Wednesday, June 23, 2010

4.5 Wrap-up -> play-offs

But for the Lifetime v LBH score in flight C still not being posted, the season is over!

As it stands the QT will be contested between:
Royal Oaks
TBar
Las Colinas Herget

These should be closely contested matchups and it will not surprise me if all are tied on 1 win and 1 loss.

TBar are deep and James Warner is an excellant singles player but they lack a clear number 2 and that is their weakness. For dubs, Schnittker & Modic can play with anyone but after that, although very tough I don't see lines that can consistently beat LC or RO teams.

Royal Oaks questionable addition of Chris Bell gives them the edge. Not sure that he will not be DQ'd as he committed to TX Tech and (although I don't know how to verify? help....) have been told that out of Plano West he had some tournament and high ranking finishes when he was there as recently as 2008. Not sure that this makes him eligible for 4.5? If he's legit though, RO are the favorites.

Las Colinas have come out of a tough division and can't be overlooked. Unfortunately I don't know enough of there players so tough for me to handicap.

DCC qualifiers:
HP Nguyen
OC Branch
Garland Noel
Brookhaven
QT - Royal Oaks

I'll handicap that field next week.....

75 comments:

  1. Did Dallas receive a wild card spot for Sectionals?

    Which team has the best chance of getting the wild card behind Branch?

    My prediction is either Garland or Royal Oaks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tennis champ lands on TJC football team


    TYLER, TX (KLTV) - Chris Bell was a four time state tennis champion at Plano West. He'd never played competitive football in his life. So it makes perfect sense that he's a quarterback at T.J.C.

    "I can throw the ball about 70 yards," said Bell.

    One of the top ranked tennis players in the state, Bell signed with Texas Tech. But after years of playing tennis, he decided to pursue a different dream. Leaving a scholarship at Tech, Bell waked on at T.J.C.

    "You know I just got tired of it. I was playing pick up games with buddies," said Bell. "They were like why don't you just play football? I didn't do it. Finally I decided I didn't want to look back in 20 years and be like what if I would have played football."

    Bell has taken some serious hits in his introduction to the quarterback position. He finds the hits enjoyable.

    "I'm not regretting it at all," said Bell. "I'm happy with what I did in tennis, but right now I'm just focusing on football."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Branch and Nguyen should run through the DCC fairly easily. Branch will blow everyone out and Nguyen will win most their matches 3-2 a result of poor lineups.

    I just don't see any combination of players (throughout the state) that could actually take three lines off of Branch's best lineup. You could even have a Branch v Rest of Texas and Branch still wins because he has the best 3-4 players in the state. Branch will win sectionals and should win nationals. The team is cocky and will bring the hurt to all challengers in Dallas - sorry San Antonio, Austin and Houston - there's always next year. I'll bet they don't drop a singles line throughout sectionals.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was thinking close to the same thing. The current Beanch roster is the best team ever assembled in Dallas and I can't recall a better Texas team over the past 10 years. If they don't win it will be very disappointing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nguyen may have 8 ATP players but who would know as he has so many players on his roster it is impossible to see what he has. He did a good job of protecting his players with the automatic bid to DCC.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi All,

    Have I mentioned recently that I live in a 5,800 sq ft house with a swimming pool and tennis court? If any of you little people are ever in Beaumont, please drop by for some tennis. But you bring the balls.

    - Mike Getz

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aren't you guys overrating Branch just a bit?

    Who do you even think the top lineup is?

    If it was top 16 vs top 16 they wouldn't be touched as they are incredibly deep. But things can happen with just 5 matches.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We are getting a little ahead of ourselves. Houston, among others, will come to Sectionals with some very strong 4.5 players.

    How many times has Branch's teams made Nationals in the past?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Branch is loaded but not a lock to win Sectionals.

