I don't see anything too exciting here in Week one.
But I will try to pick something out of each Sub-Flight.
3.5 A
Since the sandbaggers at Oak Ridge are taking on the perennial 3.5 palukas of the appropriately named Hackberry CC I will pick:
Lifetime Fitness/Kaiser vs. High Point/Entrekin
As the match to watch.
I don't see anything on HP's roster that can challenge LT but it should be interesting to see who LT lines up.
3.5A Match Schedule
3.5 B
Durty Garland pulls a week 1 bye, so we will have to wait another week to crucify John Sick on the self-raters cross.
Match to watch:
High Point/Jameson vs Canyon Creek/Gable
Canyon Creek has a deep team and a generally tough at home, but this one will be at HP.
This one could be tight.
3.5B Match Schedule
3.5 C
A.k.a the boring sub-flight
match to watch: None
Unless some other team can step up to the big boy table there won't be much to report until the last week of the regular season - OC vs Greenhill.
3.5C Match Schedule
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
4.0 Week 1
So finally the season will get underway this weekend. I am still sticking with my thoughts a few weeks back but I am sure there will be some surprise teams emerge as the first few weeks of the season get underway. Unfortunately there are not that many great matchups this weekend so unless an upset occurs it should be business as usual.
Flight A:
Bob has added to the army and got Dencil Johnson to sign on to help them out, that should make them more of a threat than usual in later rounds of the season. But no real test for them until the DCC and if I read our packet right we are rooting for Bob to have an undefeated season so there will be a round robin playoff in July. There are two interesting matchups in Flight A this week Brookhaven/Helterbrann takes on TBar M. These are the two of the three teams along with LBH that are most likely in contention to make it to the postseason. I have a feeling TBar M will squeak out a win but it will be close. LBH has a match against one of the Springpark teams so I will be curious to see how they perform but I expect they will do well.
Flight B:
So I guess the best matchup this weekend will be the SWAT team v. Team Durty Garland. I expect a very tough first match. I don't want to post a prediction but I do predict a good competitive match on each side. Oakridge is getting interesting mainly because Prather seems intent on having 30 players on the team so they can only improve, right?
Flight C:
This flight seems to lack some starpower but that will most likely produce some great matches week in and week out. This week we get to see how tough the Royal Oaks crew will be and they get a test playing the top Village team who has some strong doubles play. If RO rolls here it could announce them as a team to contend with. Brookhaven has the new Collin County team who has some solid players and might push them a little.
Flight D:
Alright Eddie, is Flight D good now? At first glance it looks very tough but there is a big drop off between the haves and the have nots. Thorntree is a little mysterious and FAR but not sure they will be a contender (but thanks for joining). OC, Spark and LTF are the clear favs and "should" all win this week but I have a feeling one of the other 6 teams will emerge and make this real interesting.
Flight A:
Bob has added to the army and got Dencil Johnson to sign on to help them out, that should make them more of a threat than usual in later rounds of the season. But no real test for them until the DCC and if I read our packet right we are rooting for Bob to have an undefeated season so there will be a round robin playoff in July. There are two interesting matchups in Flight A this week Brookhaven/Helterbrann takes on TBar M. These are the two of the three teams along with LBH that are most likely in contention to make it to the postseason. I have a feeling TBar M will squeak out a win but it will be close. LBH has a match against one of the Springpark teams so I will be curious to see how they perform but I expect they will do well.
Flight B:
So I guess the best matchup this weekend will be the SWAT team v. Team Durty Garland. I expect a very tough first match. I don't want to post a prediction but I do predict a good competitive match on each side. Oakridge is getting interesting mainly because Prather seems intent on having 30 players on the team so they can only improve, right?
Flight C:
This flight seems to lack some starpower but that will most likely produce some great matches week in and week out. This week we get to see how tough the Royal Oaks crew will be and they get a test playing the top Village team who has some strong doubles play. If RO rolls here it could announce them as a team to contend with. Brookhaven has the new Collin County team who has some solid players and might push them a little.
Flight D:
Alright Eddie, is Flight D good now? At first glance it looks very tough but there is a big drop off between the haves and the have nots. Thorntree is a little mysterious and FAR but not sure they will be a contender (but thanks for joining). OC, Spark and LTF are the clear favs and "should" all win this week but I have a feeling one of the other 6 teams will emerge and make this real interesting.
