Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

In my opinion they should not have made that joke, I think that was disrespectful so it got a justifiably disrespectful response. The town hall meeting is all show they don't want peoples input they want you to think that they do, why do you think they announced it when they did?

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Maybe that means something is unique about this situation.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

(emphasis mine.) Why do you feel it's self-evident? If everyone who booed in the stadium had instead shouted "We are very displeased with this decision!", would that be disrespectful? Is there a different way to convey this emotion that you don't feel is disrespectful but is still logistically comprehensible?

You can think that booing is always disrespectful, that doesn't mean it universally interpreted as such. Booing in a shorthand form of displeasure. When you boo a stand-up comic or a theatrical monologue, you're not saying "We're displeased with this decision!" you're speaking directly to a performer/player by saying "You personally suck!" Unless FIRSTers were personally trying to torment the guy reading the list, there's nothing personal about the delivery as such. It's like grousing the newscast of a legal ruling you don't like. You're angry, not mean.

Okay, I'll say it after I read this: I think FIRST disrespected the community. I don't think this has anything to do with the topic at hand, and you're free to disagree with that interpretation, but understand that nothing they have or could do now changes what they already did then.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

You weren't there in 2012, when FIRST tried to ignore the blatant comms failures on Einstein?

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

I recommend not going overboard in any direction when reacting to, or discussing, what happened.

If you are around long enough, you learn that something like a "boo" can, and does, mean a great many different things (see the posts here).

No one here should think their interpretation is the only correct one. There is no single correct perspective.

Blake

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

I'll second this. FIRST has disrespected the community more and more over the years. The first time I really noticed it was 2012 when Bill Miller stood up at a regional and told teams that all comms failures were the fault of the teams and the FMS was perfect. Then Einstein happened.

Over the years it's become more and more apparent that, not only is HQ out of touch with the reality of a community that has grown up around their program, but that they frankly don't care. They pay lip service to the volunteers that keep their program running but then don't listen to them when they raise concerns about things like overworked refs last year or the importance of feedback on the Chairman's presentation.

I skipped the Town Hall meeting because I thought I knew what it would be; More lip service about more open communication. From what I heard, it was worse than that, it was outright disrespect to the people and teams that should be the best representatives that FIRST has.

Frankly, if FIRST continues down this path and all we do is boo at a bad joke during an Einstein that was nearly 2 hours behind schedule, I'll be shocked.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Up where I was (section 448, in the corner at the "Mass" end, in the "wheelchair row") it drew laughter. Uncomfortable laughter (me). Cynical laughter (side). Hysterical laughter (behind). I did not notice any booing. I had to read follow-up posts to know what you were posting about.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Wrong

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Is voicing displeasure with a situation in a reasonable manner really disrespectful when born of the desire to see FIRST, the Championship, and STEM awareness improved and not degraded?

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

I booed. No shame. I did it.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Would you rather choose between a match your team plays in and the town hall?

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

Id rather choose from going to the town hall meeting or getting back to the hotel at an earlier time. No reason why they couldnt have done it after matches on Thursday.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

It felt more like an oooo than a boo, i dont think people were expecting it

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

I was watching the live stream on TBA at full volume and I didn't hear anything, so I have no idea what it actually was.

Re: Booing 2 Championships during the top 10
 

It got awkward. #2soon