    For those interested the Houston & San Antonio teams to fear for Branch are:

    NOHO Hurricanes

    Oak Hills-Miller

    McFarlin-Torres

    Watch out for the following studs on those teams (I'm just listing those that I have seen play and have checked their records - I am sure there are others!):

    Benzon, Sumrall, Dibua, Guy, Kern

    Arringdale, Miller, Hilderbrand, Del Campo,Ewing,Anderson

    Muniz, Poole, Cambon

    ReplyDelete
  10. Agreed, if Branch gets a good draw they can get to the semis. That will be about it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Best Branch lineup?
    Davis
    Kelly
    Williams/Slezak
    Kiron/Huffman
    Frink/Ledezma

    ??? Don't these look similar to Branch teams of past 2 years that didn't advance? Deeper, but better?

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'll be pumping chicks while these guys are at Sectionals :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Actually that lineup looks very little like any of the lineups Branch has had in the past. A few of the same parts yes, but I dare you to find a weak link in that lineup.
    San Antonio/Miller is the best competition followed closely by NOHO.
    This is Branch's best chance at getting to Nationals. Assuming everyone is healthy someone is going to have to play really well to take 3 matches from that team.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We probably will just default our match against Branch's team since we have no chance of winning. It just sucks that everybody is playing for second.

    For the QT, I stand by my pick of ROCC to win fairly routinely, although I still think Chris Bell is in danger of being removed from 4.5 at any time.

    ReplyDelete
  15. WHY DOES SAREEN FROM BAZAN'S TEAM GET DQ'D ....WHEN WERTZ FROM MORRISON'S 4.0 TEAM HAS DOMINATED@ 4.0 and 4.5?????

    ReplyDelete
  16. WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING?

    I'm not sure that winning a 4.0 match in a 3rd set and 1 4.5 match can be considered dominating?

    He has a strong record but it does not look out of level.

    Nikheel's record however shows every match being a lob-sided scoreline at 4.0 and 2 easy 4.5 wins over good 4.5 players. All at Singles whereas Wertz has played dubs. Definately more likely to be flagged at singles than dubs.

    ReplyDelete
  17. That's why i continue to pump chicks while you guys bicker....

    ReplyDelete
  18. One thing to note for Royal Oaks - Matthew Deaver is also on a SE Texas team (that has an easy ride to sectionals).

    I doubt he plays in the QT for RO since he would be ineligible for SE TX if he played.

    They should still cruise thru QT w/o him though.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Core dawg, I find it more than a little ironic and kind of funny that you have such a hard on for C. Bell when you support and defend everything your buddy J. Sisk does (recruiting out of level players) you really are a hypocrite!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Bell is safe from grievance due to TTA ruling 2 years ago with Maingot, Bell verballed to Tech, Maingot signed. Rothwell would have no issues winning an appeal. Bell also was only 30 or so in Texas which allows 4.5.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am still pissed that Somabut has someone that was competitive and won 5.0 playing is now at 4.0. I used to think higher of Somabut than that (although, after Weymer, I don't know why).

    ReplyDelete
  22. Somabut is a total cheater! I do not know why anyone respects him.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Are you pissed at Somabut that he has that guy, or are you pissed that your Captain didn't find him first. Again with the whining, it's getting old.

    ReplyDelete
  24. No, just pissed with the blatant cheating. (yes, it is getting very old with the disrespect of the rest of us who aren't first year into USTA). Hurray for Somabut!!!!

    USTA Tennis - where it is becoming quite clear you are penalized for being a continuing particpant.

    ReplyDelete
  25. No, just pissed with the blatant cheating. (yes, it is getting very old with the disrespect of the rest of us who aren't first year into USTA). Hurray for Somabut!!!!

    USTA Tennis - where it is becoming quite clear you are penalized for being a continuing particpant.

    ReplyDelete
  26. OK I have a solution. You should lose 0-0 to anyone who you think is sandbagging. If enough people do it, then he will get bumped. End of problem.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Take the Somabut bashing to the 4.0 thread kids.

    ReplyDelete
  28. When Jason Kern finishes his tennis career maybe he should check out the French Foreign Legion. He's a tennis-playing mercenary; have racquet will travel - take your pick.

