2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Hi all!

The 10+ teams in the Knoxville area, including mine, are excited for you to join us downtown on March 30th - April 2nd for the fifth year of the Smoky Mountains Regional!

For those of you outside the area and whom have attended in the past, please keep in mind the venue has changed from the Convention Center next to the Sunsphere to Thompson-Boling Arena on the UTK campus.

My team, 3966, is the only team based downtown along with our school (which in past years has been a short walk from the Convention Center). We're excited to have everyone here for the regional.

In past years, my team has partnered with Visit Knoxville to hand out a bag to each team (even local ones) with a map of downtown, some info, and a sheet of coupons to use at local businesses. We'll be handing these out again on Thursday morning, but it's possible we could arrange to get these to your team earlier if you're interested.

Additionally, I myself live downtown and am happy to answer any questions and offer suggestions on things to do. I'm also happy to try and answer questions about the regional itself.

See you then!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

1710 from Olathe, KS is excited to attend! We're ready to take the 13 hour drive down. Does anyone know where the pits will be located in regards to the field by chance?

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

The pits are adjacent and close to the field. A venue map with the pit assignments was sent to your lead contact with the event info.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Team 3193, Falco Tech, is amped to be traveling down to Tennessee for the first time...looking forward to some hard-hitting action! It's an 8 hour drive for us, and thanks to our bus company (trying to charge us for an extra day if we leave too early), we'll be leaving at 12:01am Thursday morning...

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Hey everyone! I'm looking forward to competing at Smoky Mountains Regional this year. The link below is to a spreadsheet that contains some pre-scouting data for the teams that will be attending SMR and for the Regional in general. If you notice any mistakes or want to comment, please just reply in this thread.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

As soon as results come out from Rocket City, I'll complete the spreadsheet and try and let teams have access to it.

Some interesting things to note about SMR this year:
It's regrettable to see that we only have 2 Rookies this year, but I am glad that one of them is a Nashville team. Knoxville and the surrounding area is very dense with FIRST teams, while Nashville (which is a much larger city) has only a handful. I hope that over the course of the next few years, we can start to see FIRST take off in Nashville the way it already has in Knoxville.
SMR has had a large influx of teams that have never competed at SMR, 11, counting the Rookie teams. Also, 16 of the 48 teams at SMR this year were not there for Recycle Rush. This means that the landscape of the Regional will be very different this year.
While local powerhouses such as 3824, 2393, 3140, 2614, and 4265 will be bringing robots that are as competitive as ever, there are some newcomers that will give the locals a run for their money. 1986, Team Titanium, took 1st seed and Regional Winner at Kansas City. The Roboteers, 2481, also were 1st seed and were the Regional Winners at Central Illinois. If these two teams get a chance to form an alliance, we may see some of the highest scores of the season. Some other teams new to SMR to look out for are 1785 and 3937.
Finally, SMR will be a more experienced Regional than ever this year. Almost 60% of the teams attending will have competed in at least one Regional, and at least a third of teams attending will have already seen play in the Elimination rounds. To sum all this up, Smoky Mountains Regional will be a very exciting, and very different Regional that I am very much looking forward to.

Go Full Metal Jackets!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

For those of you staying downtown or plan on going downtown: please note that the Big Ears music festival will also be happening downtown this weekend. Parking may get hectic and some restaurants might be crowded. Knoxville has a wide selection though, so you should be able to find something, and the competition is at UT campus anyways.

Again, I'm happy to offer suggestions on things to do and places to eat around downtown if anyone's interested.

Looking forward to seeing all the teams!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I know everyone at MARS is excited to come down to Knoxville! This will be our fourth time at the Smoky Mountains Regional, and we can’t wait to see all the regular teams again(and all the newcomers this year)! Plus, we’ve been hard at work gearing up for this competition – good luck to everyone competing!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

The stars aligned to bring Team 1912 Combustion to our first Smoky Mountains Regional and I'm looking forward to it. The trailer went up Sunday and the rest of the group is traveling tomorrow.

Say, is there a common hashtag for the event besides the #frctnkn on TBA? Just #tnfirst?

-- cdr

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

That is just awesome. Scary good. Looks like this event it is shaping up to be a great field of teams. This is our first time to attend SMR and we are very excited to meet and play with all the regional teams. We too have been trying to get in a little practice. :D

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I don't think so. TNFIRST isn't really active on social media, and their @TN_FIRST account only pops back to life from time to time.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Any suggestions on a "gotta-go-there" restaurant for dinner for us out-of-town teams...preferably one that can handle a party of 25, and preferably west of the venue?

