[Kevin Ray]

I'm sure that I'm going out on a limb saying this but here goes. First off, I agree with most of what Brandon Holley has said--Offense will win in the end. I say this for several reasons:
1. Yes, if you are defending you are not scoring. Eventually the offensive bot will score. This is assuming that each of the other bots on both alliances are paired up (either both scoring or both defending).

2. I would love to see a ramp bot defend against all comers. (Sorry, Cody Carey, but I have seen a team with a tower that extends, rotates, raises & lowers and has a somewhat ingenious wristed gripper which automatically loads the tube as it drives by in a "swiping motion") So to say that you can guarantee that any offensive robot can be stopped by your bot without having seen all comers is a bold statement. That robot also has two speed trannies, tank treads and a phenomenal driver.

3. At the long Island regional and the nationals in '05 and '06 everything changed between the qualifying rounds and the eliminations. Defense played a big role at first--but as stated earlier--teams realized that if you are being defensive you are not scoring.

4. I think that once alliances realize that they are "Parked" on a ramp waiting for their quick 60 points, each of the other three teams can each be putting on ONE tube and turn 4-in-a-row (16pts) into 7-in-a-row for 128 points. Remember that's only ONE TUBE EACH!!!!
Do you think that won't be possible?? Look at the Nationals with the tetras and offense vs. defense. In the finals there was NO defense (other than covering the previous tetra)--but blocking was nonexistent.

--So yes, in the early stages RAMPS and DEFENSE may-and probably will rule, but in the end I think offense tube placers will dominate.