Easier doesn't necessarily mean worse. Making the repetitious tasks easy to repeat has happened throughout history. Builders don't saw their own logs or forge their own steel but we're building some of the tallest and most amazing structures in the world.
A very intelligent friend of mine has a saying about drivetrains.
Quote:
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A drive train isn't going to win an event for you, but it sure can lose one.
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A "COTS" drive train enables a team to focus on what WILL win an event for you, the end-effector. If we didn't make the stuff we do every year "easier", FRC robots would have improved much slower than they have year-to-year.
As for drivers practice during demonstrations, that's a matter of Gracious Professionalism and honor.