Re: Best Players

• From: tgallows <no_reply_at_yahoogroups.com>
• Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 06:55:40 -0000
• Message-ID: <b9i7pc+tn6r_at_...>

> 10. Raj Duwalia - Solid player, who seems to benefit from playing in 
> Southeast.  Put up great numbers at NAQT, but ACF nationals numbers 
> were sketchy.


Sketchy numbers??  Who are you?  You're not former MU president
Katrina, are you?  :)  But yes, they were sketchy indeed.  I haven't
been sharp for a tournament since last year's Chicago Open, and ACF
Nationals is the tournament most likely to expose rust.  I think I was
leading Freeburg in negs at some point.  Bleah.  However, I don't
think I "benefit" much statistically from playing in the Southeast,
which I would rank as the third-toughest region behind the Upper
Midwest and the West.  A typical southeastern tournament entails
playing against Kentucky, Emory, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina (and
UF), which isn't a row of tomato cans.  [Maryland can attest to the
region's strength, from their MLK experience.]  It was a tougher
region last year, when stronger teams from Georgia, FSU, and FAU were
in the mix.  The top of the field isn't as strong as in the upper
midwest, but it's not what I'd consider a soft region.

As for "Best Female Players," I don't see anything wrong with the
topic -- it is as arbitrary as Best Greek-Hungarian or Best Indian
player or best player who wears glasses, but so what?  The state of
Florida has several strong female Div II players, such as Amy Harvey
and Elissa from Valencia's Div II ICT team, and Irena Li and Kelly
Barone from UF.  Julie Singer was the best female player I've faced. 
I'm zero-for-something against her -- some of those were with Dave
Hamilton, but she crushed me like a bug a couple years ago when her
highest-scoring teammate was Andy Goss.

I have no nominations for best Greek-Hungarian player.  Best Indian
player is pretty much a given, but I think I might have a shot at the
all-Indian first team [along with Vik and my fellow Raj], if I count
as Indian.  Best player who wears glasses ... that doesn't really
narrow it down much.  But that's enough babbling from me.

--Raj Dhuwalia, UF