How do you feel about a team adding players like this?

[Edberg's Iceburg]

A situation occurred in our local 4.5 men's 18+ league recently. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Curious how others felt. I am not in the league this year, but was last year so I still follow because I know a lot of the players.

The team in question won the local league last year and advanced to the finals of sectionals where they just barely lost. The captain is a "nationals or bust" type of captain.

The season ran January through this past weekend, with playoffs next weekend. Because of a snowstorm earlier in the season, this team had 2 matches in the last weekend of the season. Our league rules require playing 2 matches to play in playoffs. They had already pretty much clinched the playoffs going into this last weekend since they were undefeated.

The captain recruited 2 new players from out of town to come in this weekend and play in the last 2 matches. 1 player is from about 5 hours away, the other is from about 2.5 hours away. These guys aren't super elite 4.5s, but they are probably the 3rd and 4th best guys on the team now, so they will definitely strengthen this teams #2 and #3 positions. I assume these 2 guys will come back next weekend for the playoffs.

I can't decide how I feel about this. On one hand I'm pretty certain there aren't any rules against it. On the other hand it feels a bit lame to me that the team that is already the best in the league brings in 2 new out of towners to make them an even bigger favorite to win the playoffs. Their biggest rival plays out of a club that does not allow any nonmembers to play on the team.

what do you think?

 

[J_R_B]

A situation occurred in our local 4.5 men's 18+ league recently. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Curious how others felt. I am not in the league this year, but was last year so I still follow because I know a lot of the players.

The team in question won the local league last year and advanced to the finals of sectionals where they just barely lost. The captain is a "nationals or bust" type of captain.

The season ran January through this past weekend, with playoffs next weekend. Because of a snowstorm earlier in the season, this team had 2 matches in the last weekend of the season. Our league rules require playing 2 matches to play in playoffs. They had already pretty much clinched the playoffs going into this last weekend since they were undefeated.

The captain recruited 2 new players from out of town to come in this weekend and play in the last 2 matches. 1 player is from about 5 hours away, the other is from about 2.5 hours away. These guys aren't super elite 4.5s, but they are probably the 3rd and 4th best guys on the team now, so they will definitely strengthen this teams #2 and #3 positions. I assume these 2 guys will come back next weekend for the playoffs.

I can't decide how I feel about this. On one hand I'm pretty certain there aren't any rules against it. On the other hand it feels a bit lame to me that the team that is already the best in the league brings in 2 new out of towners to make them an even bigger favorite to win the playoffs. Their biggest rival plays out of a club that does not allow any nonmembers to play on the team.

what do you think?

Honestly, as an outsider, I don't have a problem as long as your rules allow it, but you'd really have to ask the other guys on the team who played all season only to see two mercenaries take their playoff spots in the last weekend. That can be a pretty weak thing to do unless there is an understanding from the start that it's win at all costs even it costs you your spot.

 

[BigBlueYanks]

I wouldn't have a problem with it, as long as it was mentioned at the start of the season. Which means, all players were given a prior notice and accepted the possibility of being replaced by mercs for playoffs.

 

[heninfan99]

I feel great about this. If true it's an excellent idea from a sharp captain.

 

[spot]

I'd say that from an outsiders perspective there isn't anything wrong with it whatsoever. If I were on that team I might take issue with it but if the captain is up front about "Nationals or Bust" then they probably understand what the deal is.

 

[NumbersGuy]

Plenty of guys in our local leagues confuse this as well. This team is not competing to be “the best in the league”. They’re not competing with the local teams at all. They’re competing to be the best in the Section, or better. The other local teams just have to get used to playing for second place. It happens everywhere.

As far as rules, USTA has no rule against what you’re talking about. However the Section or even the local league could have a residency requirement.

 

[kevrol]

Our local league cuts off roster additions about 4 weeks into the season to prevent this type of stuff.

 

[OrangePower]

Our local league allows it, and I know a captain who does this pretty much every season. He usually has his local league sown up before the last two matches have been played, and at that time will recruit the best players from nearby leagues whose teams have already been eliminated.

Since he does this every year, the players on his team know the deal. They are all mercs coming together for the sole purpose of making nationals. They don't ever practice or hang out together. Power to them. I have no problem with it - it means guaranteed good competition for the rest of the league every season.

