Monday, August 10, 2009

Sectionals Wrap Up

Congrats to all who competed this weekend. I didn't get to watch too much since I was over at Brookhaven but everyone kept giving me updates as they saw me so I felt like I was there. Thanks to Yuan Chen for knocking me out of the consolation semis so I could go see Team Bob secure a berth at Nationals.

It was a great match yesterday, there was nothing but solid tennis from all 16 players.

I would have loved to see some of Rusty's team play but it looks like they fell a little short against some very steep competition from San Antonio and Houston.

No luck for the ladies this weekend as none of them made it to Sunday, but as we know the march for 2010 has already begun as our Fall minimum rosters are due today so many are planning to be sweating out this time next year.

Hats off to all the teams that came to Dallas for the weekend and as one of our very vocal Dallas captains learned nothing is guaranteed at sectionals, I learned that lesson that hard way as well. For the one or two of you who love to second guess and have revisionist lineups and strategies I say to you, call Jane get a team number and 8 guys and get out there and play or you can hang out on the computer and keeping whining.

Next up Combo Tennis Tourney this weekend, and then Fall league, mixed championships. Yikes, we get less of a break than the pros do.

59 comments:

  1. Dallas Branch team had a good run and just fell short on Sunday. It's not easy playing flawless tennis all weekend.I'm sure that they will rebuild and be a force again next year at Sectionals.Good Job team Branch.

    RB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Cary, people forget sometimes that this blog is for fun, and not a job that you get paid for.

    THAT SAID, i do have to agree though from a post last week that if your team had been in, the write up prior to sectionals would have been a week or 2 earlier.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think if we had been there I would have wanted to be as quiet as possible. Or gagged by my teammates.


    Trust me I wish I could watch all the matches and take photos, etc but there is no way. Maybe someday, I will buy my lottery tix this week.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just curious, is the fall league that is due soon based on mid-year ratings?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats Bob on getting back to Nationals. Obviously, your
    Team is much deeper than the rest and your win is much deserved.

    In defense of Cary, since Eddie and Bob’s Teams were going to Sectionals, Why not question them? Not Eddie, because he is one of the biggest contributors on this Blog. But no one seems to know as much about 4.0 teams and players and strategies As Somabut, but to date I don’t recall much input or any input from Captain
    Somabut.

    Maybe now he can contribute to what he knows about the National Experience, and what he expects from these teams we have never heard of.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am pretty sure that you have to go by your mid-season rating for any Fall leagues. You can still enter USTA tournaments using your previous rating until the end of the year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Its true you can enter tournaments the rest of the year at your former level... If you GAY!!! Play up to your new level, be a man!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Props to the Wild Waco team, who compiled a nearly perfect 1-19 record. The only blemish was a defaulted match.

    ReplyDelete
  9. it depends. Where you a legit bump up, or someone caught up in it? many people deserved to be bumped. Some did not.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Leagues and tourneys are different. Only reason they have mid year ratings is because of leagues. Some other sections don't even do the mid year.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anyone have any insight on the 4.5 match between Dallas and San Antonio?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dallas didn't show up.

    ReplyDelete
  13. 4.5 team of metroplex players that could win Sectionals? Who would be the starting 8???? Has Dallas ever had a 4.5 team win Sectionals?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dallas won sometime around 2003 or so. Kevin Conway was captain. Most of those players are gone. A few, including Feldman, are on the OC/Feldman team.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Having watched the semi-final match between Dallas & San Antonio, I would say Branch's team fought very hard.

    They won 3 out of 5 first sets and it was looking very promising. 3 out of 5 matches went to third set tie-breaks as well.

    I thought they represented very well and the quality of tennis was very high.

    Buffalo

    ReplyDelete
  16. OC/Branch was pretty close to an allstar team. Who else do you add that is not already on that team. Maybe Joey Molina but he is 5.0 now. or the singles guy from Brookhaven Anaban (sp?) but he is now a 5.0 too.

