Sorry that I've been neglectful of the blog lately...I have an actual job now so I've not had the time I used to have.
Someone asked me for a preview of the Combo this weekend but I'm afraid that there are many commenters who would be more knowledgable than I am. But here's my two cents worth anyway.
In 7.5, I'm ashamed to say that I'm ignorant about the abilities of almost the entire 3.5 division. Freeman's team totally dominated the state 3.5 picture, and he has put together a combo team with several of his 3.5 and 4.0 players. I'd have to be a fool to bet against them.
The 8.5 division is more interesting to me, as the winner may be more in question. Allen Teague's team will be tough, but as of now only Richard Perreira and his funky left handed serve fill out the roster as a 4.0. I believe there may have been a dropout or two from Allen's original plans, so we'll see how there team shapes up. Because of that, I'm going to pick the Huang team to win it all. The 4.0's of Huang, Huang, Zebrowski and Swartley are pretty strong. A couple of the 4.5's (Paciotti and Moser) are seemingly more comfortable in singles than doubles, though Moser has some good tournament results this year. Tass has a good doubles reputation, though I've never seen him play.
The Lost Forest 8.5 team looks weak to me. The Copperfield team will not be a pushover. Bryan Robins is a very good 4.5 doubles player, and their 4.0's (Rawls, Nguyen, Sawaya, Montes et al) are pretty decent.
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This could be dangerous. A Combo tournament at Lost Forest. I'll be bringing my armored car, bullet proof vest, and smith and wesson
ReplyDeleteI heard Alain Tran and Steve Alrud are actually going to come out of retirement for this year's Combo.
ReplyDeleteThat last comment is classic. Post of the day.
ReplyDeleteI think Steve's more into golf these days and I saw Alain on UFC.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Alain dating Jenna Jameson...or was that Tito Ortiz. I get those guys mixed up sometimes.
ReplyDeleteFunny note...Richard Perreras (the correct spelling)... the player mentioned on the main screen, trained in the Ortiz camp for two years. Funny how he was mentioned and then Tito Ortiz was mentioned in the last post.
ReplyDeletei knew it... very well written blog greg. always nonpolitical, but does give his opinion (that i respect)
ReplyDeleteWorse case of sandbagging?
ReplyDelete2 come to mind. Nico Heidari playing 4.0 Henry Li playing 3.5 (right behind Bryan Pham playing 3.5 but I think Henry was a worse case).
On the women's side. Leeza Morris, from Dallas, playing 4.5. Former Fed Cup player for the Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteOn the women's side, how about your whole team?
ReplyDeleteI knew that was coming!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw a post over on the tournament blog about Kallus and where he's gotten in the game without instruction.
ReplyDeleteNext Question: Best Non-Sandbaggers. Best player having not been a Junior, HS, or College (any division) player.
To the poster on the other thread who asked me about protesting people down and what works best.
ReplyDeleteSadly, unless you file a medical appeal, there is no persuasive element to an appeal and their is no discretion involved on the part of the TTA. In the past you just sent a sheet of paper in with the person's name you were appealing and $5. Now you just do it through the USTA website for free and at any time of the year. If your DNTRP is within the allowable range then the appeal is granted.
I would wait until December before I started appealing folks, after all National Championships are over and the national benchmarks are set. There is a good chance that Houston will be hit hard with bump ups this year after our 3.5 and 4.0 guys win Nationals! There should be plenty of new faces in the 4.5s next year and not just my guys...anyone who has played well or beaten my guys are most likely on their way up. The mid-years will be changed drastically. Just my opinion.
I have prepared some tear-jerker appeals in the past and have never won any.
Tear-jerker "medical" appeals.
ReplyDeleteThe legendary Tim Green has played 3.5 league as well. At least he hasn't corrupted the combo tournament this weekend with ringers, it looks like everybody is pretty evenly matched. Teague has to be the favorite over Huang however due to the fact that Huang has unknowns playing 4.5 with the exception of Moser.
ReplyDeleteRobins had calf surgery not too long ago. In looking at his league record since, he shouldn't be a factor this weekend. Copperfield will get rolled.
ReplyDeleteYeah... I think Robin's injury is still plaguing him. I had the distinct pleasure of playing Robins a few weeks ago. The guy has some game but tends to choke it anytime he has a lead. The next time I play him it will cost him $60/hour.
ReplyDeleteHenry Li was rated 3.5 but did not play 3.5 league or tournament in 1999. If anyone saw Tim green when he first started playing tournaments as a 3.5 would not would not say that he was not a 3.5.
