Sisk's challenge will be managing all the heads of his monster.
Yes, Virginia, the tri-level draws are out. Have you figured out by now that they show up
on tennislink last?
Somebody really likes Tony.
They back door into the Dallas title after losing to team Vince/Corey. And now they end up in a flight that does not
have Freeman, SETX or the FW team.
Yes, it is cobbled together from various parts but it’s dangerous. Bring your pitchforks and torches if you want
to have any success, but FW is the favorite at this point.
Flight 1 Friday:
play begins at noon with FW taking on Wild Dallas (Vince/Corey). Congrats on your wild card invite. Wild Dallas has already shown they can play
but they start off down 1-0 on the 3.5 line, as will everyone else. If you aren’t a believer yet look at the doubles
finals of the 4.5 Cotton Bowl. Yes, 4.5. (One of Rigney's 3.5s beat Michael Reiman/Wyekhuen Hong, Sam Huynh/Victor Tran, Krystan Lazarin/JD Miles, Sam Huynh/Victor Tran and Tom Adcock/Brandon Myers on the way to winning 4.5 doubles). At 1:30 its SETX versus NOHO. Since SETX is basically SEHO, Freeman knows
these guys well and I assume he will be adequately prepared. At 3:00 Dallas Wild draws San Antonio. No disrespect to SA but this may be as easy
as it gets if you want a win. Finally,
NOHO versus San Antonio at 6:00.
Flight 2 Friday: Tony’s biggest issue will be not looking too
far ahead to the final and slipping up.
Dallas opens with Austin at noon so that should keep them sharp. At 1:30 it’s Houston versus NETX. Both teams are respectable but the Houston team
actually finished second and NETX usually does ok but won’t contend. At 3:00 Dallas has San Angelo and at 6:00 it’s
San Angelo versus NETX.
Flight 1 Saturday:
now it gets really interesting. At 9:30 FW plays San Antonio but SA could be
out of the running by then. At 1:00 NOHO
plays Dallas Wild. This will be a fun
match to watch as DW continues to find a combination that makes a
statement. SETX versus SA at 1:30 –
yeah, yeah, get on with it.
And at 3:30 the much
anticipated tri-level final of FW versus NOHO. A rematch of sorts at 4.0. FW took out Freeman at 4.0 (18) sectionals
and Dallas took out Freeman at 4.0 (40) sectionals. We have a lot of those same players out on
the court. It’s a true heavy weight
brawl. So FW starts up 1-0 with their 9.0
line of 3.5s. Actually, if they want to
FW can roll out a 9.0 line at every level of play. Should this have just been 4.5 tri-level
instead of 4.5 and under tri-level? Don’t
think Freeman comes defenseless but it’s an uphill battle starting off
1-0. And you still have to play Kelly
and Faris. I have to wonder if FW’s best
line might actually be Kelly paired with Faris.
Much remains to be seen about who they will play with and will Kelly have
to play every match for FW to win.
Oh, wait. There are
more matches? Huh? Wild Dallas plays SETX at 5:00 and the final
is actually Sunday morning? WTF?
Yes, it seems to be true.
There are more matches. I am a
big conspiracy theorist but I tend not to think USTA Austin conspired on the flights
(we can discuss certain DTA actions another time) if for no other reason that I
don’t see them rewarding Tony this year.
I see no reason it shouldn’t be a Dallas versus FW grudge
match in the final. There is always the issue of guys who can't get to matches on Friday but I have to assume everyone is available. Tony took out Rigney’s
guys in 4.0 (18) finals but other than the 9.0 3.5 line, these aren’t Rigney’s
guys. And I do like Kelly as my second line. Have to give this one to FW.
I am going to write a more in-depth analysis later but this is for today...
I am going to write a more in-depth analysis later but this is for today...
Sisk team roll.
ReplyDeleteMurray, how in the hell would you pick Kelly winning over Tim Greene. Kelly is 51 and Greene is 33. Greene has a solid 5.0 player as a partner and no offense to the other two 4.5's on Sisk roster but they don't scare anyone. Are you smokin something????
DeleteHe probably picks him because he appears 1) to be Murray's boy and 2) he is a Dallas guy exiled to Fort Worthless. Murray always picks the Dallas guys. Don't forget that Kelly almost always wins!
DeleteWell, Murray probably going on the following premise:
DeleteTRILEVEL national titles:
Kelley 1
Greene 0..... But who's counting
I thought Marcos and Alfredo were unbeatable? Oh yeah, Kelly showed us how to beat them.
ReplyDeleteKelly will lose this year. Trust me
ReplyDeleteHe loses most of his men's league matches. I am sure he loses.
DeletePerhaps the more relevant question is - will he play? 2 years ago we expected to see him play Tim Green in the finals and he wasn't there and Dallas lost rather easily.
