Quote:
Originally Posted by EricH
If you had reffed at all this year, you would have known that it's pretty challenging for a ref to input a foul, while still calling all the other stuff they need to call. Often, it's easier to give a half-hearted attempt at calling the foul, and input it at the end, especially with all the other things you have to track. It takes a good 3-5 seconds to input a foul and get back to the scoring screen, not counting time to wave the flag (if you even have one), as well as call to the rest of the refs with what the call was, during which time someone could score a truss-and-catch or a high goal to end a cycle with 3 assists. Miss the latter call, and watch every team in that alliance scream at ya.
So if the ref who sees a foul is on "goal patrol", that is, ending the cycle when the ball scores, then their best option is often to radio the foul to the rest of the refs for signalling and input, particularly if the ball they're tracking is in their end of the field. They don't have flags at those stations (at least, at IE they didn't). Then you gotta check with the head ref at the end of the match to verify that somebody entered it (and get it fixed if it wasn't) and let the head ref know what exactly was called. That way maybe the announcer can announce the right penalties, teams can question, maybe make adjustments.
The one other thing: If you're trusting the realtime scoring, I pity ya. You haven't learned the first thing about FRC's realtime scoring: Don't EVER trust the score on the screen before the match is over and the final sc  re is announced. |
So instead of improving the system, identifying the weak points and maybe getting the overworked refs some help I should just suck it up? I dont think so. I have been around FIRST enough to know the real time system hasnt always been reliable. I am pointing out weaknesses. I am hoping we can get rule changes to alleviate stresses on refs or more assistance for you guys. I am pushing to alleviate the appearances that you guys are what is controlling the score and not the robot and human players. Elimination or changing of game changing penalties is one approach in a multi-throng attact.
I am hoping FIRST will take these lessons to heart, will improve their systems and make this game better for everyone. There is no worse feeling then having a won regional taken back from you because the refs have to sit on the sideline and hold debates, except maybe the doubt that you might only have won because of penalties. This game's rule are the direct cause of this and should be fixed or if not fixed then the communication of the penalties should be fixed. No one else should have to deal with that same scenario again. We all want to inspire students, right?