[archiver]

Posted by Wayne Cokeley at 04/11/2001 6:27 PM EST


Coach on team #25, Raider Robotix, from North Brunswick Twp. H.S. and Bristol-Myers Squibb.


In Reply to: Re: The point is....
Posted by Jason Iannuzzi on 04/11/2001 3:47 PM EST:



: I thought Team #25 did an absolutely incredible job of defense last year. Holding that big arm out over the goal was more effective than any other defense I saw.

: Yes, pushing and shoving is one possible way to play defense, and it's usually the easiest, but you can never win a game on defense alone.

: While eliminating defense makes many offensive options easier, it most certainly decreases our total number of options.

: Regardless, like other people have said on numerous occasions before, the mission of FIRST is to get HS students interested in engineering. If the best way to accomplish that is through a big robot sumo match, so be it. We can have the friendliest competition in the world, but if noone wants to watch, and in turn participate, it's all for naught. In this case, the end most certainly justifies the means.

: If it helps my argument any, several of the students on my team are considering competing in BattleBots. I have to believe if FIRST was a little more bullish this year, that wouldn't be the case.

Thanks Jason-
Both for the kind words and saving me the need to write a letter myself. Defense in the game allows a whole new approach to the problem. We honestly felt as a team that our innovative approach to last year's game was taken as "bending the rules" by FIRST and that it contributed to their decision to elimination of all defense from this year's game. Oddly, we never heard another word from FIRST after we left Orlando last year despite coming away in the first place alliance. I am convinced we stepped on somebodies toes by playing the game "backwards". Nonetheless, if we are given the chance again, we'll consider doing it! Originality is the path to ingenuity.

WC