The best Final match yet? (SBPLI)

[Kevin Ray]

I've seen many of the finals matches thanks to SOAP and NASA, and most of them were truly awesome. I think, however, we might have had the best nail biter yet at the SBPLI regional.

The #1 seed 358 selected the #2 seed 271 (both awesome shooters even while being knocked around) and 870 (an all round solid robot). The #3 seed 329 (sweeper with 10pt corner auto) selected 353 and 1468 (both top and bottom shooters).

All teams had multiple auto programs so, to some extent, it was a chess match setting up. You might think that, "heck there are only three matches (best 2/3)". Nope!

358's alliance dominated scoring in the first round 96-52. In the second round 329's alliance dominated. In the third round with seconds left 358's alliance had all three bots on the ramp and a lock on the finals--until team 1468 raced over and shot 7 balls in the top to tie the score.
Round four auto was won again by 329's alliance but the computer scored the win for 358's alliance. They only put one ball in the top thanks to 1468's blocking and 329 scored it's 10 corner balls. Luckily I guess, (one of the 358 alliance members broke the 3" plane and was to be DQ'd) the round was eventually replayed.

In the FIFTH round 358's awesome alliance won!

The chant from the crowd was unanimously shouted, "One more time!"

I didn't mind losing that match up. We were beat by three great teams. I want to thank 353 and 1468 for being awesome partners to work with!!

[nuggetsyl]

nj sf match 1-2 we pushed 103 up one the ramp and then we got up with 3 secs left to take the win.

shaun

[thatphotochick]

just the suspense at pittburgh..not knowing what was going on, and the long passages of time it took for each match to take place...it might have even been better with the long waiting that the semifinals made to start the finals (the second semifinal had 4 matches, each 1-1, then a tie, then finally a win by 393's alliance).

[Towel]

I, as an active member of team 271, hated the way FIRST dealt with that last match. It was painful for me to see batteries being wasted like that. With every match played, there was more of a chance of some part of the robot breaking somehow. I wasn't excited at all, I was angry.

[Kevin Ray]

Originally Posted by Towel

I, as an active member of team 271, hated the way FIRST dealt with that last match. It was painful for me to see batteries being wasted like that. With every match played, there was more of a chance of some part of the robot breaking somehow. I wasn't excited at all, I was angry.

That is so true. We did, in fact, rip apart on of our wheels on the last match and couldn't drive onto the ramp. In each of the 3rd 4th and 5th matches at least one thing broke and had to have it repaired. Thankfully they allowed us 4 or 6 minutes between matches to do repairs/replacements.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Kevin Ray

That is so true. We did, in fact, rip apart on of our wheels on the last match and couldn't drive onto the ramp. In each of the 3rd 4th and 5th matches at least one thing broke and had to have it repaired.

I was standing behind our alliance with some of the 1468 team members when one of your alliance robots started to spit parts of their robot into one of the corner goals along with the balls.

The rapid turnaround of that overlong finals matchup had us all working on cobbled together patches to our robots to get them back on the field. Our alliance partner 870 just cut their shooter out of their robot entirely and went back on the field.

I though Mrs. Temps (1468) was going to have a breakdown from the intense excitement of coaching her team in those finals. She is an amazing woman to have carried the weight and responsibility of her team as the lone teacher and have brought them to the finals in three short years.

Originally Posted by Ken358

???? Can't remember the number but they had a Basket ball net inside. How cool. (maybe someone can help me with a number.)

You might be thinking of Uniondale HS, team 1537. They used a basketball net for their top-loader feed to a shooter into the low goals that worked very well.

Overall, I personally was impressed by the number of teams, such as, 527, 564, 271, 287, 533, and others successfully using the camera to target the high goal. Autonomous came a long way this year.

[Spindash54]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I was standing behind our alliance with some of the 1468 team members when one of your alliance robots started to spit parts of their robot into one of the corner goals along with the balls.

The rapid turnaround of that overlong finals matchup had us all working on cobbled together patches to our robots to get them back on the field. Our alliance partner 870 just cut their shooter out of their robot entirely and went back on the field.

I though Mrs. Temps (1468) was going to have a breakdown from the intense excitement of coaching her team in those finals. She is an amazing woman to have carried the weight and responsibility of her team as the lone teacher and have brought them to the finals in three short years.


