This week’s “Remember that thread?” spotlight the NASA Ames tipping controversy at the 1999 West Coast NASA Ames regional. I call it that because that’s what it is, and because there are 3 threads so I can’t easily use one of the titles.
Disqualification – Posted by Dan, Student on team #10, BSM, from Benilde-St. Margaret's and Banner Engineering.
http://web.archive.org/web/200105291...ssages/58.html
tipping robots - Posted by Austin, Other on team #47 from pchs.
http://web.archive.org/web/200107210...ssages/62.html
Gunn & Napa DQ VIDEO: DECIDE YOURSELF - Posted by Ben Chui, Other on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Gunn High School (CAL Berkeley) and Xerox PARC / NASA AMES.
http://web.archive.org/web/200107180...sages/150.html
Being there on the day when the robot I help built struggled in the semi-finals, when the last second that robot overcame all hardship and got to the top of the puck and win the match, only minutes later it got disqualified for that match, I continue to hold my own opinion of the referee’s call to this day. But that has nothing to do with choosing this thread ;-).
I chose this thread because it shows that regardless of what their opinion of that call was, the posters in these threads debated with the utmost respect for each other. Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean you can’t be gracious and professional at the same time.
Little things to notice in this thread:
A lot of veteran teams you see now were rookie teams at 1999. That fact will come up a lot in all 1999 threads.
The 1999 NASA Ames regional was the first west coast regional in the history of FIRST. Before 99, most west coast teams had to travel to Florida for Nationals to compete the first time.
Last, but not least, you may note a little “P.S.” by a certain “Jason” who claims that he will “never post a message this long again. I PROMISE. I just thought you might want to know the details”. Tsk Tsk Jason. You may be happy to know that I learn to make my posts loooong after seeing yours.