So this playoffs is shaping up to be a strange one.
Let's start with the shake up in 3.5. Flight A changed a lot over the week but just two weeks ago it seemed it would be HP and Brookhaven and then the DQ happened and the win by CC/Jolly today and now LTF and CC will be advancing out of flight A.
Flight B ended up as expected with Greenhill and Westlake finishing out strong, Flight C will be a second CC team along with undefeated Samuel Grand.
If I am not mistaken Greenhill is the only team in that bunch to make it to a Spring or Fall playoff championship (not counting QT) in recent 3.5 memory.
4.5
Northwood didn't do Branch any favors as they lost 0-5 today and Rusty's crew will be staying home this time around. I have a feeling they will be just fine come April but now for the first time in a while they do not have a spot already sewn up.
In the other flight HP fought close but lost out to OC/Feldman and OC will join the playoffs with Nwood, BH and Royal Oaks.
I think that will be a tough round robin, it would have been great if OC/Branch had been there instead of BH but Harilee's team will be the underdog that the other three might be careful about counting as an easy win.
Looks like the 3.5 playoff picture will be
ReplyDelete1- Westlake
2- CC Lenheman
3- LTF
other division
1) Samual Grand
2) Greenhill
3) CC Jolly
wow nancy's team totally tanked against BH just to keep Branch out of the playoffs. northwood even defaulted 1 line.
ReplyDeletelow class!
score management award of the week goes to:
ReplyDeleteDurten/Wright losing against 2 4.0 players, even though Durten/Wright are both high 4.5's
Way to go guys, you get the Red Benzon Award.
As for Corey, guess you will get the flaming award this week, easily taking the award from Cary.
Guess all that talk this week by Corey playing straight up, was just a bunch of BS. Way to make yourself look a complete and utter ass.
For the playoffs, why are there just two teams from each flight in 4.5 but three or four teams in 4.0 and 3.5?
ReplyDeleteAnybody know?
Way to bring on the completely clueless blog remark (which is why I rarely come on here). The HP/OC match was very close and could have gone either way. It was 2-2 with one singles match left and our team was fortunate enough to take it 12-10 in a 3rd set breaker. HP did a very good job even with a lot of guys unavailable for the match. Although I'm sure Durten & Wright would have liked another shot at their match, they lost straight up to Jean and Takashi who are both high level players, whatever rating you want to call them. It was a fun match.
ReplyDeleteAs for Corey and their team, I see absolutely nothing wrong with what happened in their match. They were in a meaningless match for them already qualified for the playoffs, which is what any team hopes for going into a last match of the season and Brookhaven had a very good lineup out there. I would never go above and beyond to help another team, especially Branch's team which is loaded. Branch's team should win next spring/summer easily and have a very, very good shot at Nationals. In the meantime it will be fun for the rest of us to battle it out this fall.
Todd Feldman
hahaha Todd is feeling guilty.
ReplyDeletewhoa, tap the breaks dog! RO will be the team going to nationals...Branch had his time!
ReplyDeleteI never said I would play the match straight up. Check the archives. It is the responsibility of each team to control their own destiny. Sounds like sour grapes.
ReplyDeleteKevin Durten used to be a 5.0+ player but I'm seeing increasingly declining results from him each season. Jean Nguyen is also no 4.0. Definitely an upset but Durten and Wright have no reason to tank because I don't believe they were in danger of moving up.
If this new rule about appeals for benchmark players is accurate, Branch will be the heavy favorite for sectionals because he doesn't have a benchmark team this season. Coincidence?
The teams in the fall playoffs will lose players to 5.0 that they can't get back if I'm interpreting the rule correctly. Can somebody clarify? Cary?
Great win to OC/Feldman. It came down to the wire and Colin made a great comeback against Komson.
ReplyDeleteDurten/Wright did NOT tank. They played hard every point and just fell short in the 3rd set breaker.
Good luck to Team Feldman in the DCC. They will win it all!!!
3.05C Championship Benchmarks. A championship benchmark may not be appealed following the championship year it is received except for permanently disabling injury/illness. If intervening permanent disabling injury or illness indicates that a championship benchmark rating
ReplyDeletemay be too high, the Section Association shall utilize a Medical Review Committee to evaluate all medical appeals; and, if the injury/illness is deemed permanently disabling, the appeal will be forwarded to the National Medical Appeal Committee for a final decision.
