Who is the most SKILLED driver in FIRST?
 

This is a spawn of the "who is the most aggressive driver in FIRST" thread....as someone suggested, skill is what really counts!

Allen - Wildstang.

Results don't lie.



aTm

From what i saw at Semi-Finals, and Finals at Nats, i'd have to agree 100%....driving that thing that fast....really, he made it look easy....it was almost as if you had some kind of "Human Error Prevention Software!"

Thanks Tony. Common Austin, how could you not mention a winning alliance driver. Whether it was 469, 111 or 65. At least one of them should get honorable mention. It's pretty bad when you have a 3 year veteran driver from wildstang, with two national finalist awards behind him giving you gruff.

Come on Austin, its not hard..say it with me... D.J. not Drr Jay..its not hard to say. Even my 2 year old cousin can say it..so obviously it isnt hard :D

no no no...you both have it wrong...it's either the Deejmeister...OR (my personal favorite..) Donald Jasper :D

Meh, I want to give it a try.. the robot appears to be like ours, minus turning problems, among other things (when in high).. and from what I hear, the exact same gearing.

Tyler
 

Austin is very good, Allen is awesome... but...

Tyler from PantherTech is the best. Many times, 292 would be down and out during a match. Tyler and his wingman, Nick, would figure out a way to win, numerous times.

These guys had a reliable robot with a simple design. Tyler's skill beat faster and sometimes stronger robots that had more features.

PantherTech had one of the best runs of success in recent FIRST history: #1 seed in Great Lakes w/ a semi-final result, #1 seed at Midwest w/ a Championship, #1 seed in Newton w/ a divisional championship. This was a great run, and Tyler's driving had alot to do with this success.

Andy B.

i would have to say Fady Kais of team 902. He might be a bad driver in the real world but with the robot he had no equal. i don't think i saw him ever hit any walls or such and i know that he could get within inches of a stack and manuver around them. he is an excellent driver and i don't think i have seen his match yet. he has the knowledge of where to put the robot or what part is perfect for something that might arise. He is just.....awesome.

2 people that I can think of that deserve this award

Allen from Wildstang. Anyone that can control a crab drive system like that has got to be the best driver in FIRST. That baby was so fluid, but you'd have to give credit to the wing man, Dan, because those two worked together amazingly well.

But I believe that everyone has forgotten our driver, Chris. If anyone was watching Galileo's field, you wold notice that we were in firts place most of the time. After so many matches people would ask us - how is that bot in first? It sucks.. People really did say that. It's simple, excellent driving and excellent strategy. If you watch most of our matches, you'd find that with three robots on the top, we could always make room to get a fourth on top. I have always found that with a decent bot and excellent driving, you will do much better. And for the people that brag about being aggressive, destroying your robot shows that you have no control or are just plain dumb. I really suggest that you check out a couple of the matches from Galileo, because I believe that you overlooked Chris.

Donald Jasper? I always thought it was Don Juan ... ;) :D

As far as the most skilled driver goes, I'm going to have to say Joey, our driver last year and in 2000, is the most skilled driver in FIRST. Unfortunately, he graduated last year but our new driver, Adam, rocks too! Watch out at IRI, everyone - 93 is comin' at-cha!! :yikes:

- Katie

Not trying to too my own horn...
 

...but I'd like to throw my name into the pot too. Not so much for the 2002 game (we all know how much skill was required for that BEAST), but for the 2001 game. I've heard some people call the 2001 Beatty robot automatic and things like that, but it wasn't as easy as it looked to line everything up perfectly match after match. Sure I made my mistakes, but who doesn't? I just wish I could have driven a more competitive game, like this year's or back in 1999. I did drive in 2000, but I was only a button pusher.

As for Allen...I've driven that 2002 'Stang bot...and man....I don't know how you do it Allen!

Kev

Please - o' please- o' please. Somebody have some sort of video tape at Pittsburg (especally during the finals!!) I'll show you my skills and agressiveness (other thread)! Please!!

I need that tape to prove my worth!!! :D

I'd have to say that the best drivers must be on teams like 1114, 365, or any other stacking team *ahem*. They needed to line up with boxes while getting smashed by other teams and also protecting their stack among other things. To do this well, we had 30+ hours of driver practice to do it well.

I would say that the best drivers are the guys who ran the wildstang bot.

I usually don't get involved in threads where everyone is tooting their own (or team's) horn, and I don't like to do it myself, but I'll make an exception for our driver Allen.

Allen is flat out awesome. He makes our crab drive system look easy to drive, but don't be fooled. There is a huge learning curve to be able to drive our robot and it takes a tremendous amount of skill to master it, which Allen has done.

I'm certain that anyone who tried to drive our robot around the field would crash into the walls multiple times - I still crash it and I've been playing with it all season.

