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Originally Posted by phrozen solyd
Our team has spent the last 7 years trying to share what we have with other teams around the nation, as well as building a competitive robot.
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This statement couldn't be any more true. I can't count how many times Team 100 has needed a part and turned to 254, or had to use their mobile shop, among other things. Anytime anybody needs anything, Team 254 will be there doinhg their best to help. You don't win Nation Chairmans Award for no reason.
One instance in particular stands out to me. In 2004 we went into the last week of build with a robot that was over 30 lbs overweight. When 254 found out, a team member personally called me and offered for us to come down and setup shop in their lab for the last week, so that we could work together to do whatever we could to get underweight. You wouldn't expect that from most people, but that's ordinary for the Cheesy Poofs.
Like Bill, when I started my FIRST career, I too looked at the Cheesy Poofs as being "handed everything" and it was unfair, they couldn't possibly have done any of that themselves, etc, etc.
I have to say, now that I actually know what FIRST is about (not the robot folks, it's just a means to an end) I'm ashamed I ever acted like I did. I'm good friends with members of 254, and I have an insight into what really goes on, rather that what I convinced myself, out of ignorance, was happening.
This anecdote relates specificaly to 254, but the same goes for every team out there. You cannot accuse them
OF A SINGLE THING until you've been on that team and know how it works, or been around them a whole heck of a lot. As I've repeatedly said, even if they
did have all engineers build it,
who cares? if the students are being inspired (and they clearly are) who are you to tell them how to run their program?
If everyone who spent their time criticizing 254 and other successful teams spent half as much effort trying to improve their own, and strive for the goals that the Poofs do, FIRST would be a much better place.