[Jon Stratis]

Having just gotten back from an event, a few thoughts... In some cases, a 50-pt foul is completely appropriate. Looking at a single elimination match this afternoon in which there were two technical fouls called (one on each alliance), the penalty was appropriate for the action that caused it. The first was a G28, in which a full speed collision, combined with contact inside the frame perimeter, resulting in a part breaking and a robot's radio dangling on the field, putting that robot out of commission for the entire match. The second was for a G30, in which a robot tipped another robot, paused, then continued pushing until the other robot was completely down, putting it out of commission for the entire match.

These matches were typically around 100 points, and loosing an alliance partner significantly decreases a team's potential total (it eliminates an assist from every subsequent cycle and forces the alliance into a 3v2 situation, putting them at a disadvantage both offensively and defensively). A 50 point penalty, IMO, is entirely appropriate.

On the other hand, some penalties do seem to be more than they're really worth. For example, receiving a technical foul for accidentally herding the other alliance's ball for a few seconds (G12).

As for G40, as was specifically mentioned here... I personally see it as a safety issue, and as such deserves a strict penalty. I don't think there was a single G40 called in the LSR elimination matches this weekend, though - FIRST's update last week really seemed to make sense, the refs were calling it appropriately, and over the day thursday and friday teams learned how to avoid it.

And for those wondering, I found the LSR elimination matches to be some of the most entertaining, suspenseful, and exciting matches I've ever seen in my 8 years of doing FIRST. This really did turn out to be a great game.