Thursday, August 23, 2007
Look for another Dibua Romp this weekend.
Things look set up for a continuation of Dibua dominance in meaningless small local tournaments. So far this year a Dibua has won 4.5 titles at Lost Forest, Galveston, Copperfield, Conroe, and last weekend at Lee Leclear. And go ahead and throw in the Waco Major Zone if you like. In the Northgate tourney this weekend, look for Omon to throttle top seed Daniel Kallus in the semis and Odion might possibly cause a heart attack-related death if he were to play the 50+ year old, quite possibly not in the best shape Dennis Hilsmeier in the other semi. If anyone has any predictions on 4.0 or Open, please share them as don't have any value to add there. If you don't have a problem with the Dibuas ruining 4.5 the little guys, fine. But from my 10 years of playing here in Houston, it is not a good thing when guys like this start playing all the small events as it scares most of the middle-of-the-pack guys out of signing up and the end result is very small, unexciting draws.
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Look for Amit Garg to cruise through open division. 4.5 will be Dibua vs Dibua obviously for the finals.
Yeah, looks like I will have to take my beating from Omon on Saturday. In other news....if anyone knows of a Thursday night Men's 4.5 HTA doubles league team in need of a line 1 or 2 team, Jochen Moser and I would be interested so that we can get some matches under our belt. Unfortuantely, I don't know enough guys to put together my own doubles team.
Once upon a time Kallus was a top dog in 4.5 singles tournaments. Now he can't even win the small time events due to the Dibuas. Tough break for him.
Why is everyone so critical of Kallus, Moser, and Schumucker? All 3 of these guys have done pretty darn well this year, rather it be in singles or doubles. Damn!!!! Give them a break.
What sucks is that I am not even old or fat or out of shape and I don't think my game has really fallen off. The new competition just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Guess its my fault for not taking lessons and maybe making the mistake of spending a little more time with my family during the week.
Why should I not play 4.5? Amit Garg plays in the open division and he destroyed me at Lost Forest. I also got gestroyed last week in the second round in the open division. I would play 5.0 but the draws don't make it. Plus I really felt like taking on my bro...
I will call the upset an pick Mike Burch vs Bradford Judson in the Open Finals.
Garg has Big Game but Burch is a Grinder and a tough competitor on and off the court. Bradford Judson is a really Good Player who should make the Finals.
Tournaments are boring and they take up too much time. League tennis is where most folks turn to play recreational tennis in a structured setting. Plus, it is 100x more exciting.
However. Although they are boring, I respect the hell out of anyone who can withstand the physical grind of a Texas summer tournament at any level.
I enjoy this Blog, keep it up.
Haha Burch vs. Judson for open finals. Don't hold your breath on that one.
Omon,
I don't think there is anything wrong with you playing 4.5 in tournaments where there is truly respectable competition, but these small events your brother keeps signing up for and steamrolling is a joke and you are even better than he. I have seen you guys play in tournaments where you make it to the finals and then you don't even play a legitimate match, so I hope you guys give it your all in the finals this time out of respect to all the true 4.5's you step all over. You and your brother are really nice guys but by now you should realize you are much better than tournament 4.5 players. Plus next time, sign up early instead of after the deadline so that the other guys can know you are playing and save the $28 they are wasting.
Dibua's,
Don't listen to this mess. Play where you want but don't go trophy hunting, it looks bad. If you get beat at the higher levels then you get beat. In my opinion, you should be playing up in these smaller events and trying to gather some points for 5.0 early seedings for next year and playing 4.5 and kicking ass in the Major Zones this year.
This group of 4.5 whiners that just won't stop bitching and moaning is the same group that constantly complains all year during league because they can't either get on a good team or win a line against a good team. Somehow they made themselves the 4.5 measuring stick while they probably belong in the 4.0s and believe me, if they could somehow find themselves rated lower they would have no problem signing up for and dominating (I doubt it) the smaller tournaments. You don't owe them shit. They are not entitled to advance deeper into smaller 4.5 tournaments, even though they act like they are.
The Dibuas are super nice guys and very good players. If they wish to play 4.5, they have every right to do so. In my opinion, because the smaller tournaments tend to make less competitive draws (unlike zones), i think its a waste of their time and money, not to mention their tennis talent. Play up, get the practice and make your game better guys.
If I belong in 4.0, then somebody please rate me 4.0. I have been a 4.5 for the last 8 years and have played over 200 4.5 tournament matches in that time. Winning more than losing. I think I know at this point what a 4.5 player is. The Dibuas are not. Kallus is a 4.5 player, he tried 5.0 last year and got destroyed. If the Dibuas played a full year of 5.0, they would both end up at the top of the 5.0 rankings. They would for sure dominate local 5.0 draws if they ever made. Plus, isn't the point of this website to bitch and discuss? If everyone stopped whining as some of you keep calling for, then what is the point of this site?
Talk to the USTA, TTA, and HTA about you issues with your rating. They are not going to change, or push the rating issue because the more people they keep in 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 the more money they are going to make. Most tournament draws are comprised of those 3 divisions. If they enforced the rating system, most of the guys who play tournaments and leagues, and advance to Sectionals would get bumped up and get slaughtered in 5.0. Its all about the money!!!!!
