It's on in the, what, Western region? The Science and Technology Studies Region, the Science in Society region, the 'whatever, it's on' region.
Almost unbearable tension to start it off. A lot of people asking how Popper got by Wittgenstein in that play-in game to even set up against Kuhn. All we can say is that there was too much early Wittgenstein, not enough late.* And Popper used his poker masterfully down in the paint.* Exciting game. I think that's a lot of folks are keyed up about the play-in games in the last few years.
But like Dave, I won't comment too much on the strength of each team and what I think the likely outcome will be. Because really, this is the dance, and there are too many upsets every year for anyone to be confident about it. For now, we are more interested in what the fans think.
I can give some general set-up though, so here's my take in general: whoever wants it the most will win. That's it. Plain and simple. Write it down. Quote me. Cite me. It's real.
Yes, coaching matters, and some of these teams are so well-coached it's hard to imagine them losing - yes I'm talking about you, Royal Society. But training and conditioning factor in too. And the payout from conference tournaments does matter. That's true. And the storied X factor, that unquantifiable factor, is alive in this region perhaps more than any other.
We know about Reductionism's struggle this past season, with the political scandals of over-simplification. Ands we know about Determinism's problems. I won't get into all that here.
If you're looking for star-caliber names, obviously a lot of folks are tuning in to Darwin v Jesus. That one's a bear. A great big, evolutionary bear. But what I'm intrigued by is the possibility of the Logic v Logic winner moving onto to the Darwin-Jesus winner. Huge implications for later rounds. Huge, huge, huge.
And maybe the sentimental favorite this year is Pluto, right? They had so many administrative problems over the year, and so many debates about the viability of their program, and then to see them make it to the tournament?, I mean, even that's something, even that's a victory for them.
To quote Dave, we're here to see how the fans can liven things up a bit. Simulating home court advantage? Might even make a difference in how these games are played out. Who are the Cameron Crazies of the Chair Bracket? Can Theory slam Experiment? Does Ancient Greece even deserve to be here? What's at stake if Public loses to Corporate? I quake in anticipation.
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Pluto is all about the X factor. They're gonna be looking for retribution in a BIG most undwarfish way. I hope they trounce on the IAU.
Plus, Pluto has the New Mexico State legislature on their side.
Pluto still a planet in skies of New Mexico.
This one makes my head hurt. I figured at the very least determinism will win their match-up, because why would they even bother playing if they weren't going to win. And Jesus vs Darwin? - whoa, intense.
I'm with jenjen, this hurts my head. I know we should expect some upsets, but whoa, there are a lot of opportunities here. i;m with you, pluto has to have the crowd behind them. and i'm not sure what to make of the logic v logic one -- i want to say logic by 7, but who can tell how logic will respond to back court pressure?
personally, i think darwin's big challenge is not getting too big a head early on. everyone knows how ego plays out in March, so let's just hope they temper the attitude and stick with their big assets. they really are the better team, so if they play straight, i think they'll go all the way.
Hey, don't run me out of the place, but I'm seeing Jesus doing a lot better than people are saying. You know they'll have the fan base at the game. And they don't have to follow the rules!
The thing I can't sense of in the Theory and Experiment game is how the two will compete -- they've practiced and played together for so long, will they even put pressure on each other or just wait to see what the other one before responding?
Second round matchup between the Royal Society and Jesus or Darwin is tempting. I just can't get my head around Logic and Logic, but either (or both) will be trounced by Corporate in the second round (it just stands to reason, right?). I want to like Pluto, but it just doesn't have the bigs to get by the IAU (except in New Mexico, but that speaks volumes right there...). And I see IAU tripping up Theory or Experiment (because without both...) to set up an intriguing matchup with Kuhn, who will suggest there was nothing revolutionary about relegating Pluto. Kuhn will meet Corporate in the Elite Eight, because Jesus, Darwin, and the Royal Society don't stand a chance (the Royal Society has become a corporate shill, I just can't see Chuck having any low post moves, and Jesus will get called for travelling on a puddle at midcourt at a critical time in the game).
Now, as for this West coast bias thing...
I guess I'm troubled by the prospects if the Public-Corporate match-up. Sure, it's great to see Public making it to the tournament, since it's always so resource-poor, especially compared to Corporate. So what can they do against Corporate? Shouldn't Public be as much the sentimental favorite as Pluto? I relaly want it to be. I hope it does well. I hope they're prepared.
I'm surprised Popper got this far, but even he knows that in the end he can never win.
Determinism's result is a foregone conclusion, but at least reductionism will try and play a simple game.
Theory vs Experiment: If experiment plays ugly, it'll slay Theory. No matter how beautifully Theory performs.
IAU vs Pluto: We know who we all want to win (especially New Mexicans). The compensation for Pluto is that if the IAU wins, Disney will want to make a film of it.
Public vs. Corporate: I can see this one ending up in court, whatever the result.
My colleague Kurt reckons that Logic vs Logic will be forever undecided: he thinks nobody will even be able to decide who wins.
Darwin vs. Jesus: I know Darwin didn't ant this one. Come to that, neither did most of Jesus' supporters. I think I'll call for Darwin, even if Jesus is the moral victor.
Ancient Greece vs. Royal Society: Of course the match between the Greeks and the Germans has been endlessly replayed, but this is altogether different. We'll be following the proceedings of the Royal Society (volume A) all the way to the final.
Bob
I sense a major paradigm shift ... my prediction is that Popper will remind Kuhn that his theory can never be proven and thus snatching victory away from the latter in a falsifiable way.
Reductionism will grind determinism down to the quantum world and with a puff of uncertainty-tinged smoke determinism will vanish.
Theory might think that it has covered all the angles, but it a good experiment will trash it sooner or later.
The IAU-Pluto match up will be a nasty affair. All sorts of name calling. In the end a giant asteroid will collide with the "giant snowball" thus sealing victory for IAU.
Public will have the whole crowd cheering for it, but Corporate has the refs in its back pocket. Corporate wins.
Logic met itself in a strange loop and ... Godel won.
Darwin-Jesus. Natural selection against Jesus.
Ancient Greece-Royal society. That's tough. I like Socrates and the atomists (go Anaximander!), but I'm sure that Aristotle will screw it up (just like he did to most of biology). The Royal Society is too solid, they take it in a landslide.
Jesus Can't Play Rugby - And he can't play Darwin either!
Sung to the Battle Hymn of the Republic
CHORUS: Free beer for all the ruggers, Free beer for all the ruggers
Free beer for all the ruggers,
SINGER: Jesus can't play rugby 'cause his head gear is illegal
ALL: Jesus can't play rugby 'cause his head gear is illegal
Jesus can't play rugby 'cause his head gear is illegal
SINGER: Jesus can't play rugby 'cause he's only got 12 men
ALL: Jesus can't play rugby 'cause he's only got 12 men
Jesus can't play rugby 'cause he's only got 12 men
OTHER VERSES:
The goal posts give him flashbacks
His dad fixes the games
The Jew won't pay his dues
He's got holes in his hands
He's Fucking Dead
He can't support a hooker
Jesus can't play touch judge 'cuz his arms point both ways
He's nailed to a cross
He's got some open wounds
He wears illegal spikes