Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Just wondering who I'll see up in New Hampshire this year as I go to my second kickoff for the new FRC season.

Can't wait! :)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I have to get coverage in Hauppauge before I can go, but I hope to be there again.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I most likely will be there with the FIRST President's Circle! We are still trying to clear it with the school as of now.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I would have liked to go but Kickoff is also an important first meeting of the build season for us as we use it for brainstorming and I want to be there for that if just to hear all the good ideas bouncing around the room.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I may be there!

If not, you can still hang out with 1923's teacher...Mr T. He pities the fool.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Although it would be fun, I don't think anyone will be going from Team 766 as we would need to fly across the country. We might just stay in our build room and brainstorm. We'll watch the game animation and listen to all the ideas ricocheting off the walls!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'm planning on attending the 2008 Manchester Kickoff for the fourth consecutive year this coming January. :cool:

Edit: I might also be heading up to Westwind for the Founder's Reception, which would be pretty cool.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I haven't nailed it down one way or the other, but I would be interested in going up for my senior year. (I haven't been since my freshman year of college in 2005.) So, to answer, definitely maybe.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Jack and I will be there.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Ditto. This is the day where everything is still fresh in our head plus we read the rules together and brainstorm.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

As stated previously, we also aren't sending any reps. We're a small team still, and we really need this time to brainstorm/collect ourselves. I'd love to go up there eventually, maybe next year.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I will, indeed, be there.

It's nice living about half an hour away from SNHU. I feel so bad for everyone watching the NASA feed last year. It started breaking up right at the best part!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

It's even better when you're right down the road ;)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'll be up there for the second year, there is no way to get a feel for the field like seeing it first hand.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'll be there!! 3 years I've been going to kickoff, and I still have never seen the game unveiled live. Oh well... 4th time's the charm?
(Probably not-- you can most likely find me at kit distribution!)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

So... anyone happen to have an extra ticket or 2 or 3 they are not using for the Founder's reception on Friday night? lol

But seriously... PM me if you do. :)
Thanks!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'll be too busy hauling crates and getting things done at the VCU Kickoff to be able to go to New Hampshire. This will be the 10th NH Kickoff I've not attended. :(

Wetzel

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Honestly, you're really not missing anything. The best part about kickoff was the skiing we did beforehand, but now that I live in the shadow of some big, scary mountains, even that is not exciting anymore.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'm looking forward to making the trip, but fearing the challenge of finding a place to stay. If the NH primary is going to be on the Tuesday following the FRC kickoff, no one will be able to get hotel rooms.

Andy B.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

As of now, that is the case. Most of us will most likely get hotels that are at least 40 minutes away. I will be there though, most likely.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I've missed eleven in a row. I really enjoyed seeing the Toroid Terror field unveiled in NH.

However, January 5th will mark my sixth consecutive St. Louis regional (local) kickoff. :)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'll be there... gotta love postponing my flight back to school by a day just so I can go to kickoff. :yikes:

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

After 8 years in FIRST i can finally say that i will be making the trip to NH for kickoff.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Me, too....

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Hmm... how many people can fit inside the motorhome to sleep? :rolleyes:

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I will be representing 1726 this year at Manchester. anybody interested in sharing a room?

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

After a failed attempt last year, it looks like I'll finally get to go!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I will also be coming for my first Manchester Kickoff (as it is only an hour away from Boston).

I will probably be taking a train or getting a ride with someone if I can find one.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I haven't decided yet if I will be there or not. I'm either going to volunteer at it or hanging out with my old team mentors, although my new employer may have me join the team they sponsor.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

This will be my sixth anniversary also-at Chesapeake. It's fun to see all the Maryland teams, along with our neighbors in Northern VA and DC, represented in one room (besides the pits).

One of these days it would also be fun to attend the big one and help out with a workshop, but not in the cards for this year.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I will be there to represent Longwood I love the workshops...

