Congratulations to 1241, 1477, and 610- 2013 World Champions!

[Mr. Rip]

This weekend was an amazing experience. It was a long season for Texas Torque with quite a few ups and downs. Even as it was happening, I do not think I really believed we were playing on Einstein.

Thank you to FRC Team 1241: Theory 6 for choosing us to be part of your alliance. Along with Team 610: The Coyotes, we formed a good alliance that got better and better as we played together. T came up with great game plans for each match and managed all three teams well as he watched the field. More than once you came up during a match to remind us that we needed to cycle, ground intake, or defend. When I got a chance to watch some of the YouTube videos of the matches, I kept seeing 610 driving to the back of the pyramid shooting or cycling back to the feed station. What a work horse.

It was an absolute privilege to play against so many great teams as we made our way through the Galileo and Einstein elimination rounds. We went three matches against nearly every alliance and if we replayed the matches the outcomes could have easily flipped. Allen pointed out we played 8 win or go home matches during our run.

I wish the scoring error in Einstein SF2-2 had never happened. I have dealt with similar situations in the past and felt really bad about the emotional swing the members of teams 303, 1640, and 3476 experienced.

I also want to thank Team 118: The Robonauts for sharing their practice field and expertise with us over the course of the season. I firmly believe we both benefited from practicing together and were pushed to be better. Texas Torque appreciates your support and friendship. One of the reasons I enjoy FIRST so much is the relationships we have developed with other teams. It is so much fun to play with or against our friends.

I also want to thank all our sponsors, especially Innovation First International and Halliburton. Getting to Einstein and winning the World Championship is a direct result of all your assistance. Halliburton has sponsored 1477 since its inception in 2004 and IFI joined us this past year.

Mr. Rip