[miketwalker]

I think that yes, location can be very important. As many others have said, I know that when I'm in the pits... and something goes wrong... I often rely on the teams next to me and say "Hey, can you lend me a hand?" and they do the same back. I think that after a few days you have really learned each others robots because you've worked with them to help them... as well as understand how they think strategically, and thus it's easier to strategize in finals, making them a logical partner.

As you see with almost all teams, the first day is scouting day... because you have no experience with any of the teams' robots. By the end, you still probably have only worked with a team your considering once on the field, so you really don't have much of an impression, and like I said, in the pits... you have alot of working together time. That's my view on it.