    In the last three years, he has played for teams out of the NOHO, Houston, Abilene, Fort Worth and Dallas leagues. Maybe he can sub for Isner if he is a little weary for his second round match.

    ReplyDelete
  29. The only thing anon June 24, 7:41 a.m. is pumping is his "lucky" sock.

    ReplyDelete
  30. if OC/Branch were a baseball player, they would be someone that just had warning track power.

    if OC/Branch were an NFL team, they would be a lesser version of the Bills.

    if OC/Branch were a world cup team, they would be Spain.

    if OC/Branch were an ATP player, they would be Davydenko.

    if OC/Branch were a politician, they would be Hilary Clinton.

    speaking of politics, this Chris Bell we are worried about. Didn't he run for governor of the great state of texas.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I think Branch has a great chance to make it to nationals. Davis didn't lose an important match in singles last year and Kelley is rumored to be better than Gene. That combo should give them a split if not a sweep in singles. Walt and Sleezy will be as good a doubles team as any at Sectionals and Kiron and Huffman can beat them on any given day. Whatever team they put together for the third line will be very tough which makes it impossible to stack against. The biggest thing is that they will be able to rest their singles players throughout the weekend so they will be fresh on Sunday. Don't underestimate how important that can be in August.

    I certainly don't think that they will have a cakewalk through Sectionals but they will be awfully tough to beat. Hopefully they will be able to exact some revenge on SA Miller this year. It would be ironic if OC Branch made it to nationals a year Branch is not on the team.

    Notice I have never played on the same team two years in a row? Nobody wants me again because I'm all hype.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Would one of the captains from either LB Houston or Lifetime post the scores from last Sat. its been a week what is the deal????????????????????

    ReplyDelete
  33. Undefeated Lifetime vs Spring park in 8.0 mixed. The great Eddie Hill vs the three best men players on Branch's OC team. If Joel could play for his wife Elke they would have a chance to win a line

    ReplyDelete
  34. Let's be honest Joel playing in a skirt would not lead to a line win (it would probably hurt their chances) but at least we could point and laugh.

    Thanks Newman but since I don't get paid to play for all the cities, doesn't that make me a slut instead of a whore :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Joel only plays for teams that are mostly Asian. Mixed for Somabut, Men's for Nguyen and TCD with Lynh Pham.

    ReplyDelete
  36. That is an interesting note on Deaver. If that is true, that makes the QT wide open in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Corey,

    What happened in your 9.0 Mixed Doubles match against Greenhill yesterday? It shows your team defaulted all three lines.

    ReplyDelete
  38. They found out Corey was actually a female and that they had been playing a line all season lacking a male participant which is against usta rules, thus the team was DQ,d.

    You can come play for my High Point 4.5 women's team. We could use a female ringer like you and just think, you can begin using your actual name again, Nancy.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I would dominate 4.5 women. My slice backhand would fit in well.

    I have been contacted by several about the 9.0 match. Our team is so bad and has no commitment that nobody wanted to play. Per Jane's instructions, we are rescheduling two of the three lines sometime in the next week. Hopefully that will make the competitive balance equal for all the teams.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Corey,

    Thanks for the explanation.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Corey,
    Think about it - don't lay down for greenhill 9.0 mixd. You could be KEY in preventing them from first place/sectionals. You have good players - play all 3 lines. Your team should be motivated by not giving greenhill such an opportunity for first.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Looks like Dallas hopefully will get the wild card in 4.5's this year. About time!!!

    If there are just 2 wildcards available, Austin is probably less than 50/50. Dallas has 28 teams, Houston 19.

    1. Abilene
    2. Amarillo
    3. Austin
    4. Corpus Christi
    5. Dallas
    6. Fort Worth
    7. Houston
    8. Lubbock
    9. Netx
    10. Noho
    11. Qualifying Team
    12. San Antonio
    13. Setx
    14. Valley
    15. Waco
    16. ?????

