Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Playoff format?

We still haven't heard anything about the playoff format for city playoffs this year. I think that the 3.5 and 4.0 divisional playoffs last year worked out well, as everybody got a few matches in and I think the best teams managed to advance to Sectionals where they represented Houston well.

There was a lot of dissatisfaction with the 4.5 playoffs last year, but I'm not sure there will be any change to the format this time around. As you may remember, last year there were six teams in the 4.5 playoffs. The teams were split into two three team divisions, played round robin, and the winners advanced. There are a couple of problems with 3 team round robins, though. The biggest one, I think, is that you only get to play two matches. As a captain I've always tried my best to win and advance to Sectionals, but also feel that it is only right to get all of the players who contributed to our season into the playoffs. Some of these guys would show up to practice every week, fill in for someone at the last minute on Thursday night, always be available and cause no headaches for me. (Believe me, those types are few and far between) Having three matches afforded me more of an opportunity to get them into a match. I know I myself am not a "starting lineup" caliber player on my 4.5 team (probably not on any team), but sometimes I think it's only right that I get a chance to play in the playoffs.

Anyway, having two matches makes every match even more crucial. Having a three way tie in a division is certainly very possible, so the results of your first match don't allow you to relax in any way in the second one. Unfortunately, there is a court crunch for city playoffs, and other formats require more total matches and more courts, so a better solution is not as easy as you might think. Any ideas?

10 comments:

  1. NCAA tournament will put a stop to all Memorial Park league matches this week.

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  2. Perhaps stopping all this cross registration (i.e. being on a NOHO team and Houston team) would help. Since NOHO goes straight to sectionals anyway, they would be able to keep some players up there, while leaving some open spots for players down in greater Houston, allowing people the ability to compete where otherwise they wouldn't be able to if a guy that's NOHO+Houston who is better would be taking another guy's spot in Houston for example...

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  3. If a player wants more play time, then practice and get better or start his own team.
    If some players want to play in NOHO and Houston, then let them pay and play. Does this same philosophy apply to people that also play multiple divisions 4.0/4.5/5.0?
    Once the season is over, they have to decide on 1 team and cannot play in the Houston playoffs if their team is going to Sectionals.

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  4. The rain will put a stop to all outdoor league matches this week. Better hope you are playing a Met team on their home court.

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  5. The 3.5 playoffs last year were the same as the 4.5 playoffs, 2 pools of 3 teams with only 2 guaranteed matches. The top teams advanced to sectionals at every level for both men and women, the sytem seems fair and seems to work for everyone even if the grumpy ole 4.5 men are not happy (but honestly, when are the 4.5 men every happy).

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  6. It looks like Daniel Goodwin is getting serious about his upcoming match with the Rolido Boys since he just signed up the top 4.0 holdout in Houston...

    SAP's new ringer - Jason Urtis!!!

    Take that 4.0 world..."THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!"

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  7. Well, I've been holding out for a line 1 singles role on a contender. SAP beat out all 27 other 4.0 teams, including Freeman's little Hurricane group (more like "10% chance of chance of rain").

    However, my services are still available for 4.5 and 5.0 league play, at a price$$$

    Let the bidding begin!

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  8. Urtis is yet another of the poor captaining decisions of Freeman from here on refered to as Captain February (all recruiting NO captaining) If he would have played Urtis more we would have won Nationals. Granted he had to watch the DQ but come on he couldve made it happen. I heard hes in singles shape as well. That could be scary! Glad he choose to dump Captain February.

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  9. nice English on my part

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