I agree that the Dibua's are nice guys and CAN play at that level since they are rated at 4.5 for now. The draws are larger than the 5.0's and that's why other 4.5 rated players don't play 5.0 is because of the draw size. For the Northgate 4.0 draw I see the #1 seed playing Goldberg in the finals.
For me personally, i would much rather play up from 4.5 in the local tourneys. The experience can only improve your game and make you a better competitor. I do not like losing, or getting my ass kicked, but playing against guys that are better will help me improve.
Omon,
You have to sign up for a tiny tournament at Northgate in order to get a chance to play your brother? The two of you could have saved $56 and just called each other up to play a match. I am thinking about going fishing with my brother but instead of calling him, I guess I will buy a bass boat and then try to quality for the Pro Fishing Tour in hopes that he does the exact same thing and we then might run into each other on some bass tournament on a backwoods lake up in Arkansas.
BTW, Omon did not win in Conroe. He and his partner were ousted in straight sets by Alain Tran and Rick Boehck. Just getting some facts straight.
Who said anything about doubles with a non-Dibua partner? I think the focus here is on singles domination. The Dibuas as a team are just as strong in doubles but I assume someone will point out that they lost in the semis at the Coke as proof that they belong at 4.5.
In response to the bloggers question on the main page about "Who is the biggest cheater?" Are we posting names of cheaters?
Thats a good idea. People should post their experiences with the most notorious Houston cheaters.
I call Garg if the heat doesn't get to him. Of course, there's always that kid Ghandi who just might be able to play some inspired tennis and I'm sure he's got to be used to the heat.
As for the Dibuas, how much do tournament results count towards your NTRP rating and how much do league results? Is there a misbalance? Anybody know for sure?
Foad Ansari makes bad line calls but I don't know if it is intentional cause I really don't think he knows he does it. There are lots of league cheaters but as far as other tourney guys, I saw that kid Jacob Casas from the valley cheating big time at the Coke.
If a Dibua gets bumped to 5.0 it will much more likely be from their dominance in league play even if they dropped a match somewhere during the season. It used to be that you could get bumped by a visual raters that were present at League sectionals to catch the sandbaggers. Guess they don't do that anymore. It would be funny if one Dibua gets bumped up for beating the other one, given how strong both of their league and tournament records are.
Imaginary match at sectionals:
CAS-ASS: (thinking) If it is on the line, it is out. If I can't see it, he probably also couldn't see it.
TROUT MAN: ... (walks off the court)
Score: CAS-ASS DEF TROUT MAN 1:0 Ret(quit)
JAY DEE: Were you not ranked 3 in 5.0 last year?
SHMUCK: Duuuude, so much hate! (deep voice)
REEFER: I need some MILF?
PHOAD: How can you like women above 20? (walking to the Women's Open matches ...)
ODI IS ON: My knee is injured.
Score: ODI IS ON def. CALL IN 60 60
PHO-AD: Did you know TPI stands for Teens, Perverts, and I? That's why they offer Juniors and Adults in one tourney.
Kallus: No one told me there would be people watching, or the sun would be out, or about the wind, not to mention the net, and the slope to the court, or the fact that I got a crappy draw and have to play a ringer...
Late breaking development as Omon
Dibua is now in the Open draw instead of 4.5. Lucky break for Kallus as he may now have a chance to win one match before being destroyed by Odion. I'd like to think that the discussion on this site had something to do with it, but either way I want to commend Omon for doing the right thing and all the power to you if you want to sign up and play your brother in the finals of the next Major Zone.
Blogger, where did you get the idea that Hillsmeier would make the semi? He was only #20 or so in 4.0s about 10 years ago, when he moved himself up to 4.5s and has languished at the bottom of that pack ever since. His current record in 4.5 is 4-11, and his state rank is #193.
Who are the biggest cheaters? 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0?
I did not say he would make the semis. I said that if he did, he would die of a heart attack against Odion. Who knows, his opponent could have no-showed. I don't know if Hilsmieier has even won at match at 4.5 this year, so I definitely was not making a prediction of his victory.
I have played at all 4 levels and I think the biggest cheaters were at 4.0. But that may have been because there are more players in total at 4.0 so by default there are also probably more cheaters.
Who won the northgate tournament in each respective division? Its not posted on the internet that i can see....
I think Goldberg won the finals of 4.0 7-6 in the 3rd set. Odion Dibua won the 4.5 with a another hard fought 6-2, 6-0 victory. Way to tough it out Odion, keep it up and you might have some success yet at 4.5. Oh yeah, I forgot you are 28-1 this season. Hope you are having fun. I do not know who won the Open division.
Amit Garg won the open division against Judson in the final. Judson retired after losing a close first set.
Biggest 4.5 cheater is hands down Jacob Casas from the valley. 5.0, there is no one that really stands out as a habitual cheater. John Hubbble was perhaps the most gifted cheater to ever grace the 3.5 and 4.0 ranks. That said, he is really nice guy off the court.
Reggie Black in 5.0
Reggie is a good choice for 5.0, especially when it comes to conveniently forgetting/changing the score.
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