Watch some of the videos of the eliminations in Houston as he fights other robots for the top of the hill. And while you're watching the finals realize that he drove both matches with a severly beaten & battered robot - it wouldn't do a zero point turn (drive stick all the way left or right) unless the wheels were crabbed 90 degrees. It takes a skilled driver to realize this in the heat of a match, troubleshoot it, and compensate for it.

Sorry I forgot about Chris from Holland high school. He was a great driver. And a swell guy all the same. Personally, I like Lance from Bomb Squad too. I realized no one mentioned is name, however, he controled the 16 robot with great handling at such high speeds. It was cool to watch how they got to the top at the last second and suction down right away so they didn't over shoot, and roll down...with no time to go back up.

Tyler, of course, was great.
Steve from 25 ...was great
The Las Gurallas (469) button pusher and driver were AWSOME.
I bet there are countless more...which i will mention later.

I would like to thank our driver Brent for such a great season. Our robot would not have placed as well as it did in many instances if not for his great driving. If you watched our matches on Archimedes field you would understand what I'm talking about. Our robot control was simple but Brent knew how to drive it well, Out of our 19 matches we only failed to make the ramp twice because of tipping, once because we were counted off (I thought we were on, watch match 6 in Archimedes), and two other times in epic battles for the top with 118 winged beast, congrats to them, we knocked them off too both times. My favorite match he drove in was match 105 on Archimedes were we, not Wildstang our partners led to our victory against other champion team 469. Great driving Brent!

I have to agree with AllenH, lance from 16 was flat out awesome. We paired up with them in chicago and made it to the finals. I also agree that allen is the best driver in FIRST because of the crab drive. Also keep in mind though, that some drivers had limited capabilities and couldnt show their skill. Some of it relies on the robots abilities.

yes, i also agree, chris from 16 is an awesome driver, he pulled off some pretty awesome moves whenever i saw him drive...ya know, now that i think about it, starting this poll was not the best idea, there are just sooo many good drivers in first, that i look up to...they are "my role models" ;) I have seen so much talent out there in my two years on the team, even this year alone. there are just too many awesome drivers to name, or even remember...292,16,111,25,5,469,128,...and the list goes on and on...FIRST is such an awesome organization because it gives all of those awesome drivers a chance to show off their 'mad skillz' when they might or might not be good at any "ball" sport. In the words of one great team, BoilerInvasion, "Let's all go nuts. Robots! Robots!"

Hehehe...I have a somewhat biased opinion. But I think there were some excellent drivers (ryvers) out there. Of course Allen is #1 on my list :D and Dan is a fabo operator, and Lance and Chris from Baxter also were outstading drivers, as well as the guys from 340, and Whelan and Josh of course roxored this year, and Tyler did a super job...I hope I'm not leaving anyone out. Honestly though there are so many it's hard to mention everyone!! Oh, and 25's driver had to be good b/c that thing is lightning fast and takes a lot of control to be able to maneuver it on the fly like they did.

Yeah Austin!! Isn't that cheer awesome?? :)

i would have to say Joel. Last year the bot had a turning problem. Most of you probly didn't even notice it. It was significant enough that just about all other members of the team had extreme difficulty turning the robot (including myself). Somehow Joel managed to work around it and play it off like nothing.

I'd just like to add to the list of "good" drivers that stuck out for me: Baxter's (team 16) driver!

I like GRT drivers.

It is so hard to say who the most skilled drivers are. I talked to a lot of teams and got to "test drive" many other teams bots, in the pit areas. I realized that the more complecated the controls the harder to drive. I think that for those teams that used stackers and had unique drive systems that were complicated had a hard time being "skilled" at there driving. As many of us that keep close look at many of the events, you realize that simpler is often better driven, and often performs better.

Practice is another big important factor of being a driver. I know of teams that had there bot done in the first few weeks, and had several weeks left for driving practice. Our driver this year was a juinor that had not ever driven a match before. We worked all the way up to the last minute of the ship date, with very little driving practice. I would say that going into our first regional our driver had an hour of practice if that. We were planning on giving him real experence during the practice matched at our first regional, but due to "rebuild" of the robot that day, he never got the practice. He struggled through the first regional, but we still placed well. By the time of the Michigan Regional he knew what he was doing. We seeded #1 and did well during the elim's.

We seen that practice is necessary to win nationals, and that you need to be agressive out there (especally in this years game).

I think that to say who is the best or most skilled is almost impossible out of the hundered's of teams and different type's of robots. The way I see it, everyone who drives is the "most skilled", because they have beat out the rest of there team to get that position.

I wish everyone the best of luck at any of the invitational match's they are planning on attending. I hope to see all you guy's again next year.

Steve from 25 gets my vote
 

Wildstang has excellent drivers and an incredible bot, so do all of the others mentioned.

However, when you talk only driving skills, autonomous programs and engineering features are not to be considered.

Steve from 25 has the reflexes, hand-eye coordination, understanding of strategy, and most importantly the calmest/coolest/most focused demeanor out there this year.

