There wasn't much tennis played last night, obviously. Somehow Lee Leclear escaped the deluge and the Hurricanes managed to get their match played. The JCC dudes played indoors and again were victorious. The big 5.0 matchup between the Met and Rice was not moved indoors.
Sugar Creek and the Black Sheep managed to play last night as well. Interestingly, Sugar Creek came with (in my opinion) something close to its best lineup and it was still not enough to handle Scott Carr's boys. Erik Bedient finally made his appearance, but both he and Jason Cooney were beaten in the singles by Humberto Alzate and Lukas Jendek. Carr wisely sacrificed himself at line one doubles and put a stronger team at line 2.
As I'm sure many of you have heard, there has been a decision on the protests in the 5.0 division. My information is second hand, but I understand that Arun Nanjappa will not be allowed to play the rest of the regular season, but none of his previous matches will be defaulted and he WILL be eligible should his team qualify for Sectionals. They will have their hands full getting there without him, but they've battled the odds successfully all season long.
The Dustin Phillips protest was denied. I looked again at the self rating guideline sheet and I must admit I had initially missed the fact that a JUCO player is allowed to self rate at 4.5. My apologies. Phillips is apparently a great player, and will no doubt be moved up when the computer ratings kick in, but it appears to me that he has self rated within the guidelines of the USTA. I have no knowledge of his junior rankings and whether THOSE would mandate a higher rating, but even a nationally ranked juco (I believe he was #33 last year) can self rate at 4.5.
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Well that guideline might need to be changed becuase his results indicate he is defintely 5.0.
ReplyDeleteThe Arun Nanjappa ruling is a joke. Either let him play or Dq him. Doesn't make any sense he has to sit out the last 2 matches then is still eligible if his team makes it to sectionals. According to Tosha Smith (Texas League Coordinator) Junior College Players can Self Rate minimum 4.5. Another System loophole. Look at Dustin Phillips record on Tennis Link. What a Joke.
ReplyDeleteJendek is another player worth noting. He is likely going to slip under the "radar" but he is a very good player that could probably do some reasonable damage at 5.0...
ReplyDeleteYep. He's already beaten John Day, Ryan Kudva and Jason Cooney.
ReplyDeleteThis happens but Atsushi was DQ'ed in 4 matches against 3 players with losing records. Something is really wrong and allowing Arun to keep his matches but taking Atsushi's. Jendek is good but has gone 3 sets twice, playing line 1 and 2, was not a junior or college player.
ReplyDeleteScott Carr
Did anyone ever find out who was behind the 5.0 protests? Was it the Teague team?
ReplyDelete99 percent of players in the top 50 of the juco rankings are 5.0 and above. This is going to start a bad trend if those players are allowed into 4.5.
ReplyDeleteWhen will be the Rice Met match? I would like to catch some of the action that determines who will represent Houston 5.0 at sectionals.
ReplyDeleteTim, back to your question about consistency in DNTRP appeals. To be honest, the Nanjappa decision surprises me although I was told he would lose his last match but not the others before it (HUH???). It doesn't make sense to preclude him from finishing the season but allow him to compete in Sectionals.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the guidelines are very much black and white as far as what Tosha can do or not do. Either you're within the self-rating guidelines for that level or you're not. She really doesn't have much lattitude. Even if your match results on paper don't look good, the thinking is the computer will eventually knock you out. In other words, the TTA will not pre-emptively dq someone for match results assuming their profile is correct and according to their profile they're at level. Part of the problem in most of these cases is there is no precedence for every scenario possible. That's what happened with Maria Taylor last year on the women's side. While she did not provide all the necessary information on her profile, the information she left out would not have dq'd her. So, do you give her losses for leaving out information, do you allow her to go to Nationals? I think their decision was correct.
As for sandbagging, losing on purpose, etc. The fact is all competitive teams sandbag to the extent that they can get away with it. It's sandbag or be sandbagged. And those who are out-sandbagged are often times frustrated and sometimes resentful. I've never once asked anyone to lie on their self rating or lose matches, but I'm sure it happens and it sounds like it happens more on the men's side then I realized. BTW - Teague, thanks for turning me on to this blog. As I said in a previous post, WE have to be the police of the league and I'm glad there are blogs like these to expose flagrant abuses of the system.
David Hall, there's still a big push to allow Sr's (not to presume how old you are - I have no idea) to drop a level at a certain age. In the meantime, keep hanging in there - You've still got a pretty nice game!!!
