The Playoff Picture

As a mathematician, I notice patterns.  And sometimes, the patterns I see surprise me.  For example, the final standings this year surprise me.  There's an interesting symmetry in the final standings:

1. The Leviathans (9-4)
2. Screaming Eagles (8-5)
3. Merrill's Marauders (8-5)
4. Air Apparent (7-6)
5. Orion River Horses (7-6)
6. ~ AirMatt ~ (7-6)
7. Suspended Atomnation (6-7)
8. Golden Graham's (6-7)
9. Team Harbaughs (6-7)
10. Los Diablos (5-8)
11. Strike Team (5-8)
12. Psychotic Ninjas (4-9)

One team alone at the top, with a 9-4 record, and one team alone at the bottom with the reverse record of 4-9.

Two teams in the #2 and #3 spots with 8-5 records, and two teams in the #11 and #10 spots at 5-8.

And the remaining teams split down the middle with mirror-image 7-6|6-7 records.  Kind of interesting.

Anyway, some folks might be more interested in how the ties were broken.  By the rule adopted last year, the tie between the two 8-5 teams (Merrill and Jason) was broken in Jason's favor, because Jason beat Merrill 55.2 - 54.8 in their lone matchup this season.  Kubicek claimed the #10 seed over Aaron for a similar reason, as Kubicek defeated Aaron 67.9 - 48.1 in their lone matchup.

The 3-way ties were a bit trickier.  Taylor beat Pete, who beat Matt, who beat Taylor.  So we had to break it down to which team "scored the most points in games played among those teams".  Taylor scored a total of 156.7 points in games played against Pete and Matt, which was higher than Pete's total against Matt and Taylor, and Matt's total against Pete and Taylor.  So Taylor got the #4 seed.

And because "If a single team is identified after a given step, that team is awarded the higher seed and the remaining teams restart the process from the beginning," we then looked at the head-to-head matchup between Pete and Matt, which Pete won 54.4 - 44.5 (more symmetry!).  Which is why Pete takes the #5 seed and Matt takes the #6 seed.

Similarly, for the 6-7 teams, Jody beat Adam beat Kevin beat Jody, which means we look at total points scored in games among those teams.  Adam's total of 140.3 just barely edges out Jody's total of 139.7, which gives Adam the #7 seed.  Then we start the process all over again with the Brothers Graham, which is why Kevin takes the #8 seed, since he beat Jody in their one matchup 81.6 - 63.4.

*Phew*

And now I can forget about that tie-breaking formula for another whole year.

AND SO --- This means that The Leviathans, Screaming Eagles, Strike Team and Psychotic Ninjas all have a bye this week.  The system will pair those teams up, but no one gets a win or a loss.  Levi and Jason have a bye into the semifinals, while Aason and Your Esteemed Commissioner have a bye into the Toilet Bowl.

But as always, field your best lineup in the hopes of getting the highest score of the week!

Those teams which actually DO have games this weekend are Merrill against Matt and Taylor against Pete, all vying for the remaining two semi-final spots, and Adam vs. Kubicek and a Battle of the Brothers Graham, vying to AVOID the final two spots in the Toilet Bowl (and compete for next year's top draft pick!)

Remember that in the unlikely event of a tie, the higher-seeded team will advance.  Also remember that depending on the outcome of this week's games, I may need to fiddle with the brackets again in order to make sure the correct teams are matched up again next week.

Congratulations, everyone!  Except for the people who didn't make the playoffs!  To them I say, it could be worse!  You could have finished in last place, like me!