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Originally Posted by Popes
No, it doesn't. A toilet bowl solves the problem completely because there is NO INCENTIVE for tanking, or not trying, or not paying attention.
Your playoffs + lottery minimizes the chances of those things happening, but it doesn't not eliminate them, because your plan still includes incentives to tank/not try/not pay attention for the worst teams.
Let's apply it to this year to see your plan in action (note, I'm not saying it's bad, just pointing out that it does not "solve" the problem).
At the trade deadline this year Opihi, Derby Cars, and Dodgers were division leaders. The 3 wild card favorites would have been Preds @ 8-3, Freedom @ 6-5, and Mutts @ 6-5. Absolut would have been tied with them @ 6-5. Popes (4-7) and Ragers (3-8) would have been alive for our division (plus I'd have had wild card hopes). That leaves the following eliminated from any playoff contention:
Highlanders @ 3-8 (though 3 out of wild card with 3 to go, the teams above him play each other and can't all lose 3 times)
Rake Fighters @ 2-9
Insects @ 1-10
So, the playoff expansion has added no incentive to the bottom 3 teams. Now all three teams have some incentive to lose, because losing increases the odds of getting the #1 pick. In fact, Highlanders' incentive to lose has gone up under your system, because now he doesn't have to drop all the way down to the bottom, he can drop one spot and increase his odds A LOT. The incentive for you and Joel to lose has gone down, because finishing worst doesn't guarantee you the top pick, but don't kid yourself and suggest that there's no incentive for the bottom teams to lose.
Brian's plan is the only one that eliminates the incentive to lose. Like I said, the issue to be determined is how bad the problem is, because Brian's fix does hurt the principle of "draft picks should improve the worst teams". So if the problem is minor, then minimizing the chances w/ your plan is probably enough.
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So then what are we arguing about then? As you outlined above it seems pretty obvious that Joel and I have had really crappy teams through out the season. Why should we be punished with the possibility of losing higher draft picks? What can I do with SA, Brandon Jacobs, Kevin Jones all missing time?
Really tanking isn't an issue as much as playoff contenders complaining jockeying for position. People aruging for Toilet Bowl, seem to be very short sighted IMO. This is a CONTRACT LEAGUE... you have to make decisions based on what's best for you team short term vs. long term. I'm sorry it just happens to be an inconvience to those jockeying for position. Instead of placing the blame on the non-playoff teams for costing you your spot in the playoffs or a #3 or 4th seed... why DON'T YOU BE PROACTIVE AND MAKE TRADES or SIGNINGS that will put you over the top so you don't have to rely on someone else?
In my proposal there is no direct incentive for tanking... but (1) is it really an issue? (2) by expanding playoffs THE league will be much more competitve. Half the league is going to be let in, so 8 games into the NFL season... almost all teams still have a shot. Teams would have made moves earlier, before trade deadline to get into position if we had expanded playoffs. I don't know if there's a way in MFL to track this, but I'm pretty sure that there are more trades made of the course of the regular season when we had 6 playoff teams vs 4 playoff teams.
What is more important to take care of: tanking or helping bad teams get better? I think both are VERY IMPORTANT and my proposal takes care of both issues, not sacrificing one for the other.
That is all I will say from here on out until a new proposal is made.
I mean even those "against" playoff expansion Mike, Brian, and Jake are open to the idea of playoff expansion... it's just working out the details home field advantage or no home field (which can be taken care of with a vote). Sorry Jake, but only way to avoid Week 17 Championship is to have a double header and shorten the regular season, BUT THE NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED WILL REMAIN THE SAME!
It looks like everyone can get on board with playoff expansion, while those for playoff expansion are strongly against a toilet bowl because of principle: that awarding draft seeding on WINS does not help bad teams get better (and even there Jake agrees).
Like I said, playoff expansion + bottom 3 lottery (60/30/10) takes care of tanking and allows bad teams to get better without sacrificing one for the other.