I just want to thank EVERYONE!
 

One of the things that I like the most about FIRST is all the cool people we meet and all of their diverse opinions and ideas.

I thank all of you/them for posting their ideas and opinions here and for entertaining me with their views. I can choose to be offend by some comments or I can step back and try to really understand why they would say what they said. We all react to certain things in different ways. We all act selfishly sometimes in certain situations. We are very passionate about FIRST and helping our team do well. That is what drives us to sometimes make comments that may offend others. But we all fight with the ones we love - don't we? Why - because we care so much about what they think about us. Or, because we want so much for them to understand our point of view.

So, thank you to all who complain and to all who complain about others complaining. And thank you to FIRST for bring all of us together as a passionate community with a somewhat common cause that is so worthy of us our passion! I love you guys!

Raul

I have to say, I am starting to appreciate this criteria more and more as i review it. I am a little disappointed with the treatment of the Rookie Teams that did not attend Championships in 2003, but oh well.

I would like to say though, that without this system, veteran teams would have had it far easier. I think to a point, FIRST has brought them down to a rookie level again. Yes, they get the acknowledgment of being a veteran team by being placed into a higher tier (and that is the recognition for being around for X years), but they now have to work just as hard as any other rookie team to qualify for a Championship spot.

That is the way it should be because teams change on a year to year basis.

So, thank you FIRST for this revision and the changes made to make everyone in FIRST just a little more equal.

Sara

Re: I just want to thank EVERYONE!
 

I would also like to thank those of you who care so much about FIRST and spend so much time posting on this forum expressing thoughts. Some of you have different opinions about what should or shouldn't be said, but that's ok. Different opinions is ok because that's what we want on the forum, a diverse group of messages to show that no one think the same, and give everyone a chance to learn a different prespective.

Now. I would like to request that all of you go back on topic, and chat about the Championship Event Eligibility in this thread and continue the discussion about what's appropiate to post or not post in this forum in another thread. Those discussion is necessary for the good of this forum, but you are making it very difficult for the rest of us to chat about the original topic when new posts keep popping up that's not helping the original discussion. I run the risk of doing the exact same thing with this post, so I am going to try doing something to help us get back on track.

I started a thread call "Championship Qualification - Things you like and want to keep" in the Championship forum at: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=22402, and a thread call "Championship Qualification - How you would've done it" at: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=22405

Feel free to reply, but do try to stay on topic this time.

My latest FIRST Historians story is about the Championship and Qualification. I suggest you read it, as I offer some advice to those of you that feel slighted by the new rules.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=22407

Gee, thanks. :ahh:

-dave













p.s. yes, I know the full quote on the post really said "I am NOT saying 'Dave Lavery! You screwed up...'" But that line was just too good to let go by without some sort of comment!!:D :D :D

All you wonderful and pasionate FIRSTers!
 

Can I make a reading recommendation to all you wonderful and passionate FIRSTers.

Read the book "Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Changes in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer, Md. Johnson"

To summarize: Change will happen in your life, expect it, prepare for it, accept it, live with it.


(Dave- you bet me to post #200!):yikes:

Re: All you wonderful and pasionate FIRSTers!
 

My adult son introduced me to that book, then I introduced it to my husband and bought copies for my teens and 12yo stepdaughter.

the voice of the people :)
 

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by M. Krass
"Dave Lavery! You screwed up, you stupid moron!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gee, thanks.

-dave


And you thought everyone was too afraid to say what's on his or her mind. Way to speak up for the people, finally someone had the nerve. Director of the Solar System may wield power, but it can't stop freedom of speech!

:)

PS - All in fun
Don't worry - Dave is sharp enough (normally) to notice that the above quote from M.Krass was not actually a comment from her to him.

While I won't try to refute that particular reference in her post, I will clarify one item she pointed out might be a misconception by people, solely because he made a post requesting team input:

I hope everyone knows that the criteria which is now in place was developed & discussed by MANY people, and that the final version is not in any way the version that any one person proposed or argued for. Rather, it is an amalgam, for better or worse, of views that many different segments of FIRST stated they felt very strongly about (sorry, as "just" an English teacher surrounded by engineering geniuses, I must throw out fun words sometimes just to avoid feeling too IQ inferior in this world). So he can only be blamed for "some" of the problems you may have with it - but probably not all.

