There are many factors that go into how my team (and I in general) try and pick people. Obviously the robot is a big part of it and driver skill is almost as big, but being friendly and working well with us is a significant boost. If a team has a qualifying match with us they are significantly more likely to be bumped up or down the list because we know exactly how to work with them.
I couldn't agree more about 2826. Basically 2826 was "the whole package" at Minnesota; an extremely competitive robot at the regional, very easy and fun to work with, with very smart minds coming up with great strategy (guess that's what happens to your team when you work with Tyler Olds). We knew before lunch on the first day that they would be first on our list. Good things are coming from a team that has it together like that. Some of the coolest people I've ever worked with. I could never be dissapointed working with them.