ReplyDeleteWhere can you get info on who's playing the combo this weekend?
ReplyDeleteFarzad Heidari playing as a 4.5 when he is now rated as a 6.0 would qualify as a sandbagger. Don't tell us that he has improved that much from 2006.
ReplyDeleteI assume that last remark was from one of the Kent boys and since neither one of them will "nut up" and play a league or tournament match, when it actually counts, I find $60 to be a little steep. Playing your wife or mother once a month and beating up on a cripple during lunch doesn't count for cahones.
ReplyDeleteFarzad was a reasonably nationally ranked juniors player was he not? Didn't he play out of westside or something?
ReplyDeleteKudos to those people who are competing without having had formal training like Kallus. I'm trying to but it's just hard to come up with names...
ReplyDeleteI did not play league as a 3.5. I was a 4.0 before I jumped on my first league team. I was also one of those self taught players. I did not touch a racket until I was 17 years old. That is why I was a 3.5 19 year old. Had I taken lessons, I believe I would have progressed much soon. The first mixed team I was on was with Betsie as a 4.0 and the first mens team was a 4.0 mens NOHO league team. Only played tournaments as a 3.5 player and won only one major as a 3.5 player. It is still one of my personal favorite tennis moments.
ReplyDeleteFreeman:
ReplyDeleteThanks for answering my question. How were you able to protest Sarosh and other from your 4.0 team down from 4.5 last year then? He didnt' look like he had any "medical conditions".
Yeah no kidding on Ahmed, he should have for sure been bumped. He did lose to David Yang but not only was Yang sandbagging he tanked a set in that match. I believe that was his only loss in 4.0 in years.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Sarosh also win the 4.0 coke? pretty easily I belive.
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteYou played junior college or division II tennis at two different schools (San Jac, somewhere in Colorado) plus you have been a teaching pro (including head pro at a couple places) so no offense but you do not qualify as self taught as I am sure that at some point along the way from age 17 to where you are now someone has helped work on your game (college coach perhaps). Plus from what you said, you started playing USTA tournaments right out of high school beating up on old men at 3.5. Its great that you weren't taking lessions from age 5 but when I think of self-made, late-to-develop players I do not think of Tim Green.
Yeah check out Tim's bio on the walden web page. It mentions he was a state ranked junior and then d2 player. I personally do not know of any 3.5 level ranked juniors much less scholarship college players. But lets not forget that Tim's NTRP analysis is faulty at best. He probably still thinks he is a 3.5. Also how can you pick up tennis at 17 and get state ranked in 18 and unders? Did he just pick up the racket and already be at a high level. Somebody needs to do a background chick on this guy the stories don't add up.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the guy, but yeah, I'd have to agree that it would be the great American success story for him to be a 3.5 @ 19 years of age and then play college tennis regardless of whether he played at the crappiest program in the nation.
ReplyDeleteIf what he says is true, then heck, he should probably be gracing the cover of Tennis magazine instead of Roddick because those are incredible jumps he made. That would, in fact, be a better success story than Kallus and I already think Kallus is impressive due to his not having had formal training.
Henry Li did play league as a 3.5 but it was on Nam Nguyen and Phong Regent's 8.0 Mixed team that won Sectionals - don't remember the year. Henry played with Kelly Mason.
ReplyDeleteI don't see much difference between Henry and Tim (or Bryan Pham) at 3.5. They are just natural athletes whose game progressed VERY fast. Tim started playing in High School because he wasn't big enough for the football team and couldn't hit a dunk shot (sorry Tim :-) Even by today's standards with profiling, Tim would be eligible to self-rate as a 3.5. I've seen blogs where people talk about not keeping your rating down and moving up as your game improved. Isn't that what Tim did? I've known Tim since he started playing and honestly his game didn't really take off until he played college in Colorado. Also, with the current profiling grid, having played D2, Tim would also be eligible to self rate 4.5. Neither D2 school Tim played for are nationally ranked.
And Tim's story is totally true. His high school coach who used to play on my 4.0 team (Allyson Burnett) is the one who talked him into trying out for the tennis team. Tim had never picked up a racquet before 17.
ReplyDeleteSo does the state ranked junior comment from his bio reflect that he went from nowhere to top-tier junior in less than 1 year or is it just a clever marketing statement since even the lowest ranked player in the state in any given year is still a state ranked player (as is anyone with a ranking)? If he became a top tier junior within 1 year, he would still have been too good of a player exiting high school to be playing 3.5 the next year. Tim is a nice guy but I will refrain from buying into all of his self-generated hype. If his story is true to the fullest extent, I can't wait to see it made into a feel good movie like "The Rookie". In any case, as a teaching pro now, he does not quite fit the definition of a self-made, not formally trained recreational player. That's like me saying I am a top engineer with no engineering training other than my two degrees in engineering from top programs and 15 years of industry experience, but those don't count because I did not become interested in engineering until my senior year in high school.