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I'll be there =]

First time going to one in NH. I'm stoked.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Oh come on Baker, dont sweat the little stuff. There is always an open spot on the floor for you in Larry the Turtle's room at my place. I have a soft spot for hard luck Colts fans. :p

Of course, there are plenty of places around Manchester, you just might have to drive a little further. Bedford has a nice new hotel, and I believe Hooksett has a few as well. Plus, depending on those goofy Michagan folks...the primary might end up taking place in December, which will make this whole deal a moot point.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Wow... Baker you must really be up on Andy's Admiration List... I didn't get offered a spot in Larry's room!? :(

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you at the workshops!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

The FIRST site finally posted kickoff information. and there's no mention of the founder's reception location or West Wind. I hope it's not moving from Dean's house since I've sooo been looking forward to going there. Does anyone know anything?

I was hoping there would be a block of rooms posted like last year also, but after reading this thread and learning about the primary I guess that's not going to happen!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I found a room available at the Econo Lodge, at this address:

Econo Lodge
75 West Hancock Street
Manchester NH US
Phone: 603-624-0111

The rate is $95 plus taxes.

For an Econo Lodge, that is a high rate... but for the weekend prior to the NH primaries, that's not a bad deal.

However... with Grady's awesome offer for a hard luck Colts fan, I may cancel this reservation. I may bring a guest with me this year (my mother), and if that is the case, then we'll be at the 'Lodge.

Regardless, going out to Manchester for the kickoff is always awesome. I can't wait.

Andy B.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Okay time to mix it up a little amongst all this "kickoff love." I was just thinking the other day that Kickoff is kind of obsolete. I mean honestly ask yourself what do you get by going to kickoff that you couldn't get in some other way?

1- Seeing the game in person - Okay yes but you have to suffer through speech after speech from <insert random sponsor/FIRST exec here>, in most cases the same speech you will here 8 more times at the next 3 regionals you attend.Consider this: Let's send a each piece of the field to a different region and let the teams figure it out!

2- Dean's house - Okay for those who haven't been let me give you some tips Deans house isn't anything incredibly special. UNLESS you like to be crammed into a place like sardines, munching on marginal food in a helicopter hanger. Veteran Tip: The absolute best place to hear the speeches from are the copula.

3- The kit - Year after year teams head to kickoff and inevitably try to bring the kits on commercial airlines. Let's just make the TSA happy and pick up those kids at remote sites.

4- New Hampshire - REALLY? Have you ever been to Manchester folks? When the highlight of your night is drinks at JDs...yeeeeeah.

Consider for a moment what it costs to put kickoff on at minimum they have to pay the production company and then for Dean's house there are the Bedford Police, the bus drivers, and the caterer's. We could actually save money and the environment (if you're into that sort of thing think of the impact of that flight). All you really need for kickoff is a field, someone to explain it and an internet connection, for the webcast...here's another question why does it even need to be live just send out a video.

Okay now that the pot is sufficiently stirred my work is done here, just add hot water.

-Justin

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

*smile* - I guess I've been involved in university campuses in Texas too long.
--

Kick Off is something that I'm looking forward to attending for the first time. I can hardly wait. :)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Face time with FIRSTers from other regions.

(And I think Westwind is something special, if you look beyond the feeding.)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

The following is for Justin........

Point #1
Information is knowledge. The more information you have going into build season, the better. Yes, you can touch, feel , smell all the elements of the game field by sending out pieces of it to all the teams, but you are not going to be able to run a quick force test on removing a ringer from a human player slot, or eaves drop on a conversation between Jim Morin and Art Colling (2 Buzz, Team 175 mentors that ALWAYS come up with a winning robot design) or ask a question directly of the GDC.

Point #2
The speeches are the best part. Where else can you talk to Governors, (and other governmental officials) business leaders, FIRST heavyweights (the Andy Bakers/Dave Laverys of the FIRST world), be motivated by your leaders and welcome the newbies into FIRST. Dean's house is an absolutely essential part of the process. Just the machines he has scattered around are incredible!!

Point #3
The kits should be shipped out to remote sites and are. For those that are local, let them save FIRST some money.

