With Copperfield's win, it's quite possible they could win the division and shake up the playoff structure.
Hypothetical question: Is it ethical for the Rockets to intentionally drop some games at the end of the season to get a more favorable matchup in the playoffs? (or to get a better draft choice if they're in the lottery)
I toyed with the idea of having my team lose last night to give us more options in the postseason. What if Lopez and Omon are injured and Kingwood isn't the behemoth we thought they were? What if the Hurricanes win that division and I think we match up better with them? From that standpoint, a loss last night might have been prudent. Is losing on purpose EVER ethical? I think we all agree that tanking for ratings purposes is wrong....but what about for playoff matchup purposes?
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Do whatever it takes to align your opportunities with this highest chance of success of making the next round.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Rockets are a good example....They peaked in March when no one cared and McGrady was in home for the summer by Memorial Day (as expected).
Losing to a somewhat worhty opponent to jocky for playoff position is probably ok. Losing to a Lost Forest team that defaults 2 lines of doubles and has more 4.0s on the team and no strong 4.5s is not only wrong but would have been almost impossible to pull off. All you needed to win was 1 line of the 3 played and I am pretty certain that there was no circumstance under which Kallus was going to win his match no matter how hard you tried to let him.
ReplyDeleteAre Omon and Juan really hurt?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. Not seriously anyway, from what I understand.
ReplyDeleteWho cares if they are hurt. they are deep enough to beat everyone without them. they have lots of depth. 1. singles Valentine 2. singles Burris 1. Doubles Hurlbert/Burris 2. Doubles Pekhar/Wright 3.Doubles Hai vu/Chantz/Phi Huynh. They are DEEP this year and Hungry for a Sunday Sectional Apperance.
ReplyDeleteWith Omon and Juan Lopez they are a Force Guaranteed.
Red keeps pumping up Kingwood to take focus off his team of teaching pros.
ReplyDeleteA better question is: Why does HTA setup such a brain dead league/playoff structure that actually encourages losing?
ReplyDeleteTo backup my previous comment (and answer a question that Greg asked a while ago), here is how I would run the 4.5 league/playoffs.
ReplyDeleteThe basic idea is to mimic the structure used in Olympic basketball in there are two phases of the qualifying round followed by a playoff.
There are 14 teams. Create two pools.
Phase 1 - 7 week round robin between teams in each pool (play 6 teams, sit out 1 week due to odd # of teams).
Phase 2 - Top 3 teams in each pool advance to a new pool of 6 teams. Inherit your record from Phase 1 against other advancing teams from your pool. Play 3 teams from other pool in 3 weeks. (Bottom 4 teams from each pool can also form new pool for 4 more matches.)
Playoffs - Top four teams have single elimination, weekend playoff for sectional spot.
Why is this good? Because every top team gets to play every other top team. Likewise, the weaker teams get a break from constantly being pounded in the second half of the season.
Why don't we use something like this? Because it's probably not compatible with USTA's software and it requires work by HTA.
I agree that having a system in place that awards losing is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI think a solution that is not quite as involved as the previous post is the following:
Continue the current round robin playoff divisions but have a semifinal match where the 1st place teams from RR1 play the 2nd team from RR2 and vice versa for a spot at sectionals. Then the two winners can play each other for the city championship.
This would avoid a potential problem where the two best teams in the city could be placed in the same bracket.
To avoid what the previous poster said: city playoff schedules should not be released until after all matches have been complete with the exception of the weekend it will be played on. Each division can be told how many teams will be participating, but the format will remain closed until all matches completed. Fault HTA for that.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, but if you withheld the format you would just create a situation where people reverse engineer all of the possible combinations based on historical (because people are lazy animals by nature) and what is possible based on the number of flights and teams per flight.
ReplyDeleteThis is not very hard to do.
There is not a way to prevent this from happening.
Why is it at some sectional events teams QUIT after they win 3 rounds? Some would call that strategy and some would call it chicken shit b/c people came from all over the state to play.
So Chris did Rafa QUIT after he won the first 3 sets today. Djokovich came from a long way to play too. I understand its not exactly the same but the result is the same. If ur not good enough to win 3 out of 5 who cares anyways? Its Sectionals not a pool party :) It might be different if they didnt all start at the same time. If they did everyone got some tennis in anyways and its about the team not the individuals. Just one mans opinion.
ReplyDeleteKern,
ReplyDeleteWTF are you talking about? Lay off the water tobacco pipe.
I was talking about LINES at sectionals.
Nadal owned that match today. Something did click in the 3rd set though for Djokovich and he played the best he could.
Exactly you have to win 3 out of 5 lines just like you have to win 3 out of 5 sets. Once you win 3 of either the other 2 don't matter. As you said in your first post "do whatever it takes to align your opportunities with the highest chance of success" If you feel like pulling people off the court gives you an advantage then do it. If you feel like playing weaker players so that you end up with a better seed then do it. Just be up front about it. Sorry you couldn't understand my comparison. Have a good weekend watching Nadal stay undefeated.
ReplyDeleteNot sure when it happened...it could be old news that I missed, but it appears that Stephen Coyle of the 4.0 Copperfield Copperheads has been disqualified and bumped up to 4.5. Does anyone know whether this was due to his being a teaching pro or was it a three strikes violation?
