An engine IS an air pump as many point out, however, like guitars, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about its build affects its nature and inherent resonances.
That's why it's called "tuning, and an ART.
Some people need the reasonance peak between 3500-7000 rpm for racing, others want the natural reasonance to favor lower rpms and torque. It's silly to argue when few builders have exactly the same intentions. I like hydraulic lifters that start to float at 5500 rpm, because now matter how hard I beat the engine, it's going to live generally, so I can drive it to work tomorrow.
Let the Torqueflite upshift and the converter do its multiplication job in the next gear.
For good torque, turbulence is your friend.
I would never port and polish, because I don't bracket race.
But I'd never tell somone else not to do that, because it's magic for high rpm horsepower.