Quote:
Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman
I didn't see that at my Week 5 regional in GTR.  I didn't see the rack filling up in any of the elimination rounds 48, 379, and 1006 were in. We were a hinge and a blown tread away from the finals.
How does a ref crack down on a ramp, anyway? |
A ref cracks down on a ramp by using strict interpretations of the support rules and carefully examines to see if they are in contact with any field elements. I'm seeing more and more situations where ramps aren't counting because of it. It only takes one real defender to turn a match into a defensive grinder (example-West Michigan), but the refs are being a lot stricter in recent weeks, and teams are figuring out how to score through defense with moderate success. Multi-threat combos are getting more coordinated, more common, and harder to completely shut down (look at Vegas).
Your alliance in GTR is a slight exception (your opponents still scored 36.5/match, not terribly low), but look at the teams. 1006, 48, and 379. Defence, Defense, and Defense. It was so defensive that 1006 was assigned to offence! (Where 1006 is, I apply the Canadian spelling
). Of course your matches are going to involve a more defensive approach by both alliances, and this year, defense and ramps go hand in hand. But the ultimate victors of GTR was a triple-threat offensive alliance, 1114, 2056, and 176.
Champs in Vegas, 1425 (scorer), 254 (scorer/ramp), 1983 (scorer, spoiler, defense).
Champs in Palmetto, 1319 (scorer/ramp/defense), 832 (scorer), 342 (scorer).
Champs in Long Island, 229 (scorer), 234 (scorer), 545 (ramp).
Champs in Waterloo, 1114 (scorer/ramp), 2056 (scorer), 771 (defense).
Champs in Boston, 126 (scorer), 69 (scorer/ramp), 125 (scorer).
Of the 9 teams that won 2 regionals, 7 can score tubes (and proficiently). 2 are exclusive ramp/lifts, and 4 are hybrids (although 254 only had their ramps for one of their two regional wins).