Teague definitely needs to be policed look at his 5.0 team tons of improper 5.0 self rated players.
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing that Teague's team has a bunch of players out of level. It's real simple (and much simpler for men's league). Simply, google the player, or go to college tennis online, see what their player history is and if you think they're out of level send a protest to Tosha. The self-rating guidlines are on the USTA website. Teague has about 6-7 players who are self-rated. If you're gonna do it you need to do it now while you can. Otherwise, we're gonna see the same complaints this time next year and by then it's too late. Once these players are computer rated you can't do anything about it. Worse yet, they may actually end up 4.5 rated - Teague's team is 3-4. It's between their match results and the computer
ReplyDeleteOh, and for the record, don't be surprised to see the grid change for JUCO players next year or 2009. Just like it did for nationally/sectionally ranked Juniors. Used to be a jr player who didn't play in college could play 4.0 even if they were a nationally ranked or section ranked Super Champ.
ReplyDeleteBetsie, I just turned 49. I can't wait until next year. There is a 4.5 Seniors team asking me to play next year. In the mean time, I love playing in the 4.5's. I think I am very competitive in doubles at this level. (Singles? Forget it, no way!) That is what the flat belly young guns are for. Oh my God! Next year, on the senior team, I WILL BE THE YOUNG GUN! They don't play singles in that league, do they?
ReplyDeleteWith last nights rain outs, I have noticed that some teams in the 4.5 level have as many as 3 or 4 rain outs to make up. What happens if they don't get those made up before city playoffs? Some of those teams theoretically are in the running for their divisions. Just as an example, in 4.5 division 1, MP-Jedi Knights have 3 previous matches that haven't been played or scored, and WS-No Way Out have 4 previous matches that haven't been played or scored, (two of which are vs. MP-Jedi Knights). Both teams are in the running for at least second place in that division. What will Cheryl do in cases like these for city playoffs?
ReplyDeleteCheryl wants all matches completed by July 3 - no exceptions. If the teams can't agree on a date you need to contact Cheryl immediately. She will set a date for you.
ReplyDeleteYes, the ruling for Nanjappa is accurate. The protest came from Red Benzon.
ReplyDeleteNanjappa by the way, if you ever hit with him, does not look like the All American honor he received one year. I'm guessing that most people here just look at his results and realize that he's good while conjuring up some highly inflated image of some guy hitting aces with the handle of his racket. IF he were to have played 4.5 I highly doubt anybody would have protested purely on the basis of what his game looks like. He has a deceptive game, and it would have taken people a while to catch on, especially with a visual rating system. While I did think of a 4.5 team with Arun (no I didn't put a gun to his head and force him into a 4.5 rating he says he just mis-skimmed the thing), this type of subterfuge seems to be normal in league except that he is playing 5.0 with a rating that has now been corrected.
Interestingly I know there were many @ 4.5 that would have loved to have Arun on their rosters. Some even more interestingly even thought he wasn’t good enough for their roster. I highly doubt that those criticizing me for "blackmailing" him into the 4.5 rating would have blinked if he were on their team. All things considered, he does truly belong in 5.0 as his rating now reflects. DY
David if you google and research Benzon's 5.0 self rated players on google and www.collegetennisonline.com as bhollis suggested you might be surprised. He has no problems getting 5.5 players to self rate 5.0. What a tool. You can't be surprised though after the 4.5 team he played on last year. Since hes such a warrior for truth in the leagues I wonder why he played on that team that was all 5.5's in 4.5. I disagree with you on nanjappa in 4.5 however. That would have been ridiculous if he played he would have killed everyone. I do think the benzon protest in 5.0 was ridiculous and hypocritical. What does he gain by doing this?
ReplyDeleteLet's start a public service campaign and submit protests for the self-rated out of level players. Put out the fires early.
ReplyDeleteBetsy makes some good points. The power is there for people (or at least captains) to protest self rated players if they so choose. There are studs (Mambetov, for example) who are untouchable, but there are also some players in every division that would be disqualified if protested.
ReplyDeleteI'm a captain and I could protest them myself. I'm old school, though...when I started playing/captaining there was kind of an unwritten rule that you didn't protest people (of course, the system was much different back then with visual ratings but you still COULD protest people). We bitched about them, but that was the extent of it.
Had I, or anyone else, chosen to protest Trent Broach in 2005 things might have been different last year. Perhaps I should learn my lesson and lodge some protests this year?????