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Big Ed's PIzza! Call ahead and make sure they can handle all of you at once, if you decide to go.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Big Ed's mentioned above is really far out in Oak Ridge - maybe 45mins from downtown. Out west, I'd recommend Tomatohead. I would really suggest trying downtown restaurants though, there are a lot of great places to eat (including the primary Tomatohead location). Out west is mostly chain restaurants. If you're from Ohio, there's also a lone LaRosas out west.

Downtown suggestions would be Tomatohead again, Barley's (both of those are pizza), or Cafe 4. They're a little pricey but they're also all great.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

+1 For Barley's. They have Team Trivia tomorrow night at 8 and live music the rest of the week around 10pm if you're looking for great pizza and beer (for the mentors of course). Oh, and they have a game room upstairs with pool and old pinball machines (and more beer). Your bus driver might have a fun time parking though since it's downtown.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Yeah, I love Barley's and the trivia is fun. Buses could probably fit in the lot under i-40 next to it.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Awesome. Practice makes perfect, eh? http://youtu.be/hB9rgsuIWok :yikes:

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Here is a little bit higher quality video from 3824 - our last practice run before packing up for SMR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fPyaFmobwI

We are looking forward to storming the castle this weekend with both old and new friends.

-Steve

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I'm excited to share that 3966 will once again be hosting a Business Meet-Up on Thursday afternoon in Room 120. Team contacts should have recieved our flyer for the event today in a non-descript email from the regional director. There is absolutely no fee to attend, and the event will be in a combined presentation and roundtable discussion format. It's for teams to share what they do with others.

The flyer is also attached to this post, and we'll be handing them out either tonight or tomorrow morning. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. We hope to see someone from every team there!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Anyone willing to help upload robot pictures for the teams at Smoky Mountains ?

https://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2016tnkn

All of these pictures will appear on the TBA android app and make scouting easier.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

If you're wanting to eat closer, anywhere in Market Square is good. I like Tomato Head and Cafe 4 (There's a second Tomato Head location further west if you're staying closer to there). For dessert, there's a Rita's Italian Ice in Market Square or Coolato Gelato on Gay Street by the Tennessee Theater. Coolato Gelato also has paninis and salads, but I haven't tried them.

I have to suggest the K-Town Tavern (formerly the Peerless) because it's owned by a close family friend. They have burgers, pizza, seafood, steak, tex mex - basically a diverse group of good food - something for everyone. It's about 20 minutes from downtown. They have flaming cheese, which is cheese in a skillet that they light on fire.

Of course, there are always chain restaurants. Cumberland Avenue west of the Convention Center near UT has lots of places, like Cookout, Sunspot, and Mellow Mushroom. You'll find tons of places, including S&S Cafeteria, Hard Knox Pizza, among others, further along Kingston Pike/Cumberland (the road changes names).

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

My team and I are very excited for the competition! I'm kind of sad, though, because I'm a senior. I'm hoping to volunteer there next year when I'm in college, or wherever the closest regional is. I have a couple weeks to decide...

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Old pinball machines?! Awesome! Now I want to go there!! Any other interesting stuff in that game room? :D Anyone have a link to the webcast?

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Any webcast?

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I asked on Facebook and apparently it is "being planned" - will update here if they respond again.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

https://www.twitch.tv/team1912combustion has it.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

On behalf of team 1466, I wanted to say that our team had a great experience at SMR this weekend. The finals between 3824-2481-4740 and 2614-1986-4264 were really competitive, and I was so happy to hear that all six teams involved in that high-level play qualified for worlds. It was great to see Mark Buckner win the Volunteer of the Year award for all he does to promote growth of FIRST in east TN.

Thanks to our alliance partners 2393 and 283 for their sharpshooting in quarter finals. I also have to say it was a pleasure to have paired with our neighbor 2393 for the third year in a row at SMR.

I wanted to specifically congratulate team 1710 on their Chairman's win and 1986 on their Engineering Inspiration win. I am relatively new to FRC and I coach a team that's about 75% sophomore or younger. I'm not sure if either of your teams have been out to Knoxville before, but I can tell you that the first impressions 1986 and 1710 made on my students were incredibly positive. A common topic of discussion among 1466 students and mentors this weekend was how much we admired our pit neighbor 1710's extensive and impactful outreach programs, and how well 1986's students could describe in detail the thought process and challenges behind design choices. I hope our teams get to cross paths again.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Congrats to 1986 on the Engineering Inspiration. Looks like you are up against 1987 at Champs.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

2481 had a lot of fun travelling to the great state of Tennessee for the SMR event. Huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the event possible. It was great to be able to meet a lot of new teams that we haven't had the pleasure of competing with before. Great job, everyone!

