Week 3 Impressions of Rack n' Roll

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by TheNotoriousKid

Don't get it twisted, we expected heavy defense, who didnt. We also expected the same protection from the rules, just as any other team. Not saying the refs were wrong, it jus felt as though everyone wanted us to push back...and when we did, we were the only ones who were doin <G35> and/or <G39> and i will speak for myself, when i didnt know using a different strategy means being shut out.

To think that the refs at UTC called things differently when 25 was on the field then when they weren't is just being a poor sport. There is no massive conspiracy to prevent 25 from winning. From the description in this thread, nobody violated <G35> OR <G39>. Incidental contact outside the bumper zones (such as arms contacting each other while one team play defense). It is especially permitted here:

 Extension to extension contact between two ROBOTS with appendages outside the 28-
inch by 38-inch starting footprint will generally not be penalized.

If the other team had used it's arm to grapple or latch onto your game piece, it would have violated the rules. If the other teams used it's arm to purposely damage yours, it would have violated the rules. If the other team used it's arm to tip yours, it would have violated the rules. If the other teams used their arm (and arm alone, not movement from the base resulting in contact with the arms) to hit your robot, it may or may not be against the rules. Otherwise most arm-to-arm contact will be permitted, especially by refs at a regional like UTC.
As for <G39>, the wording is ambiguous as to who receives protection from the pinning rule while scoring, the scoring team, or the defensive team, but it appears that refs are ruling that the team playing defense can pin as long as they wish legally. No rules violation there either.
From what I have heard in this thread, no rules were violated. When I watch the video, I may or may not change my mind.