ReplyDeletehe chicken out. Yes the famous Kelly got scared and ran back to dallas
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that could stop FW is Kelly getting hurt having to play every match or Sisk screwing up the lineup because he has to play every 4.0.
ReplyDeleteKelly won't play. He's a 5.0 player who's earned his reputation dominating 8.0 MXD, a level that very few good 4.5s even play. The players from NOHO are not 4.5s, they're every bit as good as Kelly and he knows it. Kelly used to play 5.0 - there is a reason why he tanked down to 4.5, and if he plays against NOHO that reason becomes evident.
ReplyDeleteI see 4.5 over 40 has five undefeated teams still, Rossouw (2), Harllee, Sweeney and Arcaria, four names that traditionally dominate 4.5.
ReplyDelete"Arcaria" traditionally dominates nothing. Otherwise, you are correct.
DeleteI think Sisk will play Faris and Kelly against NOHO. Kelly knows what it takes and he has one a trilevel nationals already. Faris very solid as well, only problem is they have NEVER played together and may be awkward. NOHO may win it all but I quit counting Kelly out of anything. Hai and Alan would be solid or Hai and mark Nguyen a possibility too. A healthy Kingsley could pose trouble at 4.0 as well. Going to be interesting.
ReplyDeletehahaha
DeleteKelly won tri-level when paired with Jason Moore and only had to go through Alfredo and Marcos (a good team but not at the level of NOHO this year). Due to their absurd advantage in 3.5, FW may well win it but I don't see Kelly winning vs NOHO.
DeleteKelly not even going to tri-level
DeleteSisk should worry about Kelly's fingers or elbow going out with all the typing he's doing.
DeleteYes, Kelly beats nobodys at sectionals and nationals. He is just average and prob lucky if he ever wins another match. I could name 25 4.5's better than him easily. There is ummm... And ummm.. Oh and ummm. Who am I kidding. Every time I look up he is at a sectional or national event and bec of his rep he gets everyone's best shot. The guy has dominated for years and at 50 possibly he is getting better. Fun to bash but the results speak for themselves. I get a lot of complaints but I to just sit back and wonder how he does it.
DeleteTodd Reed
Does anyone even care about TRILEVEL? Seems like only those that play it do but in reality it is just a waste of time and a whole lot of money to travel to an event that means nothing. Thanks but I will save my $3 grand while Kelly sits and looks at a silly little plaque! What a douche!
DeleteTo 7:51 post
DeleteAs an objective onlooker it's pretty funny how Alfredo and Marcos were touted as unbeatable but now that they lost "they are just a good team"? Funny those that sit around and have never won anything trash those that have. Typical of today's society. Sad but true. Pickett put together a good team and so has Sisk. I wish them good luck and hope someone from the metroplex represents us at TRILEVEL nats.
Marcos and Alfredo are not 5.0 players, they are 4.5s. Moore is currently a 5.0 player. Kelly was a successful 5.0 for a long time before he started tanking. These are facts.
DeleteNoHo currently has 5.0 caliber players on their roster. Kelly knows this. When it happened in 2014 Kelly didn't play and Dallas lost. I hope he plays this time.
Who are NOHO 5.0s? Green? Please. He is a good 4.5 but he isn't Kelly.
DeleteSince I seem to be the only person not playing in tri-level I took a look at the over 40 results so far. Nothing big going on there yet. Then I looked the teams that were registered for 18s. There is only one men's team playing out of Fretz this year for both seasons at all levels. What's going on there?
ReplyDeleteNew management. Customer service is their lowest priority.
DeleteThat's a gift we should all appreciate. Outside of Garland, not sure there is any facility in town that sucks worse than Fretz.
DeleteHow about a 40s update for the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteStill several undefeated teams in 4.5+ group of death. There are at least 4 teams in that flight better than the other flight
ReplyDeleteI think Sisk win his flight and Tony win his flight. Then I think they both get DQ and the third place team go to sectionals. That would be Cory teem bec Freemun get mad after losing and Cory team handed yet anothre gift.
DeleteHaha I would like to know what gifts my teams have ever gotten.
DeleteYes what gift was Corey's team given? Tony was given a gift from the Noel team when the top 6 players were sat in the final match.
DeleteVince Kingsley and Tony Le must have worked that out.
DeleteI don't like Kelley but he win a TRILEVEL national title and a national mixed title and been to countless more and skipped even more. If there was a Texas Tennis Hall of Fame he would be in it if I had a vote.
ReplyDeleteThere, I left the door open for the bashers and haters to post "Hall of Shame" references instead. See ya on the courts and keep it between the lines.
Ben Dover
USTA research and player nominating committee
NOHO wins this hands down
ReplyDeleteKelly no match this year he to old and still not at 100%
Nobody beat Kelly. He too clutch. Quit trying to excuse Kelly. He know he wil win.
Delete