Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFish
That's not the same. This is one year, one competition, one tournament. The goal is to do the best possible.
If you want to use a football example I would say it is: losing the last game of the season, because you know that your first-round matchup in the playoffs would be much easier if you won.
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You're right, this is not the same, it's not about the competition, it's about inspiration, and changing the world, and showing kids there are better ways to be happy and successful than football and doing things like this. What's inspiring about making a fool out of yourself to win a plastic trophy and a blue banner?
I've been on winning teams before, it feels great, but at the end of the day my life had been improved by the whole season, not the banner, and I know I would have hated it if we won by working the system. I propose that winning is this manner is more detrimental than losing fairly, even losing horribly, but fairly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFish
A would not decline, because if they did, then B would pick C, screwing A over.
Instead, A would accept C's selection and B would lose the division.
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If B is in 30th, the odds are slim they'll even have a chance to pick C.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFish
The actual seed is irrelevant. Let's say Team B is ranked 10th?
What I want to know is: is it appropriate to lose on purpose, if it will ensure a victory in the end.
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What does a victory mean? A plastic trophy and a blue banner? Or improving the lives of the students involved? Winning a tournament at the expense of integrity, as mentioned before, is not going to do anything towards improving a students life, or their opportunities, or their own morals. As much as high school students like to disagree, they're still being molded and growing, and learning to win by cheating (and that's what this is) is a terrible lesson.
I've got a box (literally, a box in my closet) of gold medals, would you like them? They seem to mean a lot more to you than myself. Last time I took them out was because I needed to squish a bug on my wall.
People (myself included) are making a ridiculous point out of highlighting the logical flaw of B being a 30th seed as a mild rejection of your idea I believe. I obviously can't speak for them personally, but I do believe the intent was to politely dissuade the idea. If I'm correct, that should give you a pretty clear indication what the opinion is of this strategy.
Matt