2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Team 1626 would like to thank its Alliance Partners 229, and 375 for a tremendous effort and their contributions to our Regional Championship at First SBPLI . We would also like to congratulate our opponents 564,271 and 287 on their great run to the Finals.

A Special Thank You to all of our fellow competitors and to the events volunteer staff. You all made our experience something special!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

As a senior on Team 375, I remember my first visit to the SBPLI FIRST Regional. It was my freshman year of high school, and my very first FIRST Regional. Coming back three years later, I was so happy to find that the great spirit of Long Island FIRST had only gotten stronger. From all of the teams cheering despite any problems they may have faced, to the gracious aid every team gave out, even if they were working on their own robot, Long Island FIRST definitely epitomizes the message of FIRST.
We loved being a part of this regional, and it certainly made our season. After the NYC Regional, our team was pretty down due to every sort of malfunction you could think of. When we came to SBPLI, we were proud to bring ourselves up in standings, but didn't expect to be picked... However, we are only too glad to have partnered with FIRST Teams 1626 and 229. Both of your teams are great! Between the two of you, your strategical sense and ability to repair in almost seconds blew us out of the water. Thank you so much for believing in us! We could have never done it without you, and we know that our partnership has strengthened a friendship between our teams that we hope grows in the future.
Congratulations so much to all of the teams competing in SBPLI, and all of the other FIRST regionals so far! FIRST Team 329, when you won Chairman's, it was like deja vu for us! You guys definitely deserve this award, and we were humbled to have seen you win it this year, and in the past. FIRST Team 870, it was a pleasure to be next to you in the pits! Always willing to lend a helping hand, you guys form one of the most gracious teams we have met.
Thank you to everyone for helping our team show all our new recruits the true meaning of FIRST!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Congratulations on a Job well done to all the finalists!!!!!!!!!! thank you to Bayshore and William floyd for choosing us. It was totally an honor to be aligned with you. I am very proud to be a member of the FIRST family.
Marissa, I can not agree with you more. My first year was 2001 as a coach and I have developed many friends throughout the years. It is a family that I am proud to be part of.

Good Luck to all in your future endeavors!!!!!!!!!
Coach Lang from Longwood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

First team 1626 also owes a great deal of thanks to Team 2168, the aluminum. Falcons. We utilized their scouting software leading to our alliance selection. Results count. We couldn t be happier. Thanks again guys!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

[quote=rocpe;1045491]Team 1626 would like to thank its Alliance Partners 229, and 375 for a tremendous effort and their contributions to our Regional Championship at First SBPLI . We would also like to congratulate our opponents 564,271 and 287 on their great run to the Finals.

A Special Thank You to all of our fellow competitors and to the events volunteer staff.
"YOUU CANT DO THATTT!!!! YOU CANT DO THATTTTTT!!!"

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

haha, kind of funny how that scouting system was developed by a 229 alum :)

229 would like to thank 1626 and 375, it was a blast running with you guys!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

i love this. i cannot get the picture of that mentor screaming angrily out of my head!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

If ANYONE has video of the reactions of the regional winning DRIVE TEAM, I am absolutely dying to see it. If ANYONE has the video PLEASE SEND IT TO ME at murawskid1126@aol.com. It would be very much appreciated.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

1626 why did you guys go so hard when the 5th seed team made their 1st selection?

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

It was against the rules. Simple and plain.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

what happened?

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

358 had denied a previous request to partner up, then accepted a request later on.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I know and you guys were right never said it wasn't, but then again i'm sure there were better ways of notifying them it looked like he wanted to take that little girls head off or something or you guys were intimidated by them am just saying
how un-gp it was for him to angrily scream and point like that as if the regional was conspiring against him, it was just just a mix up. An informative messenger would have done the job just fine. It did not make your team look very professional when your large mentors are screaming at the top of his lungs at high school students he does not know but regardless congrats on the win good luck at champs!!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I personally know the mentor in question and I'm sure he didn't mean to come off as 'scary', it was simply heat of the moment.

Regardless, thank you! Having been my first time at sbpli it was a very fun event!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Our team has never won a regional, and this was our first shot at doing so. The mentor in question is very passionate and didnt want our chances to be thrown by a rule mix up. Im sorry if he came off as being unprofessional, but he is just very passionate. So stop trying to make it out like hes a monster.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

So to not ruin your chances, you ruin another teams chances in such a way? 1796 is such a small team, what was the purpose of creating that scene? So much for Gracious Professionalism haha.

