[AcesJames]

I know a lot of people were a bit peeved by the whole field/concert stage setup at Championships, but I really think that what Will.I.Am is doing for FIRST is awesome.

He talked at kickoff, and most of us laughed at his "it's dope" comment and rolled our eyes, thinking this would be a 1 shot deal endorsement from a celebrity that would flop after kickoff. A few weeks later we get a shoutout from him and the BEP at the SuperBowl. But then, we received word we'd be seeing him again at the Championship, for a live concert, just for us. And then again over the summer we find out he's invested his own time and money, bought air time from ABC, enlisted the help of close to a dozen other A-list celebrities, and produced a 1 hour special promoting FIRST. Plus, to make sure he spreads the message as far and wide as he can, he talks to quite a few major news sources to spread the special.

Google Will.I.Am right now, and look at the news about him. It's all about his special with Dean and FIRST. That's pure awesome.

Love him or hate him, he's doing a really, really awesome thing for all of us. Something that FIRST as a whole has been striving to do for a long time. Will.I.Am didn't HAVE to do any of this for us.

I think the CD community should try to get into contact with FIRST directly, so that maybe we can send Will a "Thank you" of some kind?