[sanddrag]

Where I was going with that is that I feel that some teams are satisfied with what they have when I know they can strive for more. I know there are teams that try their absolute hardest to get sponsors and they don't and try their absolute hardest to build a functioning robot and can't and try their absolute hardest to win and come in last place. That is perfectly okay. But I also know some teams that don't care worth a darn if their robot even gets finished much less what it looks like and I think they are cheating themselves. If you could use a milling machine instead of a cordless drill would you? If you could write a program to make the robot easier to drive rather than having the driver struggle with the joysticks would you? If you could measure with calipers instead of a tape measure would you? If you could have custom aluminum wheels instead of the same ones that come in every kit would you? If you could have engineers help you would you let them? If you could go to two regionals instead of one would you? Sadly (imho) many teams answer "no" to some or several of the above questions. And it is not a matter of being able to do it; it is a matter of wanting to do it. I think too many teams say "eh, one regional is okay" or "eh, the cordless drill works fine" instead of saying "we CAN fundraise to go to two regionals" and "we CAN find a sponsor with a milling machine" etc etc.

Plain and simple, I think some teams don't try hard enough.

Basically, I guess I just have a "good enough isn't" philosophy and I believe too many teams are too content with their situations and not striving for more as they should be.

Sorry for the detour, now back to the thread...