A 358 and 1796 alliance with 329 would've been interesting, unfortunately we never saw them together... and it wouldve been a better match to have watched in the finals since they would have been a much harder alliance to "win" against but this is my opinion im "just very passionate about".

Good Luck in Missouri. ::safety::

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

You do understand that regardless of how good their alliance would have been its still illegal right? For somone who seems so stuck up about "gracious professionalism", your the first to ignore the rules? Doesn't make too much sense to me.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

One of the First things we do at Team 229 is instill in our Students and Mentors that It is crucial to know the rules to every aspect of that year's game. We expect that out of our students, and we also expect that out the volunteers running the competition. We know mistakes can be made, but when they are, they must be addressed.
When the 5th seed chose team 358, it was in DIRECT VIOLATION of the Rules. It appeared that all of the field crew and all other teams besides both Teams 229 and 1626 did not realize that this was in direct violation of one of the most fundamental rules in alliance selection. In fact Team 229 had sent a message runner down, but he was being ignored in his attempt to inform officials of the error. We wanted the issue to be addressed before the crew went to far in alliance selection. Usually this rule is addressed before alliance selection, but in this case it was skipped, which we realized may have caused some confusion. I know it may seem odd to see someone yell like that in alliance selection, but attention needed to be drawn before we had to break up several alliances in an effort to fix the problem.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Don't over exaggerate now. No one is calling 1626's Mentor a monster. All I'm saying is he conducted himself very poorly, and represented your team in a very negative light when one of your adult mentors, chose to in a very angry and hostile manner poke his finger at the field yelling at high school students, literally yelling, with anger in his voice saying you can't do that, scaring everyone, Including myself. Now, I'm an adult; and was in the stands not involved. I can only imagine how startled those kids were on the field, to have him screaming and pointing at them. GP in the heat of battle? Not quite...

Not really the way you want a mentor acting at a high school robotics competition while everyone is sitting quietly watching them pick their alliances. Your team was correct in trying to correct the error, but how he chose to do it will always be remembered and reflected on your entire team for years to come just so you guy have a chance at winning; winning is not what FIRST is about i think your team need to straighten out their priorities. Like Inspiredbybot said its my opinion am just very passionate..

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I did say it was an opinion...
and as a high ranking team who did so well, it was surprising you didn't take up that challenge to prove on how well deserved that title you now have is... just "doesn't make too much sense to me."

Goodbye 1626.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I'm the one over exaggerating? Your as you say a full grown adult and saying you were legitimately scared by our mentor? Give me a break, first of all if he didn't yell how would they have heard him from the stands? Second, the rules were violated and it needed to be brought to light because alliance selections hadn't yet stopped.

Therefore, I am done with this conversation because your points are severely lacking merit. Open your eyes and see the reality instead of trying to make us out to be horrible people.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

We understand the 5th seed was in breach of rule 5.4.1 "if an invitation from a top eight ALLIANCE to another ALLIANCE Lead is declined, the declining TEAM may still invite TEAMS to join their ALLIANCE, however, it cannot accept invitations from other ALLIANCES." kudos to 229 and 1626 for going out of their way to try to correct it before the frc police came but am just try to point out the fact that you guys for the lack of a better word looked "dumb" for going about it the way you did but obviously my my points lack merit severely so i guess we just need to do is cry a river build a bridge and get over it .like i said before good luck at champs and congrats on a job well done you guys delivered it...and excuse me if i wasted anyone's time here

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Why does every conversation on Chief Delphi have to end up this way? Can't everyone just get along...the whole point of this is to have fun. My team was in an alliance with 329 and 1796, we lost in the quarter finals due to technical difficulties, but I know for a fact that we, as a team, have never been happier.

Also, I was field side when the incident occurred. Several students, adults and myself were essentially run down in said mentors "excited" attempt to get on the field. While I completely understand that the alliance selection was in fact illegal, and that he was attempting to inform the ref's before selection got too deep, I feel it could have been handled in a much more professional manner.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I don't think that our wanting to follow the rules means that we were scared to face the alliance. We would have prepared the same way to face any alliance. If we would have won or lost to that grouping of teams, who knows, but according to the rules, this was how pickings should have worked out.

