MAR Championship 2014

[Ben Martin]

Thanks to everyone who made MAR Champs possible! It was a fantastic and really well run event. I really liked the field layout, as basically every spectator had good seats.

2590, you have (in my opinion) the best robot in MAR. Best of luck at champs!

To our friends on 11 and 341, you rounded out the winning alliance really well. I wouldn't have rather lost to any other alliance at the event.

Thanks to 1218 and 357 for making a run to the semis with us. 1218, we were really happy to finally get to play with you, and 357, you fell far too far in the draft. The auto issues were unfortunate, but we made a good run of it.

Congratulations to 1218 and 303 for their Chairman's awards and 1676 and 25 for their EI awards! All are quality programs that we on 225 aspire to be like.

I was also super impressed with the robots and driving skill of 193 and 1640 -- both of these robots will be forces to be reckoned with at champs.

[ktlacrosse433]

Rounding out our robotics season, I would like to say congratulations to all teams in MAR who competed this past weekend on behalf of the Firebirds. Despite it being a very hectic weekend, it was an awesome experience, and we are extremely fortunate to be apart of it. It was an honor to compete with an against such inspirational teams that we aspire to be like in many ways. Back to real life now... Good luck to all teams competing at worlds!

BTW, Can someone bring me back buttons??? I have a bulletin board in my room that I would love to fill, and I only have one more year to fill it if I ever get to.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by GKrotkov

Seriously, the vast majority of our scouting data was written in Pascack Pioneer-provided pencil.

So your people posted points on paper with Pascack Pioneer-provided pencils?
No, seriously: I wish I'd had more time to spend in your pit. I like your robot though, and it was truly our pleasure to be next to you.

Originally Posted by Ben Martin

2590, you have (in my opinion) the best robot in MAR. Best of luck at champs!

Re-quoted for truth.

In addition to congratulating everyone going to St Louis, I'd also like to congratulate Team 2016...who wasn't even there*, but managed to snag TWO major awards for their mentors: Woodie Flowers Finalist Award for Dave Pechter, and Volunteer of the Year award for David Morris (who was, not surprisingly, a volunteer at the event. David was the guy shaving the carpet after almost every match on Saturday. I need to get him a Bic Disposable for CMP... )

I managed to snap this photo as the MAR previous Woodie Flowers winners gathered to present the award to Dave.


My heart is broken for our friends on Team 75, Team 223, and Team 3314, all of whom truly deserve to be headed to CMP. It is a small consolation that they each brought home a trophy this weekend. We will do our best to represent MAR on your behalf.

A shout out to Team 4035 for their Judge's award. To those outside MAR, this is the little team that can. Not a large team, not a wealthy team, but with more heart than any team I've met. And I've met a few.

Now back to my recovery from the weekend...


*They declined to attend the MAR CMP because they'd already qualified for St Louis by winning a well-deserved EI at Queen City, allowing another team (like Dawgma 1712, Firebirds 433 and RooBotics 4373) to attend and get the thrill of MAR CMP. How graciously professional of them! 2607 also declined MAR CMP for the same reason, having won at Virginia. Team 103 also declined (They are a HoF team) but I can't say if they wanted to open up a spot at MAR CMP for someone or had other reasons.