Ah but this is fall 09 and it says year not season?
ReplyDeleteDTA=donks
Ah but this is fall 09 and it says year not season?
ReplyDeleteDTA=donks
wow high point loves Duerten!
ReplyDeleteNancy plays fast and loose with the truth. Ethics never get in his way. It was very predictable that he would have his team tank rather than play a serious match. Nancy is a real piece of work.
ReplyDeleteThese rules always have a gray area. Somebody also mentioned to me that the only true ratings are year-end ratings so ESRs wouldn't fall under this rule then right? Doesn't benchmark only mean your team made the playoffs? That is no reflection on a player's individual ability.
ReplyDeleteWe will play Brookhaven in a serious match in two weeks. If I told you guys what I was going to go beforehand, that would take away the fun wouldn't it?
ReplyDeletethey way I interpret this and we will have to see but if you went to sectionals or nats and the year end rating assigns you a half or whole point up with a "B" then you are stuck with that for one year unless who have some major medical issue.
ReplyDeleteWhen does the ESR come out?
ReplyDeleteESR came out in July.
ReplyDeleteI guess you mean end of theyear ratings and it is probably the week after Thanksgiving. It is sually after playoffs.
Strategic management. I woulda done the same thing. Branch should have played better during the year.
ReplyDeleteNot a problem with the stategy as long as the players on the court made an honest effort to win matches.
ReplyDeleteNicely stated by someone who is obviously a former Rhodes scholar
ReplyDeleteSlap nuts???
ReplyDeleteI don't care who you are - that's Funny.
well since Bill Clinton was a rhodes scholar I assume I am on a higher plane...definately a better tennis player
ReplyDeleteWhat will be funny is if Northwood needs Team branch to win a match for them sometime in the future. Playing to manipulate your standing can be bad karma. Wouldn't that be a hoot if Northwood needs Team Branch to beat someone on a Sunday in let's say July at DCC to make Sectionals.
ReplyDeleteI would expect them to do the same thing and I wouldn't cry about it. Bottom line is if you have more than 1 loss, you will not make the playoffs. From what I hear, Oak Creek did a similar thing to keep Brookhaven out of the playoffs in recent memory. Funny how that wasn't mentioned earlier in the week.
ReplyDeleteAlso, all of my players were playing to win. But me playing to win in doubles looks like I'm trying to lose.
i saw Rusty himself tank a third set breaker at DCC to keep Stoner out a few years ago with his team telling him the scenarios through the fence...what a joke! I am loving this
ReplyDeletenancy really lifted her skirt for Brookhaven!
ReplyDeleteThe irony of people questioning the Northwood captain's integrity at the detriment of Branch is hilarious! Branch is the shadiest captain in North Texas and that is well documented on this site.
ReplyDeleteTo those saying this will bring bad karma, that must mean Branch has stored up enough bad karma for a lifetime!
Branch's Fall tanking caught up with him this season and by the time he decided to win matches it was too late. Congratulate Brookhaven and Northwood and don't feel bad for the crook that is Branch.
How many times has Branch been to nationals???
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but he won't be going back!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Dallas has had a 4.5 team go to Nationals in the 10 years I've played in Dallas 4.5... Definitely not Branch, despite his "efforts".
ReplyDeleteKevin Conway made it in 2003 I believe, had Scott Pope, Feldman(s), Wright, etc..
ReplyDeleteNot spectacular but all very good players
http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues/reports/TennisLinkReports.asp?Level=T&TeamCode=DB00AB47A6E0755C1584EB0A49480F7E7D5C&CYear=2003
ReplyDeleteJust in case anyone cares.
Let's get some odds for the 4.5 playoffs. Here are mine:
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks 2-1
Oak Creek 6-1
Brookhaven 8-1
Northwood 15-1
Royal Oaks and Oak Creek have dominating singles lineups. Brookhaven is strong at singles and has some great doubles players as well. Northwood has gotten very lucky all year having both weak singles and doubles players.
