It appears Marty McFly's Time Machine/Delorean would be useful now. It would be truly wonderful to go back and change these events and fix them before they had a chance to happen.
Instead we are left with trying to prevent them in the future. I will leave this to the programmers and engineers.
I have followed this thread all week. For good reason, there is much anger and those effected have every right to feel this way for many reasons. As more than 1 poster has stated, this was a chance to have a blue flag for once. Just an idea to consider, may be a really bad one, but I will put it out there anyway just from a Mom's perspective. Could a flag/banner be created for this year's finalists that is extra special/limited edition/special color variety? Given to all that were in the finals since each might have had a chance at the title. Sort of a badge/banner of honor, for surviving and enduring the 2012 catastrophe? As the years go by, it would be special as no other team will have the chance to have such a banner, and the teams that go on can take pride if the fact they persevered and moved forward. I am in no way suggesting this makes up for what happened or replaces a title championship. I am suggesting this pays tribute to the teams who have endured much and are to be respected.
It is a small gesture but sometimes small gestures are very meaningful. I understand there would be an extra cost issue here which would need to be addressed to provide these teams with these banners, but I bet many of us who feel for these teams would gladly help. Again, just a Mom's suggestion and if some of you find it insulting or inadequate please forgive me, I promise I mean well.
The only way to ever make a positive out of a very bad situation is to learn from it or make it better for those coming along next. Wish I had the perfect words or solution, but nobody does. FIRST will continue and let's try to make it better for future FIRSTers.