YMTC: Redateam Uncrates Redabot on Wednesday

[dlavery]

Not sure why this one is even a question.

From the FIRST e-mail blast:

The Wednesday pit opening is designed for uncrating robots, confirming ship weight, and charging your batteries. Please do not work on your robots or assemble pit booth displays on Wednesday!

uncrate
Pronunciation Key: (n-krt)
v. un·crated, un·crat·ing, un·crates

1. To remove the contents from a container, such as a slatted wooden case, used for storing or shipping.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

"Uncrate robots" means exactly that. Open the box. Remove contents from box. Put contents off to one side (in the pit). Close box. Remove box from pit area. Period.

"Uncrate robots" does NOT mean "Open the box. Remove contents from box. Put contents off to one side, and then start putting them together because we are bound and determined to push and bend every rule until the breaking point because we want to get every competitive edge possible no matter what the consequences and no matter what example of professional behaviour we are setting, and even though the meaning and intent of "uncrate but don't work on the robot" is absolutely clear we are going to pretend that it is not and play lawyer and argue the exact wording so that we can have our entire robot in competition form ten minutes ahead of everyone else and then we can go and eat donuts."

If Redateam does this, then they have clearly violated the rule and:

1) have no one but themselves to blame for shipping their robot in a partially-assembled state rather than as a complete unit,
2) need to suck it up and wait until Thursday morning to spend the ten minutes needed to assemble the robot, and
3) should have to make amends for their violation, by providing fresh Krispy Kreme donuts for EVERY member of EVERY team competiting at the Championships in the Georgia Dome.

-dave