I like the idea of a PVP stat. It gives a way from developers to balance PVP without touching PVE or balance PVE and use the expertise stat to keep PVP where it was or any other combination.
I'm not sure the argument of whether it makes bads better or they stay bad or its worse for bads when its there even matters.
No matter what, bads will queue and no matter what bads will get dumped on. Does it really matter how that happens?
I'm not sure a proper duration minimal gear grind is a bad idea but I'd not want a large-scale gear grind to be the norm. It makes people not want to come back.
First and foremost, all of our real PVP problems come from lack of population. So IMO, the effects of changes on population should be considered keenly. Our fake PVP problems, such as bads blaming their badness on whatever they feel like blaming it on this week, should be less important.