So Dirty Garland is in the Flight IV which has a later start time but they should be on the court right now v. Caribbean (El Caribe de Terrible per Greg Wiley)
After that they match up with the Southern team at 3:30 PST.
So if they get out of today unscathed they should be set up very well for the weekend.
I see that Nor Cal and So Cal have lost their first matches. New England scored a win, WOW! Looks like there is some good teams from all over, if Big John and his crew can do well this weekend they will have played some great tennis.
Keep up the posts, I am actually out till late tonight but I look forward to checking on their progress when I get home late tonight.
It looks like the Caribbean folks put a beat down on Garland. 5-0 and no sets won. Harvey & Welch/Key were the only ones competitive.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! I am not surprised they got beat but I would have guessed they would have been more competitive. The Caribbean team is always tough and this year appears no different. Best of luck for the rest of the weekend and be sure to enjoy yourselves.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing.. The Caribbean team we faced is worse than I said. Everything I said was understated.
ReplyDeleteWell one thing is for sure, Garland was just trying to play the national game. Many here at the local level complained and hated on them all year, but in the end Big John was right, you need serious talent (out of level talent) to hang at nationals. You may not like the game, but it is what it is for the time being.
ReplyDeleteTo see Defeo, who has been called a ringer on his now 4.0 team get destroyed tells you that most of the singles players on the 3.5 national teams are very top end 4.0, if not mid 4.5 level players.
two wrongs don't make it right
ReplyDeleteAt Nationals, if you want to win, you need to be 2 levels above at all lines. Your best players need to be capable of winning 75% of their matches 2 levels up. The other players must be capable of competing at two levels up. You can get away with having people on the higher end of the next level but they need to be your last line of doubles. In essence in 3.5, #1 Singles needs to be good 4.5, #2 singles needs to be at least middle of the road 4.5. #1 Doubles need to have at least 1 top good 4.5 and 1 average 4.5. #2 doubles needs 1 average 4.5 and 1 top 4.0. #3 Doubles need 1 mediocre to lower 4.5 and 1 good 4.0. Regardless, if you are at nationals, you better not send a single at level player out there and expect to win that line.
ReplyDeleteWhether it is right or wrong is irrelevant to the discussion. If you want to win, it is what you must have.
Ethically, I have a problem with it and agree that 2 rights do not make a wrong but it is the nature of the beast.
It appears Sisk is playing all of his players and his team did not have enough top players to do that. That is great that he is rewarding his team with an opportunity to play them all.
Well, isn't it just too bad that DURTY GARLAND has lost 2 matches already? I guess that there are much better cheaters out there than them, but if that's what it takes to make it to the top, well we must all get very DURTY! Right? Well, go ahead and play those games if you like, but what's the point?
ReplyDeleteThere's always some other team out there that believes that will make their day to go to nationals and then to perhaps win, but again what's the point if you can't do it from the true level that you belong in.
All of these EGO maniacs should just join the PRO tour and show us all what they're really made of.
yep this Caribe team looks strong. If you look back at the san diego team that won last year, the best 3-4 players are now rated 4.5 and the rest are 4.0. That seems crazy to me, I can understand being borderline but two levels up. Look at the singles guys playing for Caribbean they have some crazy big wins at 3.5 and 4.0 and were not DQ'ed, their stats were much more gawdy than Glen Flora's bu somehow they were not DQ'ed. Who knows???????
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Durty Garland got a tough draw and probably drew what looks be the champ on Sunday.
I captian my own team and did much hating on Garland this year. But sectively I was pulling for Dirty G at nats. Now I know what I must do next year to win it BIG TIME. It's really a wake up call to all captains that good is not good enough if we want to be known as a good tennis community! I promise that next year I will not complain if my team get beats by another team from my area as long as they make noise at nats.
ReplyDeleteAny other captains man enough???
Oh and one more thing Big John. I'm very sorry for the hating I did on you and your team. Deep down inside I know you all are good guys just wanting to win like me. I know you did the best you could do this year.
