birchi: I just think it would make the event even better if the best players participate every year.
There's no question it would and I can tell you it is well on its way to being something to look forward to for the competition. CN declined the first year, my thinking being this was just another attempt to wake a community up. After seeing the first year I wanted to be a part of it and CN put up a team that eventually won the second year. It was thrilling for us.
The third year I went with 2 teams because the interest in the CC skyrocketed. We were looking to repeat and I stacked one of the teams with the best in the CC. Welcome to a rude awakening, apparently Paul's efforts paid off and the third year found teams coming out of the woodwork to play.
It was a dogfight the entire way and in our end, we lost to a team of talented players that wasn't stacked like ours! I can only attribute that loss to the escalation of talent in the third year. I see CC's with 2 and 3 teams this year and I have no doubt it will be tougher than ever this year to make it to the top. That's some pretty good "best" if you ask me. It's all about the group that plays together. :-)