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Re: Congratulations to the 2011 World Champions - Teams 254, 111 and 973
It is with no regrets that I congratulate the 2011 FIRST World Champions, Team 254, Team 111 and Team 973. Without a doubt they were by far the strongest alliance in the field of 32, and up there with some of the greatest alliances of all time. Seeing these teams win was extra special for me since I have so many good friends on these teams.
Team 254 -- It was great to see the Poofs win their first ever World Championship, considering the standard of excellence they had set along the way. They now have 30 Blue Banners, 29 won before they claimed their first title. Between 1999 and last week, they were by far the unluckiest team in Championship history, so this title was long overdue. For those of you who don't know the Poofs, they are one of the classiest and more professional teams out there. These guys have been raising the bar for years, and don't get enough credit. We at 1114 are proud to call them friends.
Team 111 -- So much of what I just said about 254 can be said about you guys. Our team has loved working beside you and working against you. Winning your 3rd Championship is just further proof of how dominant you guys have been. Seeing you in action this weekend reminded me of why you're a Hall of Fame team, and why you have so much success. Precision, determination and execution. Simply beautiful to watch.
Team 973 - Can someone explain to me why these guys were still available with the second last pick of the draft. As soon as 254 and 111 got together everyone in the division should have be looking to pick the teams with the highest upside. 973 fit that description perfectly. They had the fastest minibot in the division, along with the potential to put up huge tube numbers. We were crossing our fingers that they'd slip to our alliance to enhance some jarring weaknesses. Unfortunately for us, 254 and 111 were too smart and wisely snapped them up for themselves. It was at that point that it became clear to me that winning the event was going to be an uphill battle for everyone. These guys have been building great robots the past couple of years, and it's about time they got the recognition they deserve.
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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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