Best Finals Ever Seen...

[Brian Savitt]

Just out of curiousity which regional and what year finals were the best you have ever seen?

Brian Savitt

[David Kelly]

Well, this year at the 2001 Motorola Midwest Regional I had the privilage of driving for Cyber Blue in the 234, 71, 111, 112, 269 Alliance. It was the allinace that scored the first 710pts of the year. I didn't get to watch it from the stands, but from what I saw from looking at the crowd, it looked pretty exciting. It could also be that it was my favorite because it was the first time for us to have ANY success, not just winning the whole da' gon' thing. That was my favorite finals.

[Joel J]

First match of the 2000 nationals....

This was the match in which RAGE got the highest score of the season (84) until a day later, when an alliance beat us (after a tie breaker) and got the new highest score (93)...

I'll never forget that match....

[Chris Orimoto]

Though I've only seen it on webcast, I'd have to say that the NASA Langley VCU Regional had the best finals. They weren't high-scoring at all, but the machines' lack of a double-goal balancing capability really added more of a strategical essence to the game. I know not too many people enjoyed that regional because it was so low scoring...only my take on things...

Just my personal thoughts...

Chris

[Jessica Boucher]

VCU was good, I have to agree, but the only thing that really bothered me was the "Virginia Balance" (most widely used in VA, this balance of the bridge includes balancing so that one end of the bridge is juuuust off the ground, so that the refs have to stick a piece of paper under it).

But other than that, I agree about the different strategies there.

[Matt Leese]

My vote goes for the finals (as in the one to determine the regional winner) at NJ this year. Having the #2 alliance put up a really high score (anyone remember what it was exactly?) in the 5th match and then have the #1 alliance come back and match that score exactly was quite exciting. I guess part of that comes from the fact that my team was helping to cheer on the X-Cats (it's the whole Rochester thing ) down by the field but it still was an experience.

Matt

[Brian Savitt]

The score we put up was 552, I dont think I will ever forget that number for a while....

Brian Savitt

[Joe Ross]

My favorite finals of all time were the '97 nationals (Toroid Terror) between Beatty and Hammond and Chief Delphi.

Beatty was the offensive machine and Delphi was in the finals because of their defense. It went all 3 rounds. Beatty took the first and the third, with Delphi winning the second one by a matter of inches.

As for this year, I definetly have to say the VCU finals. In each match, the score was raised (only finals where I saw that). In the fifth match, the alliance score what seemed like an impossible score, considering that each alliance could only balance one goal. Then to have the other alliance come back to beat it made it the most exciting that I watched.


I also have to make a correction to Joel's post. At the San Jose regional 64 and 368 scored 29 points and lost the tie breaker to 330 and 372. That is 87 qualifying points. Don't forget that the west coast teams can score too

[Joel J]

Originally posted by Joe Ross

I also have to make a correction to Joel's post. At the San Jose regional 64 and 368 scored 29 points and lost the tie breaker to 330 and 372. That is 87 qualifying points. Don't forget that the west coast teams can score too

Sorry about that. I remember Woodie saying this right after the match "First game of the day, and we already have a new high score. Are we gonna let this stand!?...can we beat it!? -and the crowd pepping went on-" I guess that swayed me.....

[Nate Smith]

I may be slightly biased here, but take a look at this set of matches:

Match 1 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 560 (0:42 remaining)
Match 2 (Teams 71,33,85,301,1) - 488 (0:40 remaining)
Match 3 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 568 (0:42 remaining)
Match 4 (Teams 71,33,85,301,1) - 620 (1:08 remaining)
Match 5 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 248 (0:03 remaining)

When 66 & co. posted that 568 in the 3rd match, they were sure they had it clinched...that had tied the highest score of the event thus far (568 in Elim Match 1-3 by 71 & co.) But then that 620 showed up...

[Justin]

Okay,

All Time:
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Well the best finals I've ever seen were for me the 1996 New England Regional. For a couple of reasons. One my team was in them. Two, matches were decided by INCHES!!!! I kid you no refs were using laser pointers and tape measures to score matches thats how close some of these things were. It was just a great finals. Nashua HS and Lockheed Sanders were an aswsome opponent and got us in the end...by inches.

Other - BattleCry (1) 2000:
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These finals were probably some of the roughest matches I've ever seen. Looking back on 2000 I think it was a great year. Socring was pretty easy to deal with. 2on2 kept the excitement in it. But BattleCry in 2000....wow...just wow. I remember sitting there watching all 4 teams on the field booking it for the ramp and that bar...there were matches were all four teams were hanging on teh bar...and your jaw just dropped wide open. Not to mention there were robot's flying, falling, tipping, etc. I think that the BattleCry 1 finals were definetly amoung the most intense FIRST battles I've ever witnessed.

This Year:
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This year I would have to say that the finals in NJ were probably my favorite. It came down to all _6_ mattches. Finally at the end it was Still Tied!!! The tie breaker used was Average Score throughout the finals. Those around me explained that the loosing team had essentially lost by a single black ball. Had the managed to put an extra one in the last round they would have one or @ least had the highest average score or something to that effect. So those were the best matches I saw from the 2001 season.

-Justin

[Mike Soukup]

I've got to agree with Nate. Even though the 710 at MWR was exciting, the back and forth matches at WMR was better. When our alliance got the 568 (by virtue of a ~15 foot shot by 111's human player) most of us thought it was over. Then Beatty surprised everyone when they skipped the second big ball and finished in < 60 sec

[Mimi Brown]

I may be slightly biased here, but take a look at this set of matches:
Match 1 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 560 (0:42 remaining)
Match 2 (Teams 71,33,85,301,1) - 488 (0:40 remaining)
Match 3 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 568 (0:42 remaining)
Match 4 (Teams 71,33,85,301,1) - 620 (1:08 remaining)
Match 5 (Teams 66,74,111,535,302) - 248 (0:03 remaining)

Wow. I definatly agree. Even though we didnt make it to the final matches, just watching finals at WMR was such a rush.

~Mimi

[Anthony S.]

That was my favorite match, I had played in every single match that my team was in. I was a 6'3 human player. We were allied with team 33. Who were awesome balancers. Even though our robot didn't get to do anything, I did. The team 33 human player didn't want me putting balls in at all, he was going to do both goals. I talked him into letting me do one of them telling him I was very reliable which I was. Somehow I ended up doing the other goal too. I put all 20 balls in both goals without 1 loose ball. I was sooo happy. #33 human player gave me a big hug and was shocked. That was the first time I had done both goals, too bad it had to be our last match.