2012 Palmetto Regional

[JohnFogarty]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

Oh Co-op Bridge.

I hope 1102 can deal with being undefeated, and sitting in 8th place... that's a silly part of this year's game.

yeah....we dealt with it up until we found out we were the only working robot in our last two matches, and then lost 2 because of it.

I would like to thank 1319 Flash again for picking us, we were so close we could have taken the whole game. We did the best "we" could.

We don't have an opportunity to compete at any other regionals since they are all full so, we'll be in hiding until SCRIW....and I mentioned IRI to our mentors

[Billfred]

Every year, I think I've had the wildest competition ride one can have in FRC.

Once again, fate proves me way, way, way wrong.

The last time "my team" was not playing in Palmetto eliminations was 2006, my last year on 1293. That year, 1293 was the first or second backup team, and a lack of readiness on our part cost us our spot in the show. I thought we were a shoo-in for eliminations, yet the draft wasn't kind to us (not even our traditional last-pick stronghold) and we wound up the first backup team. (Backups weren't kind to us before either; we sat on the dome floor a long time in Atlanta as the #2 backup on Curie our rookie year.)

So we sat. And waited. And, as any team in our position would, hoped the slightly-wicked hope that opportunity would come knocking.

I thought the eight-year-long Palmetto Champions' Curse was going to make it to year nine--no team had ever won it back-to-back before, and it certainly doesn't look good when the only champion that returned is sitting in their pit waiting on the call.

As quarterfinals finished I was in spectator mode, watching matches and checking my phone during a timeout when one of our kids says "Hey, we're out there!" Sure enough, our drive team was carrying the robot onto the field...and we were probably celebrating our good fortune a bit too much in the stands. Match begins, and we don't move. (Turns out it was the ground terminal going to the power distribution board getting loose, the first time all year that's bitten us.) We drop the first one, and yet our group gets a little louder.

After we got ourselves into that hole, things started clicking and this unlikely pairing fires off four straight wins, punching four tickets to St. Louis and making me wonder if my voice will be fully recovered this week. I still can't believe it.

This is a long way of saying THANK YOU 2640, 2059, and 281. Backup teams are the shotgun weddings of FRC, and I'm glad we could help close the deal with you guys. (Additional tips of the hat individually to 2640 and 2059, who had never won any FRC award until this event, and to 281, who received their first regional title since Peachtree 2005. Icing on the cake when you snag Chairman's...)

Also congrats to Hank Bennett, quite possibly the only person around who won both Volunteer of the Year and the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award at the same regional in the same day. With a combo like that, you know he's doing great things in Charleston.

Particular recognition to the DJ, who killed it for two straight days. If someone's got his info, I'd love to poach him for SCRIW...

Thank you to all our online fans. All the tweets and Likes really mean a lot.

Thank you to 343 for loaning us an AM Planetary on Thursday. (I think you guys left before we could return it--we'll reunite you with it, promise.)

And, of course, thank you to The Citadel for a great team social and a really smooth-running event!

Now we just need to find about $5,000 in our couch cushions...

[Josh Drake]

That was fun.... Thanks to the volunteers that make it all possible. Thanks the all the teams that made the field so completive. Time to start preparing for next season. That starts today. Moving on....

[jblakeley]

Team 1293 wants to congratulate 281 for winning RCA! I know my team was so impressed when the announcer read out everything that 281 has done to promote FIRST... we are definitely looking to you all as a role model team! Good luck in St. Louis!

[mandrews281]

As a mentor (and field coach) for 281 and on behalf of the whole team, I wanted to thank those out there for their congratulations. Chairman's Award... I still can't believe it. We were (and still are) absolutely beside ourselves.

We were also the robot that broke in the winning alliance. We were wondering after the third quarter final why we couldn't seem to shoot. When we came off the field the answer was obvious -- we had snapped a steel shaft on our ball feed in half. After spending a couple minutes trying to get it apart for a quick repair, it was obvious we couldn't go with a working shooter and didn't want the alliance to waste its timeout only to have a non-shooting robot out there, so we pulled out. Great job 2815 filling in and helping the alliance to the win. It felt a bit weird being out there with the alliance in the finals, and the only thing you can do is cheer them on; but that's what we did. Thank you teams 2640 and 2059 for having the confidence to pick us for your alliance.

This was our first regional of 2012, and I was surprised by the even-ness of the competition and standings, so congratulations to all the teams at Palmetto.

Also, thank you to all the folks both in-front and behind the scenes who organized and put on Palmetto regional. Even if you think you only had a small part in the event, consider yourself thanked. You helped put on an awesome event.

Finally, has anyone posted the group team picture of the 4 team winning alliance and the chairmans team picture? It all happened so quickly, I'm not sure we have any (I certainly don't).

[robochick1319]

On behalf of all the members of FRC team Flash 1319, I would like thank 1102 and 1758 for being great alliance partners. I thought we had a great alliance, but it just was not meant to be.

Thanks to everyone at the regional for making it a super exciting event with lots of memorable moments. Congrats to all the winners and to everyone who came to play.

