[Wetzel]

I disagree with the all go or only qualifications.
I would like to see all teams go. But making it only the teams that do well would, in my opinion, make the pressure to win that much more. I enjoy FIRST, it really dosn't matter if we win. Don't get me wrong, I would like to win and think it would be really cool to do so, but if we don't, I still had a really good time.
Also something to consider: a smaller national might not be cheaper. Higher densitys of people allow cost to be spread out over more people and teams, lowering the cost per team. Someone could go and figure out the optimum number of teams economically. Supply and demand curves...something I learned in school is useful!
I don't like the even/odd, but I also see that managing and running and space for nats were becoming problems with the size we were reaching. I think the even/odd is as good a limiter as any.
By allowing teams to qualify to go you get the good teams as well, so the finals at nats really are a national championship.