[Matt Howard]

I've been involved with FIRST for 6 years now, and in those 6 seasons I've seen a lot of changes. I remember the pre-bumper days, plastic tetras, the IFI feud, and the static blasted CRIO's of last season.

However, I've never seen something comparable to what I have seen this season.

I've never seen a season where teams have actively considered going onto the field and doing their worst, because scoring 0 wouldn't allow the other alliance to travel as far in the rankings.

I've never seen a season where a legitimate strategy for gaining position in the rankings, was to score for the other team.

I've never seen a season where nearly every match was decided by how many penalties were accumulated by the competing alliances. (although 2008 was arguably this way as well)

I've never seen a season where nearly every team brought to the event, a functionally identical machine.

Call me old fashioned, crude, or whatever you like. I am not a fan of this game, these rules, the ranking system, and the overall direction FIRST seems to be heading.

Just my .2