    ReplyDelete
  17. To answer anon 5:24's question, Dallas showed up and played hard. Had a great team, great captain, great line-up. Just got beat by a team that played better that day. Just a little bit better. Scary thought that that same San Antonio team got beat 4-1 by Austin and that Houston beat them both. For some reason, Houston and Austin just seem to have more, better "4.5" players sitting around so they are always going to be tough to beat. An odd question to ask about Dallas 4.5 tennis is why the youngest player on OC/Branch was 34. Where is the younger generation in Dallas? Why aren't they getting involved at the high 4.5 level?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Not to be critical of Branch, but was it a good idea to have James and Davis play all three matches prior to the semi finals ? Maybe they could have rested and Rusty could have played some singles ? It looked clear that James was worn out by Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yes, I think Branch had a great team and represented Dallas well at Sectionals. I agree that James and Davis looked tired by Sunday and the lack of depth hurt Team Branch. I think he had the right 8 guys but only if he could have rested some of them for Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So who are the new 4.5 superstars?? Will any of the bump ups to 5 get back down to 4.5 for the Spring? It will be an interesting Fall season to see who tanks to get back down. As of now, I think the talent is spread out over way too many teams. Didn't we have about 20 teams?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Branch was injured and not able to play singles all weekend. His injury hurt their depth at singles. They were not a deep team to begin with.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Why isn't anyone as smart as Houston to build get 1 Super Dallas Team to win it next year. Who is going to step up a create this team. Branch is the strongest team in Dallas but way to many 4.5 studs on different teams competing against everyone. Dallas we will not make Nationals unless we get our heads out of our ass. Brach the strongest but were blown away by SA on Sunday. Congrats on winning your flight but need more depth for sure. I'm not a Houston fan but at least they have it together over ther to win 2 out of 3 that are going to Nationals.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm not sure that being tired was what got Brent as much as it being a bad matchup for him and I'm confident that Gene would have won had it come down to that match. It's hard to play a tiebreaker when you know it doesn't matter. However, i agree it may have been difficult for them to turn around and play their best an hour later. At the end of the day we just didn't get it done on Sunday. I did not do enough to help Sleezy win even though you have to give credit to Arringdale for the way he played. It would be great to have a "super team" but you have to get a bunch of guys that are committed to winning even if that means they are not always on the court. Branch's team has a number of very solid players that didn't see the court Sunday but were out there to support the team and I have a ton of respect for them and was very disappointed in myself for not getting a victory but it definitely was not because I was tired.
    If you could have put together the best lineup from all of Dallas on that Sunday who would you have put out there? What would the super team 8 be?

    ReplyDelete
  24. That's a good question, Kern. Could a Dallas all star team have beaten that Houston team? Definitely wouldn't be a sure thing. Who are your eight, Kern?

    ReplyDelete
  25. To be honest, the Branch team is pretty close to being that allstar team. Not many you could add from around Dallas to make it that much stronger. They won almost every line against the other Dallas teams this year. The lines they lost were mostly from their non top 8 players or due to injury. 2 of their loses were at the hands of Joey Molina so you would probably add him. He is a great player but looking at his wins against team Branch, he was just a smidge better. Probably not enough to put them over. The real deal for this allstar team is to get the best from Dallas there at the same time. Add last year to this year. At Bui and Gonzalez and Molina from RO's last year and add the people that Branch lost like Walt W, Ron Morrison, Jeremy Stone and maybe Clint to what Branch had this year with Gene David. Seems like the best of Dallas is split between years rather than teams. Take a look at the other Dallas teams and there is not a lot to add to OC/Branch that makes them significantly better. They beat the 2nd best team in Dallas 5-0 twice and beat the 3rd best team twice 3-2 and 4-1 with 2 of the 3 loses coming from Molina.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I agree with some of the posts above. The OC/Branch was stout. You could argue that the 2nd best team in Dallas was the bench for Branch. You had some pretty good talent watching on Sunday. I know some of those guys and hear that there had been injuries to several of the players over the season. Maybe that hurt the depth some too. That team is old.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I guess that was my point. There are a lot of good players around Dallas however I don't think any would be a marked upgrade to the top 8 of Branch.
    No, I don't think an all-star Dallas team would have been favored against Houston but on a given day they could have beaten them.
    There is a reason that Houston was in the finals of every division last weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  28. You need some self-rates and appeals. Branch probably had the best computer rated team in the state.

