GAH!
 

Gah! All of this arguing is making me feel like stabbing a loved one! Let's break it down, shall we?

First off, the delayed anouncement of the national competition was an indication of a problem with holding the Championship Event at WDW.

Secondly, the informative E-mail sent out to all of the teams indicated the event would not be at WDW (obviously because of a problem beyond FIRST's control) and that the event logistics were being worked out.

Thirdly, the date given by first was surpassed due to more planning on FIRST's side.

Finally, Houson, TX was announced for the even site.

Regardless of any ideas you may have of Texas, or Houston specifically, FIRST spent a lot of time planning for this event. To make sure it would fall into FIRST's standards. If the event was held at WDW this year with the problems that FIRST obviously had to avoid, it would have sucked because of the problems present at WDW (What problems? I don't know, but FIRST is avoiding them!). Would you like that? No. You'd complain because your precious entertainment was foiled by problems at WDW. Then you'd complain that FIRST should have moved the venu. Since FIRST spent all of this time planning, obviously they have addressed the fears of transportation, lodging, and food. That's what took so long. Dispite popular oppinion, the people at FIRST don't sit arround twiddling their thumbs all day. They work. They work for us to make sure we have a great event.

As for the people that are complaining about the venu being too crowded or not enough of your kind of food to go arround... first, have you ever been to Texas? Haven't you ever heard the phrase "Everything is bigger in Texas"? Having been born and raised in Texas for 13yrs, I can safely say that Texas does plan big. Especially when it comes to their sports complexes. Secondly, with food... who's saying FIRST isn't going to bring in outside food? That has not been brought up yet. Bur if you have ever been to Texas, you would know that there is an eatery withing walking distance of ANYWHERE in a big city. All you have to do is go outside and look arround. We're all smart enough to find at least one other place that will fit your needs.

Complaining doesn't do any bit of good. The logistics are set, venu is reserved. No one man (or woman) outside of FIRST HQ has the power to change this event in terms of logistics. Every year Dean and even Disney Cast Members say how dead 'FIRST City' is before all of the teams arrive. We make the event fun. We entertain ourselves. We are resourceful. Heck, we build robots in 6 weeks from scratch! I'm sure we can make this a great National Competition. People need to have some faith in FIRST.

<Deep breath> So continue your useless bickering if you'd like, but as for me, I'm going to have a great time at the Natoinals Competition. I look forward to seeing the other people devoted to FIRST in Houston!

unlikely FIRST can please everyone
 

I continue to be amused by all the people complaining about it not being at Disney when this time last year there were so many people complaining that it WAS at Disney.

Re: unlikely FIRST can please everyone
 

How do I agree? Let me think of the ways.

Well, I am undecided about the news as of now.

But I have to say that for all the time it has been at disney, a company who owns many forms of media, that I have not seen or heard anything about FIRST from any disney media outlet.

I wonder if the movie is still a go???


As for Houston, I want to go for a personal reason. It will be the farthest west I have traveled!!!

Why don't we all just stop saying that Houston is going to stink! Lets all give Houston a chance here, after all no one has the right to say that it isnt going to be a good Championship!! Nationals has been in Disney for 10 years now anyway! Some of us say that Disney is the only place to have the Champs, but that is because we have all attended nats for several years. Yes of course Disney is fun.

I can chat anymore is Lunch time (I am at school)

Badbrad

Houston still best choice this year...
 

I have to agree with some of the people that Disney World is better than Houston in hosting the Championship Event in some respect, and that not everyone prefer Disney because of reasons other than the amusement park.

But there are enough posts out there about why each of those two places are better, and both sides are right in some of the most important points. If you really have to compare the two of them, you are bound to find some pros and cons for each place.

But the truth of the matter is, like SuperJake said, Houston is the better choice this year because of problems beyond FIRST's control.

Do you think FIRST intentionally choose Houston just so teams wouldn't like it? NO. Those choose Houston because it’s the best possible choice under the circumstances. I am sure they worked really really hard trying to get the Championship Event back to Disney, but it just didn't work out.

I really think we should be more supportive of FIRST in their decision, and trust that they are the expert in running these events. After all, they have been running the competition for more than 10 years, and the program is better than ever. Its fine that we all make constructive criticism to try to help FIRST do things better, but negative criticism will do nothing to improve our situation.

I wish everyone have as much experience in running events and hosting competitions as FIRST do. That way, we will all understand why FIRST made the decision of choose Houston. But for the moment, since I’ve never done anything like that, I choose to see for myself next year when I get to Houston for the event. I hope to see everyone there too. But if you choose not to go next year, I will respect your decision, and make the best out of my time there with others who also choose to enjoy themselves. I don’t think I will have a terrible time meeting people and watching the competition and going out with friends.

You don't have to like the place FIRST choose... Pretty much most decisions FIRST make will NEVER make everyone happy. That's just the way it is, and I am sorry that some of you out there didn't get what you want this year. But that's the way it is, and we all do different things to adapt to changes. You can form your own opinion that the Championship Event won’t be as successful as before… But I choose to believe that it will be one of the finest event FIRST have ever held.

Hope to see you all at Houston. If not, I will just have to deal with that as well…

Re: Houston still best choice this year...
 

Agreed, and look at it this way: you could be coming to Oconomowoc :p

Re: Re: Houston still best choice this year...
 

Or better yet Pewaukee!!!! ;) Jusk kidding that's where I grew up right next to Oconomowoc!!

Ah for the good old days when the Championship was held in Nashua NH.

Re: Re: Re: Houston still best choice this year...
 

Well then you know about all the exciting things to do around here :p

Alfred, how was everyone's reaction when it was moved from Nashaua to Florida?? Were the conversations this heated???

I know this web-board wasn't around then but what do you think was the general attitude to being moved to Fl. (how many years was it in Florida?)

I wasn't involved during the transition to Florida. Our school lost its sponsor after the year the Championship was held at Nashua High (two years after it was in our gym) and I lost touch for a while.

Someone around here must know though.

I'm quite sure that 1995 (my first year in FIRST) was the first time it was at Epcot. Yup, just checked: see this.
I don't remember anyone complaining about it at all. Of course, we didn't have any web boards back then either. There was much less communication between teams back then.

Just think: there were 43 teams at Nationals that year.

Which would you rather have:

1. A championship you couldn't attend at Disney (due to the very limited space in the FIRST village and the increasing number of teams).

or

2. A championship where everyone is allowed to attend at Houston, due to the larger facilities.




If you choose 1, then you are in FIRST just for the Disney vacation. Disney was running out of room. FIRST needed more room so they can take more teams. I would rather have a fun championship with everyone rather than a selective championship with an elite few.

If FIRST was getting to big for Disney, then why did they move and still have the same amount of openings?