Couldn’t find a thread for SFR 2022 so I’m pre-emptively making this for all of the incoming discussion.
7 Likes
Stop 
closing gates on teams in playoffs
138 Likes
Anyone mind TL;DW’ing for those who were keeping up with other events?
13 Likes
Head Referee’s have pretty wide discretion in how they choose to apply the rules, so barring official changes from FIRST, it’s disappointing to see HRs continued “interpretation” of the timeout rule. Just let people play.
sigh
(to be clear, I think FIRST should fix this, but in the meantime, I plea to refs in this manner)
12 Likes
I was watching the stream in the background and had a bit of a moment
Give 
teams a vote of no confidence power
21 Likes
Personally, I’m big on the sit-in.
If both alliances sit on the field and refuse to play it would send a powerful message to FIRST HQ about these rules.
48 Likes
Something something, jury nullification is also an inherent power in the legal system.
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I’m not so sure on that sit-in.
There HAS been one, might have been before your time. The event itself was extremely problem-plagued; the sit-in didn’t change anything at all. (ISR 2010, for those that dare to go down the rabbit hole… the one official event that Fantasy FIRST refused to score.)
Someone want to give a short versiou of what happened? Sounds like someone was locked out of the field for missing the timeout window and a few got cards, anybody want to elaborate?
7 Likes
Let us not forget the great sit-in of SVR 2014.
3 Likes
Don’t recall that one.
tl;dw:
- Lots of cards in elims, especially for G205
- Double yellows escalating to reds
- Teams being told during inspection to move their main breakers to more accessible places, and then later on teams getting red carded because their intake turned off another robot’s main breaker
- 3970 wasn’t allowed to play in Finals 1 because they were late to the field, and told to sit by as pre-finals intros, handshakes, and emcee hype moments went on for more than 5 minutes before the match even started
37 Likes
Not letting teams onto the field if they’re running up to the gate as the MC introduces teams is an absolute joke. Let the teams play. Do better events.
76 Likes
Doing the handshake in the name of GP while you choose to forcefully not let a team play in a match they earned seems like a terrible choice and highlights just how unjust these timeout rules are, it’s clearly not about preventing event delays when the team could be put on the field well before the match starts.
82 Likes
A sit in by both alliances or intentionally tying the match 0-0 for a replay would send a strong message. When I was a drive coach I never left the field in playoffs until all robots were on the carpet. Its such a joke to make a team go through a handshake ceremony on the field but force them to sideline their robot.
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That’s the secret and all teams should know it. They can’t start the match if you’re still on the field. What’re they going to do, physically remove you? Fat chance. Stay out as long as possible and advocate for your alliance. Nobody else will.
60 Likes
I think this is the best move to protest this kind of thing. It won’t come off as making a huge scene for the sake of it, sends a clear message, and it forces a follow-up match with all robots in it that event staff can’t shrug off as “rules are rules”.
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FTAs hate him! Find out the one trick this drive coach uses to ensure they play with a full alliance every match!
42 Likes
I laugh and yet it’s true. I’d take FTAs and event managers and head referees being mad at me if it means these kids get to play a full 3v3 match. They’ve poured their heart and souls into these robots, it’s the least we can do.
How would teams do this legally? Can everyone just E-stop their robot at the start of autonomous and sit the match out?
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Yep, E-stop at the start of auto and force the head ref to watch 2:30s of dead robots or hit the buzzer to restart. H105 and H106 probably would apply here but the penalty should be equal for both alliances if it went to that point so the match would be replayed regardless.
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In my opinion this is the single greatest remaining problem with the FRC program. Being locked out of the field is the least inspirational thing I’ve ever had happen to my team. It’s the least inspirational thing I could imagine within this program. You lock a team out, and then spend 5-10 additional minutes doing introductions, handshakes, etc. prior to starting the match… that to me is emblematic of a power tripping volunteer who should be removed from their position because they clearly don’t understand the purpose of the program.
It needs to stop.
I emplore the teams that are allowed on the field in this situation to unplug their driver stations and force a tie. Show FIRST, and these power tripping volunteers that it’s worth waiting an extra minute to allow teams that are making a good faith effort to get to the field on time to get there.
This is a sore topic for me so I have strong opinions.
28 Likes