We'd also like to give massive thanks to our great alliance partners from 3824 and 4740.

It was a pleasure to team up with 3824 on the 2 seed alliance. You guys have got an amazing scoring machine this year and your team raised that scoring bar even further as the elim rounds went on. Amazing job and the Roboteers will look forward to crossing paths again in the future. Good luck and we will see you in St. Louis!

4740, you guys were great partners and played a great defensive role for our alliance. This whole event was essentially a war of attrition and you guys were the perfect personification of that - as well as the great spirit of gracious professionalism. We were just one of several teams that offered up assistance in getting your bot assembled and through inspection on Thursday, and then were also helping with software, comm issues, bumper brackets, etc. through the elims run on Saturday. No matter what the challenge, you guys perservered through it all and played some great defense. Your drivers were great to work with, you played your role as perfectly as you could. Awesome job, guys! Best of luck and we hope you are able to enjoy your experience in St. Louis! You've earned it!

I also cannot say enough about the amazing finalist alliance from 2614, 1986, and 4264. Those were some absolutely crazy finals matches, and it was a ton of fun sharing the field with all 3 of you for them. It's always great when all 6 robots involved are able to play in St. Louis. Incredible job!

Also, congrats to 1986 on winning Engineering Inspiration! It's always great to cross paths with you guys and one of these times we'll hopefully get to share the same side of the alliance glass. Best of luck in St. Louis and we look forward to seeing you there!

Huge shoutout and congrats to 1710 on their well earned Chairman's Award, as well! Couldn't have gone to a more deserving team. It was a pleasure to compete with you guys and we look forward to seeing you in St. Louis, as well!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

3937 would like to thank the RD for the Smoky Mountain Regional and all those involved in planning and volunteering. We had a blast!! It was great to step into such a wonderful venue and well ran event. I know how hard it is to run an event, and you guys made it look easy!

We would like to thank our alliance partners 1710 and 4576 for playing with us in the elims. Hopefully we will all get a chance to compete together again some day. Also, congrats to 1710 on the RCA. You guys definitely deserved that honor for what you are doing not just for FIRST but for students everywhere.

Congrats to 3824-2481-4740 on the win! What an alliance and what a finals match up. All you guys have such incredible machines. See you in St. Louis.

Once again, on behalf of Breakaway, we would like to thank all involved in the SMR for hosting us and such a great event!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Thank you for sharing this. This was our first time this far east (Since World's moved away from Atlanta). Every interaction I had with a volunteer or another team was extremely positive. Very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

On behalf of Team Titanium (FRC 1986) I wanted to thank the regional director, planning committee and all of the volunteers for hosting a fantastic event. This was a very competitive tournament in a great venue. We had a wonderful time.

Congrats to 2614, MARS for seeding 1st at the event. You had a great 20 point autonomous, smooth cycling machine, and a sweet hang at the end. Thank you for making us the top draft selection in the tournament. Our double hang in the final match was a thing of beauty.

Thank you 4264, The Fellowship of the Spring, for joining us on our finalist run. You picked up the defensive strategy quickly, had a great autonomous, and made a huge difference shutting down the other side. I'll never forget how my jaw dropped when (in the first final match) you did a Duke's of Hazards style jump over the rockwall ending in a Monster Truck stomp (unintended) on the defending 4740. It was epic. Congratulations on earning a wildcard berth to champs. Your robot and your imagery will be a welcome addition.

Huge tip of the cap to the winning alliance, 3824 (Holding the #1 slot for most of the tournament), 2481 (Mr. unblockable/unstoppable), and 4740 (Clutch Defender). We set the event high score with 3824 in qualifications, and I would love the opportunity to play with (rather than against) this team again. 2481 is one of the smartest, hardest working powerhouses in the mid-west. We cross paths often, and I count them among our great friends. Together... some day I hope to answer the question of what we could do together on the field.

Wanted to give a shout-out to 5744. I rewatched all of your matches yesterday on Twitch thinking about the time we spent together on Thursday programming together. Your words "Thank you for not just doing it for us, but teaching us how to do it." meant a lot to me as we built the autonomous code, and custom dashboard to go with it. Very proud of you guys.

Super impressed with the Rookie All-Star winners, 6219, Cuttin' Edge Robotics. I have a family connection at one of your sponsoring high schools that made me swing by the pit Thursday, and I was blown away be the enthusiasm, dedication, and engineering skill that you all displayed. Expecting great things.

