Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyB1259
The sports model is nice but I say take a page from industries' rulebook. In industry there is no rule book because the rules are always changing, people and companies have to react to whats going on around them right now not what they want to be happening or was was going on last month or last week. Give the referee's the flexibility to call matches the way they see fit, there's no reason that a match played in one regional has to be officiated the same as a match in another regional.
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Which leads to the one and only actual major refereeing blunder I know of. At one event (to remain nameless), the refs incorrectly scored a particular item. When this was brought to their attention, instead of
correcting the score as the normal response is, they
replayed the match. The "wrong" team won the event as a direct result of that replay. FIRST corrected by giving the finalists spots at the Championship.
That's why the refs have to call the game the same way every week, unless the rules change. If they aren't called the same regional to regional, week to week, field to field, who's to decide which rule call is correct?
Heck, we already have enough trouble with the following exchange that is heard on Thursdays after Week 1:
"I'm sorry guys, but I can't let you compete with that."
"But it passed at the Magnolia Regional!"
"They just missed it. Team X has a similar, but legal design--you may want to talk to them. But the rules are clear: As it is now, your robot will not pass inspection."
"But..."
I've had a robot that I failed that passed with that component at a preseason scrimmage. Now, preseason scrimmages may or may not have certified inspectors, but regionals do. After one or two of the above exchange with a mentor, I called for the lead inspector. The team had to rebuild that part correctly.