Friday, April 3, 2009
2009 GALLERY FURNITURE HOUSTON OPEN
In an attempt to keep the 3.5 players from cannibalizing each other in their thread,
I will start the official Houston Major Zone thread.
Let's take a look at who from the Dallas area elected to put tennis before their family and Christ the Lord Almighty and spend Easter in the cesspool known as Houston, TX
Men's 4.5 Draws
4.5 Singles
4.5 Doubles
Men's 4.0 Draws
4.0 Singles
4.0 Doubles
Men's 3.5 Draws
3.5 Singles
3.5 Doubles
2.5 Singles
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Senior League DCC
So 3.5 as expected is coming down to HP v. GH. I have a feeling the 2nd verse will be the same as the first with HP winning 2-1, they are just a little too deep for GH, but Kayser must love me picking against him because usually that is good for his guys. Sorry HP. :(
4.0
This division looks intriguing as it all comes down to the final matches as undefeated TBAR takes on Stonebridge who needs a sweep or a dominating 2-1 win to jump to the top. HP takes on 0-2 BH and can finish at the top with a win and TBar loss. Could be a 3 way tie, oh my?! I have to say GO HP! Not just because I like those guys but I see them finishing at the top when the dust settles.
4.5
Action starts tomorrow and I am putting my money on OC to win the 2 v. 3 match but then come up short v. the Village. by a very close margin.
4.0
This division looks intriguing as it all comes down to the final matches as undefeated TBAR takes on Stonebridge who needs a sweep or a dominating 2-1 win to jump to the top. HP takes on 0-2 BH and can finish at the top with a win and TBar loss. Could be a 3 way tie, oh my?! I have to say GO HP! Not just because I like those guys but I see them finishing at the top when the dust settles.
4.5
Action starts tomorrow and I am putting my money on OC to win the 2 v. 3 match but then come up short v. the Village. by a very close margin.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
4.5 Flights
As the guys have said it is really too early to tell who the top teams are but we all know the teams that are good based on history. History repeats itself at the 4.5 level and I expect this season will be no different.
Flight 4.5 A--AKA--"The Flight of Death". I really am not so sure this is the stronger flight in terms of depth but this flight certainly has more of the tier 1 teams.
Frontrunners
Oak Creek/Branch
Oak Creek/Feldman
Royal Oaks/Rothwell
T Bar M/Schnittker
I really think any combination of these four teams could win the flight. Feldman has the free pass to the DCC so they don't have much to play four. Branch's team looks strong as ever so I can't see them not making it to the playoffs. Royal Oaks and T Bar are more of a mystery but based on recent history I would expect them to be solid. Both will probably rely on self-rated ringers for their success, but will they have the same depth as the Oak Creek teams?
Contenders
Hackberry/Borre
Village/Warren
Hackberry has been historically right on the cusp of the playoffs. They have strong players but not really any standouts to compete with the big guns. The Village is drastically improved from last season but I'm not sure where the singles wins will come from, especially against the better teams. A lot of senior players, not usually a good sign when the playoffs are in July.
Social Teams
Collin County/Phillips
Oak Creek/Bovermann
Stonebridge/Teat
High Point/Bazan
No offense Cary but I put you in this category with the other teams that struggle. I would put CC atop this list because they have almost a guaranteed win at 1 doubles every week and some solid singles players. Bovermann has declined as of late and Stonebridge will be lucky to have 8 4.5s on the roster. HP is a mixture of 4.0s and 4.5s but the roster is going to need some improving to compete with the big guns. I will say that based on Cary's experience as a captain that his team has the best chance to jump out of the bottom and make the QT.
Flight 4.5 B--AKA--"Wonderland". Actually their is greater depth in this flight but less superstar teams. A lot more teams that can make playoffs.
Frontrunners
Brookhaven/Harllee
Huffhines/Noel
High Point/Nguyen
I really don't see any other way the flight can end with these teams as the top three. Brookhaven is looking really strong with the return of Sechen. High Point is still solid although lacking depth at this point. My team has retained 90% of its roster including a couple of key additions to my top 8. The key will be which team can maintain consistency throughout the regular season against the other contending teams. The last three seasons have come down to a late-season matchup between my team and Brookhaven and I expect the same to happen again.
