Last Week of 4.5...

We are now in the final week of the season.  4.5 and 5.0 wrap up then we have the 4th of July.  Most things are settled but a last rundown and then we will get some real playoff previews.  With the last thread getting more than a little chippy, here we go...

5.0  Undefeated TBar has Rossouw left.  That should put them in first place.  2nd and third haven't changed.  Lakes could win the flight if they sweep and TBar gets swept.  TBar wins with a single line win. 

4.5
Flight A:  JCC is undefeated with one loss LB Houston to go.  Fretz has one loss too.  JCC needs only 1 line to secure the flight.  Fretz needs to sweep and JCC needs to be swept.  Fretz has Gleneagles.  I don't see anything major happening so I'll cal the flight as JCC, Fretz and LB.

Flight B:  This is easily match of the week as undefeated Oak Creek and undefeated Lakes play a winner take all match.  I like the Lakes to win this but expect 3-2 either way.

Flight C: Brookhaven leads the Village by 2 lines so much can happen.  They play TBar weak team so they should win.  Village still has Oak Creek left and OC has only 2 losses and 1 line behind the Village.  I like BH to win the flight and the Village to win a 3-2 to take second.

Breaking News... DTA May Reinstitute Player Gifts... This is

For some of you new guys, the DTA used to provide player gifts.  We would receive a single wrist band or sometimes a sock.  The DTA decided to stop that practice to give us more matches.  The DTA has decided that it may be time to reinstate the practice and believes they have come up with the perfect gift for Dallas League Players.  It is none other than a Pacifier.

Let the Playoffs Begin - or you can just keep complaining, I get paid the same

Since 4.5 still has a little left before they finish the regular season, here are the final results from 4.0 flight play.  Bold flight winners head straight to cities.  Italicized second place teams and third place teams head to QT, with McKinney and SpringPark just missing the playoffs.  I’m not a fan of the two flight format for city playoffs.  It will produce the best team but will not always produce the second best team.  Since Dallas often gets a wild card, this seems a little unfair.  Of course the Dallas wild card doesn’t typically do a lot at sectionals so maybe it doesn’t matter.

City playoffs - High Point/Le will be the #1 seed at cities and should have Brookhaven/Bartlett and one of the QT winners in its flight.  Bartlett gets the High Point flight based on the sets lost tie breaker.  Since I think High Point wins it all, they’ll need to be picked to win their flight first.

The other flight should be Oasis/Moehler, GTC/Sisk and the other QT winner.  Here’s a real mystery.  I don’t think I know anyone on the Oasis roster but there’s no denying they are undefeated.  Everyone knows GTC/Sisk but it’s been a while since he’s been a factor.  This will come down to who is available as neither team seems to sport a lot of depth.

QT playoffs – Again, a two flight format with both flight winners headed to city playoffs.  Greenhill/Ohl should be the #1 seed but I’m not sure that’s a good thing.  They should have Oak Creek/Head and Fretz/Noel in their flight.  Ohl was the preseason favorite to come out of QT but he lost his best singles player to a Fort Worth team.  If Corey can get his singles stud out for the playoffs, I’ll take him in the upset.  Otherwise it should remain Ohl.

The other flight should be Oak Creek/Ramasami, Oak Creek/Lai and Greenhill/Wendelken, guaranteeing that a new player will be at 4.0 cities this year.  I don’t see Greenhill being a factor here so I’ll take Oak Creek.  Your guess on which one is as good as mine.

Flight A – Oasis/Moehler 9-0 (35-10)

Oak Creek/Lai 8-1 (29-16)

Fretz/Noel 7-2 (31-14)

Flight B – High Point/Le 9-0 (40-5)

Greenhill/Ohl 8-1 (34-11)

SpringPark/Walters 5-4 (26-19)

Flight C – Brookhaven/Bartlett 8-1 (32-13) (31)

Oak Creek/Ramasami 8-1 (28-17)

McKinney/Bazan 6-3 (27-18)

Flight D – GTC/Sisk 8-1 (32-13) (30)

Oak Creek/Head 7-2 (32-13)

Greenhill/Wendelken 6-3 (31-14)

10 Players on Your Team Roster...

 

 

#1 — The Official Awesome Clothes and Equipment Guy

You don’t know exactly what his salary is, but it’s apparently more than yours. Or, if he does make what you make, he is spending 90-percent of his income on tennis equipment when he should be spending it on lessons. He’s got several top-of-the line state of the art new Wilson Pro Staff RF97 and certainly had a Prince Boron in the 1980s.   He wears those new Roger Federer Vapor shoes that match his Roger Federer outfit for each Grand Slam.  He even has the matching head band and moisture-wicking performance apparel under his clothes, wrist bands and an expensive 15 racquet combi bag to keep it all in. Estimated retail price: way, way, way too much for a tennis league that has a grand prize of a $4 clean up towel.