Also, how many people end up being really excited when it comes close to finals? Pretty much everybody. How about when it is your team that has a legitimate chance at winning the regional? I can understand the yelling.

There are a few things that bother me here.

One. That the mistake was not caught by the regional staff. I have been around long enough to understand that occasionally teams forget the picking rules, but that it why the officials and volunteers are there. It really surprised me to see this go through. This is why before pickings you always review the rules!

Two. That no one else was trying to speak up. Teams 229 and 1626 were sitting at the top of the arena when the incident happened. Both 229 and 1626 sent a runner to notify the field. When no one paid any attention to 229's runner, the member on 1626 then yelled out to the field. At this time they were already asking the next alliance for their pick. All he was trying to do was notify everyone before things proceeded to far. Was it surprising? was there a better way to do it? Probably, but in the heat of the moment (coupled with the frustration that no one caught this) I don't think that this was some horrible action.

Three. That someone went through the trouble of creating a new log in name just for this thread. Please attach a name or team number if you are going to make comments. Don't hide behind fake names.


If anyone has ever talked to Team 1626 before, you would know that they are a great FIRST team. One that I try to get 229 to emulate. They would drop anything to help another team, and I try my best to follow their lead.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Emphasis mine.

I was not present at the event, but it appears that a more "professional" attempt was made to correct the situation. It is unfortunate that what happened had to happen. However, what's past is past. Let's all try to move forward.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Bill, 229 loves you. :P

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Team 1796 the 5th seed team knows we made a mistake during alliance selection and are gracious of 229 and 1626 for correcting it and making everyone aware of the situation. We would also like to thank Lonleybot2345’s and InspiredBYbot’s efforts and their opinion are greatly appreciated, but in the spirit of gracious professionalism the best alliance won and that was the number 1 seed, team 1626,375,and 229 congrats guys on a job well done…& our alliance team 329 and 810 were also a very good we were very excited we got to play along and also against each other…Good luck to you all on your future endeavors and hope to see you all at any off-season events and next year!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

please if your are talking directly to someone please do so no blank shots! i am not affiliated with any teams but i am a member of the FIRST community my name is Charles Garett and i was at the regional looking at teams and how they act at regional events and interviewing some teams as possible candidates for future capital sponsoring, I happened to be at the arena when the situation occurred in my opinion it was handled poorly on behalf of everyone that day and someone opinion about the regional is also being blown out of proportion as i said before i am sorry for wasting anyone's time on here and good luck to you all!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Thank you and you guys were great out there the whole competition goodluck to you and sorry for any problems i may have caused

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

I meant nothing to you in that post. I was speaking to LIRobots1.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Just to clarify something that I'm certain the teams in the stands were not aware of during the alliance selection issue that many of you have been discussing.

As soon as 358 made the mistake the FTA immediately went to the head referee and brought the problem to his attention. The rules were quickly reviewed to make certain and the situation was then corrected as quickly as possible. Believe me, we on the field were aware of the problem BEFORE the yell from the stands from whomever did the yelling.

was the yelling un-GP? IMHO yes, however after being involved in FIRST for 12 years I also understand getting caught up in the "heat of the moment" and sometimes losing a bit of self control. Especially if you feel that you or your team have been "wronged". I can tell you that once the situation was corrected we never gave a second thought as to who shouted out, it was no longer important.

Simply put - I believe you all may be overlooking the fact that it was addressed fairly quickly and an announcement was made to inform the audience what had occurred. The end result of alliance selection was not affected.

Just a suggestion, don't dwell on the negatives. every event has it's issues regardless of location and teams in attendance. If you look deep enough you can always find problems with anything.

Quite frankly there are many of us that felt this years SBPLI-LI Regional overall was one of the best yet.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

As a current mentor of FRC2168 (one of the developers of our posted scouting system) and an alumni mentor of FRC229 I could not be happier to see our scouting system work out so well. Congratulations to the alliance!

To FRC1626 - Apparently the 3rd time running with FRC229 was the charm; I am continually impressed with your team’s growth and determination. Your consistent minibot was a major factor in the alliances success.

To FRC229 - It about time Division by Zero took home a banner. After quite a few rough years I was thrilled to have been there to support you in your victory. You guys built a solid bot this year, I'm proud of all of you. Way to put together an excellent last year for Chuck!

