[Justin]

Does this update and rule perhaps speak to some larger issues? Someone in the thread mentioned that the people in charge at FIRST were not on a team and don't have those experiences this is true with some notable exceptions. But it seems like for a long time I and now it seems many others have wondered where is the responsiveness to teams from FIRST. It always bugs me that FIRST will issue updates like this WITHOUT consulting the teams. As Andy Baker said teams are smart, they build robots, they can figure this out out to. But FIRST doesn't ever go to the teams they just say "hey here is how we are doing this form now on." You would hope that FIRST could be more of a community and respect the community they have and be less like a product leaving teams with the only recourse they have in the business world, stop buying the product. I think though if you look back through the years there are countless examples of FIRST (and Dean/Woodie) ignoring the FIRST community and failing to tap the talent within. One example that sticks out in my mind is "The FIRST Song" who better to write a song about FIRST than those in FIRST what's more what a great opportunity for collaboration among teams (ala "We are the World"). On the flip side a good example of tapping team talent is the safety videos they do at kickoff.

My advice to FIRST is don't treat teams like your subjects, respect the community you've built, embrace that community, use the community to solve tough problems after all once upon a time that is what FIRST was about. Ignore this advice at the peril of the organization teams will stop buying a bad product.

Justin

P.s. Like others I include the disclaimer of I am not intentionally trying to pile on FIRST but perhaps this will be the tipping point or wakeup call. FIRST may be in charge but what are they without teams, and registration fees. I will continue to volunteer, and attend competitions because FIRST is an inextricable part of me. It's the teams who get it and it's the teams who can right things.