ChrisC is definitely an asset and I definitely agree that the keeper can be huge.

We lost the first Final match at St. Louis by one tube. We scored our first tube 22 seconds in. The next 38 seconds was spent trying to extricate ourselves from a major robot pile up involving us, the Thunder Chickens and Team 1444, who was eventually shut down, I guess because they couldn't get loose from Thunder Chickens arm. In the final minute we scored 4 more tubes as our alliance member, team 2133 held the technokats to three scattered tubes. We had the sixth tube right next to the spider leg as time ran out and the technokats ramped. Leaving us with a 38 to 32 loss. Would that keeper have helped? All I can say is, I have begged and schemed for the use of every available fixit window for autonomous mode developement. I was also happy to see team update #19 which could help the auto teams be more consistent.

Halfway through the second final match our gripper was damaged to the point it could not pick up tubes and I believe the Thunder Chickens were damaged as well. I don't think a keeper would have helped us there. But who knows if we could have repaired the damage and gone on to win in the third match if we had scored a keeper in the first match.

And in case JVN is reading this. Yes, you are an asset too. You may have had a little to do with building the robot and the 8 straight qualifying match wins and the 4 elimination match wins. It was a great ride and I can't wait for Houston.

ChrisR