I would expect Brookhaven and Oak Creek to battle it out for second place.
wow, nancy gets no love from vegas either!
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks - wins in a sleeper. not even close, if they bring their players.
ReplyDeleteFeldman and Northwood - possibility for 2nd or 3rd. this will be the interesting match up of two good teams who are solid.
Brookhaven - who do they have or who have they added. they have not been terribly competitive for the last 6 years and i don't know that they have added anyone recently.
Royal Oaks will dominate. They have 1-2 singles that could beat most 5.0 teams.
ReplyDeleteBrookhaven has a solid singles lineup coupled with doubles teams that should be able to pull of the necessary wins.
Oak Creek and Northwood will battle for 3rd place. My gut is that Northwood will lose all three matches.
Brookhaven and Royal Oaks will have a tight match for first place.
ReplyDeleteOak Creek and Northwood don't have the firepower to match either #1 seeds. They should be in the 4.0 playoffs.
Brookhaven has always been a good team, but in the last year they added Moraif, Hall, Conway, Ramos and Lasalle. Those five are all strong 4.5 players which make them dangerous. To date Brookhaven hasn't figured out how to play the tanking game to get some of their 5.0 guys to play 4.5.
ReplyDeleteRO w/ Kaforin - 1-1 odds
ReplyDeleteRO w/o Kaforin - 5-1 odds
Northwood - 4-1
Brookhaven - 5-1
OC - 10-1
Look for Corey to go 0-3 as he stacks himself at #1 singles.
royal oaks is overrated
ReplyDeleteBrookhaven 3-1
ReplyDeleteOak Creek 5-1
Northwood 8-1
Royal Jokes 50-1
Royal Jokes tries to hard to hype up their team. They will lose to Nancy's team, 4-1.
Royal Jokes...HAHAHAHA. They do blog about themselves to get attention.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks 1-1
ReplyDeleteBrookhaven 8-1
Oak Creek 12-1
Northwood 25-1
Royal Oaks dominates regardless if Kaforin plays. Oak Creek and Brookhaven will be one heck of a battle for 2nd place. Northwood will struggle to win at any line.
royal oaks = pretenders
ReplyDeleteBrookhaven will get 4th at BEST. They have some avg singles players and below avg doubles.
ReplyDeleteWhoever said that adding Jeff LaSalle would help, is off base. Conway/Ramos - maybe a good point. LaSalle may not even crack their lineup.
3.5 singles match-ups: Familiar with the others, but is anyone familiar with the LTF or Greenhill singles lines?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a bitter former teammate of Lasalle. I played against him this season and he was one of the top 4.5 players I played against all year (including Branch). Quit the hating...
ReplyDeleteMaybe Oak Creek upsets Royal Oaks in 4.5 and takes it all?? I can't see Brookhaven or Northwood putting up much of a fight against either Royal Oaks or Oak Creek.
ReplyDeleteLaSalles got game. Not a bad player and will definately help Brookhaven. Just needs to stay away from the buffet lines.
ReplyDeleteThis might be R.O. last chance to shine as they have lost Bui and Gonzalez. After this Fall Molina will probably get the 5.0 B rating so he is gone. Smithson could potentially get bumped but not likely when Sectionals is factored into End of Year.
ReplyDeleteThis will be the time to shine as they will have to reload for the Spring after more than likely losing their Top 3 Singles Players.
I think Molina can stay at 4.5 with the new age rule starting in January 50+ can play 4.5 if they elect to as I understand it quite a few 5.0's and 5.5's will be moving down because of the rule...Also as I understand, there is a concerted effort to add players to the level because players who are rated 4.5 and down are more active within USTA leagues and events which equals more dollars to the USTA
ReplyDeleteI think everyone should lay off Branch. He plays by the same rules as everyone else.
ReplyDeleteSince his teams have never made Nationals, that means that other cities across Texas always have better 4.5 players than we do. Yet those Texas players get beat like drums at Nationals.
Branch is playing by the rules. HIS PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS WITHIN LEVEL. In fact guys that beat them at Sectionals are also within level.
4.5 tennis just sucks in Dallas. You all whine about Branch but that's because you all are very weak and you want to blame someone else for your own failures.
