Quote:
Originally Posted by AB755
I think you have it right Don, and it would not be a sacrifice.
A full day of practice on Thursday is a waste at a Championship level event. A full Thursday practice was part of the schedule at the MI Championship and it was not necessary.
I agree, run matches Thursday afternoon. Of course it is too late to change this year, but there is always next year!
|
Perhaps for a lot of teams at the national a full day of practice is unnecessary, but for some it can be crucial. You forget that a large number of teams do not make it to the championships based on their robot, but on other factors. One award that earns a spot in Atlanta is specifically for rookie teams, who may have more work to do than others. And given the number of teams who get damaged in late matches at regionals, or who want to try to make some improvement or change, that full day is crucial. Also consider that the full day for changes can act as a buffer for any of the international teams, in case of any sort of travel delay.
It is true that for lots of the veteran teams, a full day of practice is not necessary, but it can be a godsend for newer teams, or any team that has had the misfortune to sustain serious damage, be it from a regional competition, a shipping problem, or anything else.
It would be nice to get more matches to help teams get more action for their dollar and to help rankings truly reflect the quality of the team and their robot, but if the matches start too soon, the rankings might be skewed against some teams that have truly amazing machines.