It’s all well and good, though, as long as this guy isn’t control of any sort of budget at work. If he is, expect your company to go under by the end of the year, just after his $400,000 remodel of the reception area is completed.

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#2 — The Injury Machine

He has yet to make it through a single season without suffering a major injury. Sprained ankle, torn hamstring, broken finger. There was even that time he got attacked by a swarm of bees in returning serve from the ad-court. Cal Ripken played 2,632 consecutive baseball games against the greatest competition in the world; this guy can’t even make it through 2 sets and a Super Tiebreak.

And while his injuries hurt the performance of your tennis team, it’s even worse having to listen to him groan about them.

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#3 — The No-Show

League team isn’t mandatory and everyone has — or tries to have — a life outside. So sometimes it can be a challenge to wrangle up 8 players for a match. It’s even more of a challenge when you suspect that one of your teammates who has confirmed they’ll be there won’t show up.

You: Really? Are you sure you can make it this week? Because you left us in a bind last week. And the week before.

No-Show: Oh, definitely. I’ll be there. There was just a miscommunication with my wife about picking up the kids last week. I’ll be there Saturday. You can count on me.

You: Alright. You are our eighth player. We’re counting on you. Be there by 2 pm, okay?

No-Show: I’ll be there by 1:30.

By the time 3:30 rolls around, your team is one player short and giving a default. Oh, well. At least the team always has a good excuse for sucking.

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#4 — The Ex-Tennis Star

He played in high school, maybe even college, and he’s the most talented player on your team by far. There is pressure on him to perform. And he’s feeling it. Maybe that’s why he’s swinging so hard and killing the windscreen. Really, really, really hard.

Ah, jeez. There’s another hard hit passing shot. It’s an easy 6 feet out. All you needed was to put the ball in a square big enough to land a helicopter.  But it was an impressive miss. No one else on your team could hit it even half that hard or that high up the back fence. Who cares that he’s going .500. He intimidates the opposition.

And remember that one match last fall when he stomped Mike Kelly? That was easily one of the greatest moments in the history of the team. 

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#5 — The Drunk

In the parking lot before the match he’s drinking. He’s drinking during the match between changeovers. And all he talks about between swigs is where everyone wants to go out after the match. It’s very likely he has a serious drinking problem. But then everyone has known that since he drunkenly dry-humped a fake tree during the team after party.

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#6 — The Hot Girl on Your Mixed Team

She might be an intern, she might just be a young, attractive teammate for morale purposes. But she looks really good in a short skirt and a tight t-shirt. Has she ever played tennis? She looks really good in a short skirt and a tight t-shirt. Could it be argued that the team would be better if she wasn’t invited to play? She looks really good in a short skirt and a tight t-shirt.

Also, running or bending. She looks really good when she’s running or bending. Can’t forget that. She looks amazing when she’s running or bending.

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#7 — The Tennis Girl on Your Mixed Team

She is awesome at tennis and often on a Springpark mixed team. She played tennis in school and is a great athlete. She routinely hits the aces when they move in for her serve, assuming no girl has that kind of power. She’s one of the only players on the team who can hit an overhead out of the air without making it an adventure. Unfortunately for her, almost no one notices any of this because she doesn’t look quite as good in a short skirt and a tight t-shirt as that other girl.

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#8 — The Guy Who Brings His Kids

Lots of people on the team hate The No-Show, but at least he doesn’t use the team as his after-hours child care. And the worst part, now everyone has to watch what they say and do because little kid ears are present. Thanks a lot for making a non-working activity even more restrictive than being at work, fella.

The Drunk doesn’t play by the G-rated rules, however. “Hey, Tom’s girl — how old are you? Eleven? Dammit. You look older.”

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#9 — The Moron

Somehow this person grew up in America playing sports yet has almost zero understanding of the rules of Tennis.  He runs to the net regardless of the situation.  And whenever he asks the score, he wants to know how many “points” each team has.  He has no concept of where to stand on the tennis court. You have to repeatedly remind him when it is his turn to serve and which side he is returning.

Why is he even playing tennis? Who knows. He might just be so dumb that he thinks he’s playing cricket.  After all, he plays tennis like he does cricket.

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#10 — The Guy on Your Team Because He Has Friend on the Team and He really Sucks

Competitors at the Special Olympics don’t get more encouragement than this guy.

“Great Stroke! It will reach the net next time!”

“Oh! Bad break there. Not your fault.  It must have hit a rock and that is why you whiffed.”

“No worries. You got beat by that guy and I doubt anyone else could win that. Productive loss!  Thanks for taking one for the team.”

Weekly Wrap. It is all done for some and nearing the end for the rest...

The season is really close to done and playoffs and mid-season ratings will be out.  July and August are always the most exciting months of the year for us wannabe tennis professionals.