    ReplyDelete
  43. I didn't lay down for them. I had no players available. If you look at this season's results we have defaulted a line in every match but one, and we have had a 4.0 player playing in every match but one. I just have too many players out of town right now.

    Besides that, Jane is only allowing us to make up two lines which I think is more than fair considering I didn't have any teams available on the scheduled day.

    ReplyDelete
  44. 8:45 - that list isn't very accurate. Corpus has no 4.5 teams this year. Abilene only has 2 teams (they would be QT team).

    Most likely there will be 13 teams + 3 wildcards. Should make for very competitive playoffs - maybe 3 teams from Dallas sneak in.

    ReplyDelete
  45. How does the QT work for teams getting into Sectionals?

    ReplyDelete
  46. QT is a playoff for all cities that don't have 3 teams in their league.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Corey,
    Thanks for the explanation on mixed. Hope your 2 lines are motivated to go for it!! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Looks like there will be 3 wild cards for Sectionals in 4.5. Below is the schedule pulled off of the Austin Blog. Not sure who will get the wild cards. Dallas should have a great shot at getting at least one.

    Flight 1: Austin, NETX, Wild, Ft. Worth


    Friday 7/30

    9:00 am. NETX vs. Ft. Worth (Brookhaven)


    10:30 am. Austin vs. Wild (Brookhaven)


    4:30 pm. Austin vs. Ft. Worth (Brookhaven)

    Wild vs. NETX (Brookhaven)



    Saturday 7/31

    4:00 pm. NETX vs. Austin (LB Houston)

    Ft. Worth vs. Wild (LB Houston)




    Flight 2: Houston, Lubbock, Waco, Wild


    Friday 7/30

    4:00 pm. Houston vs. Wild (Greenhill)

    Lubbock vs. Waco (Greenhill)



    Saturday 7/31

    7:00 am. Waco vs. Houston (Greenhill)


    8:30 am. Wild vs. Lubbock (Greenhill)


    4:30 pm. Houston vs. Lubbock (LB Houston)

    Waco vs. Wild (LB Houston)



    Flight 3: Dallas, Wild, Abilene, SETX


    Friday 7/30

    1:00 pm. Dallas vs. SETX (Greenhill)


    2:30 pm. Wild vs. Abilene (Greenhill)



    Saturday 7/31

    7:00 am. Dallas vs. Abilene (LB Houston)


    8:30 am. SETX vs. Wild (LB Houston)


    4:00 pm. Wild vs. Dallas (Greenhill)

    Abilene vs. SETX (Greenhill)




    Flight 4: Amarillo, NOHO, Valley, San Antonio


    Friday 7/30

    2:30 pm. Amarillo vs. San Antonio (LB Houston)

    NOHO vs. Valley (LB Houston)



    Saturday 7/31

    10:00 am. Valley vs. Amarillo (LB Houston)


    11:30 am. San Antonio vs. NOHO (LB Houston)


    4:00 pm. Amarillo vs. NOHO (T Bar M)

    Valley vs. San Antonio (T Bar M)

    ReplyDelete
  49. Corey,
    did you make up the mixed - did not see it posted.

    ReplyDelete
  50. One line has, which we won. Other is coming up.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Lots of 4.5 chatter on here huh.

    Predictions for the QT?

    ReplyDelete
  52. QT will finish in this order:

    1) Las Colinas
    2) Royal Oaks
    3) T Bar

    ReplyDelete
  53. Royal Oaks will win Dallas and advance to sectionals!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Royal Oaks defeats Las Colinas 3-2. Had to make a comeback from 2-0 down. Top two singles players were out (No Chris Bell or whats-his-face? can't remember. Beaker?) Line one doubles clinches it in a third set breaker.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Is there any word if Dallas got a wild card into sectionals?

    ReplyDelete
  56. Houston, Austin, and San Antonio got the WC so Dallas got shafted like the LA Clippers in the NBA Lottery.

    ReplyDelete
  57. No Bell, No Deaver and RO still beats LC.
    Bad Loss for Las Colinas. Couldn't win the breakers.

