Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach Doug
I think the FTC game needs a few changes or updates. FRC is a good model.
3: Limit the alliance selection pool - if only twelve teams will be in the playoffs - selection pool is limited to only top twelve. current system enables the behavior of friends picking friends and de-values any team's record if their not in the top four ( 5th place team is equal to last place team - both have equal chance of making the playoffs). By limiting the selection pool - your scouting is more important as you need to know all the teams.
My two cents based upon 2 yrs of FTC and this year's championship.
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I'd have to disagree there. I understand your intention with such a rule would be to make it fair to the teams who finish in the top 15 area and don't get picked. However, If you limit the pool to the top 12, what about the team that finished 13 with one less RP than the 12th placed team? As you said earlier, RPs aren't the best system and 5-7 matches are not enough to separate lucky teams from good teams. Creating some cutoff is unfair to every team below the mark. A good example from this year is the Cyberknights. They had an awesome robot (the same robot finished first in Edison), but had connection issues the entire tournament. Wasn't until their last match when they finally solved their issues and showed what they were capable of. Being buried in the standings due to connections issues, they wouldn't be able to be picked if there was a cutoff.
I understand the frustration of not being picked, our team was 8th in our division last year and 16th this year and we didn't get picked either year. Makes you work that much harder to be a captain next time around.