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Unread 16-03-2008, 13:23
Guy Davidson Guy Davidson is offline
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Re: Silicon Valley Regional 2008

Before I jump into the meat of this post, I must begin with some thanks and congratulations. Please take this to be my opinion, and perhaps the general opinion of the team.

Our outmost thanks to Warrior Pride of Hilo, Hawai’I, team 2024, and the Gunn Robotics Team, team 192, for inviting us to join their alliance. We made an excellent alliance, survived many mistakes, penalties, and bad breaks, and gave the #1 alliance a run for their money. Thank you guys for the most amazing and spirited alliance I can remember being part of.

Speaking of the #1 alliance, our congratulations to you guys. Teams 100 and 254, you guys had amazing hurdlers, and a great third alliance partner in team 115. We knew that if we make it into the finals, you guys will likely be waiting there for us, and that it would be an uphill battle. Thank you guys for some of the hardest fought matches of this regional, and congratulations on your victory. Although I don’t think anyone is particularly pleased with the circumstances surrounding the last match of the finals round, at the end of the day, you guys won. And worry not. At least in our book, you guys have made no enemies. Also, 254, if we accidentally opened your pneumatic release valve, our apologies. We never aimed to make contact outside the bumper zone, and we’re terribly sorry if that happened. Our intent was and always will be to play defense as allowed by the referee’s interpretations of the rules.

Our thanks must also go to the event crew and volunteers. Particularly, we’d like to thank Jim Beck (head of the regional committee, I believe) and Dr. Andy Hospodor (head referee) for taking the time to explain their decisions to us. I personally would also like to thank Dr. Eugene Brooks for coming to us with some words of wisdom after it was all said and done, which helped us think about this issue and post more clearly.

However, will the utmost respect we have for Jim, Andy, and the entire crew, we still disagree with their decision. For the benefit of those who did not watch the webcast, or did not hear the explanations from the officials, here are the events: (Note: this is how we understand and were explained what happened. Do not take this to be set in stone)

At the end of finals match 3, a blue trackball was up on the overpass, partially supported by the overpass and partially by one of the red alliance robots. The initial scoring of the match did not count that bonus trackball, leading to a score of red by eight or so (but definitely less than 12). We immediately pulled up the rules (looking at G14, which rules that ball should be scored in this situation), and went to the challenge box. After showing the rule to the head referee first, and then to several of the other referees, we waited for a result. We expected the regional to be over and that we would have won the match; after all, that twelve point swing should have put our alliance on top. However, as it was explained to us later, the referees have been calling that rule incorrectly all regional. As such, they decided to not change matches that have already been played, and replay the match. We played a fourth math, and lost it.

We disagreed, and still disagree, with the decision made to replay the match. In our view, the referees should have either decided that the call was incorrect, and award us the bonus points and the match victory, or kept the different ruling, and ended the match as-is. We do not think that replaying the match was the appropriate decision.

We will try and contact FIRST soon about trying to get some form of ruling about this controversial ending to what otherwise was an amazing regional. Should this have been the path? Are there any guidelines to event officials about what should happen in the event of a ruling mistake? The only thing we would consider requesting FIRST, and would really appreciate, is the opportunity to attend the World Championships in Atlanta this year. Congratulations to team 2024 for qualifying via their well deserved Regional Engineering Inspiration award. However, in the meantime, neither team 192 nor we qualify, and team 192 is not signed up for any future events.

Thank you for taking your time to read this post, and I hope it helps to clarify the events of yesterday.
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