toughest regional in 2011?

[Dargel1625]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

What year does this comment not apply to?

When it comes to 469, what year doesn't this apply to?

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Dargel1625

When it comes to 469, what year doesn't this apply to?

i find it ironic that someone from winnovation is saying that... you guys aren't exactly low-par yourselves... your team seems to defy physics some years... only you would think of 6 wheel crab.

[hg273]

Originally Posted by ratdude747

i find it ironic that someone from winnovation is saying that... you guys aren't exactly low-par yourselves... your team seems to defy physics some years... only you would think of 6 wheel crab.

How is it ironic? Admiration is universal, it does not exclude those who have achieved past success. Learning from the innovations of others is part of what makes FRC great, regardless of your own teams accomplishments or lack thereof.

[delsaner]

In my opinion, there are two different definitions of toughest when it comes to a regional. Level of difficulty with teams, and level of difficulty in regards to winning the competition.

Teams: A tough regional in this case is one with a lot of powerhouse teams, Midwest in this case. It is not necessarily difficult to win in the regional, as there is a lot of variability when it comes to elimination matches, considering a good sum of the alliance will have at least one alliance.

Competition: A tough regional to win is a regional with about 2-3 powerhouse teams, assuming your team is average. It will be very likely that one of the powerhouses will become #1 seed, and its also very likely that that team will choose the other powerhouse team. I am not saying that this will happen every time, but it is a likely possibility.

$0.02

[Racer26]

This ought to be an interesting year.

2056 is registered for 3 regionals for the first time. The rookie sensation, thats by no means a rookie anymore is on their quest to make it the drive for 11 consecutive regional wins, winning every regional they've ever competed in. They're looking to join that small but powerful group of teams that have won 3 in the same year.

2010 GTR represented their 8th time at the top of the podium since their first time there in 2007 at Waterloo. Can 2011 FLR, Waterloo and GTRWest be numbers 9, 10 and 11? We'll have to wait and see.

I'm excited for this year as its 1075's first attempt at 3 regionals in one year as well. We will be attending FLR, GTREast and Waterloo.

Waterloo will be tough to win. With 1114 and 2056 scheduled to attend, and the disappearance of strong teams like 1503 and 1565, its difficult to predict anything but either 1114 or 2056 seeding #1 and selecting the other. That being said, the 3 robot entry from one school in MI could be interesting (teams 216, 244, and 288)

[Chris is me]

I dunno - Waterloo still has 1305, 1310, 2200, and 2609 to mix things up. It'd take one hell of an upset to get to the #1 seed but it could happen.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I dunno - Waterloo still has 1305, 1310, 2200, and 2609 to mix things up. It'd take one hell of an upset to get to the #1 seed but it could happen.

Even if 1114 and 2056 got on the #1 Alliance, any two of the teams you listed could pull off an upset with enough skill, strategy and luck.

[Racer26]

Its definitely possible for 1114 and 2056 to be upset, as 2009 GTR Finals (188, 610, 1305 v 2056, 1114, 2185) very nearly demonstrated. Easily one of the most fantastic Finals I've watched in years, if a bit controversial.

Both of them play a top notch game, and they've proven time and again that outseeding both of them is a task not easily accomplished. Looking forward to competition season, I want to see what robots everyone's come up with.

[Nick Lawrence]

Toronto.

No questions asked.

-Nick

[Racer26]

Anybody up for running the BBQ/SAUCE numbers for 2011 Regional entry lists?

[dodar]

Ok, I've heard people talking about this stuff for years now. When people talk about a regionals BBQ number do they mean like their OPR or past experience for all teams attending or what?

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by dodar

Ok, I've heard people talking about this stuff for years now. When people talk about a regionals BBQ number do they mean like their OPR or past experience for all teams attending or what?

The best BBQ will be at the Smokey Mountain regional! I wish I could go!

/obligatory

[Racer26]

Originally Posted by dodar

Ok, I've heard people talking about this stuff for years now. When people talk about a regionals BBQ number do they mean like their OPR or past experience for all teams attending or what?

BBQ = Blue Banner Quotient
SAUCE = Sextuple Advancement Uniform Counting Era

A regional's BBQ is The number of blue banners earned by all teams in attendance, divided by the number of teams in attendance. It is intended to be a gauge by which to measure the power of the teams in attendance at a given regional.

A regional's SAUCE only counts blue banners earned since 2005, when 3v3 play started.

Blue banners are earned for Regional Chairman's Award, and Regional Champion teams. Each regional awards 4 blue banners per season (5 if the winning alliance called in a backup bot). The CMP Divisions award 3 banners each, for Division Champion, and CMP awards 3 blue banners for einstein champions, and 1 for Championship Chairmans. I'm unsure of how banners are awarded in MI's district model (mostly regarding CA's)

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Anybody up for running the BBQ/SAUCE numbers for 2011 Regional entry lists?

I'll see if I can dig my old scripts out, can't run them right now though because I have a bad internet connection at school and no internet at home. I'll post em if I find em so someone else can run them.

[iVanDuzer]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I dunno - Waterloo still has 1305, 1310, 2200, and 2609 to mix things up. It'd take one hell of an upset to get to the #1 seed but it could happen.

It's definitely possible: 2609 seeded first in Waterloo 2009 over 2056 and went on to become regional champs. Last year, 1310 and 1305 teamed up in Waterloo and only lost to an alliance with 2 Einstein robots by 3 points in the finals. A week later 1305 did the same thing in the GTR semifinals (except by 4 points), with the score actually being even until the endgame.
(1305 also became semi-finalists on Galileo last year, upsetting 1717's alliance in the quarters)

The Canadian regionals are often overlooked but are tremendously competitive all the same (2009 GTR Finals, anyone?). I'm glad that they're getting a lot of publicity now.

That being said, I'm particularly looking forward to Midwest and Silicon Valley south of the border.