We are no stranger to 1710, both hailing from the Kansas City area. Well deserved chairman's team who is on my short list for winning it at Worlds in the near future. Very competitive low goal robot this year as well.

Last of all I wanted to reiterate how proud I am to be a part of Team Titanium. Our team bus was full, but our stands were nearly empty (except for the scouts). As I wondered where everyone was, I realized how many people we had in white shirts volunteering at the event. A big thanks to our student leadership as well for keeping us organized and on task. We are honored to represent the Smoky Mountain Regional at championships as the Engineering Inspiration Award winner. I think our team cheered louder after finding out we won this than we did when winning the KC Regional.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I just want to say how wonderful this event truly is. I love coming back to SMR every year, and even though we are 6 hours away, it really feels like our home regional.

Titanium and Fellowship of the Spring were tremendous alliance partners, and we couldn't ask for better teams to work with. HVA Rohawktics 3824, 2481, and 4740 you were a tough team to beat, and you proved yourself as the better alliance in the end. We'll see you at worlds! (Maybe next year, we can continue our SMR, lose-against-HVA, win-with HVA, lose-against-HVA streak next year).

(For those that don't know, every team in the finals is going to championship due to wild cards and pre-qualifying). We were hoping for a 3-peat at SMR, but we are incredibly happy with the way things happened.

This was a very emotional time for MARS, with our late mentor and founder Phil Tucker having been awarded with the WFFA last year, just four months before his death. It was very hard being there again for a fourth year, but for the first without him. Thank you to all the volunteers, teams, coaches, and students who continue to make this regional the BEST in FRC! I have been involved in FIRST for nine years now, and this the most well-run and most hospitable regional I have ever been to. A truly inspiring group of people involved down there, and I hope it works out that we can come back next year.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

1710 had a truly awesome time at SMR and our hats go off to the crew that organized the regional. I don't think I have ever been in a better arena for an FRC regional than Thompson Boling. We would like to give a huge shout out to 3937 for picking us on the third seed. Our team was ecstatic when you called our number! It was a bummer to go down the way we did but we have been able to identify the issue and we are working towards a resolution for champs.

Huge congrats to 1986 for the EI award! It was awesome to see our fellow KC teams take away some prizes! Hopefully we can get a match WITH you instead of AGAINST you at Champs ;).

See you then!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

So what ended up being the culprit?

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

It was definitely a brownout. I attached a folder with 4 screenshots of our logs. The first one is of a random match from Friday to show what a normal match would look like for us. The other two are from the elim matches.

What we've seen from looking at the match logs is that we were playing with fire in almost all our quals matches. In nearly every match our voltage would drop to under 7v at one point or another. I guess just through normal wear and tear our gearboxes and drive train got less efficient over the competition making it harder for the motors to drive us forward as things slowly got misaligned or loosened. Somehow it lasted through quals just fine and just through bad luck failed during the elims.

Hopefully that made sense.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1...TVkckxvYk85aDA

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

There have been over 200 photos from this year's Smoky Mountain Regional posted to the regional facebook page by the regional's photographer: https://www.facebook.com/FIRSTRoboti...ountains/?_rdr.

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

I'm a little late to the after-party but wanted to offer some thoughts / thanks from 3824...

Many thanks to the University of TN for all the support with the venue!

1710 - Congrats on the Chairman's Award - you have an amazing program. Good luck with Chairman's in St Louis.

1986 - Our qualifying match together was a blast. I think the tower ended up at -6 that match. Congrats on the Engineering Inspiration award. It was great to have a traditional powerhouse program like yours at SMR and I hope we get to play together again someday.

Knoxville area teams - Wow! What a great regional! 4 of the 8 alliance captains were Knoxville area teams (3824, 1466, 4265, 3140). 2393 had a rough draw in quals and may have been the most underrated team at SMR - they have a great robot.

2614 - It is always a pleasure! Thanks for letting us team up with you on running the Help Desk and showing us the ropes. Congrats on the #1 seed and being the only undefeated team in quals.

2614, 1986, 4264 - The finals were intense! Great competition all the way around.

2481, 4740 - We really enjoyed this alliance! 4740, you guys were playing tough defense all weekend and we were excited you were still available in the draft. Great driving! 2481, what an amazing robot. Your unblock-able / accurate outer works shot is awesome. Arguably the strongest robot at SMR this year. We look forward to crossing paths again in the future.

And last, but certainly not least, thanks to ALL the people that volunteer. Many of you take vacation from work to volunteer. This inspiring event would just not be possible without you. We really appreciate you!

Re: 2016 Smoky Mountains Regional
 

Wow. Two Einstein bots and a Champion from this Regional. Wow.