Second Chance Bracket... ...A Crazy Idea...

[Joe Johnson]

Here is a Crazy Idea* for you to consider... ...but 4 Divisions at the CMP was once a crazy idea so who knows?

What if there was a "Second Chance Bracket" at the CMP?

I envision this going on backstage (i.e. on the two fields farthest from Einstein) after the divisional champions are determined.

This Second Chance Bracket is for the teams that made it to the Elims of the Divisions but didn't make it to Einstein. They get a chance to play for their own glory but also for that of their division.

Here is how it could work. Teams that are eliminated from the divisional tourneys are not quite "done." After the divisional champs are crowned, the "second chance" tourney takes place on the two fields farthest from Einstein. This is a low key event for the participants mostly not so much for the public.

Details:

• The 16 alliances that lost in the QF would play 8 matches among themselves - of course, they would play alliances from other divisions.
• The losers are done.
• The winners are matched up with the 8 losing SF alliances -- again pairings are arranged to avoid divisional re-matches as much as possible.
• They play another 8 matches. The losers are done.
• The 8 remaining alliances and the 4 Finalists from the division give us enough alliances for 6 more matches which produces 6 more winners and 6 more alliances that are done.
• Those 6 alliances now play 3 more matches which produces 3 more also rans and 3 alliances (9 teams) that can call themselves "Second Chance Champions"

It is a total of 25 (=8+8+6+3) matches on 2 stages with 6 minute cycle times that is an hour and 15 minutes. It would be over before the teams even realized it happened. I don't think we allow time outs or subs or even 4 minutes between back to back matches. Play when and where you're called. If you're ready you play if not, you're done. Also, we don't make a big deal about these games. Perhaps we don't even announce the team names and numbers. "Thumbs up red, Thumbs up blue, 3 2 1 go..." As to awards, we hand them the trophy as they exit the field and that is that.

Even though this event would be a low key event and there would be little official notice taken or given, do not underestimate how great it would be to participate in this second chance tourney.

Redemption is a funny thing. It requires so little to heal so much. At a minimum, it lets 9 more teams go home from the CMP having won their last match.

I believe that this tourney would provide a non-trivial boost to the overall mood of the event, as it allows more teams to go home winners... ...and it gives us more comparisons between the divisions so that the fans can have more data to compare just how "Stacked" Newton or Curie was this or that year.

So... ...what do you think?

Comments welcome.

Joe J.

*I initially posted this idea in another thread about the divisions at the CMP but upon reflection I thought perhaps it was best to start a new thread about the subject.