[gr8dragon]

While it is evidently true that both 1114 and 2056 provide a great deal of motivation to teams and allow for them to aim for something much higher, I do not agree with some of the statements.

I have now been a part of teams 1241 and 188, as well as have seen the way other teams like 1310 function. I would like to point out that these teams don't design a robot to "beat" 1114 and 2056 as a personal vendetta. These teams from day one are concerned with winning the Championship, a regional win is really just the penultimate venture. 1114 and 2056 have the same idea, they also want to win on Einstein, but the fact that we are all trying to get there and have do it over each other on the same field makes it more difficult.

That being said, there have been a few regionals in the past where 1114 and 2056 have either not competed together or at all. That's not to say that the teams there will build less competitive robots just because they don't have to beat "powerhouses". In-fact team 610 this year won the BAE event and it was the first event they attended. They didn't build a less competitive robot to win BAE and then change it for when they had to play 1114 and 2056 at Waterloo.

I believe that sometimes people misunderstand how 1114 and 2056 inspire and motivate. There is always going to be the pride of beating them in Ontario for any team that finds a way to do it. However, the real motivation and inspiration is drawn from how well engineered and thought-out their robots truly are. That is why they make teams want to try to build better robots, they show every team that it can be done. Every teams tries to build the best robot they can (why wouldn't you) but these 2 very special teams build robots that just make you go "wow".

Don't get me wrong winning and Ontario regional (over 1114 and 2056) is top of my bucket list, and when it happens it will be something I will always remember.

EDIT:
I am aware that 610 changed their robot for waterloo by adding a floor pickup, and it was because they thought it would help them win waterloo. The reason though was to help them seed first, not to specifically beat 1114 and 2056. Seeding first would mean to break up 1114 and 2056 and possibly work with one of them.