This is the main annoyance I had that turned me off this theory. Not playing a game may be technically "losing" the game, but empathizing that part gives the game undue importance in the big picture, instead of looking for what actually is important.
Not only that; but also, by virtue of the "promo pool" being the "losers" in this theory, it subclasses them without saying so (into at least three types - losers that will avoid promotion at almost all cost, losers that seek promotion through "hard work" and loosers that trick their promotion through sociopathic scheming). This is basically what I meant ... at the very very minimum, the "unafflicted losers" that don't care about the game are missing.