Too Predictable

Almost with as much certainty you can say that Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic will make the semis of most Grand Slams, you can say that City Playoffs will come down to Somabut, Sisk, and Arcaria.

Lucky Thunder summized it all in his April 3 post which got a whopping 8 comments.  But he predicted the season with pinpoint accuracy except for Flight E which has Oak Creek Bogle taking 2^nd spot in place of the Village.

It is amazing to me that 4.0 has become sooo predictable that our fearless blogger can call 1^st place and 2^nd place of each flight before the season even begins.   But this is what 4.0 has come to; a quagmire of players with the most talented easily rising to the surface and sticking out like a sore thumb.

There is no going out on a limb to make a call as to what the results of City Playoffs will be.  But I will go ahead and make my calls, which to me, is blatantly obvious, but will hopefully stir the pot and get some of you out there to liven up this blog and get some trash talking going before the showdown begins.

Rather than taking a “bottom-up” approach and call which teams end up in which flight (since Jane and John are smoking peyote and it is anyone’s guess), I will take a Top-down approach and call give you your 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners.  This is so easy, it isn’t fair.

City Champs – Team Somabut—

He has the talent, depth, and the unknown of the self-rates.  His talent level is deep and I just don’t see who is going to challenge him.  While he was in a fairly easy flight, his wins were uncontested and convincing, winning all matches either 5-0 or 4-1.  He beat their 2^nd place team in their flight, Greenhill, 5-0.  With a roster of 23 and getting each player 2-3 matches, he never had to rely on any single set of players week in and week out.  He managed a flawless season playing his whole roster.  As far as singles, Kargel is the only player who played with any regularity, followed by Abercrombie.  Kargel was an Appeal, but no past record to be overly concerned with.   My guess is his singles players are self-rates who were hidden in the roster playing doubles regular season.  When playoffs come, and he plays his top horses together when he needs them, he easily walks away the winner.

Runner up and Wild Card to Sectionals – Team Arcaria

I at first battled with who will take 2^nd, Sisk or Arcaria.  I assume both of these teams will be in the same flight, and fighting each other to take on Somabut in the finals.  Sisk relies on what he thinks are “shoe-in” singles with Flora and Zackary.  I agree, Flora will beat most, but Zackary is fallible –having 3 matches going to 3 sets and losing 2 of the 3.  He can be beat.   On the flip side, I compare this with Arcaria’s roster.  He had Glasgow and Gerber playing singles most of the regular season, with Alfonso Muriel and Kent Gray playing a few matches.   Alfonso is a self-rate so  I assume he is a ringer.  Gray went 3 sets with Boozer from Fretz which puts doubt in my head on him being a ringer.  Glasgow has game, but I can’t see him pushing that weight in 3 sets in 105 degrees come mid-July.  Arcaria must be hiding someone but I just don’t see who it is.  The only unknown is Tyler Flemming, and  I don’t think he is it.  So with proper match ups, they split singles.

So now I look at doubles.   – Sisk has Caceras, Cocoran, and Pace, but I am reaching to find the others.  While Arcaria doesn’t have the powerhouse players he had last Spring, I still think he has better all-around doubles players to get 2 lines from Sisk IF properly matched-up.   I give team Arcaria the edge, but easily could be wrong.

The Dark Horse –  Team Pearlman

As I continue down the flights of players and look throughout the roster, I can’t help to be impressed with Brookhaven Pearlman.  Boccara and Arenas both went udefeated, although I can’t say they were tested with the best, but still impressive.  Most impressive is the depth of Pearlman’s doubles and I think it would be foolish to count them out.  I believe they easily can take 2 lines from any team they go against, so it would come down to their singles.  If match up properly against Sisk with Flora/Zackary, I could see them providing the upset.  Same with Arcaria.  He only has Alfonso as his shoe-in.  Pearlman could be the spoiler of the whole event, and I can easily see him taking 2^nd place away from Sisk or Acaria.

Not surprised if last – No offense Carey.  You did a great job calling the season in April, but I just don’t see the strength in your team this year.  I could be wrong, but none of your wins were convincing and there is too much tougher competition out there, I just don’t see you placing. 

QT – Battle between Greenhill and Canyon Creek.  Regardless of the winner, they fight Bazan for last place in the City.    

OK  That is my assessment.  Prove me wrong and let’s here the smack talk.  Who’s got the Shit to go out there and win this thing and beat Somabut ???

4.5 Update - How Things change

Flight A - Once again, we have a cat fight here for #2. I think I will stick with my opinion that this was the toughest flight due to 2 weeks left and 4 teams competing for the last playoff spot in the flight! JCC is technically in the catbird seat, with 3 wins up and two of the easier matches for the last 2 weeks. Not away to gear up for QT as I would want my harder matches last, but if they don't get 5-0 wins this week and next week, they could find themselves behind to whomever won the Garland/TBar unreported slug fest!!! (TBar is 4 wins behind them with the Garland match...AGAIN...unreported. - Must of been a rainout).

Hard to believe the QT winner might come down to whom can beat up on the lesser teams in the flight over the next 2 weeks. Collin County and LB Houston have got to be pretty unhappy that even though they have a combined 1 team win, the matches they play over the next 2 weeks greatly impact the playoffs. woh woh wohhhhh.

Flight B - Well well well. We have surprises here. Of course RO wins the flight, but low and behold, who would of thought that Mr. Bartlett and The Beatles would be in control of QT in Flight B? Not I sure. Especially after having such a crappy Fall showing. How could this happen? Is Bartlett giving pep talks before matches to rally the boys? Maybe we need to do checks for HGH on that team? I think I noticed that Bobby Smith hat size has grown about 3 sizes since last year, could he be on "the juice"? All I know is something is going on here, cause here they are solidly in the playoffs.

Flight C - Another blog surprise with Oak Creek Herget in the driver's seat ahead of pre season favorites Noel & Rossouw. I don't get why Rossouw and Noel keep trying to snatch defeat from victory, but the generosity of both teams is unprecedented from my memory!!!! The playoffs start SUNDAY in this flight!!! Rossouw is favored by 2 lines with two weeks left. HOWEVER, the next 2 teams they play are ALSO fighting for a playoff spot and they are only up by 2 lines to BH / Harlee. A lot of sleepless nights for Rossouw over the next 2 weeks. Oh the humanity!!! Should Rossouw slip up we have .... HARLEE pushing hard for the QT spot! They play one team that is still in the the playoff hunt with Juhn. With a Noel loss to Rossouw and a Juhn win over Harlee, Juhn has an outside chance as well to make the playoffs. I would dig down further, to figure it all out, but, nah, I am feeling too lazy to dig all that up. I will let you propeller heads figure the If, then statements. Long story short. We also have 4 teams pushing for that last QT spot with a team that I never gave a chance sitting in 1st place.

Good Luck Gentlemen and have a fun week!

Women's Tennis Association Tourney - August 19-27

the WTA is bringing professional tennis back to the Dallas Fort Worth with the announcement of The Texas Tennis Open to be held August 19-27, 2011 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, TX. This event is expected to attract a number of the "top 20" players as they prepare for the U.S. Open. Wickmeyer is expected to participate in Dallas!