    Not over yet though if Bell/Deaver are out all weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  58. just curious how did Brandon Underwood get a 4.5 rating while playing at a DII school?
    http://www.tennisrecruiting.net/player.asp?sessionid=7F9757680B4D12AE

    ReplyDelete
  59. ^
    |
    Guess you don't know the self rating guidelines.
    D2 is fine as long as the team isn't nationally ranked. Lots of guys played D2/3/NAIA and self rate at 4.5. He's in the clear easily.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Yeah, the entire 4.5 league has become a haven for former/current college players. Very hard to determine those that are legitimate and those that aren't, since national rankings change every semester.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Actually...

    Brandon Underwood is a Freshman playing at the
    University of Arkansas at Fort Smith which according to collegetennisonline.com was ranked:

    May 26,2010
    #12 in the Men's DII National Team Ranking.

    It appears to me that he is indeed playing on a Nationally ranked team.

    This team was ranked:

    #20 Nationally in 2006
    #10 Nationally in 2007
    #7 Nationally in 2009

    Brandon did not play in all of these years, but it would confirm that Brandon's college has been Nationally ranked for at least the past 4 years.

    ReplyDelete
  62. There is a major gap in the experienced guidelines that USTA has put out. The grouping of non-ranked D2,3, JUCO, and NAIA is way to big of a gap. D2 and Top 20 ranked NAIA and D3 should be 5.0 and then go from there, just like the gap that says Top 20 in Section is 5.5, but then nothing else. In most sections if you are Top 50-75 you are more than likely playing at a D1 or D2 school and should be a 5.0, but good luck on USTA or the Sections seeking to update the guidelines.

    ReplyDelete
  63. UAFS is in transition from JUCO to D2, so misleading rankings those I believe reflect the JUCO rankings, but Brandon played #2 singles and #1 doubles, which would lead most to believe he should be 5.0 minimum, plus he was highly ranked in Texas.
    #23 according to Tennisrecruiting.net

    ReplyDelete
  64. LOL. They most certainly aren't a top ranked D2 team. You are using college tennis online?!? They don't even have most results listed.

    And the one result they do have listed shows him losing to a guy that played 4.5 tennis in Dallas this past fall.

    ReplyDelete
  65. They might not have most of the results, but they do have current National Rankings.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Ok, go to itatennis.com and show me a ranking for them. Good luck.

    By the way, Underwood has a computer ranking. He played all last spring.

    ReplyDelete
  67. That's one of the reason's there aren't more 5.0 teams. Current college players are pussing out and playing 4.5.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Oak Creek- Branch will be the stongest it's ever been. With the additions of Underwood,Kelly,Ledezma,Viktorkin they have added even more depth than they've had in the past. This year will be Oak Creeks best chance to advance to Nationals.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Ck out Brandon Underwood practicing at Brookhaven.

    5 min - Mar 26, 2009 - Uploaded by marshallisboss
    BRANDON UNDERWOOD, playing some tennis.
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z1udea41YQ - more videos

    ReplyDelete
  70. Royal Oaks pulls out some TBs to move on to City Playoffs. Very nearly had everyone finish 1-1, 5-5.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Oak Creek also added Johan at singles who was probably second best singles player last season. Depth at singles is HUGE

    ReplyDelete
  72. Great weekend of tennis as the scores indicated ALL the matches could have gone either way. Congrats to Royal Oaks for pulling out two very close matches. Can they continue the magic?

    ReplyDelete
  73. Where's the 4.5 City Playoffs post?

    Corey must be busy practicing....

    Let's go Roussow. You've proven yourself knowledgeable.

    ReplyDelete
  74. I thought about it but I decided I'm not going to make predictions about my team anymore, and yes I'm busy on the court 8 hours a day with work/practice so I don't really have time to do it either.

    I like the current system where Marc does all the work and then I correct him on everything. Jk Marc.

    ReplyDelete
  75. But not too busy to post comments right and left. Nice!

    ReplyDelete