Stop The Madness

[MrToast]

I agree 110%. Last year (my rookie year), I didn't "get" what FIRST was about. It took a robot that was partially destroyed in a nationals elimination match and the resulting discussion to get it. I posted how I felt about about the match and how I thought it was "unfair", but in reality, I could've done more. As pit captain, I could've fashioned better protection for our electronics. I could've secured our cooling fans tighter. I could've done so much more. Yes, I complained about it here, something I'm not particularly proud of. But what happened happened. There's NOTHING you can do to change the fact that it happened. You can't go back in time and slap the ref upside the head and make him change the call. The only thing you can do is learn from the call.

Talk privately to the ref. Learn why (s)he made the call. Understand the thought process. Once you do that, you'll know how to avoid it in the future. Learn, and move on. Dwelling on it and complaining about it doesn't help anybody, least of all yourself. The sour mood sits and ferments inside you, and pretty soon, you'll be numb to all the goodness that FIRST has to offer. You'll miss out, and it won't be anyone's fault but your own.

Dave