    Overall though, Dallas league was just down. Branch 2008 team was probably better.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Kern,
    What in your opinion is the reason why Houston was in all the finals? Better players? Better organized for an elite blitz on Nats? what?

    I'm really interested because it might lead to ideas on how Dallas can do better. We are not above copying if there is a model for better success.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Why was Houston in all three finals? Red Benzon is the simple answer. Throw in a little Jason Freeman for good measure. Houston just has more talent in the 4.5 division right now than Dallas does, (and the vast majority of it was concentrated in one team) but it's cyclical.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Houston is very beatable. San Antonio had two starters out of the finals due to injury. Benzon tried to gift wrap it by sending out two singles players that were tapped. Doyal and Hilderbrand played every match and Hilderbrand at 38 played all weekend with a torn stomach muscle. If you noticed he served at 20 mph. We SA felt like whoever won between Dallas and SA would win it because Htown and Austin would have worn each other out. As far as the singles were concerned that is exactly what happened and we let it slip away. The Houston team is a bunch of great guys and great players but very beatable. Easier said than done however as we found out. YOU CAN'T be tired on Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'm not sure I agree that Houston has more talent, but I do agree that Houston was able to concentrate its talent on one team. Houston had a great season, but to be fair, the 4.5 was one tiebreaker away from losing to San Antonio and the 5.0 team was made up of mostly former D1 players who should not be playing 5.0, do you disagree with that ?

    ReplyDelete
  33. If only Branch had Eddie this year. That would have put him over the top. Eddie will go undefeated at 4.5 next year.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Funny. Eddie got his ass handed to him in that 4.0 match vs Lubbock He has a lot of work to do to beat average 4.5 players. Those losses Saturday still hurt. Luckily I am on vacation in Mexico trying to lick my wounds. Boy do I have a lot of room to improve. No time to trash talk over next year. Lot of work to do.

    Eddie

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hilderbrand is only 38???? He looks at least a decade older than that.

    ReplyDelete
  36. No it was the real Eddie. Can't believe I am on this blog while at the beaches of PV MX. Going to hit next 3 days here as I prepare for Fall 4.5 and mixed doubs DCC next weekend with the wife. Maybe we can still get to nationals there. Not quite the same though.

    Lot's of improvement needed in my game for 4.5. I will get it done and our 4.0 bump ups will too. We will have to see if that is good enough for us to challenge any of the good 4.5 teams. Maybe not right away, but we will learn and get better.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Eddie you must be drinking mucho tequila down there in Mexico if you even think for a second you can compete at 4.5. Eddie at 4.5 is no bueno.

    Have another cerveza and quit checking the blog while on the beach. That is kinda sick. Wait until you get back at work to check the blog and rob from your employers time like the rest of us do.

    And by the way, you really did get a well deserved ass kicking at sectionals.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Yes Hilderbrand is only 38. Point is everyone is talking about Dallas guys being to old. Maybe Hilderbrand looks like that cause he's in the sun working on his game and training. One thing I know is the guy could have played 2 more matches on Sunday if needed. Maybe your training regiment should change rather than talking about being to old.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hildebrand was a complete jerk during his first match on Sunday morning. There were about 10 of us watching the semis and we all agreed that if he pulls that BS on most other guys, he would have been dropped on the spot and deservingly so. Whoever he was playing kept his composure but should have whipped his ass during that match or right after. If he is 38 year old, you would think he would be more mature than that.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hah. I will let him know. He is intense. In the beginning of the match I heard Mark question a call and the guy told Mark to shut up and they got into it a little. I'm sure Mark was pissed from then on. I have known and played with Mark for about 20+ and he is as intense as they come. On the court he will take no shit but off the court he will give you the shirt off his back. If he was that much of a jerk something happened to piss him off.

