[Hoover]

I like this game and I think it is exciting.

Because of the magnitude of the fouls it is made over-emotional. When our students complain to us mentors about a scoring issue after the game we point them to the question box. If they are shy we take them to it, then stand nearby. Sure us mentors are just as involved, we are on their side and will support them, but for us this is a chance for us to help our students be more assertive. Taking the kids to the refs was considered mentors approaching the refs at a recent venue and we were later sternly warned in the pit area. We assured them this was not our intent but at the same time they considered our teams forward approach to the refs was challenging their 'decisions which were final'. How true. In our 3 years we have never once had a decision over turned or a possibly uncredited opponent foul considered so I wonder why we still bother. We are human.

I did have one thing cleared up - that of evaporating points. As most of you probably know (but naive me did not), our fouls are being added to the opponents score (or vice-verse) in real time during the match. However, after the match, in the refs huddle, fouls are then fluctuating, coming into existence, going out of existence, or changing value. For example a 50 point foul that had your alliance ahead during the match might be re-evaluated to a 20 point foul now putting the alliance behind. We have learned the hard way to never stop adding points to your score, hardly ever try to rely on denying your opponents goal in the last minute if you are ahead as your sole means of winning. But in a pinch...

However, that being said, in the heat of a match it is incredibly hard to know how much of your score consists of foul points. Who's looking at that? You look up every 30 seconds if even that to view the score. As I told one alliance during qualifications, 'we need more points to stay a fouls width of winning'. If foul points were listed as a second number this would be very helpful.

There is no solution I know of to know if fouls are going to be added on at the end. The only caveat to that is, if there is an outstanding foul call known to the refs during teleop but no points have been added, at least have an indicator that it may happen as it will affect strategy.

That is all I have to say about the 2014 games. We actually had fun. A fond farewell and good luck to all our friends still standing. Volunteers we still love ya. I bid you all adieu.