Predictions Week 1: Rumbling towards the Field

[RoboMaster]

Who is Looking Forward? Is it like a secret?

You know FIRST is on the level of sports when you can give predictions like sports casters do.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by RoboMaster

Who is Looking Forward? Is it like a secret?

Yes. Nobody - well, maybe Brandon Martus - knows who he or she really is. Some have theorized that it is really a group effort, not a single person. I personally believe it is one person, well-connected in FRC and probably well-known to most of us.

Certainly, LF takes tips: s/he can't be everywhere, so as EricH stated, send a PM to LF if you have true information. But beware: LF has a way of spotting puffery!

(I read somewhere that people can be identified by their writing style. I wonder if someone who is a prominent poster on CD has a similar style?)

[PAR_WIG1350]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Yes. Nobody - well, maybe Brandon Martus - knows who he or she really is. Some have theorized that it is really a group effort, not a single person. I personally believe it is one person, well-connected in FRC and probably well-known to most of us.

Certainly, LF takes tips: s/he can't be everywhere, so as EricH stated, send a PM to LF if you have true information. But beware: LF has a way of spotting puffery!

(I read somewhere that people can be identified by their writing style. I wonder if someone who is a prominent poster on CD has a similar style?)

The post here is certainly long enough to serve as a sample to check for word usage statistics, regional influences, thought organization, style, tone and many other characteristics that can be used to zero in on who it is, assuming whoever it is has posted enough on CD and elsewhere online to supply a similarly reasonable sample size.

Originally Posted by Looking Forward

hiatus... prognostications... overarching... extensive vocabulary, but this drops off significantly after the first or second paragraph suggesting extra effort was used to make it more interesting (in other words, this isn't necessarily a distinctive feature, but it could be)

Enough formalities, on to the feature presentation. Informal tone, also, notice the punctuation usage, some would have used a semicolon (or even a period) after "formalities" also, some would not have ended a fragment/non-sentence with a period.

The only 100% true Week 1 constant is technical difficulty, from both the teams and the field. Teams are rarely running at 100% effectiveness at their first event in general, and that will be a major factor this weekend. Couple that with a relative lack of superstar teams that attend week 1 events Consistent use of numerals instead of writing out numbers

Also, phrases are consistently ""ed and things that should be capitalized are consistently capitalized.

Just in: use of the first person singular, also, allusion to a group effort

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Yes. Nobody - well, maybe Brandon Martus - knows who he or she really is. Some have theorized that it is really a group effort, not a single person. I personally believe it is one person, well-connected in FRC and probably well-known to most of us.

Certainly, LF takes tips: s/he can't be everywhere, so as EricH stated, send a PM to LF if you have true information. But beware: LF has a way of spotting puffery!

(I read somewhere that people can be identified by their writing style. I wonder if someone who is a prominent poster on CD has a similar style?)

To give you an analogy.........think of LF as the old TV show Charlie's Angels, and NOT the movie.
Many do not know who LF is, but he does have angels since his first predictions several years ago, many of whom still give input.
Its a great set of FIRST notable veterans that give input for CMP. I'm not going to give out the list, but instead, have them chime in if they wish........

[IanW]

Not to derail this thread too much by theory crafting about LF's identity, but I did notice this thread. Note that Cory responded at 4:05 pm, while LF posted at 7:20 pm. Probably gives a clue about LF's collaborators at the very least.

Back on topic, very interesting analysis. Since I am not involved in the match strategy, I wouldn't have picked up on nuances such as the importance of timed offenses or ball management. I eagerly anticipate further analysis as the season progresses.

I'm new to LF. Will he/she/they be doing something like this for every week?

[tim-tim]

Quick, let's kidnap Glenn and get all of the info...

...just kidding Glenn

[The Lucas]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

I'm new to LF. Will he/she/they be doing something like this for every week?

Usually every week, if he/she/they has time and enough informants. I think the new format will make it easier since he/she/they doesn't have to comprehensively break down each event.

Great to have you back, LF!

[Grim Tuesday]

I have only ever read the championship predictions, but loved them. Glad to see the whole show coming back. On the subject of identity, take a look at LF's location. Seems to imply a group effort.

[coldfusion1279]

Wouldn't finding out who LF is kind of ruin the fun in it? Right now, the review is completely unbiased to a typical CD user.

[its da PAT!!!]

LF is like The Stig of FIRST. But LF talks and doesn't drive...

[jblay]

Originally Posted by its da PAT!!!

LF is like The Stig of FIRST. But LF talks and doesn't drive...

And LF wouldn't reveal himself like sacked stig

[Peter Matteson]

Originally Posted by coldfusion1279

Wouldn't finding out who LF is kind of ruin the fun in it? Right now, the review is completely unbiased to a typical CD user.

Right on the money. It doesn't matter who LF is as long as LF keeps aggregating and providing these great write-ups in volving so many teams. I love seeing the info from regions I'm not familiar with.

Remember you probably know a contributor to LF without realizing it. LF has spies everywhere.

[moonlight]

I'm just glad Looking Forward is back i really appreciate what he/she/they do.The predictions help looking at the game from different perspectives and they also prove that FIRST is far more than just building robots. I really hope to keep reading more updates from LF throughout the competition season.

[topgun]

Originally Posted by Looking Forward

[*]Perhaps trying to dim the spotlight on the Robowranglers was a wise choice for 148. They still put out a promo video, but it didn't set the CD community ablaze like their more revealing past videos. Even with the changes in Greenville, make no mistake that 148 will have a target on their back in San Antonio.

What changes happened in Greenville this year?