5.0--And then there was one...  The TBar v Lakes battle for supremacy was played and TBar swept.  They are the lone undefeated team.  They only have the blog's own contributor teams of CoreDawg4.5 and Rossouw5.0 left.  Both teams are capable of putting some good lines out but I doubt it is enough.  The Lakes only have Rossouw left.

4.5  Has the most to still play...

Flight A:  JCC is still the lone undefeated but they have a matchup against 1 loss LB Houston on the 28th.  Unless they lost to the unreported score with Huffhines, not much to say about them other than Michael is on a collision course with City Playoffs.  CoreDawg4.5 has only one loss with only middle of the pack Gleneagles left.  They have a collision course with QT.

Flight B:  This is the easiest analysis ever... Lakes and Oak Creek are both undefeated.  They play each other on the 28th.  Winner goes to Cities and Loser goes to QT.

Flight C:  My initial pick was Brookhaven to win this flight and when they stumbled to the Village I thought I missed.  Village stumbled later and opened the door.  Brookhaven takes on perennial 3.5 power Greenhill/Alzuro to win this flight.  Village has only 1 loss with an unreported Garland Sisk and a date with 3rd place and 2 loss Oak Creek/Pribadi on the 28th.  I suspect it is Village to QT.

4.0  This season is  done with the exception of a few unreported scores.

Flight A:  Oasis/Moehler... once again, who the hell are they?  They are undefeated with 1 unreported score.  It is against 1 loss Eagles Landing so likely advancing to City Championships.  Fretz and Oak Creek haven't reported either; each have 1 loss.  The winner goes to QT and loser might go to QT.

Flight B:  Very little to report here as early season favorite, High Point, finished undefeated and early season QT favorite, Greenhill/Ohl (due to the flight as they win any other flight) finishes second.

Flight C:  Brookhaven/Bartlett comes from behind and wins this flight.  Oak Creek comes in second and gets the QT honors.  Bazan faltered down the stretch and gets edged out.

Flight D:  Garland returns to take this flight.  Oak Creek/Head takes the QT and some unknown guys from Greenhill take third.  Looks like they might have edged McKinney/Bazan for the other QT spot.

Weekly Wrap... and Return of the Mack..

First, congratulation to Alan Abruzzesse's 40+ mixed teams.  Dallas advanced his 8.0 and 7.0 teams.  Dallas goes 2 for 4 and that is pretty strong.  In the quest for 2015 nationals after the first real sectionals weekend, Dallas 2. Austin 1 and Fort Worth 1. 

The one time Pimp of the Year has returned to get his crown(s) back.  Alan has shown why he is the Mack of Mixed, Ayatollah of Mixed or The Mixed Lord Hummungus himself.  He took Voldemort and his cadre and brought home two Mixed Sectionals trophies.  I am hoping this is the beginning of the Year of Dallas.

Promise of No More Mixed Talk... For Awhile At Least

With no further adieu, the season is nearing the end.  For the most part, the playoffs are set.

5.0  There is nothing to report as Match of the Year is this week between TBar and Lakes.  This is a tough one to call but it will likely be 2-1.

4.5 
Flight A:  In the Match of the Week, JCC beat Fretz 4-1.  This probably wraps this flight up.  LB Houston gets a crack at JCC but they are 7 more line losses behind with more matches to play than JCC.

Flight B: Oak Creek and Lakes are undefeated with their match waiting for the 28th.  Lakes still needs to beat last place Fretz.  Not much to say until then.  Winner to City Championships and loser to QT.

Flight C:  Village and Brookhaven each with 1 loss.  BH has 2 less line losses but Village has the H2H which comes into play if they are tied at lines.  Just have to wait and see.  I don't see either teams putting weaker lines out if they can avoid it.  They will be trying to sweep.

4.0
Flight A:  Oasis defeats previously unbeaten Oak Creek 5-0.  I still have no idea who this is.  Fretz only has 1 loss but unless Oasis gets swept by cellar dweller Eagles Landing, they cannot be caught.

Flight B:  High Point has this one wrapped up.  They get 2 DQs and still have it wrapped up.  Greenhill may have the second best team but they had the bad luck of being put in with the best.  I thought High Point could draw their playoff lineups out of a hat and still win cities.

Flight C:  Bazan v Bartlett have a battle royale this weekend to determine who wins this flight.  Win or go home as loser may not make QT.  Oak Creek has runner up pretty much wrapped up.

Flight D: This is one of the most interesting flights.  Garland could have wrapped the flight but lost to Oak Creek 3-2.  Now, he needs to merely beat TBar.  Oak Creek and Royal Oaks are vying too. In the end, Sisk will put out a good line and win this flight.

Until next week...

Shall We Play a Game? 40s Mixed Sectionals Preview...

