Monday, April 8, 2013

Back To The Future: Part Deaux


If you remember the movie, Marty has to go to the future to save his kids from events that occurred from an altered past, and then go back in time and alter the past to re-align the future.  Confusing?  Yes. 
It’s the same feeling if you had been out of the loop in Dallas tennis for a year, remembering what things  were like just a year or two ago, and then seeing how things are today.
As I recall, the rivalries were with Garland, High Point, and Lifetime in the mix, with the Lakes usually making an appearance as the spoiler.  I now go look at rosters and see Lakes guys playing for Garland and Lifetime guys playing for High Point.  To make it more confusing, Bazan’s team which has historically been out of High Point is now out of McKinney.   We now have teams like Wagon Wheel and Oasis Beach & Tennis, wherever the hell that is.   Brookhaven guys are now playing out of Greenhill and  Kraemer is playing for Alzuro.  The only constant is that Sisk has 3 teams (although not sure of the purpose of teams 2 & 3) and has now recruited guys from all over the city, even Canyon Creek players. 

Most all of the teams have at least one 3.5 on the roster with about 30% of the teams having close to half of their rosters comprised of them.   Based on level of play, there are still several players that were bumped up in the 2009 year-end migration that never should have been which has really made 4.0 a watered-down league.  In 2009, there were 29 teams at 3.5 level and 40 teams at 4.0.  Today, there are only 19 teams at 3.5 and 45 teams at 4.0.  This  begs me to ask the question, “Is it time for a bump-down?”
While it is virtually impossible to know all 672 players that are playing 4.0 this season (that is correct, six-hundred and seventy-two), my general observations ( and limited base of knowledge on guys that I know) on flight play is this:

Flight A – Is this really a 3.5  flight?  Excuse me, 4.0 ?  Outside of Garland 1 of Sisk, I am a bit miffed.  This is like the Island of the misfit toys in the cartoon “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”.   Don’t get me wrong, I know I resemble the Misfit Cowboy riding the ostrich, but talk about a throw-back. 
This flight (like all other 4.0 flights) is comprised of 135 players.  This is more than 50% of the total # of players playing 3.5.  And this is just 1 of 5 flights at 4.0. 

Speaking of 3.5s, we have Alzuro, King of 3.5 wanna-be’s bestowing themselves at 4.0, playing out of Greenhill and getting Mr. DTA himself, Kraemer to join the ranks away from the “Club”.  Outside of Kraemer and Alzuro  I honestly can’t comment on the validity of this team.  But if it is like past teams of Alzuro, they aren’t a threat.  (Sorry Rene, nothing personal)  Including among the misfits we have the Village/Jacob – another 3.5 team that got thumped in Cities, bumped to 4.0.  I don’t have the energy to analyze.  Lakewood and McKinney appear to be new comers on the scene, but my patience is already growing thin trying to analyze with the USTA site constantly freezing and making me re-pull up information again and again.  So, I will quickly get to the bottom of this one.  Sisk has the gene pool to finish this flight out on top, and Eldorado Browning makes a play for the Q.T.  Clark Fretz, if so he chooses, (be it a team comprised of 3.5s, including myself but not an integral player) could make a run for the QT as well, but my better judgement tells me that most likely won't happen.
Flight B  - Now this is actually the most real 4.0 flight I see.  Brookhaven Bartlett is for real, so is Oak Creek, T Bar M, and Northwood.  Only one of these teams has a 3.5 playing for him, and he won the Cotton Bowl Classic Singles in December, and played on my Fall 3.5 team, so he gets a break.   We then have the flight fillers with Bent Tee (formerly a 3.5 team), Fretz/Jayaram (again former 3.5s), and yes, Sisk’s cannon fodder, Garland 2.  Getting too good of a buzz to call this one, so I say it will be down to the wire with a 3-way tie with Brookhaven, T-Bar and Oak Creek.

