[Justin]

Hello,

I think that this thread is just further proof that no matter what the FIRST community will never be happy, no matter what FIRST does they will never make friends with the entire FIRST community. I took a long hiatus from reading these forums and really from thinking about FIRST at all over the last part of the summer and the 1st part of the school year.

The reason of this was basically dismay with the FIRST community. FIRST is trying very hard this year to bring things up a notch I think and do some of the things that they should have been doing for a long time. When FIRST announced the qualfying for nationals everyone was out raged how could they deny teams access to nationals...FIRST should have done this a long time ago and now that they finally have the FIRST community rears up in backlash. Then we have the webpage FIRST finally has a very respectable looking website that is professionally done and fitting of the caliber organization that FIRST is...still not happy. FIRST asks teams to restrict their regional attendence to give more teams a chance to attend he on closest to them...more backlash.

FIRST could have stayed with the status quo...how would we all react then. What if we were still playing the same game ten years later??? What if Nationals were still in a HS gym as opposed to a multi-million dollar compound created by Disney?? I think everyone should be truly greatful for this orginzation, what it has done for them, and that they themselves are always trying to improove. So let's be greatful and appreciative of all that the hard working folks @ FIRST do.

Look I know that I won't make a lot of friends with this post...but check my previous posts. Those who know me know that I feel very strongly about this. I believe that the FIRST community really needs to be more receptive to change...it needs to deal with change _A LOT_ better. I think that can be seen in reaction to some of the administrative changes but also things like "This ball is .0001 PSI less than the ball we have....FIX IT!!!!" Progress, growth, recognition, many would agree these are goals for the FIRST community and as an orginzation...but progress comes with change...and I hope that the community will learn to embrace those changes sooner rather than later.

I for one am happy to see the change that after 8 years are finally being made. I welcome qualifying for nationals, regional limits, and the other changes FIRST has brough forth...most especially the more spectator, etc, friendly game. I hope you will all learn to embrace those changes as well.

Flame bait or food for thought....u pick,

-Justin