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Unread 06-04-2005, 00:42
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AKA: Cory McBride
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Re: Regional-specific rules, etc., and do the referees read the rules?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric301
Our team has competed in both Detroit and Palmetto. We found that these 2 regionals were very different. We felt that the refs in Detroit called the rules very fairly and very closely to the way they were written. When there was a question, the head ref explained the ruling to our all student drive team.

Unfortunately, Palmetto was much different. In Palmetto during the driver meeting, the head ref stressed that any robot that either broke the plane of the driver station or approached the driver station with an elevated tetra that could fly over the Plexiglas, would be shut off in the name of safety. We were amazed when we witnessed 3 different tetras fly over the Plexiglas with no penalties or disablement. During the semi-finals, a robot arm extended around the end of the player station and came within inches of our arm operator, still no penalty or disablement.

We witnessed human elements jumping off the floor in order to hang a tetra on a robot in Palmetto with no penalty. We got penalized in Detroit because our human element stood on his tip-toes.

In the final match that determined the Palmetto champion, one of our alliance partners (the number 1 seed) was pulled over by an opponent. There was no penalty. In Detroit, we were told that tipping over other robots would not be tolerated.

In Palmetto, our arm was ripped from our robot as we attempted to cap the center goal. The offending robot did not have a tetra, was not attempting to stack, and chose to attach our robot's arm 10ft in the air instead of blocking the goal. In Detroit, we were told that we would be penalized for using an arm to attack a robot high in the air. Fortunately, we were able to make a new arm segment and re-assemble our robot in time for the next match.

In qualifying match number 56 in Palmetto, it was ruled that a tetra was being supported by another tetra that was hanging above it. I guess gravity points upward in Palmetto. That ruling cost us the tetra, a row, and the match. I will include a picture of the "unseated" tetra.

In each of these cases, the head ref refused to speak to our student drive coach and would only address an adult. Our 18 year old drive coach and senior was highly offended. In her 4 years with First, she had never been treated that way.

This is my 3rd year as a mentor. I have been extremely surprised at how well matches have been ref'ed in the past. I think First has failed this year in 2 ways. #1 The refs have not been trained in a way that would lead to calls that are consistent to each other or to the rule book. #2 This game has so many different elements and rules, that it is very difficult to call. There are 6 robots going to 8 loading stations and 9 goals and there are 6 human elements. There is a lot going on. In the end, the refs may be forced to make scoring calls on each of the 9 goals and remember how many tetras of each color slinkied off of one of the goals.

Even with our second place finish in Palmetto and the warm weather, our team unanimously decided not to return to Palmetto next year.

Oh yeah, please take a look at the attached picture of the tetra that was judged to be not fully seated.
I'm guessing the robot that is holding the tetra that's touching the stacked one is a blue bot. If so, that's why you lost the points.
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