Tuesday, August 26, 2014

40s Preview







40s sectionals has appeared to be somewhat of a success in Dallas.  Even though, I notice the players look a lot like the guy above.  They are a little overweight and have a little thinner hair.  What they do have is experience and I have noticed how strong some of these doubles players can be  I see very small drop offs in doubles as compared to 18+.  As for singles, if you are a 40 year old singles players, you are worth Homer Simpson's weight in gold.

Dallas 4.5 has a pretty tough flight.  Aside from Abilene, who only has nine players on their roster and only had to beat one team to get there, there are some strong, traditional powers.  The Austin team with a 19 man roster has the tools to work with.  My question with all these big roster teams is does the captain end up overthinking his options.  [Editor’s note: Austin played with Early Start Ratings, which is a nice advantage.  I would also note that evidently the DTA told people in our 40s league that we moved to a January start because USTA Texas didn’t want any more early start leagues.  Odd that USTA Texas (read Austin) is pushing everyone else to get rid of ESL leagues but the Austin league itself still uses them.]  As with Abilene, Austin has a small league with only three teams but I’d bet on them being tough.  San Antonio was barely challenged getting out of cities with a 44-6 line record and should be tough as well.  Waco is interesting.  They only played one team (three matches, 15 lines) and lost 25 games total.  Of course there were a lot of defaulted matches, a lot.  Only nine lines were played all season.  That was 13 spots to get 11 people a match.  Looks like Sanders did someone a favor so there would be another team to play.  All in all, very little to analyze through the regular season but it looks like Austin and San Antonio will be tough.  And Plano’s very own JD Miles must think enough of the Waco team to drive down there for his match so it will be interesting to see how they do.  I still like Dallas to get out of their flight but Austin is mighty tough. 

On the other side of the draw, Dallas West might have a little easier way of it, particularly with Houston being a bit off their stride at 4.5 this year in 18s.  Rossouw will need the big bus for his 24 man team to roll into San Antonio but he does have some very nice options to choose from.  Would I be too much of a homer if I asked for a Dallas versus Dallas West final?  It just feels like these boys have some unfinished business this year so I’d like to see it and I bet they would too.

I like Dallas West to bring home a championship towel and Marc finally gets his coveted trip to nationals.  The good news is the Move/Up split up rule is being repealed next year so his 24 players will be able to find homes.

At 4.0, Dallas has a tough flight as well with NOHO and NETX both having well balanced teams.  The Valley looks to be a little soft but if you don’t make it through NOHO and NETX on Friday it won’t matter.   NOHO made the semis last year and looks to have added a very good singles player.  NETX is always tough and they appear to be loaded with 18+ sectionals players.

Dallas Wild surprised some people at cities but I don’t see them getting past Houston.  No shame in that, no one may get past Houston this year.  I like Dallas to make the semis against San Antonio and Houston to play Austin. 

I like Dallas to get to the finals and take home a finalist towel and the mighty Houston machine makes another trip to the desert.  Dallas has good 4.0s.  They have very good 4.0s but do they have anyone that is capable of being a difference maker at 4.5?  I don't think so and Houston chooses a different path... They get players that are difference makers at the higher level and we appear to be playing a little too clean to compete.

Good luck to all the competitors and hopefully no injuries.

71 comments:

  1. Nice write up Murray. That picture of Homer has several players come to my mind...

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    1. Kinda looks Bender.

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    2. You mean Bennett? Isn't that a donut Homer is holding? If it was a beer, then I would say Bearden.

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    3. I thought Bearden quit drinking......

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  2. It looks like Dallas will enter sectionals with no self rates again. Ask the 18s team how that worked out for them against Houston.

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    1. It will work like it did for the 18s.

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  3. Dallas went to sectional at 40s last year with no self rates and won. It can happen at 40s.

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    1. You really expect lightning to strike twice in the same place?

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    2. Did it at 3.5 and 4.0. Won it all at 3.5.

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    3. Houston thought they had it wrapped up at 4.0 over 40s last year. They will bring more this year after having lost. And they do have self rates.

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    4. Wiley has a better team this year.

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    5. So does Houston. Do you follow anyone outside of dallas?

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  4. I don't follow anyone but MK

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  5. MK not even playing 40's this year. Russouw might actually have a shot now.

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  6. The law of averages has to work at some point. Russo has failed so many times that at some point he has to get to nationals you would think. With the ease of their draw and depth they should advance, although the 4.5 talent is average at best.

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    1. It is a down year at 4.5 for Houston and San Antonio made it to nationals last year at 40s so they are probably weakened with move up/split. I think it is Rossouw's year.

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    2. Sweeney can do it too. I like Dallas or West Dallas to come through.

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    3. Rich and Correia can play with about anyone. Kiron and Ribman are as solid as you'll find too. Don't count out Sweeney. Bell and Anderson can stand up to about anyone too.

      I think Dallas is better.

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    4. Hopefully they get a chance to square off and find out

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  7. Bender has a 3.5 team. That is the team to watch. He is always successful.

