Red Flight:
Favorites have to be Team Martin and Team Noel. Noel’s team has a good depth but not sure if they match up well against Martin in the first match on Saturday. Kraemer and Madison have strong groups as well but are lacking some locks which helps win you need two out of three.
Blue Flight:
I like Cormier and Pickett in this flight mainly again because they have some top players at each level and don’t seem to have any weak areas. Myers and Stevens have some solid players as well but might be lacking at 3.5 a bit although look good at 4.5 and 4.0 respectively.
Even though I see those four teams as favorites I don’t foresee many lopsided results this weekend.
Odds to join Team Bazan in Houston on February 22-24:
Team Pickett 3 to 1
Team Martin 4 to 1
Team Noel 6 to 1
Team Cormier 8 to 1
Team Stevens 12 to 1
Team Myers 15 to 1
Team Kraemer 25 to 1
Team Madison 25 to 1
Team Martin has told me they will post their own odds at 33% to win the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI hope there is a good final matchup on Sunday like we had yesterday.
It is my birthday so I will probably be sleeping in and playing some tennis of my own that day before the Cowboys destroy the Giants that afternoon.
Pickett needs to be the favorite with a their nice ringer in Durten. No clue how he was able to stay within the appeal range after being bumped in ESR.
ReplyDeleteTeam Martin here, sticking to those 3 to 1 odds! It's going to be a lot of fun this weekend. I played Team Pickett tonight and sqeaked out a victory, coming back from 2-6 in the tie breaker. Want to make sure I got into their heads a little bit (I know Pickett reads these things) lol Course I had to have a 4.5 partner to do it. Just want to congratulate my buds, Dennis, Steve H., and Cary. And I bet you guys didn't know C.J. is a homeboy graduating from the same high school as I, from Bayard NM. Course he is 14 years my junior. Sure hope to join you guys on the Road Trip to Houston!
ReplyDeleteCheers! Go Cowboys! and Happy Birthday Cary!
ps. Durten better be practicing up. Course I don't have to play him. shew!
Happy birthday Cary. By the way, who would be The Green Hornet? ...
ReplyDeleteRené
Cary, thanks for the vote of confidence but it's going to be a tough weekend. Hai is out with a bad knee. It looks like all the teams are stacked and I am sure it will come down to who can win the tiebreaks. Congrats on your wins last weekend.
ReplyDeletePickett
Rene, feel free to become the Green Hornet of the group we need some "super" play to do well in Feb down in Houston.
ReplyDeleteToo bad about Hai but you and Doug should do OK although I hear Kirby's partner is strong. I like Scott and William at 3.5 though, I really hope you play Kirby in the final because the 3.5 and 4.0 matches would be really good. I only know the names of the 4.5 players but I watched Collin play last year against our group and he was very good. Only 2 more days to go.
ouch! so much for my odds Pickett and Martin go down in the first match but it isn't over yet since they didn't lose to Cormier or Noel I still think this could get interesting.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! I'm glad I didn't actually accept any financial bets on my 3 to 1 odds ! It seems there are 8 good teams here. Well, team Martin will obviously have to win out, and hope for team Noel to blank team Madison 3-0.
ReplyDeleteYou had team Madison odds 25-1 and team Madison will be playing in final tomorrow. You need to check your research...a ringer 4.0.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated bday Robin.
I think both the last commenters were right there does look to be 8 solid teams there at the tourney and if things fell the right way it could be any of the 8 teams playing today in the final. Also you are right who is Eugene Davis??? Looks to be a difference maker on this team. Canyon Creek is always a wildcard in any league because they have great players it just seems they never put it together at the right time.
ReplyDeleteFinal Prediction: I am cheering for Stevens but Madison looks to be too strong.
I have heard of Gene Davis before. Heard he is a stud on and off court. Looks like he made a difference all right.
ReplyDeleteWow at least I got the final right. I am shocked by those scores. Congrats to Canyon Creek/Madison. With that lineup you guys should do well in Houston I hope we can represent in the lower level tourney as well.
ReplyDeleteyes, Team Stevens put up a good fight, but at the end...6 of the players on Stevens team were on fumes comes finals. Not sure if rest would have made a difference in the results, but hopefully at least a better fight. Good luck to Madison. They are a strong team.
ReplyDeleteI think the best team definitely won this weekend. I was happy with how our team played, especially our 3.5s who went undefeated, but we were overmatched against Madison. A few sidenotes: one of my players said Gene Davis was in 5.0 nationals a few years ago. I was shocked to see Kevin Durten lose both matches since I thought he was going to be a sure win every time out. I had a lot of fun and we will be back next season.
ReplyDeleteBig congrats to Team Madison for winning the tri level. They have an awesome team and will do well at Sectionals. I wish I had an excuse for my horrible play but the Durtman was playing on a really bad knee that may need surgery. See you all on the courts
ReplyDeletePickett
Eugene Davis:
ReplyDeleteI don't see any national results on his record but after just glancing at his past results it is hard to see how he went from 5.0 to 4.0 since he was never beaten that badly if at all.
Anonymous should look again, just last fall of 2007 Eugene Davis went to nationals in mixed 9.0, and won in his semi final match. To me that means you maybe should move up from 4.5 to 5.0, or at least stay as a 4.5, but he then appealed (probably this new automatic appeal system) and moved down to 4.0. Yeah, Team Madison will win Sectionals also.
ReplyDeleteKirby
Like Noel said, it was a fun weekend nonetheless, except the part about Da Boys losin'.
You know the computer rating system has problems when someone goes 13-4 in 9.0 Mixed (and undefeated at nationals) and gets bumped DOWN the following year.
ReplyDeleteMixed matches do not count for men’s or women’s ratings. If you do not play men’s you can end up with a “mixed only” rating. I think because Gene only played mixed the computer counted him as if he had not played any matches for the year. If you take a year off when you appeal the computer will move you down if you are within .1 of the cut off. Btw I am not saying this is how it should be just how it is.
ReplyDeleteI thought Andrew Frye and Steve Walker were a huge part of why we won. Andrew was sick and still played and won all 4 matches. Steve and Andrew together are almost a lock against a 4.5 team.
Anyway, hopefully we can represent Dallas well at sectionals.
Justin
Yep I have seen others who have a mixed only rating or tourney only rating that can move rather easily.
ReplyDeleteGreat win Justin, I will see you all down there. Should be a very tough tourney, initially were were only going to have 4 teams at our level now it looks like 8 teams will come down so we should get plenty of good matches.
I had no idea mixed didn't count at all. I guess that is how a 2007 5.5 player can go to nationals in 10.0 mixed and end up with a 4.5 rating for 2008. (houston area)
ReplyDeleteI agree about Steve and Andrew. They have a very complementary game and they should do well together. Good luck.
ReplyDeletewow congrats to Madison, good job using the computer to your advantage, like others not sure how Davis got a computer rating of 4.0 after going 5-0 at 9.0 Nationals.
ReplyDeleteAlso Frye is amazing at 4.5 so you had a nice stacked team.