Predictions Week 7: Crowning the Districts

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by BMSOTM

While 1676 is talented at the low goal, their real niche for their alliances was defense. They are, hands down, MAR's best defender this year. Their driving skill is ridiculous.

Some may wonder why their driving skill IS so ridiculous. Of course, the drive team is talented - teams should always select their drivers based on skill, not politics (assuming they want to win).

But the real reason is practice: 100 hours is not enough. The drivers drive until their thumbs bleed. They drive as easily as you or I might ride a bicycle: All the common maneuvers (go here, stop there, turn that way, line up for a shot, etc) are second-nature, freeing them to focus on the more difficult tasks.*

Watch their videos (they post every match on YouTube, been doing that since forever) and focus on their driving. Take Ultimate Ascent (2013) for example: The driver goes to a specific spot next to the pyramid to take a shot: Full speed, right to the spot, screech to a stop, a little wiggle and Fire. Repeat, very repeatably.

Teams, your 'practice' robot doesn't need to be an exact duplicate. Just as long as the drivers get practice, and the 'extra' bot handles reasonably like the 'real' one, you're good. Gonna do it next year? Wanna win??

*Full disclosure: They learned this from team 25.