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I hate -- HATE -- this one game wildcard playoff system (Original Post) Auggie Sep 2014 OP
selig=idiot n/t wilt the stilt Sep 2014 #1
Tell me about JonLP24 Sep 2014 #2
The Gigantics would be in a one game play-in anyway. El Supremo Sep 2014 #3
Same here...good thing I'm not paying attention to the post-season this year! joeybee12 Sep 2014 #4
I actually owe an apology to $elig. KamaAina Sep 2014 #5

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
2. Tell me about
Mon Sep 29, 2014, 08:59 PM
Sep 2014

In each league, there is a team that is better than all the others but since we don't scientific experiments to determine who the best teams are (it would require way too many games) so we relay on playoffs. Basketball is a sport where the best team usually wins and felt the decision to change the first round from 5 to 7 games was the correct choice which happened to be my biggest MLB complaint.

The good thing about MLB is since they play so many games that generally the best teams rise (and we see roughly the same crowd as recent years--accounting for injuries & lineup changes). I always found it funny they went in the opposite direction. You go with one method to eliminate teams but later go on to a better method to determine is obviously flawed. Boston wouldn't have won their first World Series since the early 1900s if they played a 5-game series in LCS. Then they choose to go even further w/ such a ridiculous idea--a team proves itself over a course of a season only to have it come down to 1 sample which is horrible if the goal is to have showcase the best teams, especially in a high-variance sport like baseball.

NFL is the next one up in flawed post-seasons but I actually don't mind it much w/ Arizona, playing as well as anyone sat at home while a 8-7-1 team hosted a playoff game. The first problem is 16 games is a very small sample to determine seeding in the first place (not to mention w/ a seed influenced schedule but that only accounts for 2 opponents) but like that the first 2 teams get the huge advantage advantage. Wild cards aren't too bad except when you get situations when teams w/ better records are on the road or out of the playoffs. It is mathematically possible for a 6-10 team to win its division which is a very unlikely event and if it ever happens (play enough seasons it will) it will change next year.

Stats, in-key efficiency areas are more reliable indicators of better teams in the NFL. I felt the NFL playoffs were solid when they had 3 divisions, the best wild card team hosted first round playoff games like truly power teams Denver in '97 and Tennessee in '99(I think). Titans were remarkable, Jacksonville went 15-3 that year. Could have been undefeated if they didn't exist that year.

 

KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
5. I actually owe an apology to $elig.
Tue Sep 30, 2014, 12:31 AM
Sep 2014

Because without the $elig Bowls, Baysball season would be over, except for, as has been mentioned, the Gigantes-MiMs play-in game.

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