WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein

[Chris is me]

Let's be honest here. Almost everyone cusses sometimes. The kids certainly do, many adults do in the heat of FRC competitions. Even the FLL kids do. While it isn't very professional, and probably isn't something to show off to prospective sponsors and whatnot, letting out one F-bomb on Einstein is not the end of the world, and in the full context, I don't even think it was that inappropriate.

To truly understand why the quote was so powerful and, frankly, inspiring, you have to get the context, not just of Einstein but of Will I Am and FRC. Einstein is an incredibly scripted, drawn out event with lots of ceremony, speeches, and traditions. It is powerful, but gets old, and it's a lot of going through the motions. Will.i.am's involvement in FRC was initially regarded with a large amount of hostility and backlash. He began by saying the 2011 game was "dope", which older mentors interpreted as a drug reference, and controversial changes to the Championship format aligned with his attempt at helping via a star-studded concert at the event, leading people to believe he was responsible for these unwelcome changes (fields in the pits etc). But over time, his commitment to FIRST and his consistency have been slowly winning people over, that he's not just doing this for publicity or selfish reasons, but because he is genuinely inspired.

And finally, after his sixth consecutive year of supporting the FIRST championship, he goes off script to express his amazement and inspiration of the robotics program going on around him. He says it in a way that is exactly how one passionate high schooler might explain their amazement to a friend of theirs, in a real and true way that you can be absolutely sure was not approved or encouraged by anyone at FIRST. And the power of his statement, if not just a shock reaction, was reflected in the thunderous reaction in the Dome, louder than almost anything heard the entire day. Crass, unprofessional, and crude as it was, it was an incredibly powerful moment.

Now, this isn't to say this should be a regular thing; it probably shouldn't be our forward facing catch phrase, we shouldn't be singing it to sponsors, making team chants about it, etc. It can't become a huge meme like water games or corndogs that every 14 year old parrots to their grandmother (and I'm sure it will get out of hand, unfortunately). I really understand the points people like Andy Grady have been making about the speech and I don't disagree with them. But I genuinely appreciated such a refreshingly honest moment from this man, and I'm glad he was able to convey his awe and inspiration sincerely.

[dirtbikerxz]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

It can't become a huge meme like water games or corndogs

I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that :\

Originally Posted by Chris is me

But I genuinely appreciated such a refreshingly honest moment from this man, and I'm glad he was able to convey his awe and inspiration sincerely.

And yes.... 100 percent yes... nothing else to say

[AcesJames]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

To truly understand why the quote was so powerful and, frankly, inspiring, you have to get the context, not just of Einstein but of Will I Am and FRC.

This is particularly important.

Just minutes before Will took the mic to deliver the line in question, he was speaking candidly about his own motivations for supporting FIRST; it was something he never had growing up in the "ghetto". His words, not mine. And let's also not forget the other point he brought up; the juxtaposition he so eloquently stated. The FRC World Championship is held just blocks away from neighborhoods being boarded up and abandoned. He spoke of the empty buildings surrounding the dome breaking his heart.

Those who were at the championship or watching it live from home saw first hand the very raw emotional connection that Will now has to this program. He recognizes intrinsically that FIRST is a program that is creating educational and career opportunities in areas like St. Louis where students otherwise have none. Will "gets" the point of this program the way so many others do not. I'd venture to argue his motivation as a spokesperson is closer to the core purpose of this program than are the motivations of some program participants. I will never alienate a person from this organization, who has done so much for this organization, simply because they are so inspired by it that they can only describe it in expletives.

[Kevin Ray]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

Now, this isn't to say this should be a regular thing; it probably shouldn't be our forward facing catch phrase, we shouldn't be singing it to sponsors, making team chants about it, etc. It can't become a huge meme like water games or corndogs that every 14 year old parrots to their grandmother (and I'm sure it will get out of hand, unfortunately). I really understand the points people like Andy Grady have been making about the speech and I don't disagree with them. But I genuinely appreciated such a refreshingly honest moment from this man, and I'm glad he was able to convey his awe and inspiration sincerely.

+1 I think that his statement was one of, if not the most powerful statement I've heard off the cuff any where, any time. He was very obviously overwhelmed with emotion after mentioning that he had been to all of the other music awards and events--and this beats them all.

All that being said, I feel that Chris is me is 110% correct. It was only powerful in context at that moment in time. Tee shirting or bumper stickering the statement will be only a cheap excuse for a gratuitous foul language op. Constantly using the phrase because he said it, will diminish its value. I think that leaving it in the moment will give us powerful memories

One of our team members thought that a tee shirt would be cool. Yeah, those words taken completely out of context will have the same effect of walking naked through a church full of elderly people and expecting them to appreciate the beauty of the human form.