"Load Bearing Surface"

[Natchez]

Originally Posted by Erin Rapacki

Have any of you read Update #13 yet?

Erin, most respectfully, yes, I have read (& reread, & reread ...) Update #13 along with all of the Q&As concerning the topic. As a Mississippi boy, I'm especially proud that I could read & comprehend all of it. As Andy has pointed out, we are on the rails to a major train wreck and the locomotive is moving pretty fast but is still in FIRST's control. 10-point penalties are very significant in a game where 50 points will be a good score. FIRST is in a very unique situation this time though: FIRST knows that there is a problem and they can correct it by the first regional if we put our heads together and give them good suggestions.

Everyone, here is my first cut at a reasonable, proven, low-tech, not-costly solution that FIRST may want to consider adopting.

Let's take a page out of football officiating handbook and tell the teams if they are in the zone before they incur a penalty. As a wide receiver, the referee holds up his hand if you are on-sides and on the line of scrimmage. So, why don't we have a ref stationed at each loading zone (8 per field) and indicate when "they believe" that a robot is in the loading zone by raising a hand or a green flag. If the flag is up, then go after the tetra. If the flag is down, then the ref does not think the robot is in the zone and you probably should not go after a tetra ... or the ref is asleep. Of course, you would always have the option of proceeding at your own risk.

There are two major drawbacks to this solution. One, as fast paced as the game will be, the refs will need to be on their toes and their arms might get awful tired. Two, with FIRST's implementation of the new volunteer screening process, there will probably not be enough volunteers at the events.

Let's try to stop this train wreck ... what are your ideas at a solution,
Lucien