The following table lists the sum of bonus conversions for the first
n places in each bracket, where n goes from 1 to 9:
Xenophon Yokomitsu Zeromski
1 18.18 15.90 16.62
2 33.73 31.53 32.70
3 44.04 44.71 46.90
4 53.74 55.94 63.09
5 63.26 65.17 77.80
6 74.76 75.06 89.42
7 81.46 84.44 96.49
8 87.46 94.00 102.99
9 91.93 100.25 106.05
Assuming that bonus conversion (by itself) is enough to indicate the
ability of a team, we can see that: through the first 2 places of
each bracket, brackets were equal; through the first 4 places, the Z
bracket was harder. Why? Harvard's bonus conversion was almost 17ppb.
A strong supporting performance by Chicago A increased the strength
of the Z bracket even further.
How would we have fixed this? Knowing what we know now (that Virginia
wasn't bringing Steve Perry), we might have moved Chicago A or
Harvard or both to other brackets.
However, as they say, that's why we play the games.
I would have liked to have run the 28-team format, but unfortunately
it simply wasn't within the means we had available (short packets,
short teams).
ERS