34 coaches online • Server time: 09:57
* * * Did you know? The highest combined winnings in a single match is 250000.
Recent Forum Topics  Gnomes are trash | Fumbbl Cup - Replays | Mega-Stars never wen... |
2007-08-07 23:02:02
47 votes, rating 4.6
47 votes, rating 4.6
Unintentional Cherry-Picking
I have always believed that excessive cherry-picking was something to be avoided. Everyone cherry-picks once in a while, but doing it game-in game-out defeats the purpose of the game. Good games are games where the outcome isn't decided until the final whistle blows. 4-0 blowouts are a bore, even for the winners.
That all said, I find that when I play [R]anked I've unintentionally became a cherry-picker. I don't know when it started, but looking at my own record of games it's quite clear that it's true. It's not something I'm happy to admit, and it's something I hope will change.
I can come up with two big reasons why I became an unintentional cherry-picker.
The first is the most recent and only applies to one team. I've played 3 Majors, and in each I've played with a team way underpowered and with no chance to advance. I was lucky to make the final of a qualifier once, but I faced a team almost 100TS higher and lost badly. I know I won't win a Major, but I'd like to play my games with the feeling that it will be a game of skill and luck, not a game predetermined by my team's lack of preperation. To this end I've become an elf-balling cherry-picker for one team, the team I intend to play in the next Major.
I can accept this cherry-picking to some degree, since it's only one team and I can see that it serves some purpose (though I still regret it at least a bit). What is harder to come to terms with is the second type of cherry-picking, a cherry-picking common to most (but not all) high CR coaches.
My worst cherry-picking is the result of an unwritten rule whereby high CR coaches with well-built teams tend to avoid playing each other. You can see this quite easily on gamefinder, as two teams with great records and close TR/TS tend to avoid each other and wait for other teams to play against. Of course this is true, as otherwise you wouldn't see so many teams with 20/2/1 records. I'm guilty of this too. Many times on gamefinder I'll see another team I could potentially play but I decide not to make the game offer. Instead I wait for an easier game.
The thing about this form of cherry-picking is that it's easy. I hardly ever have to feel guilty for having turned down a reasonable offer, since most often the other high CR coaches won't send me an offer in the first place.
Hopefully in the future I'll start taking the first step and start challenging other teams with good records.
That all said, I find that when I play [R]anked I've unintentionally became a cherry-picker. I don't know when it started, but looking at my own record of games it's quite clear that it's true. It's not something I'm happy to admit, and it's something I hope will change.
I can come up with two big reasons why I became an unintentional cherry-picker.
The first is the most recent and only applies to one team. I've played 3 Majors, and in each I've played with a team way underpowered and with no chance to advance. I was lucky to make the final of a qualifier once, but I faced a team almost 100TS higher and lost badly. I know I won't win a Major, but I'd like to play my games with the feeling that it will be a game of skill and luck, not a game predetermined by my team's lack of preperation. To this end I've become an elf-balling cherry-picker for one team, the team I intend to play in the next Major.
I can accept this cherry-picking to some degree, since it's only one team and I can see that it serves some purpose (though I still regret it at least a bit). What is harder to come to terms with is the second type of cherry-picking, a cherry-picking common to most (but not all) high CR coaches.
My worst cherry-picking is the result of an unwritten rule whereby high CR coaches with well-built teams tend to avoid playing each other. You can see this quite easily on gamefinder, as two teams with great records and close TR/TS tend to avoid each other and wait for other teams to play against. Of course this is true, as otherwise you wouldn't see so many teams with 20/2/1 records. I'm guilty of this too. Many times on gamefinder I'll see another team I could potentially play but I decide not to make the game offer. Instead I wait for an easier game.
The thing about this form of cherry-picking is that it's easy. I hardly ever have to feel guilty for having turned down a reasonable offer, since most often the other high CR coaches won't send me an offer in the first place.
Hopefully in the future I'll start taking the first step and start challenging other teams with good records.
Comments