[FRCTop25.com] Week 2 Results LIVE tonight!

[Justin Montois]

It's been a great and busy week of events! LOTS of new teams were eligible this week and we have some newcomers to the Top 25 this week.

We again had over 100 voters and we'd love it if you joined us tonight at 9PM EST to count down the results with us at the location below.

www.FRCTop25.com/watch

If you have anything you'd like to discuss tonight, post it here or send us an email, mikeandjustinitm@gmail.com

Also, please help us spread the word tonight and pack the chat! The best part of the show is the interaction with the FRC community as we reveal the Top 25.

We hope you'll join us!

You can also use this thread to discuss the results, and check back here if you missed the show to catch the archive!

[Max Boord]

forcing technical fouls
hot goal timing isues
robots being disabled before the match timer runs out

high vs low tech scouting systems.

254s:
auto
1-43-41 picks

long (18+ feet) shooting vs close (fender) shooting.

Orlando Regional

[Conor Ryan]

In my opinion: Field issues are frustrating, its like at this point, HQ seems to be addressing this issue with some level of organization and is likely to improve as the weeks go on. Ref inconsistency is well, inevitable, but is still improving.

Other topics:

• Plays that are starting to look common.
• Names for those plays.
• Its no lie that D is tough, what are the beat the D strategies looking like
• Is using basketball type terminology a good idea with this year's game:
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_positions
  • http://www.sloansportsconference.com...rch2012PPT.pdf

[Justin Montois]

Thanks for the topics guys!

We're going live in less than an hour!

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by Conor Ryan

In my opinion: Field issues are frustrating, its like at this point, HQ seems to be addressing this issue with some level of organization

Except for some issues that they haven't mentioned.

[brandon.cottrell]

The Chief Delphi regulars of 1266 will surely be watching this episode.

EDIT: And don't think I'm not listening to your sass, mike!

[Mike Starke]

Hey everyone! The archive is up at https://new.livestream.com/FRCTop25/events/2816971 in case you missed it or would like to watch again!

Thanks everyone for a great show!

[Nathan Streeter]

Maybe I shouldn't complain since I didn't vote... but there definitely seems to be a huge bias towards the teams competing at the events with the perennially elite teams (1114, 254, 118, 148, etc.).

This definitely represents my big frustration with the FRCTop25... it's essentially just a popularity contest with a few other teams hanging onto the coat-tails of their more renowned partners/opponents. I'm guessing no one actually watches even all of the elimination rounds every weekend... the idea that these rankings are little more than "who's been good on the national stage over the last few years" is a pipe dream.

I don't think I'm over-exaggerating my own region's strength, but 177, 131, 3467, 58, 78, 319 and 195 are certainly on par with the #10-#25 teams on the list, while a fair case could certainly also be made for other New England teams like 176, 138, 236, and 230.

I'm not usually one for rants like this... but I just want to voice my opinion since I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it. I'm in no way blaming Mike or Justin for this issue... just trying to encourage people to better educate themselves before voting... and not to take the rankings seriously.

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by Nathan Streeter

I'm not usually one for rants like this... but I just want to voice my opinion since I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it. I'm in no way blaming Mike or Justin for this issue... just trying to encourage people to better educate themselves before voting... and not to take the rankings seriously.

This. Personally, there's way too many events and robots to keep track of with the amount of time I have, and this game doesn't exactly make it easy to find the best robots on the field. My solution? I'm not voting at all this year. period. If I can't make an educated vote on who the top 25 teams are, I don't want my personal biases to possibly affect the polling of a more deserving team.

[Nathan Streeter]

Originally Posted by Anupam Goli

This. Personally, there's way too many events and robots to keep track of with the amount of time I have, and this game doesn't exactly make it easy to find the best robots on the field. My solution? I'm not voting at all this year. period. If I can't make an educated vote on who the top 25 teams are, I don't want my personal biases to possibly affect the polling of a more deserving team.

Unfortunately that's been my strategy so far this year... I barely have time enough to contribute to my own team, compete/volunteer/attend events, and squeeze in a few events worth of webcasts or recorded elims... let alone actually trying to come to some legitimate rankings.

[DampRobot]

Originally Posted by Nathan Streeter

Unfortunately that's been my strategy so far this year... I barely have time enough to contribute to my own team, compete/volunteer/attend events, and squeeze in a few events worth of webcasts or recorded elims... let alone actually trying to come to some legitimate rankings.

Same here.

[steelerborn]

I'm upset to see that 1671 did not make the FRC top 25 I know I was really impressed with the team's performance.

They finished 2nd at the central valley regional, and were the only team that really challenged the poofs one on one. 973 made the top 25, but they were dead most of their matches (including the match against 254 where 1671 scored all of the points). I guess all it takes is having a number that people recognize.

[Bill_B]

Originally Posted by Nathan Streeter

Maybe I shouldn't complain since I didn't vote... but there definitely seems to be a huge bias towards the teams competing at the events with the perennially elite teams (1114, 254, 118, 148, etc.).

This definitely represents my big frustration with the FRCTop25... it's essentially just a popularity contest with a few other teams hanging onto the coat-tails of their more renowned partners/opponents. I'm guessing no one actually watches even all of the elimination rounds every weekend... the idea that these rankings are little more than "who's been good on the national stage over the last few years" is a pipe dream.

I don't think I'm over-exaggerating my own region's strength, but 177, 131, 3467, 58, 78, 319 and 195 are certainly on par with the #10-#25 teams on the list, while a fair case could certainly also be made for other New England teams like 176, 138, 236, and 230.

I'm not usually one for rants like this... but I just want to voice my opinion since I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it. I'm in no way blaming Mike or Justin for this issue... just trying to encourage people to better educate themselves before voting... and not to take the rankings seriously.

In the case of the Groton event, NEFIRST's useless archives of the live stream are not helping others see the competitions replayed. I was at the event and missed the stream itself. There are videos posted to youtube from a team member(?) that show team 1991 competing at Groton all the way to the finals. It will not matter (much) if NEFIRST corrects the archive problem because we will have moved on to weeks 3, 4, 5 by that time. The stream of the UNH event a couple of days before Groton is OK, so They probably know how archiving works, even if the actual video is a bit chaotic from a continuity standpoint. I've got my fingers crossed but I'm not holding my breath.

[Duncan Macdonald]

FRCTop25 is absolutely a popularity contest, and I'm confident the voting favours my team. It's why I tried to get this started this week. Link
I had no idea 4488 existed earlier today but functionally its 610's long lost fraternal twin and they didn't make the list.
I think nominating teams that impressed you would significantly improve the show by making it easy to vote. There are too many teams and events to see everything.

Here is what I propose when the next voting thread pops up:
-If you were at an event and think a team (not yours) deserves some recognition then make a post and recognize them.
-If possible include a photo, match video, and link to social media so they can build a following.

There are amazing robots amongst us and hardworking people that designed them. They don't have to make the final 25 but they deserve to know someone saw and was impressed by their work.

*I've never voted ever because of the popularity bias.
** Try not to draw too much self worth from an online poll

[Justin Montois]

Originally Posted by Duncan Macdonald

** Try not to draw too much self worth from an online poll by people hoping to win a T-shirt.

Say what you want about the rankings. After 4 years we've heard it all. However, do not attack people who actually bother vote because of your opinion of the rankings. They aren't just people trying to win a t-shirt. Some people take a lot of time and have a lot of fun with the voting. It's really uncalled for you to describe them how you did.

By not voting by virtue of a belief that it's a "popularity contest" already tells me you're taking it way too seriously. It's supposed to be a way to bring the FRC community together once a week and have some fun. Nothing more.