Contrary to popular opinion..."wedge" robots are out

[Kevin Sevcik]

I suppose I'll have to fall on the side of being in favor of the new rule. Offensive and defensive wedges both bother me. Offensive wedges for obvious reasons. defensive wedges because they frankly tilt the playing field in favor of veteran teams than can make shooters accurate from 35 feet. If you can make a robot capable of this, surely you can put up with some pushing?

What's a team to do if they just fail to build a robot that can shoot well or pick up balls? If you make it impossible for teams to play defense against top-rank offensive teams, then the game becomes completely one dimensional. I'm pretty sure many of use remember how fun an all offense, no defense game was.

Aside from all that, how would you sensibly allow "defensive" wedges in the rules? There was constant complaining of rules that depended on ref interpretation last year. I don't see how you could allow defensive wedges without bringing intent into the rules. If the rule states that it's not tipping in the wedge-bot is stationary, then your super offense bot is effectively paralyzed. All a birck bot team need do is wait for you to move, then run at you and get flipped over, and you're disabled.

In summary, if you don't want your shooter getting manhandled, put a parking brake on it.