janetfan, I'll do as you request after the ladies free tonight.
skatingbc, your assertion was that it's not a "thinking-on-your-feet" competition is what my response was positioned toward
a) A fourth combo is defined as an illegal element, the same as a backflip.
b) Doing an illegal element incurs a penalty.
c) The question then becomes, should someone who does an illegal element receive the exact same credit as someone who doesn't? If you believe so, then yes - simply removing the the 2-2 of the 3-2-2 is fair. IF not, and you think an illegal element should incur an actual penalty, then the question becomes how much?
First of all, I am not skatingbc, who is a different poster unrelated to me. My handle is skatinginbc, just in case you overlooked it.
Secondly, you sort of lost me, to be frank. So I am going to answer point by point.
a) A fourth combo is an illegal element.
It depends. I think it should receive no credit if done outside the maximum jumping passes. Should it receive penalty? Oh, Yes, as much as, but no more than, doing too many crossovers, spins or step sequences. By the way, is there a specified penalty concerning too many spins or step sequences?
b) Doing an illegal element incurs a penalty.
I don't want to get into a lengthy discussion about which element should be considered "illegal". As far as a fourth combo goes, if it is done within maximum jumping passes, why discredit the whole thing? A 3luz is still a 3luz, no matter as a single jump or as the first jump of a combo. Or do they require completely different skills?
c) Should someone who does an illegal element receive the exact same credit as someone who doesn't?
Again, it depends on what constitues "illegal". I would like to see the first jump of a fourth combo treated as a single jump and the rest as the jump exit, which, if done well, could receive a bullet for GOE.