[Lil' Lavery]

I whole-heartedly agree with the concept behind this post.
I do think people need to think before they post though, and many thoughts, comments, and criticisms are often posted while teams/individuals are still hot about an issue and it comes across the wrong way, or is an isolated event that doesn't even really merit discussion in the first place. Sometimes it seems like people are nit-picking or kicking a dead horse about certain issues. Others there are legitimate concerns that are worthy of further investigation.

I feel this also applies towards opinions and discussions of teams as well. Not in so much how they are discussed (and frankly, many times people have ignored the principles of GP when discussing other teams they dislike), but in the general viewing of how other teams operate. Many seem to forget this is a competition, and that the goal of a competition is to win. As a result, teams that openly have the goal of succeeding in competition are often ridiculed and harassed. These teams operate fully within the rules and guidelines of FIRST, and I hate to see teams blasted for using their mentors in different ways, declining (or picking a team that will decline) a selection, or working to improve their RP. Many of these teams are also among the best and brightest in virtually every other aspect of FIRST as well, including spreading the message of FIRST. Just because they remember the professionalism in GP, and that it is professional to do your job at competition well (ie win), doesn't mean they aren't gracious.