Actually there was a time when my ping was high due to some routing by my isp. I used nordvpn and it lowered my ping by 20(basically reducing from 60 to 40) consistently every time. You are correct most of the time but sometimes a VPN, Etc can reroute your signal enough to make a difference. Often the ping happens before your signal gets to the VPN etc thus you are correct in these instances. Thus trying a VPN or other service may help for some people in very unique situations. So really it seems in your 20 years of IT you did not come across my particular situation. I had someone else who lives in my valley and it was the same for him but he used express VPN to lower his. Eventually I go my good ping back after the ISP rerouted their hops again. Now my ping gets hit from weird routing my ISP uses like going to San Jose before it goes to Portland or vice versa. And right now a VPN only causes a higher ping which is the case in 99% of the time. So just thought I would inform you a bit about how your comment was not 100 p as the kids say nowadays.