Also, those inclined to protest, particularly those captains of elite teams, should also take a look at some of the rosters of teams in other cities. Tim, in a previous post, kind of implied that we are hurting Houston's chances of advancing with all of the complaints, etc.
ReplyDeleteLast year, as I'm sure many are aware, the San Antonio 4.5 team eliminated a bunch of players from other cities (including one on the Mob Squad here in Houston) in an effort to remove all obstacles in their path.
Heck yeah! Austin was already gearing up to protest one of my players (Chanel Brown) - she and Erin Arnold won the 4.5 Doubs in the Coke. Luckily, she's already computer rated from another city. You should really only spend your time on the self rated players. Otherwise, it's an uphill battle trying to DQ a computer rated player. I even know of players who filled out their profile incorrectly last year, but there's nothing you can do about it once they're in the system. You can find out if they're self rated by going to the TTA website and navigate to League, NTRP, 2006 year-end ratings. This will bring up a window where you can enter someone's name and you can see if their rating is Self, Benchmark, Computer, or Mixed.
ReplyDeleteBTW - Google and CollegeTennisOnline is what Tosha uses to verify a players profile. Use the tools she uses.
Lets not forget David Yang self rated as a 4.0 2yrs ago to no avail only to toy with people in 4.0 league for 2 Years only to now jump up with the Big Boys.He should have at least self rated as a 4.5 back then but i guess he wanted to win and beat up on the old guys with the Drop Shot lob Tactic.
ReplyDeleteI like to see that Betsie Hollis has jumped in the Blog but she's no Saint either. In 2005 she had a Stacked Squad of Young Junior Players which she Captained to Nationals in 4.5's. That year she used the system to her favor and had top Katy Taylor Super Champs and even a D1 player Tara Shelander college player from Lamar in Beaumont. She wrote those players in Defaults and knew how to work the system. If anyone needs advice on how to get a Ringer they should contact her.Her Team was stacked that year and they didn't even make it out of there pool at Nationals. Betsie Great job being an HTA spokesperson of Fair Play.
Every Top Team in Houston has a player who meets the criteria of being out of level but at the same time around the State of Texas this Year there is 167 New Self Rated players so Let's check them all. Good Luck. If you want to see how Good your Game is go play Tournaments. If you want to play fair tennis Join Flex Tennis. In League Play there is always a better player out there and sooner or later we will all Look at our USTA socks and Mugs and say Wow I competed in a USTA League where I got beat by a Sandbagging Ringer..
There was not one self rated player on my 2005 Nationals team. And yes, it's a shame that that team did not win Nationals that year. We were out played by a Southern Cal team which dropped their best team to line 3 and had the only match up possible to beat my team. My 2005 team was as stacked as last year's men's 4.5 team. We went to Nationals without Tara Shelander and Holly Lindloff and still could have won it. And, actually, I had 4 D1 players (Erin Arnold from Rice, Jesselyn Reed from Samford, Tara Shelander from Lamar, and Susanne Andersson from Houston, not to mention Cori Mullins and Holly Lindloff from ACU). My team this year includes Dominque Glinzler from Alabama, and Correne Stout from Indiana. They're both computer rated.
ReplyDeleteYou can accuse me of being able to manage to find and legitimately put together the best players in the city. I freely admit that I'll push the system to its limits but like I said before I have NEVER asked a player to lie or omit information on their profile, or to tank matches, or give up games.
Finally, I honestly don't take too seriously comments from someone who throws stones from a brick house.
I never claimed to be a saint or spokesperson of fair play. I simply don't understand why people spend so much time complaining about "illegitimate" self rated players but don't do anything about it.
One more thing, to "ANONYMOUS". I challenge you to name one rule that I broke in 2005.
ReplyDeleteIt was bad enough reading about all you cry baby, sandbagger-stackin male captains bitching about people trying to make it tough for you to work your league winning magic, but it just puts a sick feeling in my stomach to see a lady jump in to the fray and start bragging about how good she is at cheating...sorry, I meant working the system legally, let alone that there are ladies out there as sad as you dudes when it comes to over-obsessing about league. Its called a life, you should all try getting one. League tennis sucks, I'm out.
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is, after 2 years since my 2005 Nationals team, only 2 players are rated 5.0 (Cori Mullins and Tara Shelander). Everyone else from that team is still rated as a 4.5 player. How is that cheating the system? do you really expect a team that goes to Nationals to not have any players who get bumped. Sounds like sour grapes or flat out jealousy if you ask me. But, oh yeah, you're the guy who can't hack it in the men's league and wants to cut off your nuts and start a women's team.
