Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

there are a bunch of teams that have a good chance at it this year: 1114, 217, 233, 254, 968, 330, 2056, 1024, 71, 111, 118, 16, 39, 987, 1717, 1625, 121, 230, 148 and I could go on... It will all come down to who gets lucky, makes the best alliance selection, and who gets lucky (really with that many matches in the elims luck has alot to do with it).

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I actually don't believe 1114 will win this year. I know, it sounds blasphemous considering how they easily have the single best robot this year, and their drivers are top notch, but that doesn't seem to define who wins Champs. It seems the winners of Champs is usually the alliance that best balances all aspects of the game. Pure, all out hurdling will not win this year, just as pure tube scoring could not win last year.

I predict the winning alliance will have one great hurdler, and two decent hurdlers, but one of those hurdlers will be playing defense. From how things would go, I would be willing to bet that most of the Einstein matches will not break 100, for the simple fact that at least one of the alliances is going to almost always be reduced to one trackball and chances are you will see two or more trackballs being taken out of the question due to defense.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

That's an interesting point.
I wonder what 2 powerhouses on each side of the field will bring to Einstein. Will it be an all out offensive battle, or will it be a defensive struggle?
My guess is the San Diego regional finals is more indicative of what we will see.
OR, depending on who/what that third robot can/will do, it may alter the outcome of the type of match we will see. Defensive strategies can greatly alter the type of "show" we will see.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I definatly see 1114 winning this year, just because its a lot harder this year to stop them. Every other year, some team has a good enough bot to keep up and defend them (last year was running them into the rack, which everyone remembers) but this year, although you can slow them down, you can't do it for nearly as long, IMO, as you could last year.

That and they aren't dumb, they will be picking good alliance partners as well (or get picked ethier way) but they have improved greatly over the last couple regionals, and I think they deserve to win as well, they make amazing robots all the time lol.

Good luck 1114, you better bring gold to Canada this year :D:D:D

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I agree that 1114 probably won't win. Although 1114 is clearly the best team and has the best chance of winning, there are just too many factors involved. Bad alliances partners in qualification, a top ranked seed breaking up alliances, robots breaking in eliminations, being picked by a weaker alliance...there are just too many things that can go wrong. I do think they do deserve to win (I know I'll be rooting for them), but just looking at the 300+ teams at the championship, the chances of just one team winning is fairly small no matter how dominate they are.

If I had place my money on one team, it would be 1114. However, thier chances of winning are very small (just because of the amount of teams and luck invovled).

I think 3 hurdlers will win. Both of the first two robots will be very good hurdlers and at least one will be a team that has been mentioned in conversations of the best hurdlers. The third robot can hurdle, very good hybrid, can play good defense and experienced enough to face different situations.

I'm interested to see how solely lap/defense robots, like 148, are selected. If I was selecting an alliance, I would not take a robot that couln't hurdler. There have been too many eliminations and matches affected by an alliance main hurdler breaking down. I would take a team that may not get as many laps but can hurdler if need be.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I know that my team (Team 1629 GACO) may not be the best robot out there but i do believe that we can help "put up a fight" we would be a great pick... We get bout 4 or 5 lines in hybrid mode plus we are extremly fast and moblie as well as a good hurdler/launcher... thats right we catapult it!... I will have to agree with previous statements that a well balanced alliance can easily take down a "powerhouse" robot... In buckeye our alliance took down the powerhouse bot 1024... once, but still, any alliance can take down anyone else... I feel that stratagy will play a HUGE part in this years champs...

GOOD LUCK TO ALL TEAMS... GO GaCo!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Not to repeat the admirations of others, but really, if 1114 doesn't win this year, I'll assume they have a curse upon them worse than the Cubs' billy goat.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Sorry, but I think that 1114 is probably one of the only robots that may be able to win a match by themselves in qualifiers even with bad alliance partners. Granted, they are not going up against another "superpower" team as I like to call them.

An average of 8 hurdles I think? That's just nuts.

Yes, there are actually a lot of teams like this that can help put up a fight. Take us for example, we can hurdle an average of 4 and we know how to play defense and how to strategize well. Like I said, there's alot of teams like this.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I'm betting on 1114 and/or 330 will take it.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Hrm.
Theres def. a lot of debate onto who is going to win. However.
If 1114 wasnt to win it all, they HAVE to have number 1 seed spot.
If they are not #1 or picked by #1 (considering they are the top shooter) i Highly doubt they will win it all.
Also.
If 1114,330,??
vs.
217,1024,??
Id have to say it would def. be a 3rd match great finals.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I don't think they have an average of 8 hurdles per match. I'm pretty sure the most hurdles by a single robot in one match (with proof) stands at 7.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I'd like to point out the fact that 1114 has yet to win a division at champs. It has been proven throughout the season that they are defeatable. Although it seems to be much much much more difficult when they have a hand-picked alliance brought around by the beginning of the elimination rounds. However, with the caliber and scoring record of many of the teams attending champs, there is a decent likelihood of a team capable of toppling them coming together. It all depends on who winds up in who's division. I believe that the winning alliance will include 3 hurdlers. One with a good hybrid (multiple lines with at least 1 ball), the other two with at least a line. One that can place at the end (it may come down to that to win). At least one that can easily knock off opponent's balls at the end. The third (least productive) hurdler will play defense until one of the others is taken out of commission or stops functioning on its own (if all things go to plan they will play defense the entire time, breaks happen though).

Alec


ps

I'd thoroughly not mind being on that team

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

Im going to say its gonna be the darkhorse taking home the gold. But I think the alliance that knocks out 1114 will be remebered more even if they get ousted in the next round.

I believe a team that can handle any complication (breakdown, good defense, 1114 making it rain, etc) will be really valuable, This sounds like common sense but IMO the all-arounders who know how to and CAN play (execute)defense/offense on demand will make it it to the big dance.

IMO an alliance will consist 2 hurdlers and "special ops" bot. I know people will want to have insurance for a hurdler breaking down but the old proverbs state "Offense wins games. Defense wins championships" and "A great defense is a good offense." A team that never scores cant win, may sound cliche but its definately true.

No matter what I can not wait to compete and watch. 10 days is too long!

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

I agree with that 100%. Seriously that's what our drivers have trained for and that's what we showed in both NJ and Chesapeake. Special Ops is an awesome name for that type of robot. Ours is just one of those robots that can hurdle competitively and can give the opponent hell on the field in terms of defense. Alliance partners that we had can also agree with me on this that our strategies were awesomely effective on the field.

Again, totally agree.

Re: Predictions to win 2008 Frc Championship
 

wow, so were hearing a lot of 1114 vs the field arguements here. lol

1114 right now reminds me of Tiger Woods right now, i won't make my prediction for the championships until late next Sunday.

btw: is that a good comparison 1114 to FIRST is like Tiger Woods to Golf