[DougHogg]

My hope is that FIRST has been thinking about changing the format for some time, and that the people at FileMaker have been helping them to do so. After all FileMaker is known for being flexible and easy to use, versus other such programs. So here is a challenge. Let's see if you can pull it off in time.

I am very keen to change the format, because I want to know which is the best robot. Sure some luck is always built into the game, but part of what I come to the events for is to see whose solution is the best, and to learn from that solution.

This year, there is too much luck. If a team wins 70 to 65 in the first match, they have not shown that their solution is clearly the best.

True, after 2002, FIRST teams wanted scoring consistency between qualifying and elimination rounds. Well we were wrong as far as this year's game is concerned. I am sorry. Please don't beat me over the head for my error.

FIRST, please change the scoring to best 2 out of 3 and restore the excitement of previous years. I don't want to sit threw any more matches where the leader is deliberately not scoring, turning it into a non event.

(If you need help with the FileMaker stuff, let me know.)