Maybe I'm just nostalgic for my rookie year but having to fight for the end game bonus was amazing in 2003. Similar in 2004 as well where you could score the end game and block someone else at the same time. That hasn't been possible since then.
Most of the recent rules have protected the end game from direct defense and confrontation. The huge penalties for interfering with the mini bot or bridge balance for example. Watching Wildstang flip people back down the ramp at the 2003 Championship is still one of my clearest memories in FRC. (FYI, if you have never seen that robot view their award submission
here.) However 2003 was plagued with a horrendous elimination round scoring system. My team won our regional only because we allowed our opponent to score enough points and that shouldn't happen.
However the ramp would never work in 3v3 but I think getting back to head to head end games could be interesting. Although, that would put a bigger emphasis back on drive trains; which FRC has tried to move away from in recent years.
I survived the Great CD Spamming of 2006. - Michelle Celio [more] 
06-08-2012, 04:22
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