[Jack Jones]

Ever hear of a shovel pass?

Here's what I'm thinking - pure speculation of course:

The rate of growth in FIRST teams has been in decline for the past five years. From 38 percent/year to less than 15 percent. Fifteen percent would not be too bad if it leveled off there, but the trend doesn't look good.

A number of us, Dr. Joe comes to mind, have argued that meaningful growth can not be expected without a TV friendly game. One that any couch potato can understand. One where a TV camera can focus on a single point of action, rather than a game like triple play with six robots, dozens of tetras, and nine goals. Not that Triple Play wasn't a great game to play. It was. But spectators want to be entertained, rather than watching others entertain themselves. And they don't like missing something that happened off-camera.

Most of us at the grass roots level who are trying to grow the game find it a very hard sell. Few potential sponsors know a thing about FIRST On the other hand, they know about NASCAR. Why? Because it's on TV - complete with sponsor logos plastered everywhere - and what is there to know, other than go fast - turn left?

So I hope these clues mean that we're going to play pool noodle football - with AstroTurfish carpet, yard lines, shovel passes, forward passes, flea flickers, and so on. Something that if/when put on TV the average Joe will understand well enough to keep him entertained, and prevent him from clicking the remote.