The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I want too know what people think is going to be the best regional held in the mid west?

Will it be Great Lakes, Midwest, West Michigan or another one. Right now it looks like a tough one to choose one, and I'm going to save my vote until after Kickoff.

But for my biased opinion right not it looks like West Michigan is one of the top 2, easily. With Wildstang - 111, Robo Dawgs - 288, Chief Delphi - 47, and all the Holland area teams, teams 74, 107, and 141 (I can't remember exact team names right now) signed up right now, and teams 27, 33, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 85, 322, and 494 (to many teams for names) waiting to get in, it will be a tough one.

I only named the teams that stood out too me from last year. Because there are teams going that might not have stood out too me but are good teams.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Great Lakes
65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 201, 254, 322, 451, 494, 503, 1114, 1213

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

im gonna say great lakes...there is ALWAYS a powerhouse of teams there and its always one of the toughest regionals. I(the team) have been there the last 2 years and its always a very hard regional...very competitive and well planned.

on a side note i really like Eastern Mi Univ. They have a very good setup for a robotics competition. Nice pit areas and easy to navigate.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Hands Down, Great Lakes! Flat out tough! I've never been there myself, but the competition is always very entertaining.

St. Louis gets a close second with the TechnoKats and ThunderChickens always a threat.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Besides 254, 503, 1114, and 1213 all of the others are waiting to get in West Michigan. If they get in, and you add 27, 33, 71, and 111 to the mix, wouldn't that be better than Great Lakes?

This is true. I wish there was more room at West Michigan. This last year was a lot better with two pit areas, but a down side is congestion at queuing.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

There isn't much of a contest there....

I voted Boilermaker... I'm kinda biased though.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I'm going with Western Michigan. It has a tougher field than GLR (if most of those waiting list teams get in) and the atmosphere is more competitive. They both are nice venues for a regional. I'm just slightly bias towards WMR because it is my favorite regional.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I'll concede that the strongest Midwestern field will be at one of the three Michigan events. Michigan leads the nation in total FRC teams and is second only to New Hampshire in teams per capita.

But the BEST regional of 2007 will be in St. Louis. :) And Boilermaker will be a great event, too. ;)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

The most competition will be at GLR, in my opinion. The sleeper will be St. Louis, look for some big plays out there.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

With 254, 503, 1114, and 1213 you have 3 trips to Einstein in the past 2 years (including one finalist and one championship), 6 regional championships in 2006, one FIRST Hall of Fame team, and a 2006 Chairman's Honorable Mention at Championship. Plus, do we know who is on the GLR wait list? ;)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I think that answers your question. Which regional did the top teams enter, and with which one are they sitting on the fence? The event in S.E. Michigan is naturally "better" than any in the rest of the mid-west/nation/world because more great teams come from here than any other place - by a bunch, not even close. I.E. count the number of Champions over the last five years that come from S.E. Michigan.

In fact, if Detroit would move from WSU to MCCC, then West Michigan would become the third "best" mid-west regional.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

WMR is approaching an IRI level of competion even. I feel for any rookies going there but I'm also jealous of the show they'll see in those elims. Some one please webcast this for those of us that will be elsewhere!

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Hey, easy on the rookies! We won WMR- and Lead the Alliance- in 2004!! NEVER underestimate ANY team. "Power house" reputations are nice and all but you never really know what will happen until the teams hit the field.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I will definitely will have to go with West Michigan, my eyes just got bigger as I went down the list. I had to look twice to belive the team list and pending list. I was thinking to myself "IRI". looking forward to this regional and it will be a blast there are many teams that are so awesome attending this event. :)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I think Western Michigan is now the best but mostly due to scheduling. When we had a Motorola Midwest regional on a stand alone weekend, that was about as good as it could get. Very few regionals have the teeth that one had at one time.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I wasn't saying that these teams aren't good. I was saying that 9 of the 13 teams you mentioned; as being a reason why you like GLR, are on the waiting list for WMR; and then adding the other teams I metioned, this might make WMR a little better.

Another reason I tend to think WMR might be a little bit better; is that its on the last weekend of regionals, where GLR is on the second weekend. Which means that most teams have competed in at least one other regional, before WMR, and have a good idea what they want to do at WMR.

Last thing, we don't know from the First website who's on the wait list for GLR, because right now its full. But you probably already checked yourself.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

We're going to St. Louis and Boilermaker this year.

I like boilermaker because its close to home, but its too crowded. I wish they wouldn't use the armoury for it, instead find a different (more spacious) site that would allow more teams. IRI to me is better than the boilermaker because of the number of teams.

I'm looking forward to St. Louis (haven't been there)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Plus you forgot 469, 93, 47 and 302 who are not at GLR.
Recently, GLR was the strongest by far until Detroit came along and diluted GLR. That also happened to Midwest when Boilermaker came along and now Wsiconsin to dilute it further.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

My general point was that some of the WMR teams who are not currently signed up for GLR may be on the GLR wait list (hoping for another team to drop out). Either way though, WMR and GLR are looking like the top-two regionals for 2007 (that is, until we see the robots). Las Vegas isn't too far behind though.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Guys lets agree to disagree on which Mi regional is better, but I think we all know the best regionals are in the Midwest ;) .

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

That's cus you Midwest teams are afraid to come back to the East. ;)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

My thoughts...

"powerhouse" team wise... I'd have to say West Michigan.

However, I'm rather partial to WI, just because we have so far 7 of 8 MN teams going... one great leap for Minnesota! (last year there were 2 MN teams).

I think WM will be a great experience for any rookie teams lucky enough to be going though... hopefully 1816 will get to go as well!

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Now that 254 isn't going to GLR does that change anyones pick?

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Note: A non-Midwest rep-digit team won this regional in its rookie year (2002) and [hoped to come] back to WMR for a third time.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

(Not having seen the pending list,) its either West Michigan or GLR. Hard decision. I'll have to give it to West Michigan, though, as it has a higher concentration of stellar *past* performance.

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Yah, totally St. Louis, just because it's the one I"m going to, and it's not during my midterms! (otherwise I'd drive up there) p:

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

I have gone to both many years. I feel that both are great regionals BUT West MI is a better/harder regional. Here are my top 5 reasons.
1. West MI is the last weekend of regional’s (teams know what they are doing)
2. The BEAST is back!! (enough said)
3. Det took away more distinguished teams from GLR fast because it is toooo small and fills up fast!!! :mad:
4. The First 25 teams give me butterflies just knowing we have to go against them one time or another.
5. :( the cheesy poofs could not make it to GLR :( (maybe next year)

Re: The best Regional in the Midwest 2007
 

Can't say that there is a bad regional out there. Each has there own good and bad points. I would have to say that the GLR is a great place to see what is to come. There are alway a couple teams that are ready, willing and able to show us just how great a game FIRST has come up with. It is early in the season and kind of lights the fire. The WMR is the culmination of four weeks worth of regional action and fine tuning of the machines, drive teams, scouts, stategists etc. etc. etc. As Mr. Verbruggie says, pound per pound the WMR is one of the toughes out there. Especially this year with both The Beast and Wildstang coming. I sure hope that 111 is able to webcast the WMR. My vote has to go to WMR.