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Score it by hand if you have to but make the change...
Andy,
I agree that it will not be easy for FIRST to change this system (especially the scoring program). However, to say that it is not easy is not to say that it should not be done. FIRST should score it by hand if they have to but I believe it is in the best interest of FIRST to make the change.
The Championships are THE showcase for FIRST to media and, perhaps as importantly, the execs who decide to pay the bills at FIRST (or not) based largely on their view of FIRST from the Championship Event.
It is my belief that this will do damage to the image of FIRST with some of the most important supporters that FIRST has. Confusing them and/or giving them a bad image of FIRST is not in FIRST's best interest.
Exciting elimination rounds with teams fighting to win to advance is important for FIRST.
FIRST can change this if they want to. I believe that even at this late date, they should want to.
Joe J.
P.S. As to why I did not push for this earlier, I was willing to give the system a chance, but the more time I gave it, the more I became convinced that the system was damaging to FIRST's long-term interests. At Grand Rapids, I spoke to a number of folks who were saying things like "I've heard that FIRST was considering changing the elims in TX" The more I heard it, the more I thought it was worth the bother trying to convince FIRST of the wisdom of changing, even at this late date... ...so I am trying. Perhaps in vain but with the best of intentions.
P.P.S. To those who say that they have always played to win and that the events are just as exciting as is, all I can say is you were not viewing the same matches as I saw. Certainly at the Great Lakes Regional, at the Midwest Regional and at the Western Michigan Regional, the winners of the first match were not trying to win their second match so much as trying to make sure they could not lose the ROUND by making sure the score of the MATCH was low enough to guarantee advancing (It was clear from the actions of the teams that winning the match was secondary).
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