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Unread 03-05-2012, 11:00
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AKA: Mike MacLean
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Re: 2012 Lessons Learned:The Negative

Stick + dead horse = this post...Names of involved parties will not be revealed, they can speak for themselves if they wish to jump in...

Just prior to the beginning of our elimination matches a team approached us in the pits to show us a ball that had just jammed in their bot on the Newton field. It was a slightly different shade of orange (no problem), felt significantly firmer (problem?), significantly different in surface friction characteristics (problem?) and, according to the team with the ball, weighed 2+ oz more than the kop balls. Our physical comparisons were to a brand new ball purchased at the First store. Both balls were taken to First officiating personnel for explanation of the change in balls. We were then advised that a mixture of both type of balls would be used in elims in approximately a 50/50 mix.

No bellyaching or crybabies here but we did experience our first ball jams of the champs in eliminations, one in hybrid and one in teleop. In quali's we had almost 100% 4 ball hybrid to this point. We were able to clear one jam the other rendered us unable to shoot for the remainder of the match.

Purpose of the post is to confirm from personal observation that balls introduced in elims were significantly different in key characteristics and to urge First to address this matter in the future.

Ball horse is well and truly dead to this observer...
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