Contenders
Greenhill/Stoner
Lakes Tennis/Dunford
Springpark/Abbruzzese
T Bar M/Snow
Greenhill always has talented players but inconsistent lineups lead to inconsistent results. The Lakes has steadily improved over the last few seasons so I would expect them to have the best chance of cracking the top 3. Springpark is always a contender but not sure if they have enough top players to beat the top teams. T Bar has some solid veterans but most of the strong T Bar players are on the other roster. Their split could result in neither team making the playoffs.
Social Teams
LB Houston/Ratana
Oak Creek/Juhn
DFW Hilton/Wallace
Juhn is usually the worst of the four Oak Creek teams but they have the ability to pull an upset. DFW is historically the worst team of the league and they lost their best player so that can't be good. I think Ken is a great guy and will be a great captain but the talent just isn't there yet for his group. Would not surprise me that he, Corry, and Forrest can be successful in singles but doubles looks shaky thus far.
Overall I will put my preseason top 5 as this:
1. Oak Creek/Branch
2. Huffhines/Noel
3. Oak Creek/Feldman
4. Brookhaven/Harllee
5. T Bar M/Schnittker
Anybody have any thoughts or inside information to influence these predictions?
Flight 4.5 A--AKA--"The Flight of Death". I really am not so sure this is the stronger flight in terms of depth but this flight certainly has more of the tier 1 teams.
Frontrunners
Oak Creek/Branch
Oak Creek/Feldman
Royal Oaks/Rothwell
T Bar M/Schnittker
I really think any combination of these four teams could win the flight. Feldman has the free pass to the DCC so they don't have much to play four. Branch's team looks strong as ever so I can't see them not making it to the playoffs. Royal Oaks and T Bar are more of a mystery but based on recent history I would expect them to be solid. Both will probably rely on self-rated ringers for their success, but will they have the same depth as the Oak Creek teams?
Contenders
Hackberry/Borre
Village/Warren
Hackberry has been historically right on the cusp of the playoffs. They have strong players but not really any standouts to compete with the big guns. The Village is drastically improved from last season but I'm not sure where the singles wins will come from, especially against the better teams. A lot of senior players, not usually a good sign when the playoffs are in July.
Social Teams
Collin County/Phillips
Oak Creek/Bovermann
Stonebridge/Teat
High Point/Bazan
No offense Cary but I put you in this category with the other teams that struggle. I would put CC atop this list because they have almost a guaranteed win at 1 doubles every week and some solid singles players. Bovermann has declined as of late and Stonebridge will be lucky to have 8 4.5s on the roster. HP is a mixture of 4.0s and 4.5s but the roster is going to need some improving to compete with the big guns. I will say that based on Cary's experience as a captain that his team has the best chance to jump out of the bottom and make the QT.
Flight 4.5 B--AKA--"Wonderland". Actually their is greater depth in this flight but less superstar teams. A lot more teams that can make playoffs.
Frontrunners
Brookhaven/Harllee
Huffhines/Noel
High Point/Nguyen
I really don't see any other way the flight can end with these teams as the top three. Brookhaven is looking really strong with the return of Sechen. High Point is still solid although lacking depth at this point. My team has retained 90% of its roster including a couple of key additions to my top 8. The key will be which team can maintain consistency throughout the regular season against the other contending teams. The last three seasons have come down to a late-season matchup between my team and Brookhaven and I expect the same to happen again.
Contenders
Greenhill/Stoner
Lakes Tennis/Dunford
Springpark/Abbruzzese
T Bar M/Snow
Greenhill always has talented players but inconsistent lineups lead to inconsistent results. The Lakes has steadily improved over the last few seasons so I would expect them to have the best chance of cracking the top 3. Springpark is always a contender but not sure if they have enough top players to beat the top teams. T Bar has some solid veterans but most of the strong T Bar players are on the other roster. Their split could result in neither team making the playoffs.
Social Teams
LB Houston/Ratana
Oak Creek/Juhn
DFW Hilton/Wallace
Juhn is usually the worst of the four Oak Creek teams but they have the ability to pull an upset. DFW is historically the worst team of the league and they lost their best player so that can't be good. I think Ken is a great guy and will be a great captain but the talent just isn't there yet for his group. Would not surprise me that he, Corry, and Forrest can be successful in singles but doubles looks shaky thus far.
Overall I will put my preseason top 5 as this:
1. Oak Creek/Branch
2. Huffhines/Noel
3. Oak Creek/Feldman
4. Brookhaven/Harllee
5. T Bar M/Schnittker
Anybody have any thoughts or inside information to influence these predictions?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)