[JackN]

Here are seven robots that I hold very near to my heart and have truly inspired me.

233 2005-Every time one of these threads comes up, I bring up this robot. This was the first robot that ever made me stop and say "Wow." For those who didn't see it that year, imagine their robot this year only it was better. To this day I think they were the best robot on Archimedes in 2005 (It was basically this year's Curie it had 27, 71, 179, 980, 1114 and three other robots we will get to later).

191 2005-My first competition was the inaugural 2005 Finger Lakes Regional, and one of the teams I scouted was team 191. The X-Cats put out the coolest designed robot there and finished with the second seed where they picked us. After the most exciting finish in the history of FIRST (Leaning center stack, I nearly died waiting to see how it was scored) our alliance won. They again picked us on Archimedes and we made it to the finals. This robot was probably the reason I stayed in FIRST.

217/245 2005-If 191 had the robot that helped make my first year great, then these two built the robots that made my first year a sad time. For those that don't know 245 built the most underrated robot of all time and 217 built the robot that has most influenced every team this year. These two won both Detroit (Knocking us and 1213 out) and Archimedes (knocking out us and 191). These two made me want to build better and better robots so that they wouldn't destroy us.

85 2005-If PINK built my favorite robot of all time, then 85 built my second favorite. It was the most interesting design I have ever seen. Their gripper was like a vending machine that rotates and dispenses candy bars. Plus it flipped around and they had another, it was insane.

469 2007-Their 2006 robot was their best, but this was by far their coolest and most innovative. Look at GLR and then Detroit. They completely redesigned their gripper in two weeks. They really pushed the bar of what can be done in six weeks and built a robot that I will never forget.

1114 2007-There have been many robots that are "the best ever" but this robot was something more. It pushed the game into ways no one else went. Everything down to the flag holder was intricately designed and fabricated. Top it off, they played some of the most flawless matches I have ever seen and dominated the game. They have become the 01-02 Beatty of the Serpentine draft era.