pic: 2011 Palmetto Regional Winning Alliance

[nighterfighter]

So...when 2815 got picked, did Billfred make his "WWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" yell again?

I remember hearing it from across the field at Peachtree!

Congrats guys!

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by nighterfighter

So...when 2815 got picked, did Billfred make his "WWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" yell again?

I remember hearing it from across the field at Peachtree!

Congrats guys!

Heh...

It was a different scenario at Peachtree. After a solid defensive match alongside 2415 (which was what they were looking for out of us), I felt a glimmer of hope after our awful qualification matches on Friday that we might play that afternoon. But after the DSC cable came out in our final qualification match to stop us in our tracks, I figured that there was no way any respectable alliance would pick us. (Heck, I wouldn't have picked us.) Hearing our number there was a genuine surprise to me, and led to one of the wildest rides I've had in eight years of FRC. (And I've had a couple.)

Fast forward seven days. I'd been talking through the days with George, Warren, and Eric on SPAM, some of the first mentors I had gotten to know in FRC. When talking with them, they were very interested in picking us on our reputation as a strong defender even though they doubted we'd still be available in the second round. I wouldn't have put as much weight on that from most other folks--we've gotten surprised before at alliance selection--but I know these guys would not jerk me around (or, at the minimum, not like that). As the last pick came around again, the field was dwindling and strong defenders were getting picked (case in point: 1293). When it got back to SPAM, I had my fingers crossed but had much more hope in me. I still cheered, but I don't think it made it past the blue alliance station where I was seated with the team.

No matter the volume, I wouldn't change a thing in either case.

(And teams going to Virginia: Ignore 2363 at your own peril. They weren't really on my radar until I started looking at the data Friday night--but when I did, holy cow! These guys are the real deal.)