Flight C – Probably one of the easier flights of mostly drawn 4.0s with a few exceptions like the Lakes being led by Reifsnyder, Las Colinas Murphey, and McKinney/Oh  (again former 3.5s –a recurring theme).  High Point Le with his newly drawn Life Timer recruits, make this all an impressive team to make the post season, with more than easy, and quite boring flight play for them.  My guess Is that Salacious Crumb, I mean Corey Noel’s team makes a run for the Q.T.  With frustrated Terrell bringing over his left-overs from an impressive, but careless last season, they should do well.  I say careless as he let his most coveted players get inappropriately bumped to 4.5 land where no one wants them or can use them.  If only they could find a way back to the Island of Misfit Toys.
Flight D -  Garland 3/Sisk – really??  I thought I had too many to drink.  Sisk is even on this roster although he only has 9 players signed, defaulted a line this past week and didn’t even play himself.  Really Big John?  Captaining has come down to this??  Combine your team 2 & 3 and go spend time with the wife and family.  ---- OK.  As much as I dislike saying it, Canyon Creek Dawson is for real.   Actually and looking at this flight -  this one brings the most drama.  We also have JCC which has always had talent and has been a contender, as long as there are no Jewish holidays conflicting with match play, JCC should be good to go.  Royal Oaks is also comprised of a complete roster of computer rated 4.0s, (a rarity) and could make a valid run.  Fair Oaks has team 2, and is small.  Corey – why not just have one 4.0 team.  You could have made a play?  Instead, you will be buried into Jabba’s back as usual.  I say CC takes the flight with Royal Oaks pulling off the QT.

Flight E – Finally, the last flight.  This is easy.  My favorite team is Greenhill/Ohl -  If you don’t know Greg, you should.  He shows up at each match with about 2-3 cases of beer.  Premium beer that is.  I can tell you this as I drank close to a case of Heineken last Fall with a close friend after our match.  A true gentleman and scholar in my book.  ---  In terms of play, I guess I have to go with Bazan, although he himself barely got out of beating a 3.5 last week in a 3 setter.  My guess is Bazan/McKinney wins the flight, and although starting with a loss, I go with my friend Greg to take the QT.
So there you have it.  My once and initial sober analysis, turned to my drunken ranting of players I know.  Well, I guess if that is truly the case, I would have commented on Wiley’s groin.  I will let that rest.

I plan to see Cities come down to Sisk and Le.  But I have several months to drink and analyze before making my postulation as to who comes out on top.
Comment, poke holes, have fun.

Captain Fan

54 comments:

  1. I'm Terrell and have a few comments. Your analysis looks pretty good, but about my careless captaining from last spring: my singles guys that got bumped up had no desire to throw games to stay at 4.0. Good for them although now they can't find 4.5 teams. Sucks for them. I could have hidden them in doubles and played others at singles but then we probably wouldn't have made Cities. So what's the point?

    I only had a handful of guys left and approached Corey about a merger. Initially it looked like we easily had enough for two teams. 16-18 per. But players haven't signed up and it's to late to merge. I'll be shocked if we don't forfeit a line this saturday and many to come. Oh well. Saturdays suck to play league on.

    David Terrell

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  2. Gleneagles/Fults is probably being overlooked in Flight D. Not going to go out and say they win the flight, but one never knows how schedules work out each and every Saturday.

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  3. Well done Capt. Fan, welcome back to the blogasphere!

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  4. Garland Sisk 1 may not have enough players. There are only 20.

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  5. agree with the comment that there are too many 4.0's who would be better served by being bumped back down to 3.5. Lots of good players who do not get put on the roster often in 4.0 but would play regularly at the 3.5 level.

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  6. Le has Weymer and Glasgow. Sisk has Baker and Flora. Call it a wash and they both go to sectionals to say Hi to their friends in Houston. Everyone else is just trying to get their only singles players bumped to 4.5 so they won't have anywhere to play but the team can go to QT. That is the point, isn't it? Hope my captain doesn't leave me high and dry in 4.5 limbo.

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    Replies
    1. Le has Fogiel too. Le is better if only a little.

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    2. The question is will Le overcome Freeman at sectionals.

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    3. I suspect Freeman will have a special place in his heart for Tony. Last I talked with Freeman, he was still fuming about Tony's tri-level shenanigans.

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    4. Freeman can fume all he wants!... He should have taken care of his own business and not worry about ours!

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    5. You might say that had you taken care of your own business, you wouldn't have had to lie.

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    6. Bottom line is we beat Freeman head to head, Chavez /Perez destroyed their best doubles team and we took another line so sour grapes. No one was beating our 4.5 line... Period

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    7. The bottom line is did one Tony Le team lie about the results so another Tony Le team could advance? It is a simple yes or no answer?

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    8. Did we beat Freeman head to head?... Simple yes or no

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    9. Answer the lying question first. Regardless, had you not lied, you don't advance. Besides, did you beat Austin head to head? All three teams were 2-1. The simple question is did you lie and cheat? We all know you did.

      Since I will acknowledge you beat Freeman... You still lost and should not have advanced. Will you acknowledge you lied?

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    10. Sorry to break the news 3:58, but you're 4.5 line did lose. Maybe you left before the finals? Or were you still wondering why Tony didn't invite you to Nationals?

