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Originally Posted by chrisfl
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Wisconsin, Carver (Midwest and Carson if you want to focus on the first seed)... I'd keep going but I don't need to.
I've always subscribed to the idea that winning is the highest priority. Winning is what gets you further and further each season. Of course, seeding high is generally a result of winning, but the seed itself doesn't decide how good you actually are, and it doesn't decide if you go to champs.
At an average-sized event, 45-60 teams, the last pick was better than the rest in some way. Even at an event with 30 teams, the 24th pick likely did something right, that placed them above the three other teams available to the first seed alliance. And, if they won the event, that last pick bot should be proud, because they contributed something to that first seed alliance that made it stronger than the rest, whether that be good defense, a simple yet effective pass-through assist, or the extra weight for two ramps plus the ability to put up a few extra points. Even a backup bot can contribute massively to an alliance. 1089 may have only played once in championship elims, but their immense patience and determination to help us in our cheesecake adventure was amazing. And, even in the one match they played, they made vital contributions to the alliance.
FRC isn't about blue banners, it's about inspiring students through hands-on engineering in a competitive setting. However, there's something undeniably inspirational about winning.