I am always amused that for a game nobody likes (including me), it gets more attention than any other topic.  Also, since we are winding down and there is little else in the line of news to discuss until playoffs, I decided to make a little (and I mean a little) research into how our boys and girls (older boys and girls) will do on the first real quest for nationals for 2015.  I opted to ask the WOPR who would win this weekend and this is what I got...

9.0  We are represented by a Fretz/Lallier team.  Looking at the roster, the best player is Justin Huffman.  He is a consistent producer and a tough matchup for anyone.  At 40+, he has as good of a serve as you will find.  His issue is not him on the court but he has a 5.0 rating.  That means he gets to play with a 4.0 woman.  Looking at the results, his 4.0 women are not the kind that are about to get moved to 4.5.  The other 5.0s are Blake Whitaker and Marc Resteiner.  Both are good players but they too must play with a 4o woman.  Their best hope lies with a 4.5/4.5 combination.  Williams, Laselle & Ramos are all good 4.5s but not the very top.  I hate to say it but I am not sold on this team getting out of sectionals.  Their competition is Austin, Houston, NOHO and Fort Worth.  All are known to be pretty good.  It will be tough but 40s is not quite the same.  I hope I am wrong but see them finishing in the middle of the pack.

8.0 We are represented by the always formidable Springpark/Abbruzzese squad.  I believe they are our best chance to win sectionals.  Alan's 3.5 women are usually better than manyof the other team's 4.0 women.  They are helped a lot that their 4.5 men of Eugene Davis and Voldemort Kelly are better than anyone else's 4.5 men.  Donnie Pollard is right there with them.  Alan is sitting proudly with his 4.0 rating means he gets to play with women better than his usual opponent.  Their team is probably too much for anyone else.  I'm not seeing where other teams can get two lines.

7.0 We are represented by another Springpark/Abbruzzese squad.  This team appears to be a contender but not as stacked as Alan's 8.0 team.  They have Zackary, Clark ad Pearson as 4.0 men.  Similar to Alan, Wiley is sitting with a 3.5 rating so he gets to play with a better woman.  Their 3.5 women probably won't be as strong as the 8.0 or Alan would be playing them at 8.0.  Regardless, you don't beat everyone easily unless you have some players.  I'm not as convinced but they should be competitive with anyone.

6.0  We are represented by Greenhill/Alzuro.  To be honest, I didn't even know there was a 6.0 team until today.  There aren't a lot of teams and I don't know anything about this team so I am going to pick them to win sectionals.  I could try and analyze it but I've never heard anything about them.

I'm really hoping we go 4 for 4 and make a statement.  I don't think we get shutout but going 4 for 4 is asking a lot.  Good luck to all of you.

Another Week Down and nearing the end...

5.0
In 5.0, my lock to win it has lost again.  I thought Perkison had the team and now he has two losses.  In a surprise, Jooste lost his doubles line.  Therefore, Lakes and TBar play on the 13th to win this flight.  This is some quality tennis.  I hate to admit I was wrong but at this point, I concede. Match of the week s coming on the 13th so barring anything unforeseen, not much to report until then.

4.5 
Flight A has The blog's own Corey Noel Fretz team undefeated with Michael Reiman's undefeated JCC team playing this week.  This should be the match of the week for any level.

Flight B has Oak Creek and Lakes undefeated.  They don't play until the 28th.  I think Lakes could lose this week when they play a dangerous TBar team that has underachieved.  Oak Creek has just the 28th match as a roadblock.

Flight C has nothing to report as only Village is unbeaten and the only team that should be able to challenge them they have already beaten.  They do still have might last place Sisk team that could beat them if 'He that shall not be named' and Sam 'Lost his game' Huynh finds their games.  Never mind, that is only two lines.

4.0
Flight A has Oak Creek and Oasis sitting undefeated.  Here are two teams that I know NOTHING about.  They do play each other so one has to lose so win or go to QT.  I give this one a Match of the Week status.

Flight B still has High Point as undefeated and untested but they didn't play this week.  This flight is just a formality and was decided long before there was a team number.  Greenhill will be headed to QT.

Flight C has three 1 loss teams.  McKinney plays Brookhaven in this flight's Match of the Week.  Winner gets to QT and loser probably gets to watch.  The other 1 loss team has already vanquished their closest challengers.  It is good to see some new blood as I know nobody on that team either.

Flight D has GTC in frst with two teams with two losses.  Royal Oaks and Oak Creek each have two losses and play the last week of the season.  Oak Creek has Garland this week and in a must win situation or in danger of missing QT.  I guess this is sorta Match of the Week.

I know how popular the mixed posts are and since I have had so much popular demand, I will consider looking at 40s Mixed sectionals this week and wrote something.  I can't guarantee it but if I have the time.