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    11. Huh?!!!where do you get we lost? Read the results, our 4.5 line went undefeated on our side of the draw. Only reason we did not win it all is the 4.5 line was tired in the finals and got screwed on bad calls!

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    12. You will never get a straight answer from a cheater, they see things their own way. Tony Le, Kelly, etc., in their eyes what they do is justified for one reason or another. Its useless arguing. That's why they are called cheaters.

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    13. Your 4.5s lost against Austin and against Dallas. They also lost to Wild Dallas before they changed scores. They only play 4 matches. The only team they beat was Houston.

      Why don't you answer the question? If someone said I did something so sleazy and I had not, I would loudly proclaim I did not do that.

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    14. Did I mention Kelley sux too, reason he does not try in spring is bec he knows he cannot win in Dallas, only sectionals and nationals. When is last time he won locally?.... Schmuck!

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    15. Wow, some people are really bothered by him. He is not even trying to change the standings by playin on a bad team. Frankly he is not even trying, just working on his game quietly and getting some exercise. Win or lose his team will come in last place. Why the hate and rage ? As far as the local league and not being able to win in Dallas remark, that leaves me speechless.ok, now continue w the derogatory remarks

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    16. Whadya know!!!! Another screwball teammate coming to his egomaniac tanking defense!

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    17. Does anyone else wonder if this is Tony Le trying to change the topic?

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    18. Looks like the Tony Le clan is not talking. They living by their vow if Omertà.

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    19. Houston always pissed off and they always are a bridesmaid but never a bride. We will continue to dominnate tennis here in DALLAS

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    20. Hey Freeman boy, you better worry about getting to sectionals first. Don't remember seeing you there last year.

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    21. That's right, we made it to nationals last year.

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  7. Kudos to Ohl and a shout out to Brauer. He springs for the good stuff too.

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  8. I didn't leave anyone high and dry. They wanted to play and they played to win. They knew the risks. Let's be honest here there are only two to three teams that have a chance to win the city championship. Everyone else is just playing for QT and 3rd or 4th at city. Don't kid yourself.

    David Terrell

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    Replies
    1. Pretty presumptuous that the above anon was even talking about you. Until this thread, I had never heard of you and now you think we are all thinking about you.

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    2. It seemed like he was to me, but whatever. Also, I don't give a shit about being "heard of". I just post my name because I'm not afraid of hiding behind the internet.

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    3. If you read this blog you've heard of him. He posted 'Let the bidding begin' when he got bumped to 4.0. How much did Corey have to pay to get you?

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    4. 2 beers. But I didn't specify which ones and he gave me some natty lite.

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    5. Corey had to pay me nothing, he was just glad I did not play up at 4.5. I have seen most of them play and would beat 95 percent of them

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    6. Not sure about the 5% I wouldn't beat but I heard that Mike Kelly guy could get a few games.

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    7. I am talking 4.5 players!. Not Nadia Petrova's hitting partner, he not a 4.5

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  9. I forgot, what is the prize money for making playoffs?

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  10. Sisk, Le, or a couple of the others ethical captains will have to answer the prize money question since it typically comes out of their pockets.

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  11. I agree, the 4.0 league is watered down immensely, the difference between our first match this last weekend and playoffs is almost two levels now. I suppose 4.0 is the great middle ground for those ashamed of being 3.5 and those 4.5'ers who want to win beyond state. TCD and 4.0 are almost equally frustrating.

    -Mile High

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  12. Capt.Fantastic great job on 4.0 Glad to see the blog hasn't changed with all the bashing by players who don't have the courage to sign their names. Flight A weakest,Flights B and D most competitive with 4-5 good Teams in each.It should be a good league season. Ed Ratcliffe (Grandpa)

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  13. What's up gramps, good to see you still around these here parts. How's the chocolate milk tasting these days....

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  15. If you Kelley bashers need ammo here ya go..word on street from a very reliable source he was invited to play in a challenger in Florida in June by a tennis associate in Indian wells. Because he has been to 5 national events he is eligible for a wildcard entry. He should get beaten rather handily but what a joke... Losing to 4.0 bump ups and then playing in a small ITA event?!!! Speechless!

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  17. Who cares?!!! He NEVER really plays all out so he will get destroyed in round one. What a waste of time to even play

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  19. man, that guy anonymous really sucks, and he always tanks and what not, etc, etc...

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
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  23. Who won Brookhaven tourney at 4.0?

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  24. No results posted yet... Probably Schick at 4.0 and Min Kim or Stewart Fillmore from Tyler in the 4.5

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