GROW UP!
Um i guess you dont remember Texas won nationals just 2 years ago with Broach and the other 5.5s
ReplyDeleteI just ran the numbers on my computer. 4.5 odds for Fall playoffs shake out this way.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks 1-2
Northwood 10-1
Brookhaven 40-1
Oak Creek 50-1
Provided Royal Oaks gets their players out.
Hey 1:48 come get some!
ReplyDeleteAfter careful calculation clearly these are the correct odds.
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks 1-4
Northwood 2-8
Brookhaven 3-12
Oak Creek 4-16 (However, if they bench their over 50 player they probably move up to 1-3)
Like most every sectional match it will probably come down to super-busters. There is good talent on all four teams and it will be very competitive. Maybe one team will dominate, but I doubt it.
Buffalo
Royal Oaks - Even
ReplyDeleteNancy's Team - 8 to 1
Feldman's Team - 16 to 1
Harley's Team - 8000 to 1
Good luck and have fun with it.
Anyone care to bet money? Igot royal oaks(tiger) and you can have the field?
ReplyDeleteAnd if you take that bet.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to talk with you about a condo and a piece of acreage that i am selling in Florida.
Those picking OC better hope the match doesn't come down to Feldman. He can't win a meaningful match, especially in singles.
ReplyDeletehmmmmmmmm. who would have a beef to say something like that about Todd.
ReplyDeleteHe lost that one big match a few years ago, but other than that, i don't know what you are talking about. Pls give details.
As for the one big match, i know about, it was a morning match and he said that your girlfriend kept him up all night the night before.
Rumor has it that Northwood's top singles and doubles players can't even play that weekend. Will Northwood even win one match against any team?
ReplyDeleteStay tuned.....
hate to get involved in this blog...............but why hate on Todd Feldman?? he has always been a competitive, respectable player and a good captain. I have seen him beat players in big matches he had no business beating. If necessary, hate on one of the anonymous slugs
ReplyDeleteCaveman
I agree with Caveman. Played for years with Feldman. Seen him win a lot of big matches for those teams. The man is clutch except for his fantasy football team. dp
ReplyDeletewow, I guess Feldman has had alot of guys playin with him for years
ReplyDeleteThe only times I don't get on here are the days I miss everything. I think some of you are just trying to agitate me. We won't win a line; that's funny. I will address a few things.
ReplyDelete1. Brookhaven lost their best player from last season (Carl Sechen). We beat them 3-2 last season. However, David Hall has quickly taken his place as a very strong singles player.
2. We lost nobody from last season's playoff lineups. We added Matt McCord in singles who has lost one match to a former 5.0. I have two players who have not lost a match, including one who has not lost a set. So whoever said we would be lucky to win a line is hilarious.
3. Royal Oaks lost their two best players (Bui and Gonzalez), not to mention Adam Webb. All three were big contributors for them in the playoffs. They added Dmitry but to me the question will be if their pros will skip lessons to play any or all of the three matches. I do get really tired of hearing how great Royal Oaks is and how terrible we are when they beat us 3-2 in the fall, when one of my top 4 players tore a leg muscle up a break in the second set of the deciding matches, and two of my other top 5 didn't play. They had all of their big guns playing and they still squeaked by.
4. I honestly have never played against Feldman's team in 3 seasons as captain so I can't say much for them.
I actually see all four teams as even as any playoffs I can remember. If I were forced to make odds, I would go.
1. Royal Oaks 1.5 to 1
2. Northwood 4 to 1
3. Oak Creek 6 to 1
4. Brookhaven 10 to 1
Not trying to offend anybody, that's just how I see it. Sorry I missed all of the commentary today. I was trying to make a living.
Hope you weren't teaching doubles, they should get a refund
ReplyDeleteLMAO - that was pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteCoredawg is really Corey Noel- he uses 2 usernames. Very funny. What a complete and total whack job.
ReplyDeleteI hope they go winless AGAIN in the playoffs.
Corey, in response to your comments, here's a few things to consider:
ReplyDelete1) Your odds are way off. Northwood should be last.
2) Your doubles line-ups can be tough but there does appear to be some stacking involved.