ReplyDeleteI can't speak for his jump to Jr stardom - I was just confirming his formative years in high school when he first started playing. Also, according to the grid, a "successful high school player" can self rate 3.5. ANY high school experienced players can self rate at 3.0. I'm not commenting on the validity of the grid, I'm just telling you what it says. Don't shoot the messenger.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you give the guy credit where it's due. I don't think Tim is trying to put himself in the same boat as Kallus and define himself a "self-made, not formally trained recreational player". And if you are Tim, then I agree with the previous post. Dan is probably the best player out there without having any instruction. Tim does, however, have a right to be proud of how far his game has come in just over 10 years.
Yang is definitely a level higher then Ahmed. Ahmed will have a hard time in 4.5, however he's a smart player and will adjust.
ReplyDeleteI did not write that Walden Bio. I never played a USTA tournament as a junior. I was never State ranked as a junior. San Jacinto was not nationaly ranked. The div 2 school I played for was ranked nationaly in 2001 at Metropolitan State College of Denver and I was on the All RMAC First team that same year. I had my 4.5 rating previous to attending Metro. I would have to rate as a 5.5 player if I did not previously have a rating. I am no 5.5 player.
ReplyDeleteTim, let's split the difference and come to the agreement that you are a 5.0 player. (grid rating 5.5 + self-rating 4.5/2)= 5.0. Complicated formula I know, but it seems to do the trick.
ReplyDeleteWow that raises the bigger question of why Walden has false information about one of its pros.
ReplyDeleteYeah, either way you look at that it doesn't ring positively. Oh well, that's league drama for you...
ReplyDeleteI could post I weigh 300 lbs and can fly but that does not make it true.
ReplyDeleteAll clubs want to make their pros look good. Sometimes this leads to misstating information.
so how does a person that has no formal training become a teaching pro? It just doesn't make sense. you're telling me that you did not get one lesson at all through out your life and was able to be a ranked junior and play for a college? I don't care if it was D1 or D2 or HCC... just like FEDERER was a self taught thats why he has no coach.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if Henry Li played jrs or college? He would definitely be a top candidate for best non-sandbagger. Phong Regent comes to mind too.
ReplyDeleteI'd say on the women's side Hollis and Cindy Madi are good candidates. I know Betsie has only played like 10 years and I'm pretty sure Cindy has played about the same. Anyone who gets to Nationals twice at 4.5 having started later in life is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's anyone else on either of Betsie's 4.5 National teams that wasn't a Jr or college player. She's definitely a pro at stacking her teams.
Good call, blogger, on the Copperfield team!
ReplyDeleteGreat job Copperfield!
ReplyDeleteWho'd thunk Teague's team would lose to Huang's team pretty easily with their only win being a 3-setter.
ReplyDeleteThat and Copperfield pretty much steamrolled everybody.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to clear up a few things. It was a misunderstanding that caused Walden to post that I was a ranked junior. I was number one on my High School team. I did have a high school coach when I started playing who I also played mixed league with on Betsie's team. I did receive much encouragment from my high school coach and she gave me much advice on how to play the game. I owe her a big Thank You.
ReplyDeleteAny details from the combo tournament this past weekend? I saw Copperfield won but am curious how everyone matched up and how people played.
ReplyDeleteThe new fall season is starting soon, how about a preview?
ReplyDeleteNo one cares about HTA league. No excitement since most of the ringer/sandbaggers don't play, everyone plays up a 1/2 level, but the WHINERS are happy because they actually get a few Ws.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that nobody really cares about the HTA league in the fall and spring. Do the other cities care? Because if they actually do, this definitely puts Houston at a distinct disadvantage as they've been competing year round.
ReplyDeleteWhy DON'T the better players come out and play during the spring and fall? Is it due to ego or other commitments?
I don't think the excitement of a coffee cup or tennis towel is enough to bring out the big dawgs. Sectionals and Nationals is!
ReplyDeleteRed and Tim's budget only allows for hiring ringers for one league season a year.
ReplyDeleteNobody's in it for the pure love of a good match?!? What has this league thing come to?!
ReplyDeleteBesides which, somebody showed me one of those purple oversized coffee mug things. They're not THAT bad if you just don't look at them...
