Alliance Selection 2005- Like it?

[Btower]

Some thoughts on the Alliance Replacements.

At GLR we brought the two highest seed un-picked teams onto the field to be on standby (according to the rules as they were explained to me, the alliance captain must decide to bring an alternate in 2 minutes before the start of the next round. No extra time is given, so they better be on the field ready to go. I chose to have only two teams as a worst case scenario. (We used neither but I thank them for their patience). There would be no way to keep 8 on the field, not to mention the extremely low probability of using more than 2 or 3.
If an alternate is used, all four teams are equal members of the alliance. (Trophies, trips, bling, book tours, custody of the children etc.)

[Jack Jones]

I think the replacement rule is a good idea. However, I do have one serious reservation.

What would prevent an alliance from deciding to replace a robot that was less than 100% (running, but not at it's best). Or worse, from deciding that the top seed in the pool would do a better job against the upcoming alliance.

Your answer, most likely, would be; "Gracious Professionalism." But how long will it take for someone to take advantage of a loophole like that?

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Jack Jones

I think the replacement rule is a good idea. However, I do have one serious reservation.

What would prevent an alliance from deciding to replace a robot that was less than 100% (running, but not at it's best). Or worse, from deciding that the top seed in the pool would do a better job against the upcoming alliance.

Your answer, most likely, would be; "Gracious Professionalism." But how long will it take for someone to take advantage of a loophole like that?

We were that first-up replacement robot at PNW and sat and watched the whole finals. One team had a robot that had significant driving problems as a transmission was failing and (apparently) lost the use of its arm early in the finals and their alliance stuck with them anyways. Our team captain talked to the alliance captain who had never heard of the replacement rule. The alliance captain still stuck with his choice. I'm pretty sure than an alliance robot would have to catch fire before most captains would replace it.

[Btower]

Originally Posted by Jack Jones

I think the replacement rule is a good idea. However, I do have one serious reservation.

What would prevent an alliance from deciding to replace a robot that was less than 100% (running, but not at it's best). Or worse, from deciding that the top seed in the pool would do a better job against the upcoming alliance.

Your answer, most likely, would be; "Gracious Professionalism." But how long will it take for someone to take advantage of a loophole like that?

I think the reason the replaced team is not allowed to compete again is to discourage a "strategic" replacement. Not mention it would probably be obvious to most observers.

Ben

[EricH]

At the Sacramento regional, the three top teams after alliance selection were told "Be ready to play" or something like that. None of them were used. What might help is if FIRST allowed the lowest four teams to pack up after quarter finals and the next lowest two to do the same after semifinals. This would also make it easier on the shippers who have to take the robots away (a few at a time instead of all at once).

[Kit Gerhart]

Originally Posted by Btower

I think the reason the replaced team is not allowed to compete again is to discourage a "strategic" replacement. Not mention it would probably be obvious to most observers.

Ben

I figured the reason is to go along with the rest of the baseball analogy stuff that is part of this year's competition. If you are taken out, you can't return to the game.