[Pauline Tasci]

Q484 and Q485, recently posted to the FRC Q and A, have some interesting implications regarding the “cheesecaking” activities that have become popular this season. Q484 seeks to clarify the definition of a team participating in a match. According to the blue box under T8:

Sending DRIVE TEAM members to the ARENA without the ROBOT is considered participating in a MATCH.

Now, Q485 seeks to clarify whether a robot that is not on the field (but is currently in the pits being modified) is inspected or not. If FIRST rules that the robot is not inspected, then an alliance would be red carded for having an alliance member participate in a match without an inspected robot. This would disallow keeping your partners off the field in order to “cheesecake” them. If no members from the cheesecaked team attend the match, the alliance is red carded as per section 5.2.2 of the rules:

If a ROBOT will not report for a QUALIFICATION or PLAYOFF MATCH, the Lead Queuer should be informed and at least one (1) member of the DRIVE TEAM should report to the FIELD for the MATCH to avoid receiving a RED CARD, with the exception of a Team that has not passed Inspection, per Rule T8.

If the cheesecaked team does participate in the match, the alliance receives a red card under T8:

A Team is only permitted to participate in a Qualification or Playoff MATCH and receive Match Points if their ROBOT has passed Inspection. VIOLATION: If prior to the start of the MATCH, the ROBOT is not eligible to participate in the MATCH. If after the start of the MATCH, the entire ALLIANCE receives a RED CARD for that MATCH.

This would also apply in qualification scenarios; if any team wishes to miss a match while making major modifications to their robot, they receive a red card regardless of what route they take.