[Jonathan Norris]

I believe that bumpers are here to stay, they provided much needed protection in this years game. Without bumpers I believe that this years game would have played very differently if bumpers were not widely used and the wedge rule had not been put in place. The defense would have been overwhelming otherwise. If defense is a key part of the game bumpers are needed.

The only downside I can see to the implementation of bumpers is how it hurts creativity in the design of a robot. Over the years one of the most innovative parts of the robots has been the many amazing defense and protection innovations by teams. This year the bumpers and mainly the wedge rule eliminated that part the creativity of robot designs. I hope to see the reinstatement of wedges and defensive components in the future. Some of the best matches I have ever seen happen between a defensive and offensive powerhouse.