    Chris D

    ReplyDelete
  41. Sounds to me like Dallas suffers from big egos (everything is bigger in Texas and egos are biggest in Dallas). Texas nationwide overrates their players - look at historical results for how Texas does at Nationals. This should tell you that Dallas 5.0 players need to be playing 4.5.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Thanks for the words of advice "Houston"!

    ReplyDelete
  43. i agree. if a few more 5.0 players would tank to get down to 4.5 then we would have a chance to get a 4.5 team to nats.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Just look at Bob Somabut for example. His guys are great at managing their scores. They keep their scores close enough and tank just enough matches to retain their 4.0 ratings.

    They also "protect their new self-rated players. Their guy, Craig Weymer, is clearly a 5.0 player. Yet they were able to keep him for being DQed.

    Hats off to Bob Somabut!

    Branch you need to get Weymer on your team next year. He is better than anyone you got!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hah. Craig is very good and does play at a 4.5 level. But 5.0? That is stupid. He is not that good. And I like the guy and what he has helped do for our team this year.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Just another case of a teaching pro (wymer) sandbagging to the 4.0 level, just like Dencil, Props to Somabut for learning from the great Bob Bender! Funny how both of them play out of Hight Point...

    ReplyDelete
  47. ALL top teams at Sectionals and locally have players that are out of level. The best captains find outstanding players and help keep them from being DQed. That is the nature of league tennis. It happens at all levels 3.0 - 5.0 and it happens every year. (Good for Bob Somabut for having a few ringers on his team!)

    Whining wont help. If you cant live with that then dont play! Just play with your gay friends or with the ladies at your club.

    ReplyDelete
  48. I liken Dallas's problem to when I grew up in Tyler. Since it was a small town, every year, all of the best tennis players went to the same high school. We were rediculously stacked, and routinely killed the dallas schools since their talent was spread out across so many different schools.

    There are almost 20 4.5 teams. The talent pool is just so diluted to compete with leagues in other cities with only 4-5 teams. Can you imagine if there were only 4-5 4.5 teams with all the best players in Dallas?

    ReplyDelete
  49. I play on an average 4.0 team and we never make the DCC. Still I'm glad to see Somabut field an excellent team and make Nationals. Thats much better than seeing Houston, San Antonio or Lubbock make it.

    The compliants come from guys on teams that finished 2nd or 3rd place. They had their own ringers but lost out. That's why they are upset. (The weaker teams and players really do not care.) Also that's why they post anon. If they posted their namesthe poor sports would be obvious to everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Excellent performance by any league team will always generate lousy comments from poor sports who got beat. And those will always be anon postings. That just comes with the territory.

    4 womens teams and 2 mens teams won Sectionals this year. I wish them all well at Nationals.

    ReplyDelete
  51. ^5 to all Dallas teams heading to nats!!!

    to the complainers-> SIUYA

    ReplyDelete
  52. Previous post likely by an HP player who doesn't know how to win or lose gracefully.

    ReplyDelete
  53. I would put a healthy Greg Zachary on that allstar team. Huge serve, big game, but struggling with his weight lately.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Not true at all about the Lifetime guys. We are Happy for Bob and crew. Upset we did not get it done, but not hating on them at all. Time to see how many of us will do at 4.5. Congrats and good luck to HP at Nats.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I am happy for Bob and HP. They played well, and came out strong and won it. They did not have anyone ridiculous ridiculous on the team. I think they were all just inside that fine line.

    ReplyDelete
  56. All our Dallas teams were inside that fine line

    ReplyDelete
  57. Yes, apparently no Dallas guys got a post-sectionals DQ. The Houston guys got one.

    ReplyDelete