Worst rule EVER...

[Chicago]

No, i'm not talking about the 15 bps ramp rule, which seems to be going well.

I'm takling about the apparent new X-Ball rule mentioned in the FoN coverage where, apparently, if you get a penalty in the last 90 seconds of the match, the opposing team gets a point.

WHAT?

So what used to be a 2 minute penalty for playing on with an unobvious hit (basically a one-for-one with 90 seconds left) is now a 6-for-1? (The player pulled for the penalty, plus basically the 5 pulled off the break o the next point) Because the clock reads 1:29 instead of 1:30?

Maybe I'm mistaken and this is just for MAJOR penalties, which would make a little more sense, but still...

IF a ref makes a bad call and you lose an extra player, no HUGE deal. But you lose a whole point? Stupid.

 

[Mikey D]

if its true i think its an excellent rule. means a player cant bust open a game with a run thru (while carrying a few shots), winning their team an important point!

 

[Steve Morris]

Originally posted by mike from brum
if its true i think its an excellent rule. means a player cant bust open a game with a run thru (while carrying a few shots), winning their team an important point!

I agree with Mike.

 

[Chicago]

It does nothing of the sort.

How does giving the other team a point do anything to stop run-throughs? If you're desperate enough to do one, you'll do it anyway. Does it matter if you lose by one point or two points? No. If you're going to lose unless you try the run-through, you're going to try the run-through. An extra point for your opponent doesn't matter.

And if the refs are so bad that they'll let you get away with it, they're not going to call the penalty so it won't matter.

The only thing the rule does is give bad or malicious refs an easy means of screwing a team over and an additional cause of late-game controversy, for no tangible benefit.

If a guy does a run-through in the last 90 seconds of the match, pull one of his buddies, plus one more for any opponents erroneously eliminated.

 

[Steve Morris]

It does nothing of the sort.

Originally posted by Chicago
If a guy does a run-through in the last 90 seconds of the match, pull one of his buddies, plus one more for any opponents erroneously eliminated.

One of the features of X Ball that I think is so good is the way the penalties tend to really hurt, especially compared to traditional short-term games in the last few minutes. I also admire the way the rules keep getting fine-tuned.

I've seen so many examples of gross playing on in the last few seconds of short-games that resulted in 1-4-1s or 2-4-1s that essentially didn't matter because the cheating team ended with a calculated win. I've even had the offending players tell me afterwards that it was obviously worth the risk.

Crime shouldn't pay.

Think of this scenario with the new 90-second rule: Team B is trailing by one point and there is about 45 seconds on the clock. Everybody on the field knows what is about to happen: a mad rush to grab and hang the flag by Team B. Without the new rule a gross play-on will create chaos that ends with a major penalty (that won't be served due to lack of time) but still allows another clean player on Team B to hang the flag. With the new rule this won't happen.

As for the reffing, even the finest and most battle-hardened reffing crews in the world (the best of which is the NXL refs) can't totally sort out the chaos in such a scenario, at least while it's happening. With the 90-second rule the refs can confer very quickly after the horn has sounded and sort out that the point by Team B was won on the basis of cheating. Not only does the ill-gotten point not count; the offending team pays a REAL consequence for cheating.

Any biased ref would be taking a big risk in being seen as such under such circumstances IMO.

The point isn't to stop run-throughs in which the runner-througher ignored hits but rather to take away the incentive for doing so and instead applying a real penalty for such cheating.

It sure seems to be a good innovation to me.

 

[Chicago]

Re: It does nothing of the sort.

Originally posted by Steve Morris

Think of this scenario with the new 90-second rule: Team B is trailing by one point and there is about 45 seconds on the clock. Everybody on the field knows what is about to happen: a mad rush to grab and hang the flag by Team B. Without the new rule a gross play-on will create chaos that ends with a major penalty (that won't be served due to lack of time) but still allows another clean player on Team B to hang the flag. With the new rule this won't happen.

Let's assume for a second that that's the problem. So what? This rule is still stupid. It opens the door to a bunch of other problems (like your opponent geetting a point because you got hit in the pack, or malicious or bad reffing just out-right screwing you over), for no good reason.

Why not make the point ONLY apply to MAJOR penalties (what the refs should be dishing out if someone does a run-through after being lit up), or, better yet, pull a major penalty for EACH INSTANCE of playing on? Play on, that's one 5-minute major. Shoot 2 opponents while playing on, two more 5-minute majors.

The rules are fine. If there is a problem, it's because the referees are not currently enforcing the rules properly. This rule change is unnecessary overkill.

 

[Steve Morris]

Re: Re: It does nothing of the sort.

Originally posted by Chicago
Let's assume for a second that that's the problem. So what? This rule is still stupid.

My dear Chi-town, you seem to be grasping at straws, not using your usual rational arguments (or do I think of your other posts as rational because I tend to agree them?)

Originally posted by Chicago
It opens the door to a bunch of other problems (like your opponent geetting a point because you got hit in the pack, or malicious or bad reffing just out-right screwing you over), for no good reason.

NXL refs, and I hope others, don't tend to penalize pack hits unless it's the flag hanger. As for malicious refs, it seems you've been burned a few times or at least thought you were. And I think I've pointed out a very good reason for the rule.

Originally posted by Chicago
Why not make the point ONLY apply to MAJOR penalties (what the refs should be dishing out if someone does a run-through after being lit up)

I agree that the rule amendment should only apply to a major penalty and playing on under such circumstances should always be deemed a major penalty.

Originally posted by Chicago
If there is a problem, it's because the referees are not currently enforcing the rules properly.

I think you're right about that so that problem should be addressed regardless.

I hope I'm wrong but the viciousness with which you attack this new rule makes me suspect that you are with a team that practices and applies tactics that this very rule addresses. CHICAGO Aftershock, from what little I've seen, seem to wax chaotic under such end-of-the-match circumstances discussed here. Foo ****?

 

[Chicago]

Are you insinuating that someone actually taught an Aftershock player how to write a complete sentence?

 

[Steve Morris]

Originally posted by Chicago
Are you insinuating that someone actually taught an Aftershock player how to write a complete sentence?

On second thought...you have a point. But is Billy C really a player?

 

[Chicago]

Actually, Steve, I think we mainly agree here as well - the rule is fine, IF it only applies to Major or greater penalties.