2004 Championship Eligibility Criteria!!!

[Andy Grady]

One point that has been made countless times that makes alot of sense to me..."We will not know how it works until it happens." (i.e. Alliances, Autonomous Mode, etc...). One thing is for sure...there is not, and will never be a perfect system. There will be teams who get left out every year, there will be deserving teams who do not get to go. With the growth of FIRST, it is nearly impossible for a perfect system to be created. Fact of the matter is, FIRST is trying the best they can to make something work so the fewest amount of teams get the shaft, while holding onto the integrity of the Championship status that this competition is supposed to uphold. For that to happen, they have to use good ol' trial and error. I applaud FIRST for at least realizing that the old system maybe wasn't the right way to go, and trying something different in hopes that it will work. I have my own intitial guesses and opinions about the criteria...but frankly, I have been wrong about FIRST wayyyyy too many times to pass judgement at this point.

Have fun!
Andy Grady

p.s. To those people who are critical of the auto entry of 1992 teams, take a minute to think about exactly how long you have been in FIRST, then think about how hard it can be to keep comming back with enthusiasm as you get older and more tired. When you have been in the competition for 10, 11, 12 years, it gets harder and harder to find the strength to compete every year...these 6 teams still manage to do it, year in and year out. I do agree with Joseph M. in the fact that "Why just these 6 teams." Heck, if I had it my way, I would give auto entry to teams from 92-94. But, more than anything else, the auto entry of these teams is symbolic...kind of a reminder to teams that yes, you can keep fighting to come back and do it again...these teams have done it for 12 years. Of course, maybe I'm just biased.