Are your randoms really that bad?

@ki1tsch

I agree with all of that, except for, "As a final note, if your random teammates are genuinely always terrible at the game, you got paired with them because you are a similar skill level."

Not only generally untrue, but almost always untrue. The algorithm treats the solo queue player in this game as the guy who is expected to carry fresh players, or the guy who is expected to "shut up and keep up" for a master level player and his high diamond besty. It really is almost always one or the other, as if "similarly skilled" players simply don't exist. Well, they do but they are unavailable - engaged as I always am, cleaning up after two first-week players or hiding behind a rock in a predator frenzy.