[Lil' Lavery]

Different perspectives will lead to different conclusions on the match schedules and ranking systems. For teams with legitimate aspirations of the #1 spot, this ranking system is an improvement. You can't be completely "sunk" by alliance partners or opponents the way you could in some other games. However, this is not the vantage point of the vast majority of FRC.

For the middle of the pack teams, these rankings are just as random as always. Your average can be considerably buoyed by great partners, opponents willing/able to co-op, and some good luck. 708 vaulted from the middle of the pack to 9th at Chestnut Hill after scoring 165 points with 225 and 1218 in the last qualification match. Your average can plummet when paired with teams incapable of scoring (or worse, teams that knock over stacks) or working opposite of teams that fail to get their yellow totes on the step. There are still "easy" and "hard" matches this year, they just look different than in years past.