OC/Branch EVEN
They have to be the favorite but Royal Oaks has unveiled that they can make a lot of noise and now are becoming the EVIL team of 4.5.
Royal Oaks 5 to 1
It just comes down to whether they can field the big lineup this weekend. It seemed like the QT strategy was “win quick.” With only three matches to play over the weekend I think this team can manage to field a good squad and make a strong showing at the DCC and take the second sectional spot. It isn’t like they have to travel to play this matches so I expect if they have committed this far they will continue to compete strong.
T Bar M 8 to 1
Much like the 4.0 team they have some up and down results but they finished a top a pretty solid flight where there might not have been a solid OC team but there was plenty of teams that pushed them and High Point even beat them in a close match.
Village 10 to 1
Corey is giving me the skittish vibe on the blog so I am pushing them down a little but he has been honest in his team assessment and knows they cannot dominate anyone but also know they have good teamwork that keep them in every match. It might be up to Corey to tough out wins like he did in the QT match for this team to scores some big wins.
ROCC is not evil, they're just playing several of their teaching pros. Joey Molina is head pro, and a solid 5.0 (tho bizarrely computer rated at 4.5).
ReplyDeleteMolina like many others sat out 4-5years after playing 5.0 in Mo valley and self-rated at .5 below his previous rating which is allowed. Should he be a 4.5 probably not but I would imagine at least 10-15 players in the 4.5 DCC should be 5.0 or higher, such as Branch, James, Molina, Bui, Gonzalez, Pollard, Kiron, Slezak, Sumrow, just to name a few. T-Bar has several guys who were 5.0, Noel has one or two, but his team seems to grind out the victories and I am impressed his team has done so well with no outstanding ringers like many of the teams.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the vote of confidence Cary. I do take pride in the fact that our team has no 5.0 players and we are still competitive with every team. I think I am disproving the fact that a team must have ringers to win. I will be shocked if we don't win at least one match this weekend and our goal is definitely bigger than just that.
ReplyDeleteWho are the 5.0 players at T Bar? People are forgetting Joey is not even CLOSE to being the best player on Royal Oaks. Hello have you seen their number one singles player? On a bad day he is ONLY a 5.0.
ReplyDeleteWhy all of the finger pointing all of the sudden...We must be getting ready for the playoffs....How about just compet and have fun. Every team that makes the playoffs is going to have good players who compete,sweat, and bust their ass....Corey, you may not consider yourself a ringer, but you are damn good and can beat anyone on this blog....as for the person who is asking about TBARS ringers - I would say that Russ Johnson and his family may be a good place to start. He can compete with just about any doulbes player in the state and his wife could beat any 4.5 man in Dallas and is definately a ringer at whatever level she plays. Ask anyone. As for the rest of the TBAR 5.0's, word on the street is that they are playing on the TBAR 5.0 team (as 4.5's) or started their own team, bc they got tired of all of the bs that went on the last couple of years with that team.
ReplyDeleteUntil a team from Dallas, any team for that matter, (i could care less who but am rooting for Royal Oaks bc they have the best looking fans) competes at sectionals and does something outside of Dallas - we should not be too worried about the 'ringers' - as we like to call them this time of the year...If anyone was at the QT yesterday, we should be proud that we had that much good tennis and good players still playing at the QT Tourney from Dallas - we all benefit from teams having the good players....That was impressive and competitive AND MY TEAM LOST DANGIT.
This is the time of year we need to to shut up and play (wish i could), but for some reason every body wants to finger point.
Correct it is the playoffs and that is when the REAL opinions come out. Yes all of us want to win but at what cost. Look in the mirror and if you really believe you are a true 4.5 then so be it (all those true ringers). The playoffs have always been about the borderline players, it is the blatant ones that we complain about. Isn't Russ like 50, he is good but at 50 competing with these young kids, he is a 4.5 or even lower in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks is with out a doubt the sleeper. Village please, you are AWESOME with depth. OC Branch good with incredible depth and really no superstars just solid at EVERY line (no difference between lines 1 and 3 dbls and 1 or 2 singles).
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you can insinuate that 50 is old - i pride myself at competing with the 'kiddos' that you are complaining about. maybe we can't beat them in singles, but "old farts" can teach them a thing or two about doubles. Quit making excuses for having 50 years of experience. It's not like we have to play third sets. speaking for the 50 and olders, love competing with all of these so called Ringer,Kids, whatever else you want to call them. I embrace that we have a sport that we can still compete at age 50 and i can still move a bit.
ReplyDeleteas for you, who are complaining about the Royal Oaks Team and all of their Pros playing - please shhhhhhh, before they learn our secret. Me and my partner felt like we got a free private lesson when we played them loved every minute of it.
What a great sport we all get to play and compete at. Sorry for preaching, just wanted a little positive perspective from an old fart, who doesn't want to feel or admit that he is old.
Interesting comments anonymous. I play for the fun and competing. I sign up for what the rules and what integrity should mean. Come on quit the bs, you and everyone knows that the RCC #1 player is a ringer(not Joey he is just a VERY good 4.5), just move on, one line should not matter he is the only ringer on that team. If I want a lesson I will sign up for it, if I want to play competitive tennis at my level that is what USTA leagues are for, I have better things to do than get my butt waxed by someone who is ruining it for the rest of the players.
