pic: Barry Bonzack v. Mike Rizzo: Death match. What are the actual purpose of the tridents anyway, right?

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Jared341

It was just a staged photo - no tridents, MCs, announcers, small children, robots, or animals were harmed in the making.

Sorry, I'm taking a hard line here and I realize it.

No one in a referee shirt at a sports competition should participate in an act or photo opportunity that promotes dangerous activity. It doesn't matter to me that there is a dance break and the emcee/announcer and refs are bored. If you want to have a photo opportunity promoting horseplay, don't involve referees. That's just asking for trouble.

Here's the deal from my perspective - there is a certain element of trust that the GDC shares with the FRC community. They, of all people, know that when they create a game challenge that involves equipment and game pieces or elements, that there will be people who have access to those and will make the choice whether to use their time with them wisely or in stupid fashions. We see plenty of photos of emcees (particularly) horsing around during down times or when introducing the teams. Again, there is that element of trust involved that those who are helping to showcase the FRC events, are keeping it real and using some common sense while they entertain. When referees get involved in the entertainment aspect of the competition, they have to use even more common sense.

A five year old that attends the competition is going to be fascinated with the tridents. Small children make weapons out of everything: sticks, brooms, flashlights. Imagine their delight at seeing the wonder of a trident. They aren't going to understand - staged. Neither is someone far away who is seeing a photo of a popular role model and a referee using the tridents as weapons.

Sorry - poor use of down time as role models and showmen.

Jane