[Rich Kressly]

Hmmmmm, I have a few thoughts here:

1. Lots of motors in the kit means cool off season projects for many teams who can't afford extra purchases. They also mean spares for swapping the FIRST way. It certainly adds to the whole power budget decision-making thing too which is a challenge in itself.

2. I don't know about too much drive train or restricting use at all. Last year I had a rookie team that used a grand total of five motors and was pretty competitive by the off season once the bugs got worked out. This year the team is up to seven motors and that was a stretch for us. Do I feel we will be less competitive than those with custom or expensive gearboxes? No.

3. I'm all for any motors in the kit we can get. Doesn't each motor represent one more potential supplier? Isn't that one way FIRST grows? How can you ask a supplier to donate a ton of stuff then tell the teams that they can only use the motor for certain applications? Doesn't that squelch creativity and discourage potential suppliers?

4. Why are people still talking about aftermarket gearboxes in a negative way? Hasn't that been done to death? More competitive, moving robots means a higher level of exposure to the public means we are closer to achieving FIRSTs real mission. How is that bad? Without the AndyMark single speeds my rookie is using, they'd be carrying open transmissions to a regional waiting on new plates.

5. With all due respect, how can anyone equate or value levels of "inspiration" by what motors are in the kit? The inspiration comes from the interaction between students and mentors, teammates, and interaction with other teams. The tools one uses to inspire an individual is up to the "teacher".

I'm glad we have so many technically inclined folks that help the program move forward, I honestly do, but if we get tied up in kit analysis we might forget there's a student that needs our attention.

Namaste...