declining alliances

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by geowasp

...would it be more advantangeous for teams who are not picked in the first round (but are still fairly decent) to decline the second round offers of the lower seeded teams?? ... this will result in what happens in previous years, whereas the top seeded teams often destroyed (literally and metaphorically) the lower seeded teams in the QFs.

This is not possible under this year's rules or previous year's rules. The only teams that can decline and go on to play in the finals are those in the top 8 (or those that move up due to higher ranked teams forming alliances.) If a ranked team declines, it may not accept an invitation from another team, it must pick it's own alliance.
The new rule this year about reversing the order of picking after the first round, corrects many of the faults with the previous system but requires greater strategy and data before selection. No team should go to alliance picking without at least 5 top choices, no matter where you finish. Be Prepared! (Boy Scout Motto)