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| View Poll Results: Is Battlebots I.Q. a threat to FIRST? | |||
| Nope, true quality and decency will show through, XFL |
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77 | 34.53% |
| Although Battlebots will climb up, they won't be that big, think UPN vs. NBC, ABC, or CBS |
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56 | 25.11% |
| They will be on the same level, like American and National baseball leagues |
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39 | 17.49% |
| Battelbots IQ is a better concept and will triumph over FIRST |
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12 | 5.38% |
| Don't Care |
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39 | 17.49% |
| Voters: 223. You may not vote on this poll | |||
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#33
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To clarify a few things:
1. The cost of the two programs... BB IQ has ONE event in ONE city in the country - which means if your school is not from that city, it will cost anywhere from 10-40k to participate. I have spoken to a few teams who competed in BBIQ, and they all had to spend between 20-40k to build the robot and travel (air,hotel,food). However, FIRST has 17 (over 20 next year) events in the country - meaning it costs those schools MUCH less too participate in one FIRST event than BB IQ. The majority of teams I know of in California participate in FIRST with a budget below or around 10k. So the cost of FIRST is MUCH LESS than that of BB IQ for thousands of schools throughout the country located close to FIRST regionals. But if schools are close to FIRST and BB IQ, the costs are probably very similar, depending on the budget goals of the teams. 2. Teams with big budgets... I have spoke to many BB's teams who have spent 25-50k on their robots. When FIRST began, maybe most teams were corporate based with big budgets - but that is not the norm anymore, as the majority of the close to 700 teams are successful with budgets in the 10k range. Plus, many of the "big" budget teams in FIRST actually spend a great deal of their resources on mentoring, workshops, off season competitions, community outreach, and other wonderful things which give back & help other schools, students, kids - and that part of the budget doesn't go to their "robot" at all. It's a great thing those teams do, and something which makes FIRST unlike ANY other high school program. The "big budgets" of many FIRST teams actually help other teams in their area. Do some teams have big budgets in both programs - yes. Do many teams have small budgets in both programs - yes. 3. FIRST has shown for years (to the chagrin of many) that it will choose to control the message it sends to kids and control the values it wants to promote, knowing that not giving up control of the game, message to kids, and values of the program to Television costs it money and exposure. BB & BBIQ choose not to make that same sacrifice - nothing wrong with that, just two different paths. Educators, engineers, and all people in FIRST and I'm sure many in BB IQ are all for getting kids into science, math, technology, and engineering. They just disagree a bit on the social responsibility to not promote/glamorize violence. Can FIRST or BB's find a way to make the game a TV draw (ratings) without selling out and giving into the way CC sells robotics (sex/violence)? That is the challenge I would like to see either/both programs tackle. I wish people understood there is no competition between BBIQ and FIRST. The only thing about BBIQ which many educators and people who support FIRST object to is the end product, not what leads up to it. If BB IQ ever changed it's game so that it didn't promote violence, make violence the solution to problem (the way to victory), make violence sexy/fun, and so on - then there would be no debate - it would just be another great program and option for schools to participate in. But until it adopts a message and values which are acceptable to be promoted in a school atmosphere, then people will continue to debate if it should be in schools. Some have said "I still don't fully agree w/ your assertion that fighting robots is worse than full contact sports". This is a valid question. So here is my answer: It's how you win. That's it, that simple. I don't mind fighting robots, I consider FIRST robots to be fighting - just have rules. Teach kids there are rules, just like in real life. That you can compete, but you can't hurt/kill. Contact sports still have points, strategy, rules, and sportsmanship. Show kids that you win by doing better than your opponent without needing to kill/hurt/or disable them. That's the difference, at least to me. I have heard BB IQ supporters defend criticism by pointing out that high schools have wrestling teams. That is true - wrestling is a competitive sport with rules much like FIRST: train hard, try to be strong, fast, agile, powerful, smart, etc... but if you break rules such as bite, break an arm, poke a person in the eye, or try to cut the other wrestlers head off with a chain saw then YOU are the loser. BB IQ would be the equivalent of a school starting a WWF wrestling team - all the pre event training would hold value - but once competing, if the other competitor happens to be faster, stronger, bigger, smarter, more agile than you - then don't worry about training harder to come back better, you can still win if you just hit them over the head with a chair, bite them, poke them in the eye, or hey, just push them into a "kill saw". Any principal in the country would be fired instantly for supporting or promoting a WWF team to their students - and rightfully so. I have no problem with the WWF or BB's as entertainment shows on TV (I'd be lying if I said I didn't watch them on occasion or find them interesting). But what I find entertaining or fun outside of school really doesn't matter in the classroom - as a teacher I would be wrong to show/promote a WWF match in class. BB IQ has some good aspects similar to FIRST (kids building a robot, learning skills, challenging themselves, etc...), and I applaud those. But as long as violence is the end product, then the means to the ends don't justify it being a high school supported program. But it's not an issue of competition - if/when BB IQ decides to promote a game without violence being the way to victory, I, and I think many, would support it just like we support FIRST. We aren't in a business here (at least FIRST isn't) and the two programs aren't in competition, we are all in this to help kids and send them the right messages. I have met a number of the top people associated with BB IQ. They are greatly respected by many in the FIRST community, and it is much deserved respect. No one does or should question the intentions of those people, there is no definitive right or wrong. There is just a difference of opinion about where the line should be drawn when it comes to promoting/glamorizing violence to kids. In the wonderful, intelligent, and respectful exchange between Frank and Mr. B, I obviously agree that every school should do what is best for their kids. It's no secret that I would feel Frank, his team, and his school made the right decision. (Frank, look forward to meeting you and seeing your team at the 2003 regional). But I appreciate the views of everyone on this thread and think/hope it has raised some good questions, plus maybe cleared up some mistaken assumptions about both programs. I speak only for myself here and no one else, just my humble opinion. (I know, another long post...I apologize...but at least I post less than I did last year) ![]() JM Last edited by Jason Morrella : 22-04-2002 at 03:23. |
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