The exciting thing is that teams like 25, 111 and many others have prepared drive crews so well that the skill level across all teams is growing at a tremendous rate. Congrats to all!

I cant believe that noone has mentioned Jay Lundy from team 254. he is an incredible driver. Anyone who has seen him drive can definitely attest to that. He drives their robot like a precision guided cruise missile. Its almost like the robot is an extension of him. Go check out some of 254's matchs

Cory

Can i be all dorky and throw my name in? I've been told i'm a good arm operator!

Though i've got nothing on folks like Allen and Matt and the boys from 45 or 16.

The kids who drove 71 were pretty good too. I drove the bot the other day and i must say that arm is REALLY REALLY tricky, its fast as crap and takes alot of precision.


The 469 drivers were also great! As were the guys on 68.

You are a great operator, Josh. I should know, you were my button-monkey last year!

Let's hope team 461 can continue its tradition of quality drivers.

[edit] By last year I mean Zone Zeal. I am not the kid with the crazy orange hair.

Yeah that orange hair kid is kinda goofy if you ask me :p

I think we should beat John up :D

My vote goes to the Baxter Bombsquad's drivers! Actually, both score keeper of the Curie field agreed that they are one of the best drivers out there.

I totaly Agree... and i still still think he looks more like a giant curly peach instead of a orange... I wonder if we'll get around to making it a mohawk for IRI... then we can give him a beat down for trying to be cool like me!

To bad he reads these forums and will read this...


On a more on topic note, Crazy Carl is one of the best drivers i have ever seen. He is amazing with a crab drive and awe inspiring behind a tank drive. He does it without thinking, talking, or asking questions. Just sorta does it and gets it done flawlessly... to bad our robot sucked so we couldn't get anywhere! Woo LAST PLACE AT IRI!


And correction carl, I have been the base driver before, During IRI last year and Ford Sweet Repeat this year i was base driver...but the horrible placing at IRI last year was not my fault but rather our robots. And we did get 5th at sweet repeat! So catherine and i must have done something right!

jerks, i'm a good driver

team 9 drivers
team 68
team 74
team 280

I think I am...

I don't know how many of you guys seen 182's drivers. They did not have the privelage of going to nationals. I wanted to mention that the drivers on that team were very good. I got the chance to "take it for a test drive". They have 2 big snow mobile treads as there wheels. Looking at it from the bottom, it looks like a tank. They had a hard bot to drive but their drivers did a wonderful job. I hope to see you guys next year at Grand Rapids again. You might want to lose the tank treads though. lol.

robo hottie71 wrote:

-------------------------
...but I'd like to throw my name into the pot too. Not so much for the 2002 game (we all know how much skill was required for that BEAST), but for the 2001 game. I've heard some people call the 2001 Beatty robot automatic and things like that, but it wasn't as easy as it looked to line everything up perfectly match after match. Sure I made my mistakes, but who doesn't? I just wish I could have driven a more competitive game, like this year's or back in 1999. I did drive in 2000, but I was only a button pusher.
--------------------------


It's completely arbitrary, but I want to add my vote for Kev. (#71, 2001). I was on the team in 2001 and I was the backup driver. I don't lay any claim to any of the comments that were heard about the driving that year because Kevin was unmistakably better and drove every match. If you take a look at some of the footage, you might notice that sometimes if the goals didn't line up straight, the wheels would get caught and that touchy little bridge wouldn't balance. In my best practice times, when I had to correct the alignment on those goals, I only managed 35 seconds remaining. Kevin, on the other hand, would usually trim it out with at least 61 seconds remaining (an important cutoff). Kev, I'll never understand how you did that so quickly.

Anyway, that was a complicated robot and I would like to add that I also attempted the position of secondary driver (both sets of arms, the scoop, and gear shift). Sarah had that position, with good cause, because when her and Kevin worked together, that's when you saw that continuous, fluid movement - despite the fact that they were both pressing and pulling on 5 things at once.

Ok, enough about my bias for my old team. I also want to add on a couple of mentions for other teams in 2001 (I didn't follow 2002 and in 2003 I was too worried about our drive train :) ). I'll just say that all of the teams on our alliance did a wonderful job and leave it at that. As for others, I loved how well Wildstang's driver just popped around the field at full throttle, no problem (they even dislocated the bridge going too fast once). Although I'm not sure that Hotbot's robot was complicated to drive in 2001, I commend their ability to get that big ball up there so quickly. There are so many others that were great, but I shouldn't be awake, let alone thinking, so I'll leave it at that.

I would like to put my vote in for team 42's drivers. after mayhem on the merrimack, they sucessfully romped everyone, sometimes single handedly. they had a slight issue in the finals when thier middle wheel came off, and still managed to push us off the ramp.

GOOD JOB ALL DRIVERS!!


Greg

Re: Not trying to too my own horn...