OK- I'm not a lawyer- lawyer bad!
But what the heck is the problem with goal tending?
The rule states: you cannot impede the downward fall of a thrown ball with any part of a robot or a big ball held by a robot.
First Consider this- to stop an opponent you want to jam a big ball into their goal before they get a chance to fill it. While in the process of doing so they start throwing balls and some hit your machine- you get a big penalty for goal tending
Now consider this- you want to cap your own goal to double your points but the other team wants to maximize their score by adding to your goal. Your capping attempt deflects their balls. I say it should be the same penalty.
In other words-Therefore- any thrown ball hitting a robot while placing a big ball or in front of the opening of a goal could be called goal tending.A smart human player with a decent aim should hold a ball or two aside until the other team goes to cap and then throw them at the big ball while the capping is going on- to lower the opponents score by penalizing goal tending.
Realistically- I doubt any two referees in the whole system will call this or any goal tending the same way (recall the issue of robots bearing grating interactive struts last year). Therefore the issue is going to be a hot one.
This game is really poor in terms of a defensive strategy. In essence, if you have a decent basketball player there really isn't any way to stop him/her once the balls get off the field. You can block the opponents ball chute but that makes the game pretty boring. Since it is in the corner if they tried to push you out chances are they would be pinning and forced to back off periodically. So this is a basketball shootoff with robots as ball boys.
I say if a team wants to goal tend- let them.
WC
