[Swampdude]

I'm not saying that defense alone can win a match, of coarse not. But I am saying that theres a key symbiotic relationship there that a scoring team will need each match. 2 offensive scoring allainces will just cancel each other out. Broken patterns won't add up to much. If an alliance can concentrate on holding 1 row, and all agree on that one row. then definitely attack it as fast as you can. But as soon as the other team sees this strategy they will also place on that row "Unless they are blocked".
lilavery, I know what you're saying, and yes the reach can be made, but good defense will most likley be played like a swinging gate about 3' away from the rack, and they just go back and forth making you go around. Now when 2 bots approach both with ringers and you're in the middle, you just jiggle back and forth quickly and they'll keep getting tapped, slowed and misaligned. Even the best capper will get slowed to a few caps. Also these long arms you're describing will bounce with vigor when extended to those lengths while being shoved around. And every team will be tempted to avoid that situation and look elsewhere for a cap, usually the sides or around to the opponents side. Then they contend with your other teammates, or even their very own teammates playing the same d on the other side. I see nothing but traffic jams.
Will the ramps win the day, no, its a combination of every scoring opportunity taken. A good capper is critical to a win. A good ramp is also critical to a win, and a good defender is critical to a win. But a match without defense (against a capping team) is just asking for a loss.
And Joe Matt - will a ramp get picked for alliance pairings? just a ramp, probably not. A good defensive ramp, yes. A top pick maybe not. A solid ramp that can score fast and play defense? deffinitely.