What do you think

[Ashley Weed]

This is a very frustrating situation, and two very prominant situations stick out in my memories just during my driving career, and one being on both sides of the situation.
In 2002, I had experienced an unusual amount of successes along with my fellow driving partner, and team members. We were alwas seeded in the very top, and never questioned the fact of not being in the position of being able to pick. As the alliance captain, I have only ever done picking of highly seeded teams at official competitions. However, after I returned from post-season competitions, I analyzed my work and found that I had choose teams that I knew worked well, had experience, and we had worked with prior too; eventhough they were seeded quite low at the competition.
In 2003 though a new game began with a new robot and new strategies. We, as a drive team found ourselves at a very different and unfamiliar place. We had never experienced what we believed at the time as "failure". We had been driving together since the 2001 game, and were unfamiliar with having to bite our nails to find out if we were going to the finals (elimination rounds). At our Regional, MidAtlantics, we uncrated finding ourselves very unprepared and had a great amount of work to even consider competing by Friday morning. By the time Alliance selections rolled around, we were rolling and starting to shine on the field. A rookie team (1048 Martians ?? correct me if I am wrong) had faith in us, and asked us to assist them alongside 303 in the finals. We proved to be a strong alliance eventhough they picked us from around the 30th seed of 32 or 34 teams.
We had prequalified from the year before for Houston. We went on, and became a powerhouse in our division being seeded #6 the entiire competition all the way through till our last Qualification match. We had our fist misfortune with a drill motor since we became opperational for the season, and we didn't have a stong alliance partner. It was a close match, and a long battle, but it ended up bumping us to #14. All day Saturday fellow teams had attempted to "buy our bid", to have us pick them, and praise us for our work. However, when it came selection time no one was even aware that we had been bumped from the top 8. It was heartbreaking as a floor team as it was our last Horrrrah! together, and it was so close, but slipped away. I believe there is a thread somewhere - a discussion was started regarding this situation in Galileo at Houston in 2003 - that only two teams ranked between 10 and 20 were taken to the finals in alliances.

........ sorry for the long posting, just my pennyless thoughts ................