Dangerous precedent set by Q&A 461: Loaning Parts/Assemblies to other teams

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by efoote868

I would argue that the 2nd example is very close to the 1st example.

What would make the 1st example OK in my mind is if the mentor team helps them build the robot throughout the entire competition ... not just at the end and after they've been picked. That is to say, the robot that gets picked before elimination is the same robot that is competing during elimination.

No, that's outrageous.

I don't want to brag, but there is no way to make the point below without.

A few people from my team (kids, mentors, whatever) in 10 minutes can solve more problems for many teams than they can solve all weekend. This isn't because we're smarter, it's just a different culture. We live this stuff and spend a lot of time on it. The teams we pick often are just an afterschool program 10 hours a week. They just aren't on the same level as us.

But if you let us work with them for a two hour elims window... Fix their little problems, add features, help them see the world differently... It will change their team.

Why should that be illegal? Why shouldn't we be allowed to inspire and mentor the teams we work with on a more personal level than all 65 at the event? It's simply not possible to give all 65 teams that same experience, but it CERTAINLY means a lot to that one team.

Separately, we help all darn weekend with teams for all sorts of issues. We'd have done the same for the team before elims if they asked for it, but many don't.

This isn't always the case obviously, we have picked teams plenty of times in the past that knew their stuff. Even with them though we do whatever we can to raise their game while we're together.