This thread is officaly offtopic.
 

Its more of "Way to go, Dave." or "Now look what you did Dave"

Anyway, its OBVIOUS thats exactly what he does, which is why we blame Kyle.


Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Move along, nothing to see here.

Hey M Krass,

What do you think of all the exegesis on what you have written, especially by Dave and Jason?
[look it up - I was just try to keep up with Jason Morrella using big words - I bet even Jason may have to look that one up. You see my wife is also an english major and she gives me a word of the day; this one was from last week]

Anyway, when they start teasing you, that means they like you.

Raul

I know I'm little bit late joining this party, but I figured I'd toss my two cents in anyways. I think FIRST did a good job of representing their ideals by allotting 1/3 of the current year's qualifying spots to Chairman's and Engineering Inspiration teams. This is not the way I would have designed things, but I respect and understand the consistency that FIRST is showing.

That being said, consider the following hypothetical situation; Say the three time national champions, team 71, were to go through the upcoming season being no better than finalists at any regionals they attend. Let's also say that they don't win a Regional Chairman's or Engineering Inspiration award. This situation is not very far fetched at all. If these events were to happen, team 71, one of the most storied and decorated teams in FIRST history would be attending the Championship Event in Atlanta.

Does this seem right? I'm still trying to answer that question myself. I'm not really sure at this point. I think once regional season begins, we'll be discussing many actual situations like this one. Hang on to your hats kids, this season should be a fun ride.

Any thoughts? Do tell...

The Team That Bill Built...
 

The possibility of Beatty not being at the Championship Event has been crystalized some of my thoughts on this subject. And so, I give you the following rant:

Do not think for one minute that Beatty will not be at the Championships!

As proof of my sincerity in this matter, I will accept all wagers on the following sucker bet... ..er ah... ...proposition:

I will bet even odds (one 12 can case of Mt. Dew to one 12 can case of any other soda) that The-Team-That-Bill-Built, Team 71, will compete at the 2004 FIRST Championships.

Any takers?

But beyond this, even if my predictive powers are not up to the standards of the Great Kar Nak (spelling?), the world will not stop revolving on its axis... ...really.

If Beatty or Wildstang or Buzz or Bombsquad or Rage or Kingman or Cheesy Poofs or even a REALLY essential team like Chief Delphi ;-) fail to make it to the Championships, FIRST WILL GO ON!

Does the NCAA require that Duke make it to the Dance of 65? Does Miami and Nebraska ALWAYS have to be near the top of the BCS ranking?

I think that FIRST has done a pretty good job trying to have their actions match their Mission.

And, by the way, their Mission is not to run a fair robot competition -- the robot competition is the means to an end, which is changing society. Judged by this standard, I think the new method of getting to the Championships is a step in the right direction.

Specifically, it balances our desire to have the Championship Event include the best robots with FIRST's desire to incentivize the vast majority of teams that will never be FIRST power houses AND ALSO reward teams for Chairman's Award type behaviour.

It is a tough job but I think FIRST has made a good decision.

Joe J.

Re: The Team That Bill Built...
 

I'll take it Dr. Joe, not that I don't think that Beatty has a good chance of going, I just want to take the bet...You're on.

Re: 2004 Championship Eligibility Criteria!!!
 

hey guys i just wanted to bring this thread back up and ask one thing... Since FIRST has now let everyone who wants to register for nationals, what are your thoughts on the criteria and do you think now that it is fair or what are your thoughts on it now?

~Mike

P.S.~ Please i do not want this to be a post war or a flame thread, if it becomes that again, i will have this thread closed!

Re: 2004 Championship Eligibility Criteria!!!
 

does "everyone" include rookies? if they did allow everyone to sign up, i don't think they told anyone, 'cause there's still 4 spots left open.