We seem to have hijacked the OP's thread.
David,
What I consider to be a great part of the competition aspect is strategy. Many teams study each other via the Blue Alliance and videos and communicate with each other throughout the season, networking and building a strong foundation of respect and understanding. In my opinion, ChiefDelphi serves that purpose: building respect with one another.
Granted, there are teams that wing it - stumbling through build and the competition season without fully preparing as a competitive team that can be viewed as a prospective alliance partner by other FRC teams. Sometimes, it takes years to gain respect and to learn to understand the opportunities that avail themselves to those who pay attention, are willing to learn from the best, and dig deeper into understanding what it means to be a competitive FRC team. True, there are members of teams, and perhaps, whole teams, who are in it for the experience, regardless of how well they compete. If you think about it - a lot of money has been spent just to have an experience. At some point, the individual and the team, as a whole, has to step up to the plate and take some well-practiced swings, focused on hitting one out of the park.
There are robotics competitions that switch out drivers in each match. BEST is one of those events. What we have learned when competing in BEST - is to have the driver selection process in place and enforce it. When the drivers have garnered their positions - then they have to commit to serious practice times before each competition, learning how to work together as a team in order to support each other and compete well. The robot doesn't drive itself - even in autonomous. It takes brains, know-how, strategy, practice, and communication in order for the robot to perform well and consistently in every aspect. The guinea pig time, if there is going to be any, should be in the shop, not on the field.
I love the quote in my signature and I'm glad to see it quoted. That said - it has to be applied to the discussions that you like to generate. It's about digging deep and learning from the process. It is not about staying in one place, spinning your wheels all the time, generating noise.
One more thought - in this competition you have the opportunity to work with, compete with and against, and learn from the best in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. That is no small thing. They should not be considered guinea pigs by any stretch of the imagination. They should be considered role models and leaders who are very knowledgeable and experienced.
Take time to absorb some of the responses made to your posts, David. Absorb them, think about them, and look at them from a different perspective. They are gifts.
Jane