3) Your singles lineup is very weak and can't touch Royal Oaks or Brookhaven.
4) You all barely won most of your matches this season and should feel lucky to be in the playoffs.
Enjoy the next week because next weekend you all are getting destroyed.
and you lost 5-0 to Brookhaven already
ReplyDeletenancy is certainly a very odd duck
ReplyDeleteCorey:
ReplyDeleteYou guys lost to R.O. 3-2 and they had one of their best Singles Players playing Doubles against your best team, saving him or otherwise. If Henry play singles R.O. win 4-1, they did not play Smithson who is one of their better doubles players, yet still won 2/3 doubles.
Yes R.O. lost 2 of their best singles but they still have Molina and potentially the russian depending on the grievance outcome. Also do not count out Rauschuber in Singles as well.
They also have Flores and Zachery in the wings as well.
DCC shoudl be interesting.
My take will be:
Feldman, Rothwell, Noel, Harlee
plus Zachary got sick in that match
ReplyDeleteLet's just face the simple issue, Northwood has a weak line-up and will be lucky to pull of a victory against any of the teams.
ReplyDeleteRumor has it that they will be missing their top singles player and many of their best doubles players. Which leads to the question, can they even win one match?
When was the last time a team lost 5-0 in every match in the playoffs?
Northwood may be the first! Good luck.
It is true we will not have 3 of our better players. I think we will be ok.
ReplyDeleteIn 3.5, it appears that Cline got un-DQ'd.
ReplyDeleteI heard Cline has some friends that work at the USTA Texas Section office and they lobbied to reverse his DQ. All politics. Just depends on who you know.
ReplyDeleteI think each team should show their playoff lineups so we can make more accurate predictions.
ReplyDeleteVegas demands to know the lineups to properly set the odds!
For those of you who haven't been paying attention, I only use one username. We will have as strong of a lineup as we've ever had in the playoffs. It's funny how we squeaked by in so many matches but Royal Oaks won 4 matches 3-2, yet they are the concensus favorite. My top 5 layers have two losses between them all season, so where does 0-5 come from. I would take my doubles teams over any other playoff teams.
ReplyDeleteWho filed the grievance on Dmitry? I missed that. I don't see that being successful if all he has played is junior college. That would eliminate the entire 4.5 division.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is that he self rated and lied about his age. Word is that he is only 18 and put 19 on the self rate. Could be just a rumor.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I don't teach any doubles because I don't teach senior citizens. :)
ReplyDeleteYou better smile when you say that! I'm emailing Gradick & Vadala right now. In fact I know once upon a time Warren played singles and won district in nineteen hundred and seventy two.
ReplyDeleteHey we look forward to some great competition next weekend and I still contend no team is going to run away with City.
I know we aren't overlooking anyone, even teams like yours with two or three antiques(doubles specialists) on it.
Buffalo
corey noel = coredawg = NANCY
ReplyDelete"A turd by any other name is still a turd" _ Walt Whitman
Agreed mighty Buffalo. Look for those senior citizens to storm onto the scene at line 1 doubles on a court near you
ReplyDeleteI think Branch filed the complaint on Dmitry.
ReplyDeleteRumor has it that Northwood may not even bring a full line-up on Saturday. Royal Oaks and Oak Creek may be able to relax their top players.
ReplyDeleteSoooooo you are going to stack your doubles? Ha, if they are at line one I will be a minimum of two courts away. (Maybe three)
ReplyDeleteBuffalo
Rumor also has it on good solid information that I may show up without a full deck on any and every saturday.
ReplyDeleteI also heard from a very reliable source(this blog) that McEnroe filed the complaint and then turned around and self-rated at 4.5
Buffalo
You can call tosha and ask who filed the complaint on Dimitry, if you really want to know. I am sure it is public. Be very interested to see who cared enough to do it. Branch did not.
ReplyDelete2 reasons why Branch's Team did not file the appeal
1. No one on our team was smart enough to spell his name correctly and also the word "greeevance" kept giving us trouble.
2. We are hoping that he goes through, bc he would be a good singles player for us in the spring. Kiron has already offered to fly him to Russia and back 4 times between now and spring time as a sign on bonus. Just kidding Rothwell.
