[Amanda Morrison]

I think it's almost unanimous- everyone loves the A/V board. Tell me now... how are teams going to fare at nats on the Einstein Field? That will certainly be a sight (pun intended).

Although I realize that FIRST is a program that takes up a lot of time and money, I think sometimes there is inefficient funding uses going on. A DJ isn't necessary... I'm positive one of the teams would volunteer and play songs from their own Morpheus lists and home CD collections. I believe music like at IRI this past year was the exact same quality of the official FIRST competitions. I wonder how much money they're blowing on someone to play a couple techno songs and the macarena?

Also, the team party looks as though it's been voted out by this forum. I realize that FIRST is only trying to integrate fun in the competitions, but I think I had more fun playing Twister on the plastic grass in Florida than I did at any team party. FIRST goes through a lot of hard work and effort to provide teams with those parties, but sometimes they just seem unnecessary.

Lastly, I realize that everyone loved having an event like Mandy Moore at the end of nationals this year. How many people would like to have the A/V board instead of a show at the end? Personally, I thought the concert was incredibly cool, and I did stick around for a part of it, but after while I just wandered into Epcot to have some fun. I think I'd rather see what's going on in the matches than have Mandy Moore tell me she wants to be with me.

All in all, I feel a little ungrateful for all that FIRST has provided in the last year. I love all the little bonuses and extras that we get when involved with the program, but if worse comes to worse, they could really cut back in the extras and still provide accurate and helpful things (like the A/V board) for teams.

over and out.