Friday, June 22, 2012

4.0 Playoff Picture Clearing Up

4.0 playoff qualifiers are almost finalized. Division winners in all but Flight 5 have been decided, they are:

Copperfield-Shank and Whiff
LLTC-Hurricanes 4.0
LLTC-Mob Squad
MPTC-The Good Guys
Lakeside CC
Cinco Ranch Westside-Comets

Flight 5 is between Sienna and Unicorns, but considering Unicorns’ opponents in their two remaining matches, I’d put money on Unicorns. So that would be 7 of the 10 teams accounted for. Everything below assumes Unicorns take care of business; if not, then it’s a little more complicated.

For the three wild cards, WSTC-Phoenix with 82.5% lines won has it in the bag, leaving two spots. After that it gets a little muddier. WSTC-4.0 Warriors are next with 73.3%, but with two matches yet to play (one played last night but unreported), that could go up to 80.0% or down to 55.0% (very unlikely). Sienna Plantation-4.0 is next with 70.0%, no matches remaining. Next is Pin Oak-Falcons at 68.6%, one makeup match remaining so that could go up to 72.5% or down to 60.0%. Lastly, still in the hunt (at first glance) are LLTC-Rolido Boys and LLTC-Columbia Lakes, both at 67.5%, no matches remaining, if you look at the standings. However, since the Acers team-defaulted a match on June 7, this voids all of their matches for standings- and seedings-calculation purposes. This changes Rolido Boys’ effective lines won/lost to 22 and 13, or 62.9%, so they’re out of it.

Summarizing the wild card candidates, since the above paragraph is a little complicated:

WSTC-Phoenix 82.5% (finished)
Sienna Plantation-4.0 70.0% (finished)
LLTC-Columbia Lakes 67.5% (finished), so any team needs to beat 67.5% to get in
WSTC-4.0 Warriors 73.3%, could go up to 80.0% or down to 55.5%
Pin Oak-Falcons 68.6%, could go up to 72.5% or down to 60.0%

Based on prior results against their upcoming opponents, I’d project Warriors to finish at 75.0% and Pin Oak to finish at 70.0%. This would leave Pin Oak and Sienna tied, but Pin Oak with more sets lost which I assume would be the next tiebreaker (but I don’t really know). So I’ll project Phoenix, Warriors, and Sienna as the wild cards. But Pin Oak could still pull it out with a strong closing effort.

Please check my math, it's easy to make mistakes with this stuff.

50 comments:

  1. Westside warriors won last night 4-1 over westside spin doctors... Have a makeup match next Thursday vs LLTC corporate..

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  2. Thanks, NG. Has it been confirmed that percentage of lines won will be the criterion used for wild card selection?

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    Replies
    1. I can't say it absolutely has. The document from HTA says that's what's used for seedings (doesn't even exactly say that, but comes close), but unfortunately you have to read between the lines to infer that that's what's also used for selection.

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  3. What order will the 4.0 teams finish in the playoff? Two teams will go to Sectionals, right?

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    1. Whether or not Houston gets a wild card for Sectionals isn't usually determined by Texas Section until a week or two from now. Odds are usually pretty good though. I don't understand your first question though.

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  4. Houston and Dallas always get 2 spots in 4.0 so you just need to win your pool.

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    Replies
    1. Every year since 2006 anyway. Dallas also got one in 2004, the first year TennisLink shows they gave wild cards. Still, a pretty safe bet.

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  5. I don't think the 4.0 seedings will result in who's going to Sectionals.

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  6. The HTA will take in as much information as possible when they attempt to place teams into the two pools. I doubt one specific method will not be used. They never release "placement" information until after teams are placed.

    If you think things should be a certain way, I recommend that you let them know your thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. You have more faith in the HTA than I do. I wouldn't be surprised if the top 5 teams (Good Guys, Hurricanes, Unicorns, Copperfield and Mob Squad) all ended up in the same division.

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  7. Sssshhhwwwwings beat Coppperfield last Thursday in 4.5's! Then beat Deutchbags in rain makeup! What's up with the Sssswwings?

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  8. Don't read too much into. Division winners were already decided. I'm sure those teams are just trying to get players some matches. Didnt letan play singles for Copperfiel?

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    1. This should put Ssswwwings in a tie for second place with the deutchbags. I think that deutchbags will win the tie breakers somewhere down the line with lines won or set or something. No matter, neither team or any of the other second place teams have a chance.
      If Copperfield brings out their three super 18's along with Odion, it's over for 4.5's. If you have seen them play, no team has a chance when they are out there.
      There level of play is one or two steps above all the other supposed 4.5 players in the league. They don't miss returns, have fantastic ground strokes on both sides, have monster overheads, are quick as rabbits on the court and can ace you whent they need to.