ReplyDeleteI've never had complaints about Big John or Garland. I actually hung out when them one Sunday for practice a few seasons ago and what I liked about them was that they were like one big family. Spouses came out, coutless coolers of beer, TQ brought egg rolls, and we played several hours of good tennis. You can understad why they connected and did well as a team.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I like about Big John is that he always carries a smile that is from ear to ear. That says alot in my book. You know he will still be coming back from nats with that mile wide smile of his, maybe just a little more humble.
If Dallas is serious about building a team that can contend, perhaps all teams collectively "contribute" their strongest players and ringers to playing on a combined team. I know, I know. Cats and dogs living together, etc. etc...and the playoffs wouldn't be any fun, but maybe that's what it would take to bring home a Nat'l Championship at a higher level.
bkaiser
doesn't make it right for the 90% of the people who stayed home. I know we don't like that the Carribeans cheat, but I can't stand here, and let people just completely play out of level either, and think that is okay. I was pulling for Garland at Nats, but I can't condone obvious cheating either
ReplyDeleteFact is . . . Garland was a weak Texas 3.5 representative at Nationals. HP beat them twice when they had Flora in the line-up. Without Flora (who was a sure point every time) they were an average team at best at Nationals.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason they were able to win Sectionals was that they had Flora as a sure point at #1 singles. Without him they never could have won Sectionals. When Flora was DQed Garland was history.
The USTA really screwed up when they changed to only DQ cheaters AFTER Sectionals, rather than DURING Sectionals. That change just served to reward the cheaters.
Wiley gets credit for calling the Caribbean team as top cheaters.
ReplyDeleteAlso it is true that Garland was a three line team. #1 Singles/#2 Singles/1 Doubles line. THey could nto put much else out there. When Flora got DQ'd and COurtney got injured, they could really only put 2 quality high lines out. Your quality line is going to run into someone else just as strong at Nationals and unless some of your lesser lines can come through, you are toast.
HP probably had the deepest team but their total lackof quality singles players made them a 3 line team too. If HP had Flora or Mudsam, then they are probably your representative at Nationals. They probably do not get through the Caribbeans but their doubles teams would show better. I think Mudsam or Flora can compete with anyone.
LTF was a three line team as well but they could put out two quality singles teams.
All three top Dallas teams were 3 line teams. I would take:
Flora
Mudsam
Morrison/Mahr
Jauregui/Wiley
Delira/Defeo
I still do not know if they win but that is the best Dallas could do at 3.5 this last year.
Garland beat MO Valley 4-1 today to finish 3rd in the flight. Caribbean beat Southern 4-1 to finish the flight 13-2.
ReplyDeleteSo what I'd like to ask big John is what would it have taken to beat the Caribbean? If he had a team full of Glenn Flora's and Zack Courtney's would they have been good enough to beat the Caribbean? Or do we have to find even better players than them to win 3.5 Nationals?
ReplyDeleteGlad to see we were not shut out. It looked like we were right with Southern and a few bad breaks. Caribbean may crush everyone. They may just be way better than other teams as well.
ReplyDeleteAs to recruiting better, the Caribbean is a different animal because they do not appear to have oversight. This is an issue every year.
the Caribbean Stud singles player seems to be a career 3.5 Appeal player, who refuses to play 4.0 so appeals down like a whiny bitch b/c the USTA allowed it until this year.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who appeals down more than 2 years in a row is a complete and utter douche bag.
If he is a legitimate appeal, then he would not be beating the crap out of everyone like he is. I guess that is what Wiley meant by no apparent oversight.
ReplyDeleteyep looking at some of the records on that team, I don't get it, do they have no rules whatsoever. That seems kind of sh$$ty if you ask me. With Southern changes scores and El Caribe Terible just rerated players at will it makes it kind of tough to compete at the nat level.
ReplyDeleteI hope they brought some good gifts at least other than the bagels.
I am not sure if you all know about the rule AR Hacker is referencing but it is great, a Benchmark player cannot not appeal his rating for one year. Wow if only that rule was around 2 years ago for our 3.5 team. I remember scouting players from the numerous sectional teams and I was surprised how many were making their 3rd trip to 3.5 sectionls with winning records, it just didn't make sense to me and now that will not be happening anymore.
