With the real season over, the more experienced guys sectionals is up next. The 40s winners are usually the team that can find some singles players. The doubles are usually pretty salty but the singles is usually pretty bland.
4.5+ Dallas is represented by Brookhaven/Harllee. They are usually pretty formidable in 18s so they should do well. They catch a break in their flight as it is Dallas West (Ft. Worthless), Valley, NOHO and San Angelo. Fort Worth has a couple of 5.0s that I don't know. I doubt any can match up with Bruno. Anis is Dallas' other 5.0 so I have to like their chances to get out of their flight. On the other side, I suspect Austin will come out. I say that because while the DTA tells us that Austin is opposed to mid-season rating leagues, Austin gets to use them. I suspect that advantage would be enough. Austin still has the mighty Juan DeKruyff and I hope he and Bruno play to see who is the Texas 40+ big dog.
This flight is tough. It has always tough Houston, Austin and San Antonio. I suspect this will take something out of these guys.
For this reason, I'll take Dallas.
4.0 Dallas is represented by Fretz/Clark. This team looks a lot like the Tony Le 18s team that punched their ticket to Nationals. They have Corpus, NETX and San Antonio. I like them to get out of this flight and probably play the lucky loser as I assume that will be the 4 seed.
It is a 3 flight event so a lucky loser will still make the semis. This is the team I expect to play Dallas.
The second flight will be either Austin or Houston. Austin gets those mid-season ratings but it is Houston. Looking at the roster, I say Houston but not sure.
The third flight will probably be Dallas-West/Rigney. This looks a lot like the sectionals finalist team for 18s and I have no reason to think they started sucking. Looking at NOHO, they look like the likely lucky loser.
I'm feeling like a homer so I like Dallas to advance.
I'm really homerish this week so I am taking Dallas in 3.0 and 3.5 too but I didn't even open up the teams.
Good Luck this weekend.
NOHO will destroy Rigney!
ReplyDeleteYou dream.
DeleteI've heard Rigney is walking around the riverwalk complaining about how loaded the Dallas team is.
DeleteIt is only 5:00. They won't be loaded for a few more hours.
DeleteGo Dallas !!
ReplyDeleteso is it Abilene or San Angelo that made it? When you click on San Angelo it goes to the Abilene Team, which beat San Angelo in their local league. Typical TTA can't tell their elbow from their a$$hole
ReplyDeleteGood luck to all the Dallas teams! Anyone else notice the number of teams seems to be getting smaller each year? Also, no wildcards in 4.0 or 4.5, The only wildcard was in 3.5.
ReplyDeleteRigney is going to have to fire a few players. First losing to NOHO and then only going 4-1 against Valley. He is going to need some luck to even make the Semis now. Has he lost his touch already?
ReplyDeleteSomewhat in defense, NOHO has a good team, and the line lost against Valley was due to cramps I hear. You're right about the luck though, if Houston sweeps against Amarillo(?), Rigney & team is out.
DeleteI doubt the sweep so Rigney should get there. He should have beaten NOHO. It wouldn't happen again. Looks like Austin's mid-season ratings is paying off.
DeleteLost what touch? Last year's team went 2-13 at sectionals. This 40s team couldn't finish as the best second place team in flight play. Ok, he took a team to sectionals finals. Not bad, but not exactly the magic touch. Call me when he's won his flight at nationals.
DeleteSounds like Rigney has touched some of you. Maybe inappropriately. Kinda funny since his team has yet to win anything other than a weak FW division.
DeleteAnd FW is terrible. There is one good team and a bunch of bad ones. I'm surprised more Dallas captains aren't pulling a Russouw and putting more teams over there. I'm game. It would be nothing to finish 2nd and get the sectionals invite. I know because Klameckis team was embarrassing at both the FW finals and sectionals.
Austin came up big today. Looks like FW couldn't live up to the hype. Rigney is probably getting some of his "3.5" guys to forge birth certificates to get them on the over 40 team.
ReplyDeleteWhy does the DTA say we can't play with mid-season ratings because Austin says we can't but Austin still does? Our women can and they use the TCD excuse. It is total bullshit as it puts Dallas at a huge disadvantage.
DeleteDallas wins 3-2
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Dallas from NOHO - the better team won. Now bring home the National title...
DeleteDallas dominated. Only lost one line (the other retired after they clinched the trip to nationals) It is one thing to assemble the talent, but quite another to come through on the court. No matter what, this team and the 18 & Over have produced under pressure.
ReplyDeleteTough competition all weekend. The NOHO boys had a strong crew and played well.
ReplyDeleteA very nice season for Dallas 4.0. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteTo say that Dallas dominated is an understatement. To go 23-2 (1 line was a retire that they probably win) is just outright ridiculous. Scott Faris ( Former UIW standout) was untouchable and toying with people. I don't have a problem with the domination, but what I do hate is when I see these ridiculous fall losses that generated these ratings. Also, looking at the 2016 DTA Fall league and seeing Le and the boys tanking as of last week is quite amusing too.
ReplyDeleteIt will be fun to see all these 4.0 guys that made it to Nationals get bumped to 5.0 year end. It's bound to happen.
A former collegiate player dominating NTRP 4.0 40s? Well played Dallas, well played! Must be very satisfying...
DeleteQuite satisfying Thanks for inquiring.
DeleteWho tanked last weekend besides supposedly Le? Delapaz, Newman, Voss and Faris are not on a Fall team. Arcaria, Sweeney and Mbede won their recent Fall matches.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're looking at the wrong year. Arcaria went 0-4 in the Fall. Losing all eight sets.
DeleteOn the surface Sweeney looks OK in the Fall.
Mbede was 2-2 in the Fall (as a 3.5).
Stetzer lost all four at 4.5, but played two at singles. These could be legit, but the intent to get bumped down appears to be there.
I can kind of understand doing this as a 19 year old, but guys over 40??? I hope they none of them procreated.
I misread. The guys that were tanking this past weekend with Tony Le were Mike Pearson, Adam Recker, Joseph Kan, Tommy Coleman, Michael Campbell, and Dean McSherry. Hopefully when these guys try to switch jobs, the internet search for them will turn this up and will make them think twice about hiring them.
DeleteMike Pearson lost in the recent fall league match. Obviously, something happens to Dallas 4.0 guys come the fall. They forget how to play and then in the summer they find their rhythm. Good for them. They'll be back in 2 years I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteGuess you better win next year then
DeleteToo bad USTA can't do some simple things like not counting fall matches or keeping self rates out of the post season. Or start evaluating players again instead of these silly computer questionnaires. At least evaluate players at playoffs and sectionals. Then if a player gets bumped for being out of level, make them stay at new level for at least two years. Then Freeman and Le will have to manage their rosters on 3 yr cycles.
DeleteUSTA Texas says it's up to the local league to determine whether or not to count Fall leagues toward ratings. Houston has stopped counting Fall leagues toward ratings. Their 4.0 40+ team looked like a borderline 4.0/4.5 team at Sectionals like it should.
DeleteYep, I'm tanking guys down in fall league as we speak. Got the Le guidelines on how to work the system. Thanks!!
ReplyDelete