2007 Buckeye Regional

[Kevin Kolodziej]

I apologize for the triple post, but its three separate issues.

I am concerned with the field at Buckeye. People have noticed that the rack was easier to move than at other events. I'm not sure what could cause this, since that thing is quite heavy. Not a big deal though. What does concern me was how it was set up. The base plate was not placed correctly, which dictates where the chains are supposed to sit (between the black tape on the edges of the plate). Because the plate was placed 45 degrees from where it should be, the rack, when properly placed based on the chains, was 45 degrees off of normal position. This has no effect for normal gameplay, but for autonomous, it puts the lights at the "corners" instead of parallel with the sides of the field. There were matches when the lights did face the sides, so the chains were not being paid attention to anyway.

The other concern is the fact that the bonus points were measured with a tape measure instead of the stick that FIRST provides and 4" and 12" pieces that I believe the event may provide. In this application, where the tape may be held at an angle or may be viewed at an angle, it is not an accurate way to measure. I have no idea if this affected the outcome of any matches, but it strikes me as odd that it even occurred.

Kev