The Best Team(s) to Never Win an Official Event

[TheBoulderite]

For Colorado, I'd say 4499, 1410 or 1339. All build steady robots and have consistently appeared in the playoffs, but none have won a regional yet.

[SharonO]

From Kansas City, I believe 1939- The Kuhnigits have never won a regional. They were Regional Finalists in 2010, 2011 & 2013, won multiple Chairman's and Engineering Inspiration awards, and always build asthetically pleasing robots as evidenced by their many, many Imagery Awards.

It is always a pleasure to be on an alliance with 1939.

[holygrail]

Originally Posted by SharonO

From Kansas City, I believe 1939- The Kuhnigits have never won a regional. They were Regional Finalists in 2010, 2011 & 2013, won multiple Chairman's and Engineering Inspiration awards, and always build asthetically pleasing robots as evidenced by their many, many Imagery Awards.

It is always a pleasure to be on an alliance with 1939.

Many thanks! I think our team is in what I would describe as the robot version of the "friend zone." We aren't quite good enough to be a number one or two seed or the first pick of the one or two seed, but we are generally a little too good to be around for the second pick of one of the top alliances, so we usually end up in a five to seventh seeded alliance.

Our best shot was 2013 in GKC as the 2nd seed captain with 3928 and 1987 but alas, the Kraken (1986) and SWAT (1806) were too much for us to handle. Here's hoping our luck changes this year!

[runneals]

Originally Posted by holygrail

Many thanks! I think our team is in what I would describe as the robot version of the "friend zone." We aren't quite good enough to be a number one or two seed or the first pick of the one or two seed, but we are generally a little too good to be around for the second pick of one of the top alliances, so we usually end up in a five to seventh seeded alliance.

Our best shot was 2013 in GKC as the 2nd seed captain with 3928 and 1987 but alas, the Kraken (1986) and SWAT (1806) were too much for us to handle. Here's hoping our luck changes this year!

I totally second that about 2013 (although I guess I am a bit biased). And you guys should definitely win the best team mascot award. I can't get enough of your mascot/team bunny brand So freaking adorable/scary.

[Billfred]

For South Carolina, never is a long time--teams that have played at that high a level with any consistency have hung a banner, and several that don't play at that level have backed into one at some point.

However, one team that seems chronically slept-on is 1876. Let's lay out the resume:

2016: 19-7, Palmetto 8 seed (QF), Orlando 7 seed (SF)
2015: Palmetto 2 seed (SF), Orlando 16 seed (QF)
2014: Palmetto 2 seed (QF), Orlando 32 seed (QF)
2013: Palmetto 30 seed (no elims)
2012: Palmetto 7 seed (SF)

Despite numbers that would be the envy of many a team, their trophy cabinet contains exactly two trophies going back to their 2006 inception: the 2006 Palmetto Regional Highest Rookie Seed, and the 2016 Orlando Regional Industrial Design Award.

[D.Allred]

Originally Posted by Billfred

For South Carolina, never is a long time--teams that have played at that high a level with any consistency have hung a banner, and several that don't play at that level have backed into one at some point.

However, one team that seems chronically slept-on is 1876. Let's lay out the resume:

2016: 19-7, Palmetto 8 seed (QF), Orlando 7 seed (SF)
2015: Palmetto 2 seed (SF), Orlando 16 seed (QF)
2014: Palmetto 2 seed (QF), Orlando 32 seed (QF)
2013: Palmetto 30 seed (no elims)
2012: Palmetto 7 seed (SF)

Despite numbers that would be the envy of many a team, their trophy cabinet contains exactly two trophies going back to their 2006 inception: the 2006 Palmetto Regional Highest Rookie Seed, and the 2016 Orlando Regional Industrial Design Award.

Billfred, You beat me to it. I definitely agree with that pick.

Beachbotics have brought a super competitive game over the last several years especially considering they had the #3 and #1 OPR at their two events this year.

David

[Bluman56]

In the NYC area, I would probably say 333. For the past couple years especially they've built solid robots. Obviously I haven't been around for as long as them, but for a team as old as theirs, I would have expected them to win already (granted the previous team I was on had their first regional win in 2014 during their 15th year of existence).

[Cothron Theiss]

Originally Posted by Billfred

However, one team that seems chronically slept-on is 1876. Let's lay out the resume:

1876 is coming to Smoky Mountains Regional for the first time in 2017. Maybe this'll break their streak, and they'll take home a win.

[Thayer McCollum]

Originally Posted by TheBoulderite

For Colorado, I'd say 4499, 1410 or 1339. All build steady robots and have consistently appeared in the playoffs, but none have won a regional yet.

I'll second that. But for some reason I thought 4499 had won a regional. I guess that shows what I "know" about my friends across town.

[XaulZan11]

706. Since 2013, they have made the finals in 5/8 regional events (each time as alliance captain or 1st pick). The three times they did not make it to the finals, they still made it to eliminations. They also made eliminations at the championship the one time they attended.

[BotDesigner]

Originally Posted by Thayer McCollum

I'll second that. But for some reason I thought 4499 had won a regional. I guess that shows what I "know" about my friends across town.

With your four RCAs and 2 finalist appearances I think 159 definitely belongs on the Colorado list as well.

[Ginger Power]

All this thread does for me is reinforce how insane 2056's streak was... so many great teams that haven't quite gotten over the hump, while 2056 goes almost 10 years without losing.

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

Aha! Thank you for the research on that. Now TBA should update the 461 history page.

IIRC, some scorekeepers have not always entered team affiliations for WFFA. And even when they do, TBA sometimes doesn't pick them up. For example, Frank Dressel got the 2006 St. Louis Regional WFFA and the scorekeeper recorded his team number, but it doesn't show up on 931's TBA history page.

Yeah. Also when WFA's and WFFA's change teams it seems a bit gets lost in the move. Example: I knew Allison Phelps née Babcock was a mentor on my old team, 1747 in 2007. I also knew at some point she attained WFFA status. However, I had always assumed said award wasn't given to her outside of her time on 1747, as the award was never mentioned in the three years I was on the team. However, as it turns out, she DID win during the 2007 year (St. Louis Regional), mainly by saving my team from the brink. The only places this information exists is on the Mobius (which I discovered earlier this year) and an obscure CD thread which contains the submission essay.

While WFFA/WFA is awarded to people, not teams, I do think that the team history should be denoted. One would think that such things would be common knowledge in a region, let alone within said team or among people who work with the WFFA in question at several events every year.

[Landonh12]

Gonna plug in 456 here. They're a phenomenal team. They have some of the best volunteers and are always willing to help someone out. We have competed with them several times over the last few years.

They've been finalists plenty of times, and have won 2 off-season events, but sadly have no official wins. We got close with them in 2015 at Bayou, but fell short by 2 points.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by ratdude747

Example: I knew Allison Phelps née Babcock was a mentor on my old team, 1747 in 2007. I also knew at some point she attained WFFA status. However, I had always assumed said award wasn't given to her outside of her time on 1747, as the award was never mentioned in the three years I was on the team. However, as it turns out, she DID win during the 2007 year (St. Louis Regional), mainly by saving my team from the brink. The only places this information exists is on the Mobius (which I discovered earlier this year) and an obscure CD thread which contains the submission essay.

Her win is saved elsewhere too. As well as her Volunteer of the Year award in 2015 w/team 1024.