G10, The Dallas Disable & Crickets Chirping in Manchester

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

I don't mean to be a jerk, but the vagueness that causes VASTLY different enforcement criteria by different refs is frustrating, to say the least.

I can't comment on how the rule was applied at other regionals. At the one I was at, there were problem teams early on, and that was expected. I would warn the teams to speed up the process in future matches. Fortunately, they all got their act together (or did not advance to the eliminations), so there wasn't an issue.

If a team persisted being a problem (i kept notes of which teams I told to speed it up), I would be a PIA to them. Standing next to them when the robot arrives on the field, and letting them know when their 60 seconds starts.

By the time a team is disabled, they would have known they have earned it, and it would not have been a surprise. However, at one match they could receive bonus time because other teams were still setting up. It would appear capricious if the next match they don't get as much bonus time because all the other teams have left the field.

No one wants a hard 60 second rule. Variances after 60 seconds is what may lead to what appears to be vastly different enforcement, even within the same ref crew. If someone else is delaying the match, I'm not going to penalize you, just because I can. That should not be taken as a license to take the same amount of time in the future.

If your team is delaying the match, and if you have been warned, then the disabled is appropriate, and not a surprise. The rigidity provides a standard framework for warning a team when they have reached the end of the reasonable period. The flexibilty is how much longer they get after that before the penalty is applied.

At our regional a robot was disabled for other reasons. But, they had been warned at the end of prior matches. After the disable, they modified their strategy to not do it again.