To FRC375 - Despite robot communication errors you guys played some of the strongest defense at the regional, without you the alliance would not have made it so far. Get that gripper fixed and kick some butt in St. Louis.

To FRC329 - Congrats on the Chairman's Award and building a solid robot, good luck at Championships.

Comments on the Regional as a Whole:
I was surprised by the lack of understanding of the rules by both the teams and staff at this regional. I arrived to the regional late on Friday after work, spent some time walking around the pit and watching matches, the number of things missed in inspection was surprising. From bumpers with concave sections, minibot deployments that gave the minibot vertical energy, and finally the issues with alliance selection. I take pride in the fact that the teams I have been a part of always know the rules first.

Please teams, take the time to fully understand the rules, watch for updates and read the Q&A as often as possible.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Emphasis mine. I was an inspector on Thursday, and in regards to the bumper situation, we were not instructed to "pat down" the bumpers, but I know from now on, I will. We did have one team that had a notch cut out of the bottom of them bumper, but the LRI deemed it legal. And as far as the minibots, maybe it would have been a good idea to have teams demonstrate deployment during inspection, but that would add an siginiucant amount of time to the inspections. Also, many teams werent bringing their minibot for inspections untill friday afternoon...well after initial robot inspection. Mistakes happen, there were plentm more behind the scenes that you guys never even hear about. Our job is to make sure every team gets on the field and plays in a safe, honest manner.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

To 1626: As many of my teammates have already pointed out, thank you for picking us to be a member of your alliance. As always it is a great experience running with you and we were glad to help contribute to you first regional win!

Another thing that I think must be pointed out is that in all of my years in FIRST I have never heard of the 1st seed picking the 21st seed as their first pick. It takes a great deal of insight and a lot of guts to do something like that and we all thank you for it.

To 375: What a great experience it was working with your team. You relentlessly stuck to the alliances strategy and managed to shutdown some of the best scorers at the regional.

To 329: Congratulations on winning the Chairman's award, you guys definitely deserved it

Given that it was my first time attending this event, I had a great experience. No regional is without its problems and I would hope that all of the good that came out of it is not overlooked.

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

FIRST Team 329 would like to congratulate all the teams this year, everyone was spectacular!

Teams 884, 229, 1626, and 375, congratulations!! We'll see you at the Championship! :D

And thanks to everyone that congratulated us, we really appreciate it!!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

Congrats to all teams that attended the SBPLI Long Island regional! I was super impressed by the robots and teams this year. Special congrats to 1629, 229, 375 and 329!! :)

I had a blast volunteering for this regional and I look forward to doing it again next year. Just wanted to thank the rest of the field crew and volunteers for doing a tremendous job. We were only able to meet a very agressive schedule (50 teams, 10 matches each, which demands 6 min turnarounds) with an awesome effort from the teams and our volunteers. So congrats and thank you to everyone on that! We were also able to make sure that everyone was able to connect to the field or knew why they were not connecting and give instruction for how to fix it. A feat only possible with an outstanding crew. Having the talents of Mark McLeod, Mike Massa and Bharat Nain available is awesome in this regard!

Re: 2011 SBPLI First Regional
 

As a member of Team 358 I would like to thank everyone who volunteered and attended the SBPLI regional. As a senior it will be sad that this is my last competition however it was a good way to go out. Congratulations team 329 on chairmen’s, to the alliance who won and all those who won awards especially Half Hallow Hills on rookie all start award.
Further more I would like to clear up the mishap in alliance selection. I would like to commend those who corrected the ruling on the field. Team 358 would never try to cheat. In WPI we had used this rule also had come into play and we were aware of it. However in “the heat of competition” while trying to figure out numbers and keep track of who was picked by who (50 three to four digit numbers can do weird things to your brain) we slipped and accepted team 1796. As soon as we realized it was not ok we did turn around and notify the field tech table behind us. They began to search through the rules to confirm the confusion. This is when the crowd realized what had happened and began to ask for a re-pick. No one is actually in the wrong here. We realized our mistake right away as did event staff and volunteers. The crowd also realized but was simply unaware of what was going on at field level.
I look forward to seeing some long island teams compete in St. Louis, and once again to everyone who made this event possible from volunteers and mentors to judges and sponsors.
Looking forward to the long island FIRST summer fun day!