Breaking the Geek-FIRST Bias

[Avi_R]

Having a team of geeks is probably the best way to success. When we won the Canadian Regional in 2003, our entire school "discovered" robotics and we promoted the team with details about the trip to Houston etc. The next year, we had an overwhelming turnout at our annual recruiting assembly. As time passed we slowly realized that half of these people had no idea about science and technology, and it amazed me how some of them even passed through grades 6+. It turned out that these people tagged along for the ride, and did absolutely nothing, except for cause trouble almost every build night. In my opinion, a good Robotics team should consist of hard workers who are dedicated to their respective jobs.

[Andy Baker]

Viva la geek!

I am a geek. I work with many, as there are about 1000 engineers here at the Delphi plant in Kokomo. A few of my buddies went to GMI (now Kettering) for college and they tell stories of their sports teams always getting whacked by the other colleges. However, while they would be losing these matches, the GMI guys would often break into this cheer:

That's alright
That's OK
You'll all work for us someday!


Use it as you wish.

Andy B.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

That's alright
That's OK
You'll all work for us someday!

That's often heard at RIT hockey games, particularly against state schools. (We also tend to win our hockey games )


I like WPI's fight song.

E to the X,
D-Y, D-X,
E to the X,
D-X.
Cosine, Secant, Tangent, Sine,
3.14159,
E-I, Radical, Pi,
Fight 'em, Fight 'em WPI!

[av11d]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

Viva la geek!

I am a geek. I work with many, as there are about 1000 engineers here at the Delphi plant in Kokomo. A few of my buddies went to GMI (now Kettering) for college and they tell stories of their sports teams always getting whacked by the other colleges. However, while they would be losing these matches, the GMI guys would often break into this cheer:

That's alright
That's OK
You'll all work for us someday!


Use it as you wish.

Andy B.

lol. Cool cheer. Just to add in though, it's important not be stereotypical of the so-called 'jocks.' I know some of the brightest kids in my school are also sports stars. While, this may be the exception rather than the rule, let's not forget there is two-way stereotyping.

Our school even has a "Scholastic Athlete Award" (I forget the exact name), that honors an athlete each year who is extremely smart.

I still like being Geek. It's definitely more fun than being an athlete!

[Matt Krass]

See my AKA for my stand on 'geeks'

I am a geek. A huge geek. It absolutely drives my parents bonkers when they hear me refer to myself as such. But ya know what? I am, so are some of my fellow team mates. But I can tell you a FIRST team is made up of so many types it's people, you can't imagine, nor list all of them.

FIRST isn't just for geeks, but purposefully or not, that's the most apparent attraction. I mean..ROBOTS! Sure they get attention from all kinds, but ask anyone in my school what they would call a kid who likes to build robots and you'll get "A geek" as an answer.

My suggestion? Don't toot your horn as geeks, you'll alienate everyone else. Find a way to show how everyone can be involved. At demonstrations make sure you have plenty of non-geeks talking about what they do, so people of all kinds get a good impression.

[JVN]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

Viva la geek!

Andy is the perfect example of how to break the "stereotype".

Baker was a "big dumb jock" (football), a rockstar (singer), who is also a huge geek (robots).

We need more "big dumb jock" rockstar geeks like Andy!

I love ya buddy.

John

[Raul]

Originally Posted by JVN

Andy is the perfect example of how to break the "stereotype".

Baker was a "big dumb jock" (football), a rockstar (singer), who is also a huge geek (robots).

We need more "big dumb jock" rockstar geeks like Andy!

I love ya buddy.

John

That's funny. So here is the Merriam-Webster definition of Geek:

Main Entry: geek
Pronunciation: 'gEk
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from English dialect geek, geck fool, from Low German geck, from Middle Low German
1 : a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake
2 : a person often of an intellectual bent who is disapproved of
- geeky /'gE-kE/ adjective

Don't some rock stars bite the head off animals? That's why Andy thinks he's a geek.

Raul

[rocknthehawk]

Originally Posted by JVN

Andy is the perfect example of how to break the "stereotype".

Baker was a "big dumb jock" (football), a rockstar (singer), who is also a huge geek (robots).

We need more "big dumb jock" rockstar geeks like Andy!

I love ya buddy.

John

i'm a rockstar geek!!!! i play bass in a band

[Dorienne]

Originally Posted by rocknthehawk

i'm a rockstar geek!!!! i play bass in a band

haha as am I! I sing. =D

[av11d]

Originally Posted by Dorienne Plait

haha as am I! I sing. =D

I'm good with synths!! Er, I suppose that wouldn't make me a rockstar geek... more of a... double geek?

[Alaina]

I got voted "Biggest Geek" for Senior Bests, here at New Tech High...
It doesn't phase me any. I'm quite happy about it. Other people are happy for me, too...


I love geeks. I love being one. Because there are so many interests involved with being a geek, and they're so good for you. Math, science, Dungeons and Dragons, DDR, safety glasses, LAN parties, Rubik's cubes... How can you possibly think being a geek is a bad thing?!

Plus, geeks make such good teenagers. I mean, not to rat on other stereotypes. But do you ever here of people getting arrested for getting drunk and violent at a geek party? Do geeks ever get suspended for starting a fight or posessing an illegal substance at school? Seriously!

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by JVN

Andy is the perfect example of how to break the "stereotype".

Baker was a "big dumb jock" (football), a rockstar (singer), who is also a huge geek (robots). We need more "big dumb jock" rockstar geeks like Andy!

I love ya buddy.

John

I have been trying to conjure up a reply to this, but I must've resorted back to my "big dumb jock" days. I am typing slowly.

Thanks, John, for the kind words.

As for the "geek" label, I admire people who embrace it. Personally, I am more proud of being a geek as opposed to a jock. I can easily shift gears from being a jock to a geek or even a hick. All are OK with me, but I prefer geek. Don't get me wrong, I am not biased against jocks or hicks... I just think that geeks have more importance in the world we live in.

I don't know about you all, but my heros tend to be geeks.

Andy B.


I yam what I am. - Popeye the Sailor

[JVN]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

...or even a hick.

Doh!
How could I have forgotten hick?!?

He's a big dumb jock rockstar hick, geek.

...and he's one of my heroes.
Isn't FIRST awesome?

John

[Alaina]

Originally Posted by JVN

Isn't FIRST awesome?

You bet it is.

I guess in my previous post I forgot to mention the quote in my signature from Dave Lavery. He said at San Jose this past season while talking about Mars. Go figure.
Dave's my hero. So is Mark Leon. I think it's safe to assume they're geeks.

[sure_smile]

The thing about FIRST being associated with geeks...well in a way, I was one of those people...if a year ago you told me I would be on a robotics team (and loving every minute of if) I would've laughed in your face, seriously.
but i think a lot of it is realizing that FIRSTies aren't 'normal geeks' we're actually really cool...i think people get over the whole 'geek' thing when they see the robot, they see what it can do, they see how much team members love robotics, and thats what its all about really. i mean, as much as i might have been 'ew geeky' a year ago, i would say that i am a proud geek now.
...though it might be a bit overpresumptous to label myself a geek, so i'll be a geek-wannabe for now