Alliance Picking Rules Change?!

[Mr. Lim]

Okay,

I'm flipping between the webcast at VCU and the Peachtree regionals.

Are there TWO different sets of rules being used in picking?

At the VCU Regional, the annoucer said ANY team that declines cannot participate in the elimination rounds. This includes a top 8 seed picking another top 8 seed. If the chosen top 8 seed declines, then they cannot participate in the elimination rounds!!! Apparently this is new for 2005.

At the Peachtree however, 1180 had two of their picks decline, both of which were other top 8 seeds. These teams, even though they declined, were allowed to continue, and even make their own picks!!!

What's the deal?

-SlimBoJones...

[Beth Sweet]

As I watch the Peachtree alliance selections, I saw a top 8 ranked team decline one invitation, then accept another invitation. I thought that once a top 8 team was selected and declined the invitation, that it was so that they could be their own. I know in past years, they have not been allowed to do this, I looked through the rules and couldn't find anything if they decline. Does anyone know if this is legal this year?

[Goldeye]

8.4.1
...
The invited Team Representative will step forward and either accept or decline the invitation. If the team accepts, it is moved into that Alliance. If the team declines, it is not eligible to be picked again and the Alliance Captain extends another invitation to a different team.
...

They seem to have done it wrong :O

Also, the top 8 remaining seeds are supposed to be automatically paired up as standbys in order, not picked?

[Billfred]

It is not supposed to happen. Check the first paragraph of section 8.4.1.

Of course, fixing that problem will mean all new alliances.

[Winged Wonder]

thats exactly what i wanted to know!!! i literally just posted a thread on this too... i'm glad i'm not the only person who is confused by this. the way i read the rules, once you decline, you decline forever and you dont have the chance to be chosen by another alliance. but i could be wrong. i'm going to find the ruling on this and see if maybe its different this year--but i dont recall that being different.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Beth Sweet

As I watch the Peachtree alliance selections, I saw a top 8 ranked team decline one invitation, then accept another invitation. I thought that once a top 8 team was selected and declined the invitation, that it was so that they could be their own. I know in past years, they have not been allowed to do this, I looked through the rules and couldn't find anything if they decline. Does anyone know if this is legal this year?

Problems with Alliance selections at VCU too..

Which one is right?

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...5&postcount=40

From what I understand from a problem we had at UTC last year, and a reading of the rules from this year, a top 8 team can decline, but not be chosen to join anyone else in the top 8 seeding teams. BUT since they are a top 8 team, so.. they can still choose their own two people for their alliance.

[Goldeye]

at least they managed to fix the standby team picking.

[Goldeye]

The rules seem to say that if a top 8 team declines an invitation,they (like any other team) cannot be picked again, but can remain in their alliance captain spot. If the intent was different, the rules would have said "must withdraw from the competition" or the like.

[Winged Wonder]

Originally Posted by 8.4.1

In descending order, each Alliance Captain will invite to join them, a team ranked below them in the standings, which has not already accepted or declined an invitation, to join an Alliance. The invited Team Representative will step forward and either accept or decline the invitation. If the team accepts, it is moved into that Alliance. If the team declines, it is not eligible to be picked again and the Alliance Captain extends another invitation to a different team.

They never say anything about the top 8 seeded teams being exempt from the rules. if they've declined once, they are not eligible to be chosen again.

Peachtree got it wrong... someone should have caught that. its gonna be tough to fix this now. :-/ i'm sorry all of you at this regional.. this really changes things. good luck.

[Goldeye]

Well, there're robots on the field...and judges in a unending huddle, no doubt discussing this.

[Natchez]

Wow! I see two solutions.

1) All of the coaches in the alliances agree to the mistake.

2) Don't talk too much about it and redo the alliance selections.

What do you think,
Lucien

[Winged Wonder]

Originally Posted by Natchez

Wow! I see two solutions.

1) All of the coaches in the alliances agree to the mistake.

2) Don't talk too much about it and redo the alliance selections.

What do you think,
Lucien

just redo selections.

it doesnt matter if they agree on the mistake or admit it or anything; it violates the rules and this needs to be fixed. the sooner the better too.

[spadercool]

I agree with the first post in the topic because everybody on our stategy team was sayig it was a violation of 8.4.1.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Natchez

Wow! I see two solutions.

1) All of the coaches in the alliances agree to the mistake.

2) Don't talk too much about it and redo the alliance selections.

What do you think,
Lucien

The manual seems to say that redoing the alliance selections are the only way to follow the letter of the law, but I think that both solutions are viable. The general trend in FIRST is to accept screwups such as these, or a robot that misses getting to the field for a finals match by ten seconds, and et cetera.

Of course, I'm not there--that's a team decision.

[Madison]

I merged another thread that was discussing this issue into this one for ease of reading and to reduce clutter.