[Marc P.]

Reading through this thread has brought a couple of thoughts into my head. First, with regards to intentional tipping, I do recall rules in previous years against intentional tipping. I was a ref at nationals last year, and I remember having a number of discussions and throwing a few flags for intentional tipping. Of course contact is a part of the game, but if your strategy is to capitolize on a vulnerable situation for the sake of taking the glory of a high rank, I think that sort of sidesteps the meaning of FIRST.

Second, I wonder what the intention behind tipping is at all, besides simply winning the match... I recall from my first year in FIRST, in 2000, there was a match where one robot accidentally tipped an opposing robot over. Rather than take the easy win, that same opposing robot used their arm to right the tipped robot in a fantastic display of gracious professionalism. It was that match which inspired a huge portion of my interest in FIRST, knowing that it's not just another mindless athletic competition. Whenever I see or hear about maliciously trying to gain an upper hand in a match via tipping or descoring or whatever, it makes me sad to think of what FIRST is becoming as it grows, and I remember back to that match, and wonder what happened. I know there are plenty of teams out there who would still right a tipped robot, but people coming into this competition expecting to see battlebot like destruction makes me wonder why these people are in FIRST to begin with.

Just my two cents.