I'd like to send a special shout out to our new friends 4074 who are well on their way to being a shining example of safety. If y'all want any pictures, email me at zenden2@winthrop.edu and I'll be sure to send them your way.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by mandrews281

This was our first regional of 2012, and I was surprised by the even-ness of the competition and standings, so congratulations to all the teams at Palmetto.

Finally, has anyone posted the group team picture of the 4 team winning alliance and the chairmans team picture? It all happened so quickly, I'm not sure we have any (I certainly don't).

I have to agree. At Peachtree, there was a very clear top two with 1311 and 1771, followed by a reasonably-sized pack, then the uncompetitive teams. At Palmetto, there was nobody head and shoulders above anyone else and a ginormous pack. I told our team that I couldn't even call it at alliance selection.

As for the photo: I know someone from the regional committee (she was in a Palmetto Regional polo) got some photos--some folks from the Hitchhikers probably got some as well. Hopefully someone can share on ChiefDelphi!

[kpn5]

WOOO 1539!!!!! and a great job to all teams that went to this regional
as for round 54, the 6 robot balance was in a sense planned, but we didn't know if it would work we wanted the double and we had organized the co-op, but still, when it actually happened it was just beautiful

[team1102a]

Originally Posted by mandrews281

Finally, has anyone posted the group team picture of the 4 team winning alliance and the chairmans team picture? It all happened so quickly, I'm not sure we have any (I certainly don't).

Look here. I was unable to download them. Might be copyrights. But there are some really nice candid shots of some teams including 281.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekog/...th/7012262275/

[HumblePie]

Congrats to all the winners at Palmetto yesterday. We had a great and exciting time at our "home" regional. We are very proud of our students as they practiced continuous improvement throughout the competition. Many visits to the practice field, mechanical and software tweaks resulted in a nice scoring machine and a #3 seed. Thanks to our alliance partners Team 11 (MORT) and Team1225 Gorrillaz for teaming up with us in the 2 highest scoring and most competitive matches in the elims. Props to 1876, 3242, and 2974 for just outscoring us, well done!

Hopefully the students have seen the results and value of all their hard work and will continue to help build the program. Nice progress from a second year team that placed last at Palmetto last year. It was nice to have so many other teams take notice of our students' efforts and come by our pit on Saturday morning. We look forward to seeing all of our new friends at Palmetto next year.

Best Regards and Good Luck to All at the remaining regionals and at Championships.

[mandrews281]

Originally Posted by team1102a

Look here. I was unable to download them. Might be copyrights. But there are some really nice candid shots of some teams including 281.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekog/...th/7012262275/

Thanks for the link. It takes a few clicks, but you can get them downloaded (there is a Creative Commons license on them). Start with the (+) at the top right of the picture, then view all sizes. There's a download link from there.

[Jacob Paikoff]

Now that I've had to day to settle down I just want to say that the Palmetto Regional was an awesome experience for 2059. Most of our students are rookies this year and this was their first event ever. It was the team's first time making eliminations and the first regional award that we've ever won. So overall I think it was a pretty good weekend.

A big thanks to 2640 for picking us with the second pick even with so many other great teams still available. 281, it was too bad you guys couldn't make it all the way but you guys were great while we had you and your drivers made great cheerleaders during the finals. Congrats on Chairman's and lets go for a second regional at NC. 2815, I was surprised that you guys weren't picked but I was glad you were there when we needed a backup. Without your consistent 2 point scoring I don't think we win the regional. Good luck at Champs and we'll see you at SCRIW.

Originally Posted by Billfred

As for the photo: I know someone from the regional committee (she was in a Palmetto Regional polo) got some photos--some folks from the Hitchhikers probably got some as well. Hopefully someone can share on ChiefDelphi!

As for the picture I know a couple of our parents got them and I'll try and get it from them when we meet on Tuesday and then post it on CD.

[team1102a]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Particular recognition to the DJ, who killed it for two straight days. If someone's got his info, I'd love to poach him for SCRIW...

...

He is half of the group called Cassidy & the Kid
Josh Silverman
http://www.facebook.com/silvermansound

[Zflash]

Congrats to the winning alliance.

2640 you all had a consistent great robot, please take no offense to our denying you in allinace selections we just had different plans and it seemed to work out better for you anyways. Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

343 congrats on your second finalists you all have another great robot this year.

281 congrats on your chairman's award win, we will have to get together sometime and have you take a look at our program so that we may reach your level some day.

Thanks to 1102 and 1758 we gave it our best.

I would also like to thank everyone whoever gave us compliments on our robot's performance as well as the nice comments we got about our pit setup.

[Kevin Thorp]

A real "Cinderella story" at Palmetto was rookie team 4261, the Raptors (Academic Magnet H.S., Charleston, SC). Like all rookie teams they were delighted just to have a working robot at Palmetto. Never in their wildest dreams did the Raptors think they would be a 5th ranked team and have to select partners for the quarter finals.

I don't think it was luck. They proved a simple reliable robot that could quickly climb the ramp and balance was competative with much more complex machines and more experienced teams. Watch out for the Raptors in '13!