[Joe Johnson]

FIRST was in a tough spot. They had to find a balance between the realities of advanced travel plans and having a "Championship Event" (note that FIRST has stopped calling it the National Championship) worthy of the name.

I think they have done a great job with a difficult proposal.

In a sense, FIRST has said you have to be lucky (even/odd) or good enough in past years (Chairman's Winner, Finalist, Founding team -- staying in for 10 years is a worthy achievement, or points).

This is more or less the teams that get to go to the Championship Event. BUT... they have said if you are GOOD ENOUGH THAT A CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT WOULD SEEM HOLLOW WITHOUT YOU, YOU CAN GO. To make this claim FIRST has set up some criteria. If you meet the criteria, you can make the last minute plans to go.

BUT...

...It is my sense that FIRST tried to limit these teams that need to make last minute plans. So they made their "past year" criteria and their "lucky" such that the overwhelming majority of teams that qualify via "good enough this year" criteria would have been going to the Championship Event anyway.

So... I can assure you that if I have anything to say about it, Chief Delphi will be going to several regionals and trying to earn every award we can. More than that, I will encourage my teammates not to view us as displacing any team with any awards that we happen to bring home.

Joe J.