Posted by Lora Knepper at 2/6/2001 7:05 PM EST
Other on team #73, Tigerbolt, from Rochester Institute of Technology / Edison Tech HS and Alstom.
In Reply to: ewwwwww
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 2/6/2001 8:27 AM EST:
I've had the privilage of working with the members of team 209 over the past two years, and I'd have to say they embody more gracious professionalism than I ever thought was possible. Both their students and adult members have made a great impact on me, and I know my old team as well. Don't count this little team from Dighton-Rehoboth, MA out by any count! Good luck this year guys
)
As for Andy's little dilemma, I've had both the experience of a "third wheel" team, and one of the players in the elims. Never once have I regretted the decision of our allies to keep us off the field in '99 - it was the best choice they could have made at that time. In '00, I have often thought that the "third wheel" team would have been a better choice to field, but since we were not the picking team, we deferred to their decision. They after all were the ones that got us there.
In this case, I think things will run quite similar. The higher seeded team simply has that "right" to choose it's partners for a match. It's the privilage of doing well in seeding. I think, however, the best alliances will be those that honestly look at their allies, and where that difficult decision to step down and let the others play will be made, if it is needed.
One of the toughest things is to watch from the side of the field with your 'bot and be powerless to help your alliance. That takes courage, and to step down yourself to let another, perhaps better team play, takes guts and gracious professionalism.