Tristan and Tom,
I apologize for your integrity being questioned. I assure you questioning either of yours integrity , 254 is an elite team and one I would never question.
My post was not directed at anyone in particular,in fact I intentionally attempted to generalize it as much as possible and speak hypothetically as to not implicate anyone while trying to make my point. Clearly, it was taken as the opposite; for that I apologize. My entire post was hypothetical, only questioning the ethics of the one team that I named, and anyone who stood to support their actions.
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Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri
However, I believe we should encourage open discussion about the merit of these rules... "this is the way it is, deal with it". This viewpoint is incredibly unscientific and hinders forward progress.
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I completely agree that anything in life you have the ability to change, and should change, if there is a better way to do it.
It was just this discussion was taking place in a thread where facts were being shared about a team that broke the rule and were not reprimanded for it.
From an outside perspective, the argument for the use of an over-powered off board compressors in this thread, seemed to be supporting the actions of 522 at the NYC regional, who chose to use one even though it was not legal this year. The transitory relationship was made by the huge situation that unfolded in NYC with the use of an off-board compressor, and this being the 2012 NYC regional thread discussing the events of that day.
That was the perspective I was seeing it from, and it was inappropriate in my eyes to be attempting to stand behind a team that cheated. You were simply taking advantage of the events to discuss the need for a specific rule, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with. I now see that was not your specific intention, as for the other poster's comments, I do not know.
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Questioning merit behind a rule does not condone breaking it. I don't know how people are confusing this.
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The only reason it was confused was for the reason stated above. That was the connection I was making to it, and not to speak for others, but possibly the way they were seeing it also.
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Wow, I don't know what kind of mental gymnastics you had to do come up with this statement. This is completely illogical. You can ABSOLUTELY question a rule, and still follow it. How can you expect things to get better if people don't do this?
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The discussion of the importance of the rule in this specific thread could easily be mistaken as an attempt to defend the rule breaking.
For example, if a separate thread was created, "need for restrictions of off-board compressors" I would have viewed the discussion completely differently, and as you said, be open to discussing if it is really necessary to have so many restrictions on the refilling of storage tanks on the robot before a match. I admit, it is tedious in eliminations to rush off the field, tether, refill the tanks, and then get ready for the upcoming match. Admittedly, i probably would have partook in the discussion openly.
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Once again, I don't think anyone who has expressed that they think the rule is silly has broken it. Don't accuse people of things.
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Once again, only directed towards anyone that was posting here in an attempt to brush off the actions taken at the NYC regional.
I should have clarified more clearly so that you wouldn't get offended so quickly.
To conclude, I apologize to anyone who felt my post was directed at those who were simply trying to discuss the need for a specific rule; but I do not retract my statements for anyone attempting to defend 522's actions.
The discussion of the meaning and need for a rule should always be allowed and encouraged to continuously better the FIRST Robotics Competition.
In all honesty, I, and my entire team, has moved past the situation. We are not upset, or anything close to it. We simply wanted to support what others were saying as to the event actually happening, and we happened to have a first hand interaction with what occurred. Like I said in my original post, I fully congratulate the winning alliance and move forward with no bad taste in my mouth for anyone involved. We very much enjoyed our entire time at the NYC Regional, all the way up to cheering for the alliance that eliminated us throughout their finals matches.
I simply wanted to back-up my statements and partake in a casual conversation on what occurred.