Possible Strategy?

[Sean Raia]

Originally Posted by LeelandS

I wouldn't say it's bad sportsmanship, it's just really smart playing. Penalties are part of the game, and if an alliance feels that they can earn more points by taking those penalties, then what's to be done? Yeah, it's not a 'nice' move, but the C in FRC stands for competition, and that means you play the best you can to win.

For example, at the 2011 IRI, our alliance (1126, 233, 2016) went up against the number 1 alliance (1114, 987, 67). They employed a tactic to counter us pushing tubes into our lanes to protect them, by taking the 3 point penalty to go into the lane and get them. Because the 3 point penatly paled in comparision to the 18 point unaided top row logo, the cost of the penalty was worth the extra tubes. Were we happy about it? Of course not. But that's because they mopped the floor with us doing that. It was a brilliant tactical move and fully justified in the scope of the game.

There are differences between smart play and cheap moves. I don't think stealing balls off the alliance bridge is a cheap move. If nothing else, the offending alliance is taking a 9 point hit for it. If they want to risk taking that, let them do it. It's not like they're taking the balls and getting away scot free.

As good of a strategy as it is... it IS against the rules. And youre not doing it by accident, you are intentionally aiming to do it. I define intentionally breaking the rules to get an advantage as bad sportsmanship... As smart as it may be strategicaly.