Make Scounting Count: NFL Draft Style

[Adare180]

As a true FIRST addict, my dad and I were discussing different ways to do the alliance pairing at competitions, and that was when we thought of the NFL draft.

If FIRST used a similar system, it would encourage teams to scout the other teams out on their field, and not just choose favorites. (Admit it.... wasn't at least one of your alliance partners a "friend" of your team?)

Last weekend at the championship, for my first time since joining the team in 2003, SPAM was not chosen for the finals after lunch. This year, our team was scouting in the stands, but we did not do much "advertising" around the pit area. Most people saw our robot in the pits, but did not have the opportunity to see her on the field.... this I feel, could have changed our outlook.

Just think........... if teams had to submit their list of desired alliance partners, and FIRST had a computer system of organizing their selections, similar to the NFL draft (Letting the top 8 seeded teams select their alliances this way, even allowing them to select one another, and pushing the 9th up....there would be no more "buddy system") The unknown teams would have a better chance, because scouting would be taken more seriously........ who has the best bot on the field?

I know there are flaws to this system, (like, well, we've already got a ramp bot in our alliance) but, there is potential. Just wondering what the Chief Delphi Community has to say about this concept.