[Steve Wherry]

I feel that it was a domino effect this year. The complaining started immediately after the first week of regionals due to the match algorithm and then gained momentum.

When competition, pressure, time commitment, and large expenses overlap, it is natural for people to speak out, and sometimes we do it without thinking about who we are affecting...and gracious professionalism is lost or compromised.

Team 229 had to win the Long Island Regional or they would lose funding from a major sponsor. They were extremely classy in handling this situation, but how many other teams might be in the same situation? The impact of a match can be critical. Therefore, team members get upset because sponsors want results, and funding can depend on it.

As more teams have existed for more years, expectations increase, and the need to "Just Win Baby" increases. This is not a good thing, but again it is human nature. Everyone, as already stated needs to take a deep breath and think about why we all do this. If the answer is to win, then you need to take another deep breath and a huge step back.

We wouldn't be a part of FIRST if we didn't love it; and we will all continue to be a part of it... still competing and wanting to win, still mentoring and helping our students be the best they can be, still helping other teams grow and learn, and still helping one another by sharing on CD and in the pits...and still discussing critical issues in FIRST.