Ann Arbor District Regional 2010

[nikeairmancurry]

Michigan Teams,

Week 2 is here and the first, FIRST event held at Skyline Highschool is ready to kickoff. 14 teams who competed in week one and coming to play. Some who were very successful last weekend and some who are looking to gain some ground. After everyone getting a chance to see how the game is play, the competition level should be very high. There are also many successful teams from last year competeting, those including 68,247,326,503,573,830,1188,1250 and 2337. Not as top heavy as last weekend, but very good company to be around. So let's keep all Ann Arbor disscussion here, and if anyone from the high school would like to discribe seating, where the pits might be and parking.

[JoeXIII'007]

Just a quick note: I will be there Friday and Saturday 1.) Helping Team 66/cheering them on and 2.) in the case anyone is intersted, talking up the still fairly new and cool Informatics program at the Umich. I'll be in a maize and blue "Michigan Informatics" shirt, feel free to stop by, say hello and ask questions.

[ExTexan]

I was a referee at Kettering last weekend and will be reffing at Ann Arbor this weekend. I'm looking forward to not calling so many G46's thanks to Update 16! It was hard to watch every ball around every robot! Now we can just smile when you are balanced on top of a ball!

[johnr]

I was a referee at Kettering last weekend and will be reffing at Ann Arbor this weekend. I'm looking forward to not calling so many G46's thanks to Update 16! It was hard to watch every ball around every robot! Now we can just smile when you are balanced on top of a ball

At what point do you make the call? How long do you give a team to get off ball? Is it as long as the team is trying to dislodge ball and not playing?

[ExTexan]

At what point do you make the call? How long do you give a team to get off ball? Is it as long as the team is trying to dislodge ball and not playing?

Based on the wording of Update 16:

Incidental protrusions of the BALL within this boundary will not be penalized if the TEAM corrects the condition before resuming game play.

and the box examples:

Examples of game play include, but are not limited to, actively engaging with another ROBOT, navigating toward a GOAL, controlling the position or direction of another BALL (e.g. kicking or herding), and changing regions (crossing a BUMP or under a TOWER).

My personal interpretation would generally be that if I thought you incidentally (as opposed to intentionally) drove up on top of that ball, made honest efforts to dislodge it, and did not resume "game play", I would not be prone to call a penalty at any time.

Of course this is subject to agreement by my Head Ref and Ref team.

And I might add that one of my favorite quotes is "All generalities, including this one, are wrong"!

[johnr]

So a team,in order to pass inspection, must not have any way for a ball to go under it. That pretty knocks out any team from intentionally driving on ball. I guess the only time this will be called is when we hear,"I didn't know there was a ball under me."

[Fennig247]

Well of course Da'Bears (Team 247) will be there in action. Of course we will have our green apple walking thru the pits with our scouting program this year again. Anyone needs a helping hand ask for Fennig.

[ExTexan]

So a team,in order to pass inspection, must not have any way for a ball to go under it. That pretty knocks out any team from intentionally driving on ball. I guess the only time this will be called is when we hear,"I didn't know there was a ball under me."

Pretty much I would guess. Even at Kettering I don't think anyone intentionally drove on the balls but we tried to penalize anyone that ended up on top of a ball, per the rules before this update. And it seemed everyone could potentially drive on top of a ball.

A potential focus to avoid G46 might be that drivers/coaches have to watch more closely when encountering multiple balls or being hidden behind bumps so that they don't continue "game play" while being on top of a ball unknowingly.

I am heading out to Ann Arbor in a couple of hours in hopes of seeing some practice matches and seeing a lot of people having a lot of fun!

[nikeairmancurry]

Just got home... All but two teams I believe have checked in...

The venue is awesome, tons of seating and easy access to the pits...

T-minus 11 hours 30 minutes from the start of Breakaway in Ann Arbor...

Oh side note.. There is a speical MC planned for Saturday =]

[EmptyNerd]

Congrats to Team 2337 on their first district win. 2008 was great - set the bar high. 2009 was difficult, a reality check. 2010 is still open for dreaming.... Go far, 2337. Wish I could have been there to enjoy to moment. Hope to see you all in Ypsi. Go Nerds........................Ah boom............

[nikeairmancurry]

Wow!! What an awesome weekend!!!

First a bit of business.. Thanks 49 and 518... We knew we would have an uphill climb, but we tried!! 2337, 66, 573... 326 was clearly cheering you on during elimations!! We love the skirts!! Great job to all of you!! Keep hanging, scoring, and flippin out!!

Eliminations today were something else... I was so surpised at the lack of defense being played, made the game so much fun to watch.. I was keeping hand score in the corner and just watching teams drive up drop, drive up drop, kick from middle field, and score in auton was just awesome... The spirt and excitment at the event was on a different planet!! When the final score for the final match (Finals match-3), I thought the roof blew off!!!

As for the venue... Skyline Highschool was a perfect fit for a robotics competition. Tons of seating, espiecally seating that could see the field. The pits just across the hallway, was a benefit from teams and spectors.

Lastly, the volunteers had everything working perfect. The refs, very fair and able to discribe penelties in great depht to the teams. MC's, were awesome.. Grant always being able to shake his "thang", and trying to get the crowad loud!! Matt Roush from WWJ 950, you didn't look out of place one bit. To the rest of the crew, great job. From the field, to scoring crew, webcast and everyone else!!

Hope everything runs this smooth at my next 3 events!!!

[Fennig247]

Mad props on 573 from coming out of the blue and getting everything in gear and picking an amazing alliance and coming back to win it all!!
Congrats 2337, 66 and 573, yall deserved it and see you guys in states.

[ExTexan]

And from my viewpoint as a Zebra....GREAT TOURNAMENT with GREAT TEAMS!

It's never fun to call a penalty and the close calls are the worst but everyone was gracious enough to listen and accept what they may not have seen, interpreted or even agreed with that we called. Thanks all.

The worst penalty I have to call is that a team is not having fun and I never even got close to that this weekend!

PS: As strange as this may seem, Skyline High School has folding chairs that are to die for!!!!!! I hope Wayne State can take this hint!