pic: BAE Systems-Granite State Regional High Score

[skimoose]

We've all been in matches where our alliances have been crushed, or have dominated. That's part of the luck of the draw. Being on the receiving end a big lose has value, too. Did the drive team fall back to a backup plan or just choke? Did they give up or continue to drive in a calm and professional manner? As an athlete, I would always do my best regardless of how out-classed I was. I don't want my opponents easing up on me, because I won't reach my personal best.

This match was extremely clean and there was NOTHING unprofessional about it. If I was on the losing side of this match I wouldn't be offended, especially when it's the first match of the QF. Time to come up with a new game plan in a hurry! That's what seperates winners from losers. Adapt and overcome, or give up and go home. There is still victory in losing. I would have left this competition knowing that I was beaten by the winning alliance in a fair match. 501, 175, & 1824 obviously had a great alliance and a great game plan. It's obvious watching the match that they executed their game plan perfectly.

Congratulations to team 501, 175, & 1824 for winning the Granite State Regional!

Billfred pointed out correctly that the alliance would suffer penalties for trying to assist the losing alliance. There was a match at VCU this weekend that was LOST by the alliance dominating the rack scoring because they were hit with several penalties. This was also a Quarter-Final match, not a qualifying match, things are just a little different.

Eliminations are to win period.

As far as banning the 1-4 seeds from choosing each other, why?

Alliance selection is about picking teams and robots that will compliment your strengths and offset your weaknesses. I've seen many of these high seed alliances LOSE a competition because they simply chose the other high seeds, and not the teams that would work best with their own robots. It's no different than certain professional ball teams that spend ridiculous amounts of money to acquire the best players and still lose.

I've seen many high scoring robots low in the standings after the qualification matches, only because of poor alliance pairings and bad luck, and I've seen 1 and 2 seeds that were pulled to the top by their qualification alliances inspite of their own mediocre performance. I even recall a "no show" at a post season event, that nearly ended up as an eigth seed alliance captain because they weren't pulled from the match lists and the alliances they were supposed to be in ended up giving them a 4-2-0 record!

Moral of alliance selection... choose well grasshopper!