Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

I know it doesn't happen every year, but Philly looks top heavy too.

56
103
341
357
365
395
816

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

Kettering University District event

1
27
33
51
67
70
326
494
703
2337

Traverse City FIRST Robotics District Competition

66
85
123
141
201
247
901
1918
3357

Detroit FIRST Robotics District Competition

1
51
123
201
217
469
503

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

It's not *the* toughest, but I'm tossing Pittsburgh into the ring for honorable mention:

www.frclinks.com/e/pit

For a 39-team event, it's going to be really competitive. I'm looking forward to it.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

Personally, I'd say the three toughest competitions are:
Traverse City
Granite State
Troy

Three toughest regionals:
Granite State
Finger Lakes
Midwest

Three toughest districts:
Traverse City
Troy
Detroit


Yes, I know what you're thinking... Granite State?! Traverse City?! Certainly Midwest, San Diego, and Kettering have those beat out! Well, that's what I would've thought too...

Being a bit of a scouting statistics fan, I decided the best way to figure this out was to compile OPR's for the top regionals. So, I averaged the 2010 OPR (multiplied by 8 to adjust for typical scoring difference) and 2009 OPR for each team at the regionals, then averaged those to find the competition average.

To reduce the error resulting from rookie teams not having data yet, I calculated a "composite" of the competition average... the average of the "including rookies average" and the "excluding rookies average."

Now, I'm not saying that this method is perfect; however, I do think it's a better indicator of competition strength than BBQ or SAUCE... I attached the excel file for those who are intrigued by the results. I only took the time to include the regionals that have already been proposed as being the top ones.


I think the reason why GSR has essentially passed under the radar on this thread is that it doesn't have as many of the "top tier/top 50" teams that other competitions have. Simply put though, it does have a tremendous wealth of second tier teams! I think the level of competition is less about a few teams standing head-and-shoulders above all, and more about the competitors as a whole being skilled. For this reason I was happy to see GSR and Traverse City at the top...

Honestly though, I just love watching the powerhouses play! If I could watch any webcast, it'd be the one with the most powerhouses... if I could attend any competition, it'd be the one with the best field as a whole.


Many thanks to Team 2834 (and by extension 1114), for their awesome scouting database from which I took these numbers! :-)

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

Not true.

2009 WAT, 1114 was NOT in attendance. 2609 (a rookie!) seeded #1, chose 2056, and proceeded to win together, without 1114's help.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

I agree with you on GSR. Some regionals have the top 5 teams in the nation and then a lot of lower tier teams to fill the other 19 elimination slots! For a week one event GSR has some heavy hitters that lead to 57 points scored in last years four final matches! Out of the 6 robots in the finals 5 of them made it to ATL and all of them played in the eliminations. I'm not saying it is one of the top regionals, but it belongs up there every year!

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

It sounds like he meant that 1114 and 2056 have always been together at GTR, not at Waterloo. 2056 is a phenomenal team and has been highly competitive without forming an alliance with 1114... That said, when the two play together on an alliance at a tournament like GTR or Waterloo, they're essentially unstoppable!

2056 will also be attending FLR, I believe.

As always, I'll be eager to see what both teams have produced! :-)

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

I just did Finger Lakes and Midwest, as they are well known as top tier regionals.


2010 Finger Lakes Regional (74 matches):

Total points scored by winning/tied teams in qualifying matches: 295
Average: 4.10

Total points scored by losing/tired teams in qualifying matches: 102
Average: 1.40

Difference in match points: 2.70


2010 Midwest Regional (70 matches):

Total points scored by winning/tied teams in qualifying matches: 327
Average: 4.70

Total points scored by losing/tired teams in qualifiying matches: 93
Average: 1.30

Difference in match points: 3.40


Midwest obviously had much more high scoring robot alliances yet at FLR the matches were tighter in scoring.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

I went to both regionals last year and FLR was better top to bottom but Midwest had better teams at the top.
Judging the best regional is really an objective thing beforehand.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

2056 is at FLR, WAT, and GTRW
1114 is at PIT, WAT, and GTRE

1075 is at FLR, WAT, and GTRE. I'll be watching with excitement to see what 2011 has in store for them.

1114 has shared 7 of 2056's 8 victories (2009 WAT being the exception). I've had the pleasure of watching all of them first hand.

Both teams put out astounding robots each year, and as you say, when put together, they're nearly unstoppable.

2009 GTR, when 188, 610, and 1305 won Finals 1 against 1114, 2056, 2185, but then had a robot malfunction on 610, and 188's robot missed coming back from their timeout in time to be on the field for Finals 2 was the closest anyone has come since 2007.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

So, what did we decide? :)

Actually, regardless of where it is, I think a week 1 regional is toughest to win.

Nobody really knows how to play the game. No one knows for sure what strategy will play out, because you cannot know what other strategies will be tried. All of the kinks still need worked out with the fields, the scoring, calling penalties, etc. A brilliant plan today could be turned to mush in 2 weeks. A team that has really hit the design and strategy can walk away with a win, but that is tough to do.

There is a huge level of learning that week 2+ teams get from watching week 1 events.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

The toughest regional is the one you're competing in.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

We've never won a regional that we didn't compete in.

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

Wow you guys have an amazing recipe for success! :eek:

Re: toughest regional in 2011?
 

X2

We're really at the point where it's ALL objective and any regional is a tough one.