You might be thinking of Uniondale HS, team 1537. They used a basketball net for their top-loader feed to a shooter into the low goals that worked very well.

Overall, I personally was impressed by the number of teams, such as, 527, 564, 271, 287, 533, and others successfully using the camera to target the high goal. Autonomous came a long way this year.

Yes, it was 1537. We were their next-door neighbors in the pits and they helped us with a few tools when we couldn't find ours. Their basketball net idea was ingenious, but only having one vetical ball pass through at a time ended in a clog and other balls bouncing out of their hopper.

We were very surprised when 870 cut their shooter, I believed it to be the beginning of the end for your alliances. And with 329's wheel coming apart, it was very tough getting everything better inbetween matches. That's why we don't like using the wheelchair wheels. They can't stand that much stress, which caused it to snap at the hub. When everything was over later, I saw the rear tread tire was starting to come apart on 353.

Temps was definatley going bezerk with everything happening. Running over to our partners after being selected was exciting enough to begin with, but 5 rounds of insanity added with damages after every match (our ball collector structure always got bent inwards) was unbelieveably incredible.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Spindash54

And with 358's wheel coming apart, it was very tough getting everything better inbetween matches.

I think you mean 329's wheel.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I still think MWR's Final was the greatest I've seen. ^_^ The #2 alliance seemed unbeatable in the first match but the #1 alliance perfectly executed a great strategy in the 2nd and 3rd matches.

But I didn't see SPBLI's finals. Sounds exciting.

[fast frank]

i couldn't believe how they were yelling at the teams to quickly fix the robots after each match, even after they screwed up. i mean this is the finals! the toughest, hardest hitting matches of the whole event.

thanks 358 and 870. we have been so close so many times. to finally win, just feels great. especially with six of our alumni students in the stands.

329, 353 and 1468, great job. i don't think any other 6 robots could have all lasted through all 5 final matches. great job by all the drivers, i was suprised by how few robots fell over, especially in the later matches.

[Spindash54]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I think you mean 329's wheel.

Right, it was 353's tread that was starting to come apart. Having the numbers so close between our allies and you guys together gets me a tad confused. That and I'm still exhausted from yesterday. Thankfully my back is starting to get better.

[Magnechu]

The rapid turnaround of that overlong finals matchup had us all working on cobbled together patches to our robots to get them back on the field. Our alliance partner 870 just cut their shooter out of their robot entirely and went back on the field.

We hadn't used our shooter all tournament (we could get it to work, but not well enough and it would get clogged occasionally, etc. etc.) and the original using all the cameras/sensors and stuff was working but not 100%. We made it as, generally, a defensive bot anyway and in the finals we effectively stopped 353 from scoring during the auton period every single match. Taking off the top also helped take a little weight off the top.

I got to say thanks to 271 and 358, you guys were awesome with your 3 points shots. I think overall, we had a lot of synergy together and were truly a great alliance.

On another note, did anyone see the Newday article on the event? It seemed terribly inaccurate, but you guys might want to check it out for yourself.

Congrats to everyone!

[DarkJedi613]

Originally Posted by Magnechu

On another note, did anyone see the Newday article on the event? It seemed terribly inaccurate, but you guys might want to check it out for yourself.

I agree, I was very disappointed in it - it seemed like the reporter wasn't even there. http://www.team358.org/history/artic...26_Newsday.jpg For those who haven't seen it.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by Magnechu

On another note, did anyone see the Newday article on the event? It seemed terribly inaccurate, but you guys might want to check it out for yourself.

I wish I had taken more time to talk to the reporter as I usually make a point to do, so I could explain how the competition works. She came by as we were working on the damage inflicted during our last quarterfinal match and our lower conveyor was destroyed. We were in a bit of a rush. I feel bad the story didn't at least get our alliance right.

The one quote she has from me is literally all I said to her. You'll notice I didn't spell my name for her.

[Brian C]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I was standing behind our alliance with some of the 1468 team members when one of your alliance robots started to spit parts of their robot into one of the corner goals along with the balls.

Actually **cough, cough** we planned to do that **cough** figured the loose hardware would potentially count as a ball or 2. secret weapon and all that.



Actually after all the finals I had this vision that all 6 of the robots were just going to be like those cartoon cars where they just let out a sigh and all the parts just fall off because they're just plain wore out.