[J_Miles]

I honestly believe that there will be two sure divisions represented in the finals on Einstein. Those are Archimedes and Newton.

On Archimedes, despite the history of 1114 and 2056, I honestly believe this year is not a dominant one for 1114, at least compared to their recent history. I think they're a phenomenal team that will do well on the field - and, I might add, are my favorites to enter the FIRST Hall of Fame this year - but I also think Team 67 is the most likely to seed first on that division. If that is the case, the first machine to come to mind is 2056. We've seen HOT triple with long robots before (548 at the Northville District), and I think a 67/2056 alliance could and would win that division. Teams like 359 and 973 will challenge, but it seems to be HOT's to lose.

Newton is the other very strong division. Against all odds - at such an event, it truly is a serious feat - Team 469 lost only a single match at the Michigan State Championship. On Newton, they'll be looking to go perfect, and they have the tools to do so. With their effective stinger, too, they'll score coopertition points with ease. If they seed #1, they'll have their pick of excellent partners to play with. Teams 548 and 1717 jump out to me as extremely attractive to 469, and an alliance containing either pairing has the potential to be world champions. This, however, could be upset by many other contenders, including the respectable 118 and consistently-excellent 111.

Curie will likely be dominated by Team 341, a robot that has seemed, at times, untouchable; however, with a strong remainder of the field, including perennial powerhouses like 254 and 233, as well as very respectable machines in 51 and 987.

As for Galileo...I'll hold my silence. I'll be behind the glass trying to ensure my own team seeds first, but I think that Galileo is the division with the least clear-cut favorites. It should make for an incredible event!