ReplyDelete50 sounds old to me but experience gives the older guys a huge advantage over the younger guys if they can handle the heat (weather and the heat coming off the hard hit balls)
if Joey is not the # 1, who is the # 1 player/proffesional for ROCC. i thougth it was joey. is it phat boi, henry gonzales, adam webb. i have heard that phat was the best on the team by a long shot, but got hurt. adam webb looked like he should be a 5.5 yesterday vs Durten and henry looked bored vs Champagne. they all looked great. Confused.
ReplyDeleteanonymous what is up with the ranting on t bar and some guys wife (you make it sound like she just got off the tour). sounds like some serious sour grapes.
ReplyDeleteUnless Adam Webb has gotten much better, it is not him. A fairly weak doubles team of ours beat him last season. I think he is very hot and cold. I agree about there being some high quality matches last weekend all around. I played next to Henry Gonzalez and based on watching him he didn't look unstoppable. He also didn't look like he was trying very hard though.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised my team is getting so many votes in the poll. I think it will be obvious after Saturday who the best two teams are.
Corey - watch out for leaving bulletin board material for adam. you are eitehr the worlds greatest sandbagger or the nicest guy since Steve Stoner took over Greenhill. the word is out and YOU and your team are very good. expect to be at sectionals bc that is where you and your team belong. you may get beat, but it will be a war each match. i have seen you compete too many times. there are no dead on ringers that can't be taken down. You are building others up too high and not giving you or your team the credit they deserve. kick some ass this weekend and make us proud.
ReplyDeleteSorry Corey everyone knows that you have a GREAT team and I agree you may have taken over the "nicest captain" award from Steve Stoner. That is a maybe.
ReplyDeleteGonzales is such a ringer that I will not even express my opinion. I wish I could tank/give 50% and cruise through singles playoff matches.
I can never be as nice as Steve. I won't have to play Adam so I shouldn't motivate him too much. On the other hand, I think Joey, Greg, and Henry are great players who should not lose a game to me. I like to set low expectations so then there are no disappointments.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks for the kind comments, I have been under fire for a while on this blog and it's nice to see something different. You will never see me be rude or discourteous to another team, player, or captain.
I know this is my first time in the spring championships but it seems like this has to be one of the most competitive 4.5 divisions ever; I don't think it would be a surprise for any of the four teams to make Sectionals.
Corey:
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on regarding Adam, he is very hot and cold. I played with him in juniors, nice player but his game can be way on or way off. Can not comment on Gonzales, but i assume there will be a 5.0 next to his name by the end of today once the ESR's come out. Will be an interesting match if he plays Branch or James. I am not big on Greg as he is very similar to Adam, get under his skin and he is toast. Joey is well know, Joe is a tough grinding player, Phat is probably the best player on their team when healthy. Sleeper is Jeff who does not get to play much but is a solid player.
Ok now time for work.
Henry was pretty salty back in college. Not sure what his game is like these days, but a high end 4.5 doesn't sound as egregious as some other 4.5 players that self-rate.
ReplyDeleteHe definitely has an easy look to his game.
Amazing rankings. T Bar has one player bumped ROC 2, Village 0 and the one everyone says is a shoe in OC Branch gets none bumped!!!!!! What is up with the computer? The one everyone says is #1 gets none and the SECOND best gets 2 bumped. Tell me how?
ReplyDeleteActually Branch did have 1, Morrison, but RO had 3, Gonzales, Molina, and Bui. Your point is still very valid though. How Branch only gets 1 bumped is ridiculous considering they have about 10 that could have been bumped. Just not that many 4.5's bumped this time, RO's 3 is almost half of the 7 total in Dallas.
ReplyDeleteThe Computer must be EVIL and is in on the CONSPIRACY.
ReplyDeletePS - I told you all that Russ Johnson was a Ringer and TBAR has been sandbagging with him. He may be old and slow, as one blogger insinuated, but he can stil play if he has any kind of partner on that team.
Congrats Russ - you will kick butt at 5.0 next season. Do it for us old farts.
Corey, why don't you move to San Fransicko? You'd love it out there. That would be a win-win for everyone!
ReplyDeleteWhy the personal attack on Corey. Corey is a great guy and one of the nicest human beings around. Let's lay off attacking people personally please.
ReplyDeleteNow back to tennis blog
Maybe you should go with him to San Fransicko
ReplyDeleteMaybe San "Fransicko" doesn't have faceless cowards who are afraid to put their names behind their comments?
ReplyDeleteI was not surprised we didn't lose anybody to 5.0. I actually didn't expect anybody from T Bar to go up either, except maybe Wil. I think the earlier comment is spot on about sandbagging in 4.5 compared to other levels. Dallas 4.5 loses 7 guys when other teams in lower levels lost more than that.
ReplyDeleteI also think the fact that most tennis players peak at 4.0 or 4.5 has a lot to do with that too though. Probably less than 5 percent of the tennis population is 5.0 or better.