If you remember the movie, Marty has to go to the future to
save his kids from events that occurred from an altered past, and then go back
in time and alter the past to re-align the future. Confusing?
Yes.
It’s the same feeling if you had been out of the loop in
Dallas tennis for a year, remembering what things were like just a year or two ago, and then
seeing how things are today.
As I recall, the rivalries were with Garland, High Point,
and Lifetime in the mix, with the Lakes usually making an appearance as the
spoiler. I now go look at rosters and
see Lakes guys playing for Garland and Lifetime guys playing for High
Point. To make it more confusing, Bazan’s
team which has historically been out of High Point is now out of McKinney. We now
have teams like Wagon Wheel and Oasis Beach & Tennis, wherever the hell
that is. Brookhaven guys are now playing
out of Greenhill and Kraemer is playing
for Alzuro. The only constant is that
Sisk has 3 teams (although not sure of the purpose of teams 2 & 3) and has
now recruited guys from all over the city, even Canyon Creek players.
Most all of the teams have at least one 3.5 on the roster
with about 30% of the teams having close to half of their rosters comprised of
them. Based on level of play, there are
still several players that were bumped up in the 2009 year-end migration that
never should have been which has really made 4.0 a watered-down league. In 2009, there were 29 teams at 3.5 level and
40 teams at 4.0. Today, there are only
19 teams at 3.5 and 45 teams at 4.0.
This begs me to ask the question,
“Is it time for a bump-down?”
While it is virtually impossible to know all 672 players
that are playing 4.0 this season (that is correct, six-hundred and seventy-two),
my general observations ( and limited base of knowledge on guys that I know) on
flight play is this:
Flight A – Is this really a 3.5 flight?
Excuse me, 4.0 ? Outside of Garland
1 of Sisk, I am a bit miffed. This is like
the Island of the misfit toys in the cartoon “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”. Don’t get me wrong, I know I resemble the
Misfit Cowboy riding the ostrich, but talk about a throw-back.
This flight (like all other 4.0 flights) is comprised of 135
players. This is more than 50% of the
total # of players playing 3.5. And this
is just 1 of 5 flights at 4.0.
Speaking of 3.5s, we have Alzuro, King of 3.5 wanna-be’s
bestowing themselves at 4.0, playing out of Greenhill and getting Mr. DTA
himself, Kraemer to join the ranks away from the “Club”. Outside of Kraemer and Alzuro I honestly can’t comment on the validity of this
team. But if it is like past teams of
Alzuro, they aren’t a threat. (Sorry
Rene, nothing personal) Including among
the misfits we have the Village/Jacob – another 3.5 team that got thumped in
Cities, bumped to 4.0. I don’t have the
energy to analyze. Lakewood and McKinney
appear to be new comers on the scene, but my patience is already growing thin
trying to analyze with the USTA site constantly freezing and making me re-pull
up information again and again. So, I
will quickly get to the bottom of this one.
Sisk has the gene pool to finish this flight out on top, and Eldorado Browning makes a play for the Q.T. Clark Fretz,
if so he chooses, (be it a team comprised of 3.5s, including myself but not an
integral player) could make a run for the QT as well, but my better judgement tells me that most likely won't happen.
Flight B - Now this
is actually the most real 4.0 flight I see.
Brookhaven Bartlett is for real, so is Oak Creek, T Bar M, and Northwood. Only one of these teams has a 3.5 playing for
him, and he won the Cotton Bowl Classic Singles in December, and played on my Fall
3.5 team, so he gets a break. We then
have the flight fillers with Bent Tee (formerly a 3.5 team), Fretz/Jayaram
(again former 3.5s), and yes, Sisk’s cannon fodder, Garland 2. Getting too good of a buzz to call this one, so
I say it will be down to the wire with a 3-way tie with Brookhaven, T-Bar and
Oak Creek.
Flight C – Probably one of the easier flights of mostly
drawn 4.0s with a few exceptions like the Lakes being led by Reifsnyder, Las
Colinas Murphey, and McKinney/Oh (again
former 3.5s –a recurring theme). High
Point Le with his newly drawn Life Timer recruits, make this all an impressive
team to make the post season, with more than easy, and quite boring flight play
for them. My guess Is that Salacious
Crumb, I mean Corey Noel’s team makes a run for the Q.T. With frustrated Terrell bringing over his
left-overs from an impressive, but careless last season, they should do
well. I say careless as he let his most
coveted players get inappropriately bumped to 4.5 land where no one wants them
or can use them. If only they could find
a way back to the Island of Misfit Toys.
Flight D - Garland
3/Sisk – really?? I thought I had too
many to drink. Sisk is even on this
roster although he only has 9 players signed, defaulted a line this past week and
didn’t even play himself. Really Big
John? Captaining has come down to
this?? Combine your team 2 & 3 and
go spend time with the wife and family.
---- OK. As much as I dislike
saying it, Canyon Creek Dawson is for real.
Actually and looking at this
flight - this one brings the most
drama. We also have JCC which has always
had talent and has been a contender, as long as there are no Jewish holidays
conflicting with match play, JCC should be good to go. Royal Oaks is also comprised of a complete
roster of computer rated 4.0s, (a rarity) and could make a valid run. Fair Oaks has team 2, and is small. Corey – why not just have one 4.0 team. You could have made a play? Instead, you will be buried into Jabba’s back
as usual. I say CC takes the flight with
Royal Oaks pulling off the QT.
Flight E – Finally, the last flight. This is easy.
My favorite team is Greenhill/Ohl -
If you don’t know Greg, you should.
He shows up at each match with about 2-3 cases of beer. Premium beer that is. I can tell you this as I drank close to a
case of Heineken last Fall with a close friend after our match. A true gentleman and scholar in my book. --- In
terms of play, I guess I have to go with Bazan, although he himself barely got
out of beating a 3.5 last week in a 3 setter.
My guess is Bazan/McKinney wins the flight, and although starting with a
loss, I go with my friend Greg to take the QT.
So there you have it.
My once and initial sober analysis, turned to my drunken ranting of
players I know. Well, I guess if that is
truly the case, I would have commented on Wiley’s groin. I will let that rest.
I plan to see Cities come down to Sisk and Le. But I have several months to drink and
analyze before making my postulation as to who comes out on top.
Comment, poke holes, have fun.
Captain Fan
