[mtaman02]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

This is a competition, not an exhibition. In a competition, the goal is to win. If you are not trying to win, you are not competing.

Sandman FIRST was and will never about "Winning". The Reason FIRST has exsisted over the many years is b/c teams have been giving a task to complete in six weeks - whether they are funded or under funded. We all know and have experienced the Six Weeks of what I like to call (excuse my french) Hell. Six Weeks is a very short time to build a masterpiece have it tested and shipped. Whether you have a whole bunch of materials & money or not. Many Teams at the few regionals unpacked their robots into 2000 pieces and have close to 1 Day to build it and have it inspected. When friday comes around they may or may not have that rolling chassis (as my teacher calls it). Its the job of how ever many teams in that particular regional to help this one team get their robot rolling so that it can be at least be defensive. Espicially if you are their alliance partner. Anyone who settles on the belief that they are not obligated to help another troubled team is wrong. If you don't have all the required parts that they may need no problem - remember every little bit helps. I can understand that having one or two less teams on the alliance is unfair but if you at least try to help them out maybe they'll have a better chance of being an effective alliance partner. FIRST has and will always be about Team Work. Without Team work your nothing, Everywhere you go Team Work is applied in everything.

In 2003 I and a couple other alumni went to the NYC Regional w/ our team old team (522) there were many teams w/ either incomplete robots or completely non-functioning robots. Since 522's robot was working and needed very lil maintenance, the alumni and the many who helped build the robot set off into the pits and helped just about every team that needed help whether it was assembling the robot correctly or just helping w/ the necessary adjustments. The teams that we had helped seeded better then they would have just by having a rolling chassis and being able to be out on the field. This had been that teams goal since their inseption and continues to that day and that was to help any and every team that needed it. To me thats Team Work and Gracious Professionalism.

To me that story may or may not apply to this specific thread by does have some basis to whats being discussed. As I said before Its never about winning, Its about Team Work in achieving the task set forth, Its about Being Gracious and Professional to all the surrounding teams, Its about HAVING FUN.
Its what FIRST's all about.


Thats my $2.00 worth.