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Unread 13-04-2015, 07:43
cglrcng cglrcng is offline
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Re: [FRC Blog] We're Listening

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewdenny View Post
Everybody in this thread is "not being able to see all the teams when I go to champs isn't as inspiring"

And I'm over here thinking I'd be happy if autonomous worked right for once.
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815 posts read in the last 12+ hours non-stop in 2 threads (and not a peep out of me yet. Just ask anyone here, as that is highly unusual, more like very unlikely, and almost nearly impossible!)

But, I have to respond to matthewdenny's post (finally 1 that actually made me smile and laugh out loud to just myself)....I have said it before, and I'll say it again young man (Matthew Denney....You just keep thinking like that, and you will go VERY FAR in this world, and in life in general. Just keep your eye on that ball, find your true passion, and no matter what anyone says or does...You follow that passion to the very ends of the earth. (I too am praying for your autonomous to work right just once for you...and,...When it really counts!)
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Earlier today I wasn't so much worried about the 2017 Dual Championships as I was the health of the 2015 Championships 1.5 weeks away that I am volunteering and my team is competing at, and the effect of these recent decisions, the timing of the announcement, and the severe backlash of the community at large. (And I thought the real major issues of the season were ALL NOW behind us all).

I hope cooler heads prevail in a week and a half in St Louis, and any town hall meeting is very civil, professional, and constructive, and a reasonable solution is also found, to a real World Champion being crowned in the future years, while still allowing more teams to earn their way as growth of FIRST continues to expand even further, and further, and more teams receive that Awe Inspiring experience also.

I don't actually buy the FLL and the FTC angles, as most~ if not all of those younger participants (if we all continue to do our jobs right, and continue to INSPIRE THEM), will also have that 4 year window of opportunity when in High School to experience attendance of at least 1 FIRST Championship event or more, if the recently unveiled plan works.

I was very lucky my very first year as a mentor (My Wife's first year as an Education mentor), and my youngest son's Freshman year (2011), that we as a family were able to attend together, with our earned invitation competing team...It was beyond inspiring, it was ABSOLUTELY AWE INSPIRING, and to sit in that Dome on the very last evening as the battle(s) commenced that would determine the 2011 FRC Champions, and realize that all that brainpower in one place, and at one time, was a (Major), but also a minor 20% of all the inspiring and inspired STEM related High School Students and Mentors in Just FRC alone, not even the entire FIRST Community...It hooked us as a family for life.

And it made me realize, that our planet's future is much brighter than I ever could have even possibly imagined! These students will be our broad spectrum world leaders soon enough. And also just how much FIRST's Mission statement, and their mission was such a huge success. (I was absolutely clueless in January 2011!)

If you build it they will come. And come they (we) are, as we all spread FIRST far & wide with outreach (we reward that outreach, inspiration, and growth with the very highest awards FIRST has to offer), and along the way, that growth will have extreme costs (and HUGE Planetary HUMAN REWARDS),....So change is inevitable, we grow it, we must change with it.

FIRST will never be able to please ALL THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, they know it, and we know it....Now, lets work together to solve the problems caused by our metoric growth and expansion...Which we should be celebrating, instead of cringing from its results.

FIRST is listening, and we as a group (a community), are some of the largest problem solvers I have ever witnessed in my 58 year lifetime. If you can design a system to snatch 2~4 of those RC's off the shelf in .02 seconds, this problem should be a snap to come up w/ a reasonable solution to determine a world champion in 2017 and beyond.

This year 600 Robots in 8 divisions in one place 20% of all teams represented, next year the same (hopefully, but may drop again to 17% w/ more growth), and the following year (2017), 800 Robots in 8 divisions in 2 different places, 25% of all teams represented again.

(FIRST may need to actually back off that "Geographical Assignment or Placement," add in a single lottery the first year to determine whether each team is N/S, w/ 400 going to each location, and after that add an odd/even last digit Team # switch of location every 3rd. year (odd the 3rd year switch/even the 6th year switch, or even 1/2 teams switch each year by lottery at season beginning), to mix up what teams play where each year so that all teams qualified & attending will have exposure to all other attending teams throughout a 4 year run).

Add 1 final place in 2017 and beyond, mid-June (maybe FIRST HQ), where those 8 teams are rewarded w/ an all expenses paid face off to determine a World Campionship in a Nationally televised best of 7, or best of 9 match event to see who the real World Champions are. (I would go 1 further...allow after the 2 N/S events, an unbag period of 3 weeks before the mid-June event, allow both Alliances to effect repairs, practice new drivers if graduating seniors cannot move on, strategize, & cheesecake all they wanted).

Or, if that isn't agreeable, just ship all 8 of the robots to NH immediately from the N/S events bagged in the crates. 1 Truck/ 2 weekends (Houston to Detroit, then...Off to NH w/ all 8 bots & 8 Sets of Team Tool Crates)...Teams will see them in NH in 3 weeks or so. (Hey, I know where FIRST could find a whole lot of Grey/Yellow Totes to pack those tools in after this years Champs! They now own them). Now that...is Recycling!
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There are other ways beyond the existing signed contracts (I had discussed something like this w/ my wife last Fall)...1 Event site 4 Days 400 Robots/Teams. Then out w/ the 1st bunch...In w/ the 2nd. Bunch next 400 Robots/Teams...You store the robots and pit gear for the winners only of days 1~4, they fly back in for the finals on the last Friday PM/Saturday AM. Just the drive team and essential personell paid for say 12 of each (Each of the 4 teams can/may send the rest of the team on their own dime if they wish). The venue goes dark 1~2 days (Sunday~Monday), for cleaning & admin. to breathe. Back at it again Wednesday.

That way, the same venue/hotels/fields, etc. can be used, and it is still a true Championships. You move that around between 4~5 geographical locations N/S/C/E/W. (You are only inconveniencing 4 teams...4 teams w/ a 50/50 shot at a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!) How many would actually turn that down? How many of us wouldn't help them if they really couldn't afford it? Not many! (FIRST could set aside $50.00~$100.00 of all 800 teams entry fee to Champs to create a fund for the returning 4 teams=$40~&80K).

12 Team Members Ea. X 4 Teams X $600.00 Flight Avg.=$28,800.00/1 night hotel 48 X$100.=$4,800.00=$33,600.00 Total =Very Doable! (Of course as FIRST, I'd be hitting up a Major set of Airlines or Other Major Corporations wanting top billing exposure, to Sponsor the returning teams playing for the Championships myself for both the home & back round trip flights! And building the returning teams 1 room night into the actual event contract.) </;-)~

(There would be no strategy that would help any team, as nobody would know who plays the week 1 winners, until they were even back in town and ready to play again on Einstein). Just attempt to strategize when you have no clue of who you will actually play.

OK, there would have to be a televised production of the Championships, so the rest of those playing week 1 and back home would have viewing access as usual to the following Saturday Championship Matches. Invited Teams are rotated based on when they last played as far as week 1 or 2 at Champs (or by simple luck of the lottery draw each year).

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Just throwing out some other ideas here.


We are growing, growing, GROWING! BIG Change is HERE! (So, get used to it!) Be the problem...Or.....Be the solution. Rant over.

There's my $0.32 cents after reading 815 postings in 1 single sitting.
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