[thefro526]

Stogi,

Occasions like this are what Fueled me to do well. People in this thread are saying, "We haven't won a regional in xx years", "We didn't make it to the top 8 here", "We missed the elims there" but you have to remember that there's always a team that has it worse than you. Look at all of the teams out there that have been in this for 5,6,7,8 years and haven't made the eliminations in any of them. Or look at the teams who have never even gone to the Championship and you'll look at everything that goes on for your team in a different light.

My personal Disappointment story is this, 816 has never won an on-season event, made it to the finals by it's own merit or ever really done anything spectacular. In 2006 when I joined the team, we invested 5 weeks on a shooter that never materialized, so we were forced to use this half thought out dumping mechanism. We got to Philly and did ok, or as good as we could've done with what we had. We went to Atlanta that year and went 0-7 we were ranked dead last. In 2007 we fielded this hack job of a robot that came off of the field broken in 6 out of 7 matches in New Jersey, and half of the matches in Philly. We went to Atlanta, this time we went 2-5.

I looked at these two dismal seasons not with anger and envy but with a more scientific mentality. I picked them apart, I saw what was wrong with them and changed these things. Look at where 816 is now. Disappointment can be your fuel for greatness.

I'm not saying you don't have every right to be Envious and Upset, but you should use your energy for something good. Try to come back twice as strong next year. Just remember, this is one event out of many, one robot out of your legacy, and that you're not alone.

-Dustin.