The problem with HTA Fall/Spring league is as follows: HTA allows 3.5, and 4.0 players to play in 4.5 because they would like the practice and to play against individuals that might not normally play with them. What fun is that for the 4.5 player?
ReplyDeleteI was a previous 4.0 player and could feel a little tension against guys when i played up in 4.5 tournaments. They assumed that i did not belong there, which at times i really didnt.
The last poster is right. I am a solid 4.5 and I don't mind beating up on a 4.0 in a tournament as that makes it easier for me but in HTA league which to me is really geared towards practice more than trying to win the league, I don't want my time wasted with a lesser player. I would rather play a guy above me so that it helps my game. In that way, I understand why everyone plays up in the HTA league but it does take the fun out of it, especially at lines 3 and 4.
ReplyDeleteHey, I guess that's how the ringers (at each level) feel about playing USTA league.
ReplyDeleteThat's probably true and that's why the ringers should be playing at the appropriate level. Most of them do it because they are hired guns and like having a captain's lips on their ass telling them how great they and how if we only had you we can go to sectionals.
ReplyDeleteGood point. Jason Kern comes to mind as one of those ringers. He got a computer rating based on only 4 doubles matches in 2006. Can you believe he came all the way to Houston for 7.5 combo league?
ReplyDeleteI know Henry Li never played jr or college, Phong Regent played some High school tennis. I think they are above average 4.5 players now.
ReplyDeleteThen, Henry gets my vote for best overall self-taught player. Sorry, Dan, you got beat out for that honor. You're a pretty darn good 2nd place though.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out the Austin and Dallas blogs yet? BORING! There is just not enough trash talk yet. I guess since there's no USTA league going on.
ReplyDeleteDamn. Someone finally says something nice about me on one of these blogs and now they have to go and take it back. I would agree that Henry is a better player than me. Maybe I should challenge him to a lie-detector test to make sure he has never had a lesson or two somewhere along the way.
ReplyDeleteHenry had to have had some training somewhere. His strokes and serve are fairly classic looking, which ok, admittedly might mean that he just watched and emulated a tennis video. But I somehow don't see him doing that. Somebody should just ask him...
ReplyDeleteA few lessons or occasional clinic are a far cry from the daily drills and instrution that one receives when in a supervised/organized environment of High School, Jr, or College tennis. Even so, I hardly call the few tips a teaching pro might pass along (few of which actually have any value) every now and then grounds for dismissing Henry as "self-taught".
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, if Henry didn't have any formal instruction (I don't necessarily know how valid the high school thing would be depending on where he went) he would be the best choice. Without junior training, he's quite impressive...
ReplyDeleteI heard there is a 5.0+ league this season instead of just having 4.5+? Is this going to help those who find the season to be boring come out and play?
Kallus,
ReplyDeleteI will compliment you. I have watched you progress from the 3.5 days and remember the first time we played at Lost Forest. Your game has improved three levels since then and you have beaten me several times over the years. Congrats and continue to work to improve.
Cheers,
Tim Green
Well, to the poster who said my Austin Blog is boring, I will agree that we don't have the level of comments/trash talking that you guys have here. I decided not to just focus on adult leagues and who is/is not sandbagging. Hopefully you'll find some interesting posts in the next few weeks, I'm going to be posting my interview with Mike Davis early next week. -AT
ReplyDeleteThat's ok - this one is getting pretty boring now too. Seems noone wants to trashtalk about a bunch of USTA whiners who can now win every week since all the sandbaggers are out of the league.
ReplyDeleteA Mike Davis interview? Boy, that sure sounds riveting. Plus, it probably will take some of the wind out of the sails of the Tim Green expose that I have been working on. It's bad enough Austin has better weather, geography, and music than Houston, now they are going to have a league tennis website that's less boring than ours.
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment. I will lay off of sandbagging/ringer comments about you for at least two weeks as appreciation for your kind words. Where is my wedding invitation by the way?
I'll probably get scoffed at and laughed off the blog, but is ANYONE interested in the outlook on Sr Sectionals this weekend or Mixed Sectionals next weekend?
ReplyDeleteHouston's 9.0 team is decent. Hopefully, they won't choke like the last 2 years.
Tim, are you finally getting married?
ReplyDeleteYes, I am getting married next month.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Tim. It's about time.
ReplyDeletewho's the lucky guy tim? did they finally legalize it?
ReplyDeleteTim and Red will make a great couple! Best of luck you guys!
ReplyDeleteYou're an idiot
ReplyDelete