First, let me start by saying thank you to the Garland team for allowing me to travel with them to nationals and support them in a wonderful experience. It was certainly eye-opening.
ReplyDeleteI did see a lot of legitimate 3.5 players but I think the Garland team got the worst possible flight. The Caribbean team was head and shoulders above all of the other teams I saw.
I do think that Garland played below their potential in the first match and that they could have won or at least been much more competitive. The difference was that the weakest player for their team was probably a low 4.0, whereas the weakest players for Garland are probably mid to high 3.5.
We had a great costume party with food and all sorts of free gifts along the way. For those of you wondering where that $33 goes to each season, this was a first-class event from start to finish that spared no expense.
John just called me and said that the Caribbean and Florida are in the finals now.
In response to a previous post, John also said he will post the lineup that he would need to win sectionals.
In response to Cary, the Caribbean team said they have made nationals 3 of the last 4 years, and the Southern team made their second trip in a row. I don't know if these captains are just great recruiters or they have underregulated sections.
Nonetheless, John and the rest of his team now knows what level of player it takes to do well at nationals and I believe they will recruit accordingly. But it really seems that if each section does not play by the same rules, Texas will always be fighting an uphill battle.
the appeals are not different with each section , it is the national computer that allows the appeals, unless it was a medical which does not seem to happen much anymore.
ReplyDeleteI am a little shocked that Arroyo has managed to stay 3.5 for so long b/c has dominated competition in Caribbean for the last 4-5 years but did not appear to have any National results prior to this year.
1:44,2:14 poster,
ReplyDeleteIf flora was dq'd before sec.defeo would have been there and jacque would have played w/paul,phil.
Corey is right,I will build for the future and Nats was a great experience and would pull for any Texas team!!!!!!My dream 3.5 team to win Nats this year I would have needed:
1s Nick Smith
2s Corey Noel
1d Jim Young/Doug Fair
2d Peter Jones/Trey McKinney
3d Jerry Defeo/Glen Flora
Nothing more,nothing less!
I appreciate all support and kind words from all above!!!!B.Kaiser, call me asap!!
All capitains and players we met this weekend were great! I'm glad we didn't experience what G.Wiley did,sorry Greg.
P.Northwest had 2 match points vs.Puerto Rico and lost!HATS OFF TO PUERTO RICO!
SISK
We will have mass practices until spring,all invited just contact me or Corey!!!!!!!!!!!
3.5's list from 2:14 poster, good but not enough to win it!
ReplyDeleteSisk
Sisk, I think you are right but that is probably the best lineup that Dallas could put out this year. For what it is worth, I am not the person who put that up.
ReplyDeleteThats a great list Big J. It was nice of you to at least allow two 4.0's to play with those other 4.5 guys on your 3.5 team.
ReplyDeleteWhew! What a trip and what an ass kickin Zack and I took against Puerto Rico. One player had the best kick serve I have ever seen. Not fast or hard but moved in all different directions..Zack and I laughed because I am sure we looked like we were swatting at a bumble bee attack! Strong high 4.5 doubles play! Just like I had expected it was rush and crush the net tennis serve and volley and kill any high balls. I must have hit 20 volleys at their chest and feet and all of them seem to come back for a defensive winner. WICKED! After we found out we were down 4-0 at the beginning of our second set I was just out there to have some fun and be funny with the other players and the crowd I new it was over for us. They had youth, talent and a strong desire to go all the way. We would have needed even more than what I think Big John posted as players to win at Nationals...He was being polite.
ReplyDeleteTo all you haters...thanks for your support! We all may talk smack but I know now that we are a tight community of pretty cool guys who love the game. Your comments above proved to me that people are mostly positive!
Thank you for all your support and let's help the next team come from Dallas and do even better next year! Come LTF and HP get to workin!
FYI..i agree we were a weak team..Highpoint would have been even weaker...I would have to say I would have preferred LTF first way before the Highpoint team. But I am confused because you lost it and yet we are still weaker? Please give the credit where it is due...The Carribbean sectional NTPR main office!
ReplyDelete