And There are a few on this board who would fit right in I think ;-)

 

[UCSF2012]

If it's allowed, it doesn't matter how you feel about it. End of story. Deal with it like a man.

 

[Joeyg]

I feel great about this. If true it's an excellent idea from a sharp captain.

This is the kind of crap that keeps me away from "team tennis". There really is no sense of team at all. I liked it before, when you went with the team you started with and no one could play on different teams.

 

[TennisCJC]

I think it is OK for the captain to recruit players who leave 3-5 hours away.

I think it is also OK for you to think USTA is not that important and you should play with your friends and not recruit strangers who live several hours away.

To each, their own.

 

[mctennis]

This is the kind of crap that keeps me away from "team tennis". There really is no sense of team at all. I liked it before, when you went with the team you started with and no one could play on different teams.

Ditto +1. That's why I stopped playing team tennis. This type of junk makes it unpleasant to play on a "team". Anymore I just do "drop in" tennis events at my club. Play and go home. No drama.

 

[Jakes On A Plane]

For your leagues, I'm surprised there is no registration deadline. That could definitely help to prevent adding last minute ringers. I don't have a problem with adding out of town ringers but this sounds like a shady captain taking full advantage of a flawed system.

 

[Bdarb]

5 hours? Lol. People flying in for league matches.. Pretty serious business. Does Nike pick up their expenses? They must be sponsored..

 

[kingcheetah]

5 hours? Lol. People flying in for league matches.. Pretty serious business. Does Nike pick up their expenses? They must be sponsored..

That's what I'd like to know :lol:

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

Update - the "mercs" (i like that term) did indeed play in the first round of the playoffs. One of them played #1 singles and won, the other played at #1 doubles, also a win. The team won 4-1 and advanced to the finals this evening.

 

[goober]

5 hours? Lol. People flying in for league matches.. Pretty serious business. Does Nike pick up their expenses? They must be sponsored..

Probably the captain is picking up expenses especially if he is the win at all costs type.

 

[OrangePower]

Probably the captain is picking up expenses especially if he is the win at all costs type.

Surely you've seen the other thread where some guy is posting to ask what it takes to take a team to nationals... LOL

 

[Edberg's Iceburg]

The league finals were last night. The team in question played one of the "mercs" at #1 singles where he lost in a tiebreak. The other merc played #2 doubles and also lost. The team lost 4-1. Unless they get a wildcard, looks like its the end of the line for these guys.

 

[chatt_town]

I really don't have a problem with it as long as it's not against the rules. Some leagues I play in put a deadline on the players being added. I know in Chattanooga, they set a deadline before the league even starts. In Ga you can add players all the way to the last match. To be honest, if the captain is the type of captain you say, then it's understandable why he would add strong players. It's not just the playoffs he's thinking about but state and maybe sectionals. The more players you have the better off you are. He may end up ticking some players off once he gets to a point where he has to start deciding who to play and who to sit.

A situation occurred in our local 4.5 men's 18+ league recently. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Curious how others felt. I am not in the league this year, but was last year so I still follow because I know a lot of the players.

The team in question won the local league last year and advanced to the finals of sectionals where they just barely lost. The captain is a "nationals or bust" type of captain.

The season ran January through this past weekend, with playoffs next weekend. Because of a snowstorm earlier in the season, this team had 2 matches in the last weekend of the season. Our league rules require playing 2 matches to play in playoffs. They had already pretty much clinched the playoffs going into this last weekend since they were undefeated.

The captain recruited 2 new players from out of town to come in this weekend and play in the last 2 matches. 1 player is from about 5 hours away, the other is from about 2.5 hours away. These guys aren't super elite 4.5s, but they are probably the 3rd and 4th best guys on the team now, so they will definitely strengthen this teams #2 and #3 positions. I assume these 2 guys will come back next weekend for the playoffs.

I can't decide how I feel about this. On one hand I'm pretty certain there aren't any rules against it. On the other hand it feels a bit lame to me that the team that is already the best in the league brings in 2 new out of towners to make them an even bigger favorite to win the playoffs. Their biggest rival plays out of a club that does not allow any nonmembers to play on the team.

what do you think?