Point #4
California.......that's just full of moonbats and surfers.........I'll take NH anytime. :D

Consider yourself stirred.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

That's just what I tell my brothers who are Cal alumni -- one majored in Political Theory, the other double majored in Physics and Applied Mathematics. The political theorist moved to the Midwest and became a financial controller. The physicist stayed in CA and got rich in software. They are both moonbats. Neither surfs any more.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

They may not be posting stuff about West Wind because Dean may not want to give out his address freely? I'm pretty sure information is sent out when teams get their Manchester kickoff tickets mailed to them. I'm not positive about that, though.


I happen to have been there a few times, and his house IS incredibly special if you leave the hangar. He's got a lot of neat stuff- and all of it has a history. If you want to know about any of it it, I'll be up there. Ask me. I'm not an expert on everything in the house, but I've been given the house tour so many times I could probably give it pretty decently.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

From http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc...mp;menu_id=80:

It is common practice that specific Kickoff details come later to those attending in Manchester. In short, I wouldn't be worried.

As for the rest of you responding to Justin, this is just his way to say that he's very sad that he won't be attending the big show for the first time in many years. Such is the brand of humor that is Justin's, it really can't be appreciated until you see him in person :)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I learned what a moonbat is...(I knew what a surfer is...)

I don't know what JDs is...

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

See now that right there is just crossing the line. Yes my CURRENT location happens to be California however I earned my FIRST chops in Manchester New Hampshire, grew up there and lived there for 27 years, there are many who will vouch for that. Until about three months ago I used to work quite literally across the street from FIRST. I've spent the last 11 years at the various New England regionals watching teams come and go but mostly watching the bedrock of FIRST, the collective teams from New England, evolve and tackle new challenges and set the standard for the rest of the country.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Yeah, that's just Justin! :) besides, he's jealous of AB's getting an invitation to sleep with the turtle. {I got one, too.)

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Who gets to sleep with the Cat of Parts? :D

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

A little bar on the first floor of the Radisson, which is sometimes filled with FIRSTers during FIRST events/trainings but this year will probably be filled with NH-primary-folks during kickoff. Andy will have to see if there is an equivalent at the Econolodge....

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

The Econolodge has only a breakfast room to hang out in...

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Hahaha...I love this game.

let me answer you Justin...

1. Being able to go into the home of the New England Regional from 96-98 to see something FIRST related is always a plus.

2. Got me there, most of the time I try to avoid going. Usually its the aspect of seeing people I dont get to see often that drags me in.

3. HAHAHA, I hope my poor cat doesn't get confiscated by airport security.

4. How can you not love JD's? When you have 3 tables of teams who quite honestly have not gotten along very well in the past 10 years or so, all sitting around and having a good time...throwing fun little jabs at each other...hillarity ensues.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Looks like 30 minutes away in Mass. is the FIRST hotel:
http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc...nt.aspx?id=428

FIRST seems to be updating this page and adding links and info. while I watch.

P.S. I'd recommend the Wyndham over the somewhat seedy Econolodge.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Some of my best memories were at the NH Kick off. Great start to the competition.

However..... this year....

Cost containment and fewer coaches will prevent that from happening.....

I will miss all of you... great networking time.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Econolodge also has outrageously crooked floors, however the rooms are big and if your room is close enough to the office you can steal wifi.

I can only vouch for the accuracy of these statements as of the 2006 GSR

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

It's cold and beautiful in Boston!
The sunset is gorgeous!
Everyone talks really fast and is really friendly!

Jane

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Gone sightseeing at Copley Square yet? ;)



Anyways, from what I'm told I'll be staying right in downtown Manchester in the Verizon Areana neighborhood.
I don't know how we got rooms there with all this talk of no rooms near Manchester.
I'm not going to ask either though. :p (Or maybe I will) lol

Will anyone else be in that area this Friday night??

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I ended up with an amazing rate for the Hilton Garden Inn for Friday Night. Don't know how that happened.

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

Just letting everyone know, I'll be there and can't wait to see everyone!

Re: Kickoff 2008 in NH - Who's going?
 

I wish I could go, I think it would be very cool to see it first hand instead of at a local kickoff watching the webcast. I am very happy we have the local kickoffs, but last year right as they pulled the curtain off the rack, the webcast stalled and you hear everyone gasping in the audience because they didnt think it would come back:( I would like to attend the real kickoff sometime in my FIRST years though.....
Joey