ESPN TOurnament Challenge

[jbduke]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

So, again, you've got two 11s and two 12s who have to play an extra game while two 16s do not. Still stupid.

Though I didn't quite realize it earlier, this is an interesting framing problem. Logically, the following two descriptions of the opening round are equally valid:

1) Two 11s and two 12's have to play an extra game while two 16's do not.
and
2) Two 11s and two 12's are allowed to play at least one game in this year's tournament, whereas under the last system those same four teams would have been left out completely.

Each framing involves a value judgment. The first construction assumes that, without exception, lower-seeded teams should have to work harder than higher-seeded teams to win the tournament.

The second assumes that the last four at-large teams should recognize that they have no real chance of actually winning the tournament and look at their opening game as an opportunity rather than an extra burden that most lower-seeded teams don't face.