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Originally Posted by Karthik
Andy,
Here are some scoring stats from 2004 that I collected.
Granite State -- Average Score: 55.7
UTC -- Average Score: 72.2
Northeast Average: 63.9
Great Lakes -- Average Score: 49.6
Detroit -- Average Score: 52.0
Midwest -- Average Score: 65.5
W. Mich -- Average Score: 72.7
Midwest Average: 59.5
I'm not going to try and draw some large scale conclusions from a limited set of data, which clearly has some flaws. But, if the Northeast was so much more defensively oriented as you say, you would think there would be a much greater scoring disparity.
Maybe you'd care to educate us on some of the great Northeast defensive robots of the alliance era. For me, only two teams really come to mind, 121 and 61.
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Well Karthik, I shall answer your challenge....
First of all, average scoring doesn't necessarily mean much...here is why...
In a competition where defense was very abundant, the UTC Regional and Granite State regional had its fair shair of lobsided matches. Usually one team would play severe defense while the other two would score. When you couple this strategy with a robot that doesn't move on the field...you get a 2 on 1 advantage to one of the alliances. This results in high scores on one side, and not so much on the other. When the teams are more equal, and the scores are closer...the average score will go down. I think if you look at the scores you will find when the teams are good, in many cases the score is closer to 45-40. When you have good teams ganging up on weaker ones, you get your 70-80 point rounds.
As for the defensive giants...bad move challenging me on this one Karthik
deep breath...
Ok we'll start back in 1995 with what might be the most defensive robot to ever play the game. Gael Force (Team 126) out of Clinton Mass entered the national finals with a robot by the name of Big Bopper. During the finals, GF would wait for a team to get up on the ramp and start scoring...they would then climb the ramp, bowl over the scoring robot, and spend the rest of the round scoring with its opponent on its side.
Next we will go to 1997, Rhode Warriors and Hyper (currently team 121 and 69). The inventors of the most defensive and contraversial device of its time...the tipping device. Doesn't get more defensive than that. So much that FIRST had to change the rules to prevent it from happening again.
1999, team 176 Aces High...yes I realized they teamed up with the Juggernauts...another one of the defensive exceptions to the rule in the midwest...Aces was strong on the puck, and could hold of anyone with its arm...you would later see them utilize that same technology in Stack Attack.
2000, Defense isn't all hitting. What could be the most dangerous robot of all time, team 131 Chaos had a ball stealer that litterally could only be stopped by its destruction in the national finals. The team that was highly responsible for that destruction...team 157, Aztechs out of Malborough Mass.
2003, 126 and 121...wedges of death. 176 aces high strong on top once again.
2004, team 61, so powerful it was rediculous. Team 237, guarding the bar with its shimmy device. Team 88 who made a living out of hooking on the bar, and charging at anyone who came close to the top of the platform. Team 131 who would sit on top of the platform and wait for anyone who challenged them. Team 501, who was so fast and dangerous that all they had to do was cause havoc and get on the bar. 190, who was the only team to attempt to steal a ball from one goal and move it to another...all while blocking the bar...the ultimate defensive robot. Team 69...see team 501.
2005...
Ok, lets put it this way...you can take that whole team list from both the BAE and UTC regional...you can watch the video, and you can see for yourself...almost every team is defensive.
Team 42 is a defensive powerhouse every year. 69 always knows how to hit when necessary. 88 is one of the most defensive minded teams in the game today. 121...self explanitory. 126, might not do the hitting themselves this year, but believe me, every strategy they used had a defensive robot. 131 puts the hits on when they have to, as well as 134 penbroke. 157 never has an issue pulling out the slams when need be. EVERY UTC TEAM IN THE BOOK. WPI used its multidirectional drive to ONLY PLAY DEFENSE! 501 was so defensively agressive that they got knocked out of the tourney because of it. How about Leominster 549...they can dish it. As well as Montey Tech.
Wait! We aren't done!
At UTC...
Once again your usual...69, 126, 157, All UTC Teams, 195...one of the top 3 defensive robots in the region. Possibly top 10 in the world. 236 uses speed for offense, but in a second will turn to defense to protect all of its points. 716 also extremely defensive. 1071 made a carreer out of stealing tetras from other robots (see the finals for proof). 1099 was strong...1100 would sacrifice their robot to make sure they blocked for you!
I'm sorry Karthik buddy, you are barking up the wrong tree if you want to challenge me on this one. The only thing I can suggest, come see it for yourself. FIRST in New England is a whole different ball game, and i guarentee anyone who has been here from out of town will back me up.
-Andy Grady