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    2. Sounds like Nadal and Djokovic should be shaking in their boots.

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    3. Sound like the ultimate 4.5 players. What is the definition again on 4.5 rated player?

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  9. Those juniors have all the ability, but lack the experience still. We will see far along they are when put in a tight situation...

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  10. Unfortunately they may lack the league experience, but they make up for that is match toughness and flat out skill. The only thing that I think they lack is the ability to play doubles with partners that Are not as good

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  11. Copperfield sold their soul. Will be funny to see all the original Copperfield guys sitting around in the stands watching the kids play at City and having the rest of the teams laugh at em. What a joke

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  12. How much money do you think it will cost Sugar Creek to get Simon and Sydney Jim out for City Playoffs? Looks like it will be a pretty expensive investment, will it be the difference maker?

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  13. Syden is worth it... Simon sucks!

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  14. Got to love all of the bitter losers/commenters. Enjoy the playoffs from the sidelines boys.

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  15. Playoff round robins will look like this I assume?

    Blacksheep
    Jam
    Hurricanes
    Deucebags

    Blast
    Copperfield
    Williamsburg (hah)
    Lakeside

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  16. sugar creek will need both simon and sydney. sydney is an automatic win. there is not a team that can win 2 lines off their doubles. two other solid players on that team that people dont mention, hornsby and baer. simon will be a factor in doubles but not singles

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  17. Mob Squad got robbed by illegal players. If Sidney had any ethicals he would not be playing 4.5 and Hornsby is a self rate who is also out of level. Why dont USTA officials do anything

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    1. any ethicals...?? wow

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    2. Being "out of level" (in your estimation) doesn't make someone illegal. I'm sure Sydney has been protested as well, probably numerous times. I've had more than one person tell me he is "looking vulnerable"...though I'll believe it when I see it.

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    3. Yes, that's not illegal. Its not if Jam put a player thats not on the roster that was a higher level in sectionals... Mob Squad are so ethical.

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    4. Are we now at a point it is ok to pay money to a guy to play league tennis? This is not a pro league even if he did play on the tour. Sydney falsely self-rated. Noone protested him, so he got a computer rating off of an illegal selfrate. Now he will only play if some greases his palm. I hope Sugar Creek win it or else Red may have to go back in hiding

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    5. Red has the NoHo team as well. Looks like they've pretty much got it in the bag. Like it or not, Red will be at sectionals again.

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  18. just google "gary sweetnam tennis'

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  19. Let's not forget that Copperfield has 3 scholarship juniors on there team. Do you really think that any 17/18 year old junior would play in a old man 4.5 league without incentive?

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    Replies
    1. Seen it happen dozens of times.

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    2. Yep, they get srippers, drugs, cash, a car, off-campus apartment and serving technique lessons from Jochen Moser. What else could you want?

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  20. Who are the top 4.5 and 4.0 guys in the Houston USTA league!

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  21. Sandwich blaster 4.5
    Babu 4.0
    Pete Rios 5.0

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  22. So Gary Sweetnam is clearly an illegal self-rate. Does that change anything?

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  23. How is he an illegal self-rate? He's 49. He represented St Lucia as a coach.

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  24. Doessn't change anything in.

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  25. Hornsby played ITF's and was 5.5 a few years back and then self rates at 4.5

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    Replies
    1. Both those are true. He has been cleared for 4.5 already.

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  26. Best 4.5 doubles team is Connell /wright

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  27. best doubles is connell/wright, which has been undefeated for 3 years.

    best 4.5 singles is sydney, but will the heat be a factor and can he play all
    the playoff matches.

    if the playoffs looked like this:
    Blacksheep
    Jam
    Hurricanes
    Deucebags

    Blast
    Copperfield
    Williamsburg (hah)
    Lakeside

    - top portion, worst case is jam will split singles, but all three of their doubles are solid. jam takes it
    - bottom portion. all singles will be split, so it's whoever takes the doubles. advantage goes to lakeside with connell/wright. lakeside or blast takes it.

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    Replies
    1. If the playoffs DO look like that it will be extremely lopsided.

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  28. None of the Sugar Creek players have been protested yet.

    Send your questions to Todd Reed at treed@texas.usta.com

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    Replies
    1. Nice try but they have been protested. Send them anyway though. At least if it goes through we will know who you are.

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  29. if hornsby and sweetnam is protestable and can get dq'd, then mob-squad makes the playoffs.

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  30. The players don't DQ themselves. Captains actually have to file protests and that won't happen.

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  31. I think captains who protest are a bunch of dic_less sore losers.

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