[Elgin Clock]

I have two points to make.

First I am truly sorry for what happened no matter what the circumstances, intentional or unintentional destruction. It's a;ways sad to see a robot be destroyed while in the heat of the moment on the field.

BUT........

Why are these judges even allowing these "go home devices" on the field??? In the FRCTech on yahoo groups in the beginning of the year during build season there were comments that if ANYTHING that was on your robot that can cause an entanglement issue you would be DQ'ed. Now what do I see when I watch the webcasts and the NASA tv regionals, but all these "mice, mini me's send home devices" what ever you want to call them all over the field. I believe that these devices SHOULD NOT be allowed to continue to operate in this game. They are all possible entanglement issues and should be immediatley banned. One match I saw on NASA tv Saturday had one of these "parasites" that released itself from it's "host" robot and proceeded to make it's way to the other end of the field and while doing so it didn't allow any robots on the other alliance to pass over it's cord. I think the drivers of the opposite alliance just did not want to wreck the device by driving over it but it left them sitting there on one side of the field in a disadvantaged position. I applaud that alliances gracious professionalism in that respect but because of that disadvantage, they lost the match.

All you teams out there with these "parasites" just better be greatful that I am not a driver. Because as you could probably deduce, If I were a driver, your "parasite" would not stop me from crossing the field, it would get run over and possibly destroyed! That is the chance you are all going to take I assume?? If so, I don't like your odds!