[pfreivald]

Anything that helps struggling (and/or rookie) teams build a more competitive and more fun-to-watch robot will impact the I in FIRST in a positive way, will help them impress sponsors and parents and prospective members and mentors, keep the team members interested in FIRST, and as such I'm all for it.

If it makes it harder for the elite teams to stand out from the crowd in a manner that doesn't drag them down or tie their hands, that's even better--they're elite teams; they'll rise to the challenge!