IRI Rule Changes - 2012

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by BJC

In the NCAA basketball teams are ranked 1-16 for March Madness (eliminations) based on their record in the normal season (qualifications.) Now imagine the outrage if team's rank was half-based on how awesome their mascot was? Do you see the problem? The co-op bridges are like mascots.

To actually make your point clearer, Co-Op Bridges are more like Slam Dunks. If some teams gained an advantage in the standings due to the number of Slam Dunks they earned, three-point shooting teams would be upset.

However, the argument doesn't hold up.

At the beginning of the FIRST season, teams built their robots to a specific set of rules - one of those rules included additional points to those teams who can co-op with their opponent on the white bridge. These were the official rules of Rebound Rumble. They were part of the game. And so a season went on where the white bridge was involved. Then came IRI, who had a bunch of teams sign up first, and then announced that the white bridge's effect on the game is going to be completely removed.

At the beginning of college basketball season, teams build their roster to a specific set of rules - one of those rules included that any shot made inside the 3-point line would be worth 2 points. Theres were the official rules of Basketball. They were part of the game. And so a season went on where the 2-point shots were involved. Then came the NCAA tournament, who slotted 68 teams first, and then announced that Slam Dunks would earn 3 points rather than 2.

Some basketball teams build themselves around defense and rebounding, or transition shooting, or they could "live or die by the 3-point shot". Coaches recruit students that work in a particular system too, and mold players to be as effective as possible. The best teams are almost always those who can do everything about the game in the best possible way, and sometimes those fringe teams who excel in one or two aspects of the game make it to the top too. Now those teams who rely on 3-point shooting find themselves at a huge disadvantage going into the tournament because they could have earned the same amount of points by just dunking the ball with less risk than going long. (see what I did there?) However, they had no idea that their initial build was going to be hurt due to a change in the rules once they were accepted into the tournament. Thankfully they have a few weeks to learn some new maneuvers and alter their roster, but in the end all of the fundamentals of the game have been severely altered for them and they start the tournament at a disadvantage against those teams who have studied the art of the slam dunk all season long.

Originally Posted by BJC

I'll PM you tomorrow. One of our parents is a public relations guy and really guided us on how to do this. I'll publicly say this:

Thank you so much. It means a lot.