Team 60
 

Well the way I see it, I think Team 60 is going to do very well like all the other years, their robot is still dominating. Even though their strategy of knocking all 27 boxes onto their side doesn't get them that many QP's, it won't matter because they always make it to the finals, and you don't really have to use that kind of strategy in the finals. Team 968, RAWC has had the most success with finalist in so cal and winners in AZ, they have the best thinking, even with out that really good fork lift. I also think team 45 might do some damage. I wanna know where team 47 is this year, it doesn't seem like their dominating this year.

Teams like 71, 111, 45, etc. are not 'gods' in any kind of form. They are normal kids and engineers, just like any other FIRST team. They are veterans, they know how to manipulate the game to their advantage, and they have been in the competition long enough to know how to do it right. But that doesn't mean that they don't help everyone else in the competition learn how to manipulate the game, etc. Instead, these veteran teams are an example of an organized, competitive, and gracious organization. But that's not to say a rookie team couldn't achieve the same thing. I think that if these teams were treated like 'gods', they'd quickly shut down those thoughts. Veteran teams like them indeed have had great runs in the past, but you must also recognize that they've had more chances to win than a rookie team by years entered in the competition. That's a big factor.

Beatty/Team Hammond have had a great run in the past couple years, yes. But every kickoff, every new year, brings them back to where everyone else is - building something from nothing. Teams change, too...students come and go, engineers come and go, parents come and go... no team is the exact same year after year. Just because a team wins one year doesn't mean they'll win another. It's all luck, it's all chance, and most of all - It's just a game. I guess being on that team made me realize that sometimes judgement is made that you can't help - that because you are once a winner or twice a winner, you must always live up to that standard. There are no standards in FIRST, there's nothing that says a team with a number under 200 must be excellent, well-funded teams with large numbers of students, etc. Instead, the only judgement that should be made is that these teams have been around for a long time and you can always count on them to have gracious, professional behavior towards all teams.

So please, down in Houston, don't treat anyone specially because they're a veteran, a championship winner, or otherwise - just show every team the same gracious professionalism that you'd show your grandmother and I guarantee you'll be shown the same and make a friend for life.

Sorry to rant... I guess I've been thinking some of these things and finally got the chance to say some of them. None of these are the views of any team or anyone else but myself.