I think the chairman award winner deserves to go more then the previous year's champion. It takes endless amounts of planning and time to put together a presentation for the chairman's award, and it shows what this competition is all about. Yes, the actual robot competition is impressive, but the chairman's award shows how you got there. And that is more impressive then any robot.

- Dave

tjrage_25- Chances are that any Regional award winner (industrial design, quality, etc) will finish relatively high in that event, but nothing is 100% certain. So basically.... they're doing what you want (letting the teams that finish 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc in a Regional go to Nationals). Did I understand you correctly?

As for the Regional Chairman's award winners.... I'm not sure what to think about them being guaranteed a spot at Nationals... I guess as long as it's only a free ride for one year it isn't so bad. Plus I think it's a good thing to reward teams who make a huge impact in their communities. Ok. Now I'm convinced that Regional Chairman's Award winners should get a free pass to Nats for the year they win the award.

-Bill

I don't know what you all think, but I am seeing a defininte trend of Yes and No in team numbers, and student and team status in FIRST.

Basically all who are for this decision are either an even number team, guaranteed a spot this year or every year, or an alumni. And all those against this are odd number teams (I know I am!).

The point of this at one point or another most of you are going to be denied the nationals. The whole reason that teams get new members year after year. By doing this you are not just missing out on what you look forward to each year, your team will suffer every other year. Without the almost certain draw of going to Florida, chances are new members will not join.

Florida is the major selling point of FIRST to students, it draws us in and shows us what science and technology is all about. Without this FIRST and FIRST teams will suffer. There has to be a better way to do this.

according to FIRST, the chairman's award is the elite of the elite awards that you can win. it even tops being national champs.

I belive that the chairman's award should have nothing to do with decisions about the nationals. (In my opinion it just shows how many LL teams you can sponsor, while starting more rookie teams. Nothing at all to do with the game at hand in ANY year.)

they spread the word of FIRST. they get more teams involved in the competition.

well, i'm really glad to be part of a team thats been in this since the beginning! we wouldn't be going at all (along with a good chunck of the other teams) but i see everyone's doing a good job of complaining for me so i'll just shut up now.

Well.... when it's my team's turn to sit out the Nationals I'll grin and bare it (2003).

btw... tj. how many regionals are you guys gonna try to attend in 2002? just curious.

-Bill

That is an interesting trend, but it should be expected. What I think is more interesting is that we discussed this in a very long thread a few months ago: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...agenumber= 1. So far, I've only seen one person who participated in that thread change their mind now that they've seen the system.

Just to be the exception, I'm on an odd numbered team that does not currently qualify to attend nationals. We've also won a national championship in the past (like you). My goal is to do as well as possible at the regionals this year so we can go. If not, we'll be first in line for nationals in '03.

I don't believe the system is perfect, but it is much better than most of the alternatives.

It actually is quite complicated, just look at this post,
The point is you can't wait until 2 weeks before nationals to know whether you qualify. If this wasn't such a problem, I am absolutely sure that FIRST would have based the points on the current year's accomplishments. But, obviously, they can't.

nationals...
 

From what I have seen, and heard from previous years FIRST has given people quite a shock with competition formats from year to year. Even with 4v0, people were a little doubtful about that competition, but I think it turned out to be pretty decent, and I think many peoples opinions changed once the competition began. I just think FIRST is handing us another obstacle, I think this year is going to push every team to its limits and see what a team is made of and what a team can do, because everyone will be working 10x as hard because mostly everyone wants to go to nats, which makes me think, we are going to see some really awesome robots this year, because people will be giving it their all (not to say they haven't before, just this year I think everyone is going to give it 100% more).

I just don't think people should be complaining, because we haven't even seen the competition format yet, all the people who are saying we have no chance, you could build the best robot for this years competition, and go out and do a really great job, and come home national champions. FIRST has handed us one aspect of this years competition that’s it, people think already they are ineligible for things but that’s not true, I think people should wait until after kickoff until they start complaining.

I am sorry if that makes people mad, it’s just what I think.
Mike
-Who hopes to see fellow FIRSTers smile once in awhile, and to remember all the other things FIRST gives you besides a competition, all the doors FIRST has opened, all the FIRST related friends you have made, and why FIRST makes you smile.

Because those are the teams most likely to be vying for the National Chairman's Award.

So what you're saying is that FIRST is about winning now?

Re: nationals...
 

Well said. Sometimes people (myself included) get too worked up about their own team's situation to look at the big picture. Not just the big picture for Nats, but for FIRST. We forget what a privilege we all share in being part of one of the greatest organizations in the world. Regardless of what comes of Nationals, we are all members of FIRST, and need to keep the spirit alive, wherever we may be this April.

Jeff

- Who hopes to see FIRST continue to be thebest it can be, and keep the spirit alive!

don't we ALL want to win?