[toastnbacon]

I've only played the past three games, but I did study Lunacy a bit. I'm not a huge fan of the games based on other sports, partially because it's hard to explain something like "It's like basketball, but with more balls and eight goals.", and partially because I think FIRST goes beyond that. Robotics is just way cooler than basketball or soccer or other "athletics". I'm not sure it sends the message of wanting to change culture when we have ended up conforming to it.

This is probably a bit more blunt than I intended it, all those athletics do have value, but it's independent of robotics and vice-versa. Once more people come to our regional competition with 55 teams than go to a football game with only two, I'll stand down. But dealing with challenges that we hadn't even thought of dealing with is (I think) more impressive than these imitation athletics. I would be willing to bet there are several FIRSTers who have looked at a basketball game and thought about how to build a robot to do it, but I get more of a kick thinking of ways to drive on a low friction surface or suspend an inner tube than something people watch other people do as a mater of course.

*I liked the co-op thing though. That was cool, and totally what FIRST is about. You don't see much of that on a basketball court.

**I am going to keep referring to Curiosity's landing as an interplanetary field goal, however.