It seems as if unless your MMR and your current standing are similar (which who knows when that happens since MMR is hidden) that they do not go well together at all. Why should someone with high MMR in silver have to play against people with the same MMR in Gold or Plat to advance to a higher silver rating?

When you say that they contradict themselves "more so than not" do you actually mean that you are in that particular situation?

I have no idea if I am truthfully, I have just read about other who are and am just pointing out a flaw.

Actually if it works like they way you say, it's really stupid. It would be hard as hell to get out of bronze III if your MMR is high (< Could happen to someone who wants to test the elo hell or whatever).