Handling One-Game Tiebreakers vs. Subsequent Playoff Positions

[chucksabr]

I know the game doesn't handle this properly, so I can put in an OOTP 15 request (if someone hasn't already), but I am wondering how to handle this manually in the meatime.

I'm dry-running a table league in which the top six spots qualify for the playoffs. The first two spots get a bye, and the next four play a first round, #3 vs. #6, and #4 vs. #5. It goes on from there.

The regular season ended with two teams, Team W and Team L, tied for 2nd, so I had them play a one-game tiebreaker, which Team W ("Winner") won.

However, when the playoffs started, Team L ("Loser") got the bye, I assume based on some internal tiebreaker criterion, and Winner got beat in the first round by the #6 seed. Loser ended up exploiting this serendipitous mistake to play its way into the finals.

Obviously, this should not have happened based on the tiebreaker result, and the season has played itself out. But if this kind of tie happens in the future and I play a tiebreaker, how can I have arrange it so the right thing happens in this case? Could I have gone in after the tiebreaker game and manually changed the playoff structure so that Loser played the first round instead of Winner? If I can make that, will the game get the message and automatically assume that Winner should get the bye instead of Loser, even though it originally scheduled Loser with the bye even before the tiebreaker?

[hopeful1212]

One workaround is to use custom playoffs. Before the playoffs start you can set up the playoff matchups by picking the teams by their placement. So, for example you can have the first place team in the East division play the 2nd place team from the Central division or whatever it was supposed to be based on your league rules.

This is the only sure way to make sure it's set up correctly in the case of tiebreakers that aren't settled by playing a game (for example head-to-head record) or other odd situations like the one you're describing where both teams will make the playoffs but have a head-to-head game to decide the exact placement.

[as5680]

Originally Posted by hopeful1212

One workaround is to use custom playoffs. Before the playoffs start you can set up the playoff matchups by picking the teams by their placement. So, for example you can have the first place team in the East division play the 2nd place team from the Central division or whatever it was supposed to be based on your league rules.

I have considered doing this after getting a seeding order which I was not expecting in the past. However, I presume that doing so locks teams into a fixed position in the bracket which I wouldn't want. If I could set the matchups for each round like this (even if only in commissioner mode) it would be ideal as a workaround.

[hopeful1212]

Originally Posted by as5680

I have considered doing this after getting a seeding order which I was not expecting in the past. However, I presume that doing so locks teams into a fixed position in the bracket which I wouldn't want. If I could set the matchups for each round like this (even if only in commissioner mode) it would be ideal as a workaround.

I suppose it depends how exotic your playoff format is, sure. It works fine for seeded brackets, as least as far as I've used it. But, it would be nice to be able to schedule any playoff matchup that I so desired at any round. You could even do odder stuff like double elimination or 3rd place matchups and have the game recognize it.

There is another workaround that I've also done, which is to set the game to custom playoffs, but not fill anything in. This will put your game in a perpetual playoff state after the regular season ends (so no trading etc). Then I schedule whatever playoff games I want in the schedule editor and keep track of the results myself. After all of the games are done, choose "Disable Playoffs" and sim a day. You'll be in the off-season. Put it back to "Custom Playoffs" and you're ready to go again for the next season.

[bwburke94]

Originally Posted by chucksabr

I know the game doesn't handle this properly, so I can put in an OOTP 15 request (if someone hasn't already), but I am wondering how to handle this manually in the meatime.

I'm dry-running a table league in which the top six spots qualify for the playoffs. The first two spots get a bye, and the next four play a first round, #3 vs. #6, and #4 vs. #5. It goes on from there.

The regular season ended with two teams, Team W and Team L, tied for 2nd, so I had them play a one-game tiebreaker, which Team W ("Winner") won.

However, when the playoffs started, Team L ("Loser") got the bye, I assume based on some internal tiebreaker criterion, and Winner got beat in the first round by the #6 seed. Loser ended up exploiting this serendipitous mistake to play its way into the finals.

Obviously, this should not have happened based on the tiebreaker result, and the season has played itself out. But if this kind of tie happens in the future and I play a tiebreaker, how can I have arrange it so the right thing happens in this case? Could I have gone in after the tiebreaker game and manually changed the playoff structure so that Loser played the first round instead of Winner? If I can make that, will the game get the message and automatically assume that Winner should get the bye instead of Loser, even though it originally scheduled Loser with the bye even before the tiebreaker?

The tiebreaker should have been listed as a regular season game. You probably accidentally scheduled it as an exhibition.