Philly should’ve started the jam on a knee so as to cause there to be no pack in existence when the pack whistle blew, which releases the jammers right away.

Of course, WFTDA is likely to fix *that* in the upcoming rules release as well. If I knew their plans for rules changes, I couldn’t discuss them yet. I’d imagine you’ll be pleased.

Here’s the thing though. With every new rule set folks take some time to figure out how to take advantage of holes they find in it. Some of the current rules issues have been there since 2006, but only recently has someone found a way to use it to their advantage. Sometimes the fix to one problem creates another.

There’s folks who preach the gospel of short/sweet rule sets (usually based on the ersatz derby of old). Those sorts of rule sets might work fine for them. In the tiny little niche of leagues doing that. Perhaps BECAUSE there’s a tiny niche of leagues using those rules?

WFTDA’s rules have grown in length and complexity over the years primarily because JUST ABOUT EVERYONE USES THEM. They don’t just have to be understandable, they have to be explicit to the point where two referees who’ve never met or discussed the rules would call the same situation in the same way. Back when the rules were nine pages long, there was a fair bit of leeway for refs to call it how they felt. And gaping holes you could drive a truck through.

Suggestion, try to come up with a way to ban “slow derby” without requiring refs with speedometers or someone counting laps or times the pack takes to go a particular distance. The old rules for fake derby banned stopping or skating backwards (as do the rules for modern legit banked track derby).

The thing is, today’s banked track skaters want to win the game (instead of it being about promoting a match race or getting the fans to cheer/boo). So they do “the banked track shuffle.” The take tiny skating strides that have them moving at a terribly slow pace. Different rule set, same type of thing going on. And as more interleague BT derby happens, their rules get longer and more complex by necessity.

Sorry for writing War and Peace here.

Why don’t you just do that from the start like Teri’s blog was arguing. INstead of playing a cookie cutter point and click list against what you think are the “best” cookie-cutter point and click lists, why don’t you add some variety to your games.

Just cause you love Big Macs doesn’t mean they’re good for every meal.