Except the differences really don’t become significant. Actually the differences even out. That’s why baseball is in this silly situation of everybody thinking a 100 win team (basically the equivalent of 10-6 in the old NFL schedule, 10-6-1 in the 17 games schedule) is drastically better than an 88 win team (9-7/ 9-8 ish in the NFL). They really aren’t that different. That whole built in assumption of 53 losses a season completely hoses any significant differences.
Tournaments don’t determine the best, they determine the champion. That’s true of all American sports. The marathon gets you into the tournament, then you gotta win the sprint to get the trophy. Best, not best, doesn’t really matter. Won the games that count most, that makes you a champion.
10 and 6 is not equivalent to 100 - 60 in terms of significance.
“ Tournaments don’t determine the best, they determine the champion.”
My point exactly.
Baseball used to determine the best in each league, the Pennant Winners. These two would play each other for the World Championship.
They could choose the 40% randomly and the games would be just as exciting.