ReplyDeleteRed, I accept your offer let's play this match. I have nothing to lose. I believe you are the better player but what the heck if the wind, sun, clouds, and etc line up just right perhaps I will get lucky.
ReplyDeleteI already don't play 4.5 league, I am not good enough. I predict you will win 6-2, 6-2. The next poll should be over and under on the score.
Knutson
Looks like Red had a little to do with the outcome today in the Kingwood/Cypresswood match. Ted Phoumarath who is buddies with Red from the Mob Squad gets smoked by Hai Vu. I call BS on that. There is no way in hell that Hai Vu can beat Ted in straight sets. I wonder how much this payoff was?
ReplyDeleteHai Vu beat Ted straight up. He basically dominated Ted's push game by serve and volleying tactics.Anyone can be upset just watch Federer beat Rafa Today.
ReplyDeleteMorton will play Knutson this upcoming weekend in NOHO and put Kris in his place in straight sets.Knutson is actually going to finally play in a Big Match hopefully he can handle the pressure because its a lose and go home scenario for him and his team. Or lose and go back to 4.0's.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching... I guess Roger has him right where he wants him. Lost first set 6-1.. Now he only has to win 80% of the remaining sets against the best clay courter of all time. I wish I was your bookie.
ReplyDeleteHas anybody thought Kris wants this match so he can lose get moved down to 4.0 and then brag how he beats everyone. That is classic Kris.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how most Captains can contribute to a team like Kilshaw ,Benzon,Dwyer,Freeman but Knutson can't even get himself in the line up for any of the matches. Knutson should not play and save himself from a terrible smackdown. At least this way he can keep talking about how good he is.
ReplyDeleteTed P. would never lose to Hai Vu a few years ago. Mob Squad singles has gone downhill. They better hope Adrian Hasker is the answer. Anyone seen him play?
ReplyDeleteAadrian Hasker is damn smooth. Although lacks the experience of league play and pressures. Steve Phan is as solid as they come he will remain undefeated in league single play. Ted P.is a great counterpuncher with great athleticism but can be dominated by a pressing Serve and Volleyer.
ReplyDeleteDamn Nadal dominated Federer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteVAMOS RAFA!!!!! Hopefully federer will not win another major with Novak and Rafa stepping up!
ReplyDeleteIf Ted was in fact paid off by Red, then I sure hope he was smart enough to get his money up front!
ReplyDeleteIf Ted did Tank that match then he should be ashamed of himself. He supposedly is a Good Guy and shouldn't take his Team down with him.
ReplyDeleteTed never tanks matches
ReplyDeleteTed P is issuing a challenge to Mrs Phi aka Hai Vu. $500, one set. And he will take anyone else's bet that is wanting to bet against him. Lets find out if he was tanking.
ReplyDeleteThat just proves Ted was tanking.
ReplyDeleteEveryone deserves a bad day on the tennis court, and maybe Ted's was Saturday. Or maybe Hai was playing that damn good. Give it a rest!!!
ReplyDeleteIs Copperfield the favorite now? Adam Kent has been added to their roster. I wonder which team he will declare for? I can't imagine that Red and Craig Bobo are too happy about this...
ReplyDeleteStephen Coyld - had to be 3 strikes. He had a mixed 3.5 computer rating.
ReplyDeleteWho cares which team Kent Declares for? The Guy hasn't been playing so what makes so sure he will be able to dominate in 4.5's. If he plays Great but he's got to be able to show up and endure the guys who have been playing and putting the work in.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about favored, but with Adam and Alex playing, it makes us more competitive with the big boys.
ReplyDeleteRobins just answered the previous poster: with Kent playing, it makes us more competitive. I doubt they WOULD NOT play Adam, he is not a guarantee win in dubs, but a pretty good chance in singles if he is playing.
ReplyDeleteYour an idiot if you think losing Kent from NoHo is going to hurt Benzon. His tomb stone will say: "If you can't play, then recruit." He will grab up more ringers like he always does. That way he can have someone to carry him in doubles.
ReplyDeleteTo all the people insisting Kent is an average 4.5, just look at his college and usta results. its doubtful he has gone from 5.5 to 4.5 just from taking a little time off from tennis. This guy is "the" ringer for 4.5 in Houston this year.
ReplyDeleteWill Copperfield add Blessing and David B. this week? If they landed those two guys then they could possibly be a national contender.
ReplyDeletefunny some of you guys are complaining about Kent when you could have caught him last year when he rerated to 4.5, considering the rules clearly state that you are not allowed to rate more than .5 of your previous rating, which I assume he was 5.5 since he went to and played and one a match at 5.5 nationals.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the 3 strike rule? How is it applied?
ReplyDeleteHow would Copperfield match up with Kingwood? Can Kudrick beat a Lopez? Kent vs.Dibua? Should be some high level tennis. I'm sure the edge goes to Kingwood in the Dubs. What about this Bergmann guy?
ReplyDeleteThe 3 favorite are now Kingwood, Copperfield, and the Met.
ReplyDelete