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1998 - I believe it was team 95 that was the only team who was able to remove balls from the center goal. That device wreaked havoc for more than a few teams.
1999 - Team 68, Truck Town Terror (now Truck Town Thunder), never has a name more aptly described a robot. Their arm which they used to defend the puck inflicted a lot of damage (all within the rules of the competition). It came to a point where teams wouldn't even try to challenge them at GLR, in fear of their robot's safety.
2000 - Team 47, Chief Delphi. The best robot I had seen in all my years of competition up to this point (although their entry in '98 almost took this distinction). The way they effortlessly glided from trough to trough removing and placing balls. They had mastered the ability to strafe. If it wasn't for some damage that happened early in the elimination matches at EPCOT, I think they would have been national champs.
2001 - Although team 71 was clearly the most dominant 'bot of the year, I was very impressed with team 111's creation. Their robot had was a real life version of a Transformer. They had various attachments they placed and removed on their robot depending on what the match strategy dictated. Also, their idea of becoming the ramp and having robots drive over their back was creative genius.
There are too many other great robots out there to mention. If Andy hadn't limited this thread to one mention of each team, I could have brought up teams 111, 47, or 71 for every year that they've entered the competition. They've set a great design examples for everyone to follow.
It makes me think back to 1998 when 47 and 111 were so dominant. Unfortunately they were both hit with a lot of bad luck derailing them early on in the elimination rounds. I'll still never forget the ruling that 111's ball was on the rail, that brought their score from 768 to zero. The judges actually slipped a piece paper between the ball and the rail to check. It was that close. They then went on to win 8 or 9 matches in row, before they finally lost and were eliminated. That run of wins was the most spectacular think I've ever seen in FIRST.
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:: Karthik Kanagasabapathy :: "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" -- R.W. Emerson
My TEDx Talk - The Subtle Secrets of Success
Full disclosure: I work for IFI and VEX Robotics, and am the Chairman of the VEX Robotics and VEX IQ Game Design Committees .
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