ReplyDeleteAgain I ask, show me one instance of where I cheated? And where is it written that women aren't allowed to have a competitive spirit and want to strive for the highest level of achievement?
You go girl. It's not cheating to stay within the letter of the law, even if barely. It is cheating to go beyond it, flagrantly lying on profile sheets.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, can someone shed some details about Westside's Scott Carr once again using another illegal player with "Lukas Jendek"? Is he using a fake name to play? Hence the very little past history on him. Are they in the process of getting him and all his matches DQ'd?
ReplyDeleteMy nuts are staying intact. That post was a sarcastic statement about the fact all you guys and girl are spending so much time typing up your rationales for treating league tennis like it is life or death. As a sideline observer who plays enough tennis to know who all of you are but not enough to care one lick about league, I find this blog very entertaining, even if I can't embrace your obsession with winning at all cost.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know this but in Arun's protest to defend himself from getting Dqed he had a written letter with a Medical Injury.(Back)Just think if he didn't have a Medical Appeal he might actually be a 5.5 and Beat the players in 5.0 with less ease.I still don't understand how you can allow him to sit out in the 5.0's for the last 2 Matches and then allow him to advance if his team makes it to Sectionals. If your going to go by the Self Rating Guideline Sheet,than go by it. Otherwise let's turn in your protests on Teague's Team,only to find out that when you do Protest the same outcomes will come about a Mixed Decision. You cannot allow one player to sneak by and take away his Racquets for the Regular Season than allow him to play in the Playoffs. What makes sense there. All Self Rated players fill out the same questionaire,out of 5 Teams in the Houston League Tennis, There has never been this many participants and yet this much arguing going on. All for what?? It's Guaranteed the Houston 5.0 Team that makes it to Sectionals will get Slaughtered. With Players like Max Dunaev(Mens Open Champ Coke From San Antonio)Rafael Omana from Fort Worth who previously has been to 5.5 National's only to get bumped down by the somewhat Glitched Computer.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that in 5.0 Tournaments Ranking Standings that everyone in the Top 20 plays 4.5 League?
If you have been playing League for Several Years you'd know that once you get to Sectionals you better come with a Team or else you'll be out of the competition Friday night and Drinking at your Hotel Bar.
Just wanted to add that I know Betsie and think very highly of her but with all things aside she knows how to field a team which always does well and I guarantee her team will be at Sectionals. She knows the ins and outs very well after all she's on the HTA Board and knows every rule by Heart.
To the Blogger Have You Heard about the New Rules that have been implemented at Sectionals as well as Nationals ? Be Ready for a Big Surprise all you Sand Baggers or Ringers....
No, I haven't heard about the new rules...unless you're talking about more stringent ID checks. Fill us in!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have a lot of respect for Betsie too...but admittedly it's a lot easier to make it to Sectionals in women's 4.5 with only 4 teams than it is in men's 4.5 or 4.0.
I can definitely see your point on Arun. Tosha has in the past made it a point to stick to the letter of the law. Not this time. At any rate, it will be a moot point if the Met can take down a depleted Rice squad. If they can't beat Rice without Nanjappa, they probably don't deserve to go to Sectionals anyway.
Please fill us in on the new rules.
HTOWN, Don't forget we've got a day league also - so there are actually more like 12 teams. But, you're right - it isn't as difficult in Women's 4.5 to make it to Sectionals. You've gotta admit, though, since I've been a 4.5 captain (4 years, not counting this year), making it to the finals 3 out of 4 years at Sectionals is an accomplishment. And to be honest, 2005 was the only year we were actually stacked. Prior to that, the majority of my 2002-2004 teams were move-ups from my 2001 4.0 Nationals team. We had 2 players at most who were borderline and we definitely weren't the best team (on paper) at Sectionals.
ReplyDeleteLukas Jendek is from Slovakia and played tennis in Europe. He's a good player which will outlast anyone over 21 in 4.5 League in Houston.
ReplyDeleteso when did they allow the "skirts" to start postng on this blog. And I thought reading postings of tired washed up men tennis players, who whine because they got beat, was getting old.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and I am late on blogging. Did anyone notice Arun Nanjappa dumped all matches at 5.0 Sectionals? Guess he is looking for a computer 4.5 rating. Also it is hypocritical of Red Benzon to protest when he got ESRed to 5.0.
ReplyDeleteAustin Team will be interesting. As for the ladies protest, funny how you can play the sustem as one of Lindloff's teammates got DQ'ed to 5.5 this year.