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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #246, a FIRST-aholic, from John D. O'Byrant High School/Boston Latin Academy and NSTAR/Boston University/UTC/Raytheon/MassPEP.

Posted on 8/2/2000 3:57 PM MST


In Reply to: Is the Chairman's Award fixed? I believe so..... posted by Vinny Bushemi on 8/2/2000 2:47 PM MST:



I can't say that I can do either...

I will, with ALL HONESTY, that I many a time felt that some awards were given to teams because of who they were and were sponsored by, and not solely on their merits... I am by no means judging whether or not the teams that have won it 'deserved' it.. but I would be lying to say I haven't thought the same things as Vinny before..

From personal experience, I know and agree that Team #23, Boston Edison/PNTA deserved the award by far. And from my high interaction with many teams.. I will also say that I am excessively disappointed to have not seen Team #175 Buzz go away from Nationals with that clock yet... I know as well of the good things Delphi has done... I can't with much fairness say on the others..

That's why I never brought the subject up.. but since it is here... I can't say I disagree....

I've experienced for myself what it's like to be on a team with some $$ and a team who could barely afford to attend nationals.. with the former.. we had a fighting chance to win Chairman's.. on my team now, i really don't think we do.. and the money has made the difference.. sponsor involvement and support, both financially and with man-power, make an incredible difference in what kind of 'things' you can do that would put you in the running for chairman's award.. a bunch of high school and college kids from Boston don't have the opportunity, ability, or time to achieve some of the great things the well-funded and well-staffed teams have... Money gives you access to the tools needed not only to make a Chairman's Award that is presentable.. but to do the things worth writing about...

So, maybe all teams over the past 6 years have deserved the award.. I'm not about to agrue with any judges or anyone of you.. but as a general fact, I would definite state that funding gives teams a much better advantage to win.. that's of not fault of the team, companies that are big into FIRST and can spare much $$$ are great...

This subject has been broached before regarding robots and how some teams can 'afford' to build better bots.. and I think it's the same for the Chairman's... MONEY IS A KEY RESOURCE IN THIS GAME.. and some of us, not matter how much we try, just can't be up to 'caliber' because we don't have it..

If you look at it objectively.. i think Vinny's got a point...