Good luck at Fall Tourney, sorry we screwed the pooch and could not be there to join you all.
Leave Corey alone for losing to Brookhaven and keeping us out :
a. brookhaven deserved it and could have won anyway
b. we did not deserve it and defaulted too many lines this fall
Payback will be hell come spring, but good luck to all of you in the Fall tourney.
Buffalow's Daddy in Doubles
Hmmm, wonder who that might have been? Must be one of those singles players I taught to play doubs. Buff
ReplyDeleteAs I always say, I'm switching to dubs at 30 and mixed at 40. You guys are right. No need to bring out your best lineup against us. We will put up little resistance against any other teams so I don't know why we're even showing up.
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody know for sure when teams play each other? If I'm interpreting the schedule given to us before the season correctly, we would play ROCC first, then Brookhaven, then Oak Creek.
Phil,
ReplyDeleteI hope to meet you (assuming I haven't already) at the playoffs. Everybody on your team that I know is very friendly and I'm sure you will be no exception. Good luck to you!
If you can't play dubs by now then you never will be able to, personally I think you suck at singles too.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't care what you think. I'll play you anytime.
ReplyDeleteHey Cory if you are serious then lets play this week
ReplyDeleteWow - does this mean I finally get to meet anonymous?
ReplyDeletefor a grand
ReplyDeleteI just heard from a very reliable source that Northwood is considering defaulting a line of doubles and singles for the Saturday match. Apparently, many team members are very unhappy with their status and are threatening to quit.
ReplyDeleteWill Northwood even show-up at the playoffs?
Corey - what say you about this. We know you read it, please tell us more. Anon
ReplyDeleteCorey, please let me know if you all plan to default one or two lines as my players are making plans to play that Saturday.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Corey - please let me know which players are pissed and wanting to quit the team. I am considering starting my own team next season.
ReplyDeleteNot sure you want to take any of his players. I believe they are playing 4.0 next season.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the playoff schedule is up on tennislink.
ReplyDeleteAll teams - 12:00 Saturday and then 8:00 & 12:00 on Sunday. Dunno location.
just the names please. i am still waiting to hear from cory.
ReplyDeleteIt's true. We're not even going to play Saturday. We don't want to waste anybody's time. We will just let the other three teams play. My team is really mad at me for taking them to the playoffs three seasons in a row. They are just playing too many matches every season.
ReplyDeletehow do we find out where we play?
ReplyDeleteDo you know how hard it is not to make the playoffs, i have never not made it.
ReplyDeleteIt easy to make the playoffs when you stack every match.
ReplyDeleteUpdated 4.5 Odds:
ReplyDeleteRoyal Oaks 1-2
Oak Creek 12-1
Northwood 25-1
Brookhaven 50-1
All the matches are at Brookhaven. We will continue to stack the lineups in the playoffs too. I'm following the Sisk strategy for success.
ReplyDeleteWhat strategy is that? Play 3.5? Yeah, then you might have a chance!
ReplyDeletenew thread - this one is getting boring.
ReplyDeleteI want to see anon vs Corey in singles. If he won't post his name, how can I take him seriously?
ReplyDeleteSisk
The $1000 challenge sounds like Old School. He threw down the same challenge to anon a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeletelets find out more about this bet, everyone would love to see a couple 4.5s playing for a grand
ReplyDeleteThats alot of senior citizens lessons!
ReplyDeleteTo the 3:08 poster, I said the same thing to John on the phone tonight before I read that. But I have never said anything bad about him and have actually met him and been friendly so I don't see why he would attack me.
ReplyDeletezzzzzzzzzzzzzz, boring
ReplyDeleteyo Coredawggydawg! Its not Old School. If it was, I would pickup the "telephone" and ask if you wanted to play. Which doesn't sound like a bad idea actually I could use the matchplay.
ReplyDeleteAnd the thousand dollars seems steep for the shape that I am in, but maybe a six pack of Miller Lite!
ReplyDeleteI'm always up to play new people. You can always find me at Fair Oaks or here.
ReplyDeleteOr Toys R Us
ReplyDeleteor little boys r us
ReplyDelete