The Age Old Question

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by M217

Alrighty, let's see what we got here. Disclaimer: My #1 is indisputable and constant, but the order of the rest can be changed, sicne I was largely splitting hairs in trying to judge.

1. 71 Team Hammond. Utterly, undeniably dominant in the early era of FIRST. They set a legacy in this program, and at the moment the rest of us are all just trying to catch up.
2. 1114 I'd call the Simbots the most consistent of the modern powerhouses. I can't think of a single year off the top of my head where their robot wasn't 100% Einstein worthy, not to mention their CMP Chairman's.
3. 254 Amazing bots, amazing people, and an amazing record. #1 in blue banners, not to mention several trips to the Einstein finals and HoF. The Best of the West, and arguably the Best of the Best.
4. 118/2056 Hard to say here. It's tough to think of two teams that are more different in strategy, and yet both of them have been unbelievably successful in their own ways. 2056 inspires me more with their resume (*coughstreakcough*) but 118 inspires me the most with their designs -- the grappling hook this year, the intake in 2012, the whole darn robot in 2013, etc... I think both these teams are equally worthy of the number 4 slot here.
5. 67/469 Both amazing teams with a very impressive number of Einstein appearances; either one is easily justifiable for including on a top 5 list.

If the question is 67 vs. 469, I can't see what 469 has to counter one additional Championship win and a HoF win. (Granted, 469 has gotten right on the edge many more times--three Einstein silvers to HOT's one--but to be the man you gotta beat the man.)

118 vs. 2056 is definitely a more philosophical question as they take different paths to immortality. 118 sets the standard for stunning machinery every year, but the robots are definitely hero-or-zero (while they've earned a lot of gold, they haven't taken silver anywhere since 2009). 2056's robots don't have the lust factor 118's do--but it took them a decade to lose one lousy regional (and at 23 regional wins, they're four ahead of Robonauts in ten fewer years). I personally side with uninterrupted excellence, but I can't fault someone for picking uninterrupted drool-worthiness that usually ends up with a banner.