For anyone who thinks there might be a little blind defending of the refs or who thinks they're being made out to be completely infallible I'll say this, I was on 188's drive team in the past and I've always felt that our alumni refs busted our butts just a little bit extra. Having said that, they've NEVER changed the outcome of any competition I was at and I don't think they changed the outcome of this one. I certainly don't think they've ever made a decision because of team number and really I'd consider it a good natured kind of ribbing I would chalk up to either A) Tough love or B) Making real certain they weren't favouring us.
Even before seeing his post I knew what happened after the match. With a veteran coach like Shawn Lim, the absolute MASTER of directing blame onto himself and away from a young drive team (seriously, talk to him and every loss in the past five years was his fault), I'm certain 188 will be hungrier than ever, not just at Atlanta, but next year during the build season, they'll work harder and learn more, which has got to be a good thing.
Very small discrepancies in philosophy are going to exist from ref to ref and it's simply part of the game. In the past, before the current crop of kids who actually know how to build a robot that stays intact, we would constantly squeeze extra seconds and minutes out to try and repair our broken robot. I never heard an opponent whining about that and we never got more than a ref/field crew repeating their directions to us. It's just part of the game and certainly another ref at another regional might have decided "Hey, they weren't trying to get a competitive advantage, I think I'll let them on since I think it's the 'right' thing to do". I'd consider that opinion to be totally valid, just like I consider this decision to be completely valid. Personally I kind of like watching Jordan hit that 20 footer, but I'd consider it a completely valid opinion if someone said they'd prefer seeing a clip of John Stockton ice a couple free throws and everyone mobbing Bryon Russell. Which leads nicely into my other, unrelated comment...
To Karthik: I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of your sports references are going over people's heads or going unnoticed by people too busy worrying about their robot, but not here buddy. I'm loving all of them, don't stop man.
To 188: In the past it seems like controversy only happens to stud robots, so take heart in that. Me, I like the controversy. It means... You're close. It means... You're ready. (Watch more NBA playoff games if you don't get that
)
The Greater Toronto Regional: Where Karthik blatantly ripping off NBA ads happens.