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  8. AR 40+ Men 4.5 would like to thank DFW for giving them a stout Singles 5.0 Player that helped them make a run into Southern Section Finals, losing to GA in a MTB at #1D in decider.

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  9. Assuming you mean Greg. Yeah he is solid.

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    1. Gregg Derevyanik is a good player. We could use him on a Dallas team.

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  10. Replies
    1. Just because you don't know him doesn't mean he can't play. Maybe he is out if your league. Probably is

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  11. and by quit you mean last night... until he wakes up again...

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  12. Looks like all the Dallas over 40 teams are 2-0 so far. Big matches in 4.5 this morning.

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  13. FW beats Houston. Wright comes up HUGE!

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  14. When will Russouw quit playing himself though???

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    1. Wright bailed Marc out in that last tie breaker. Marc played and had Jason Moore sitting. That's a Jerry Jones as GM type move.

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    2. He sat Moore? Great decision. Put your best player on the bench for Houston

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  15. FW UP 2-1, just needs one more match to beat Austin!!!

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  16. The competition is so weak down here I think even FW can run this even if Russow plays. When wright can win that is a fairly easy team to beat

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  17. Unless u have a ringer in singles u will not ever get to nationals.

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  18. FW up 2-1 but Austin takes the last two

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    1. It's posted now. Fort Worth singles got beat 0-0 and 1-0. Holy cow!

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  19. Until Russouw figures out you need ringers instead of trying to get them kicked out of the league he will fail over and over again. His system will never work. No Kelley's mean no nationals.... Period

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  20. Well, get another 50 players and have two teams and play two cities and every league imaginable and try again and again. Where is Pickett and crew come crunch time. They are our only shot at Dallas success.

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  21. Don't care about Austin, just hope Kelley lost all his matches.. Ha ha

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  22. Tough loss. At least we can come back together and try again next year. I don't think Kelly would have made a difference.

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  23. Nope, he wouldn't have made a difference. He sucks.

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  24. Thinking Kelley wouldn't make a difference is an ignorant statement, even if you dislike him

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  25. When you're getting on a team that's trying to get to nationals you have to rely on the captain to bring in the right players. Close but not quite every year means you are putting your season in the wrong persons hands.

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    1. Only 17 teams go to nationals at a level. That means only 17 captains are doing it right. Geez, hate Marc but that is stupid.

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    2. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result.

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    3. Only 17? How about 0 & forever at 18s and 40s over about 7 years for getting to nationals.

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    4. Have to think that if he weren't so holier than thou, in your face, morality lecturing, people might leave him alone. You can't make a public figure of yourself and expect people to not talk about you.

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    5. ^^^ this is the real issue. Few captains get to sectionals and fewer get to nats. Hard to fault a guy for losing 3-2 in the sectional finals.

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    6. Sectionals finals is a great year. Being an a## accusing everyone else of being dirty when you've got the same issues is real BS.

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    7. When you get excited about coming in second that tells you where you land. Getting to nationals is very difficult. There are only a handful of people that ever go, and even fewer that have been 7 times

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    8. Not excited but no reason to bash guys who come up short.

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  26. A lot of chatter about teams that lost. Bender was the only winner again.

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    1. No doubt, typical failure at the end. Nothing new. Strap up another 30 players and come up short again.

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  27. He moved to Houston. Who cares.

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  28. Stay classy Dallas. Kicking your own guys when they lose. Most cities root for their cities.

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    1. Most captains don't take to a public forum to lecture the rest of his own town. If can't take it, don't start it.

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    2. Technically, he is Fort Worth. He isn't even Dallas. Why he gets so much play here is beyond me.

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    3. Because he gets on here and says everyone else is cheating and claims he's so clean. Don't act so surprised, he brings this on himself.

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  29. Mike Z up 4-1 and lost 11 straight games. Anyone know what happen?

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  30. He played hurt all weekend and his luck ran out

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  31. Clearly you were there or you wouldn't know that. You tell us.

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  32. San Antonio had a fantastic team. We had a number of injuries that held some guys out. Others were injured and still played. Zackary was one of those guys. His knee was very swollen and he had come off a 3 tiebreak match earlier. We were very short on bodies. Mike's opponent was also very good.

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  33. Well said, to get on here and trash your own guys then immediately look to replace them is incomprehensible. Why in the world would anybody play for this guy? It is mind boggling if someone is that desperate to be one of 50 knowing he will stab u in the back ( just ask Kiron)

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  34. Does anyone think it is coincidence that a certain player sits out and Dallas and FW have no league success? Makes what SP has done in mixed w Alan as captain even more impressive. Nationals tough to come by as we all can see now. BEGIN BASHING while we book another trip to the desert.

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  35. Can we start a new blog about fall league now please!!!!

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  36. Mike and Blake were both hurt. SA was probably too strong anyway. They also rolled over a Midland team that had swept Wild Dallas in the semis.

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