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Originally Posted by Kit Gerhart
When the rule discussed in this thread first went into effect a few years ago, it was described in detail at the kickoff. It was made clear that if you declined, you could not accept another invitation but you could make your own selection if in the top 8. It appears that Woodie, Dean, et. al. felt that the process was well enough known that there was no need to repeat it. Unfortunately, the people running the selection process at Peachtree and VCU were not as well informed as many of the team members.
I don't know if it is good or bad that I wasn't at Peachtree, but if I'd been there, I would have made a bit of a "scene" as I ran out on the playing field and informed anyone within earshot that a team cannot accept an invitation after previously declining. I only wish the mistake had been discovered before it was too late to redo the alliance selection. This uncorrected mistake is going to be remembered for a long time by we FIRST addicts.
This is a little off-topic, and on a lighter note, but CONGRATULATIONS to team 801 and partners. You guys have had some less-than-great years recently, and it was great to see you win.
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I agree with Kit and many others that feel this is very bad, and I would have been out there with him right in the middle of his "scene". The outcome (top to bottom, not just final champions) WAS different for these events than it would have been had the rules been followed AS WRITTEN. This procedure/rule has not changed in at least the four years I have been with FIRST. AND I don't believe there is any ambiguity. READ the rules literally - don't try to read INTO the rules anything that is not there. What is most frustrating to me is that the matches continued with either no one knowing the rules, or willing to stand up and identify the error. I hope this is cleared up before next weekend.