drift. Many centres have air conditioning. The worst was a drift that would affect netshot by about 6-10 inches. Quite amazing. Good for me though that day. The opponent would normally beat me quite easily. Although he still won, it ended up being a lot closer.

Actually, I thought about this one too, but then I thought that it isn't precisely an excuse. You see even Peter Gade saying on his own website that he was able to control the drift in the hall better than his opponent and that gave him a fair advantage.

But that list in the article is actually quite hilarious

, couldn't have thought of those by myself.

**LazyBuddy** · 05-14-2007, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Chire

"I/someone would've won, but...
The lights were too bright." Duh. That's for both players.

Well, personally I don't think this excuse is too bad.

Many mult. purpose gym are NOT designed for badminton. Therefore, the environment (line, light, wind, floor, etc) does play certain degree in close matches. If the players' lack of experience in some degree, it will take them much longer to the un-familiar court condition (i.e. being the away team). In another way of speaking, heavily favorable for the home team players.

I know as the level of playing improves, the effect might be greatly reduced. However, for club level of playing, and a suppose to be close match. Several minutes or several rallies could be very costly.

**cooler** · 05-14-2007, 12:15 PM

here are some of mine:

- i ate too much before the game
- one of my contact len wasn't put on right
- wrong net height
- lines are too thick
- when playing feather badly, it was due to playing plastic last week
- when playing plastic badly, it was due to playing feather last week
- I thought i heard my cellphone rang
- hard to see the shuttles after a long day looking at the monitor and surfing BF

- i think i got lead poisoning from drinking water from old school fountain
- that net has plastic tape and shuttle wouldn't bounce over to my side if the net had textile tape.
- trying to remember what's that girl name again? hehe