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As someone who attended BattleCry 4 yesterday, I strongly opposed the referee's decision to DQ 121.
It seemed that 121 climbed onto the HDPE and in pushing 190 back onto the ramp, gained control of the top of the ramp. It looked like 190 tried to climb the ramp again or slide into a position to climb again and 121 moved forward to prevent them from returning. 121's robot got underneath 190's robot and 190 fell over. I would like to point out that 190's robot has a high center of gravity. This is not a criticism - it is merely an observation based upon watching earlier matches where their robot also tipped.
That said, this incident reflects a greater issue that has relevance beyond BattleCry. In my opinion, referees must consistently apply the rules of the competition. Warnings should be issued to all teams who use a strategy or display a behavior that the referees consider questionable. 176 and 157 were pushing each other. 121 and 190 were pushing each other. In only one match was an alliance disqualified from the competition.
The bottom line is that rules cannot be arbitrarily applied.
FIRST is a game, and it is a competition, but its consequences reach beyond the competition. FIRST teaches many life lessons. I heard one parent on team 121 say in explanation to a student, "Life isn't fair."
That is certainly the truth. However, we have a responsibility to ensure that in future competitions rules and regulations are applied equally to all teams. Imagine how the students of the disqualified alliance felt when they watched a similiar situation with 176 and 157 that, at the discretion of the referees, resulted in a drastically different outcome.
Now, I do not feel that this incident reflects upon team 190 or the way BattleCry4 was run in general. 190 is a veteran team that has displayed the highest integrity and has earned the respect of its fellow teams. I certainly have the greatest of respect for them. They organized and ran a professional and successful competition. I thank 190 and I thank the sponsors and volunteers who made BattleCry4 possible.
That is all.
Synthia
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Synthia Lux Tonn
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