2008 New Jersey Regional

[Chaos204]

I am sorry if i offend anybody but rules or no rules i think that asking a driver to jump forward to catch their controllers is not only unreasonable, but un-gracious professional.

As the driver, those 15 seconds are the most tense of the match for me. Not only are you not in control of your machine you are trying to determine where you will be when it ends and how to continue the match based on the position of the balls. Now you need to worry if your controllers are going to be broken at the end of autonomous. I am supprised that they expect us to put our HANDS and FINGERS on the line to catch falling controllers. My robot is set up to hit the opposing fence then turn and continue but it does that per our programing and does so very gentally. If I saw this happening with any sort of regularity i would have no issue with a ref DQing any team including mine if it was with enough power to do this to a team. My alliance's controllers got knocked down several times. Many controller setup's I have seen are metal/lexan both of which are very capable of cutting and breaking digits(fingers) and when the window in front of me just got rammed by a 120lb robot barreling to me the last thing on my mind is to jump forward and grab that metal/lexan box that is now falling to the ground.
Risking my hands.

[Graham Donaldson]

I thought the NJ Regional was an AWESOME time. I was really happy we got picked by 1089- thanks team Mercury!- even though we were seeded 44th. Although, by our scouting, we were had the 9th-highest average score per round- shows the value of scouting!

I'd like to congratulate 25, 103, & 381 on winning the regional- we tried to stop you guys in the first match, but to no avail.

Congrats are due to 11, 1980, & 2590, in addition to all the other alliances.

Congrats are also due to 1403 on their Engineering Inspiration, 11 & Bill McGowan on winning Woodie Flowers, 2590 on winning Rookie All-Star, & 2458 on winning Rookie Inspiration. Congrats go out to all other awards winners as well.

See you at GTR & Atlanta! Here we come!

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Chaos204

I am sorry if i offend anybody but rules or no rules i think that asking a driver to jump forward to catch their controllers is not only unreasonable, but un-gracious professional.

As the driver, those 15 seconds are the most tense of the match for me. Not only are you not in control of your machine you are trying to determine where you will be when it ends and how to continue the match based on the position of the balls. Now you need to worry if your controllers are going to be broken at the end of autonomous. I am supprised that they expect us to put our HANDS and FINGERS on the line to catch falling controllers. My robot is set up to hit the opposing fence then turn and continue but it does that per our programing and does so very gentally. If I saw this happening with any sort of regularity i would have no issue with a ref DQing any team including mine if it was with enough power to do this to a team. My alliance's controllers got knocked down several times. Many controller setup's I have seen are metal/lexan both of which are very capable of cutting and breaking digits(fingers) and when the window in front of me just got rammed by a 120lb robot barreling to me the last thing on my mind is to jump forward and grab that metal/lexan box that is now falling to the ground.
Risking my hands.

I agree, but you'd think that most teams would have learned by the first day and would have brought some stronger velcro for the control box. (Someone also proposed using clamps to hold down the controls) but yea, it would suck to have anything break. =/

All teams: I would highly suggest securing your controls in a better way.

[Graham Donaldson]

Anyone know where to find the text of the awards speeches given? I know we were given a printout of the Chairman's script, but I don't have it and I'd like to read it again. Are they online?

[galewind]

Originally Posted by robotcanuck1676

I thought the NJ Regional was an AWESOME time. I was really happy we got picked by 1089- thanks team Mercury!- even though we were seeded 44th. Although, by our scouting, we were had the 9th-highest average score per round- shows the value of scouting!

1089 is is proud of their thorough (though archaic) scouting system. While normally we would never be one to pick a team that was already chosen, the numbers were a bit difficult to read on the list on the screen, and she wasn't sure if it was 816 or another team with a close number that was the #2 seed, so while she felt a little silly, it was because we didn't want to pass up a great opportunity. We were VERY happy with our alliance selections though, and heck, we were the only ones who could keep the #1 alliance under 80 points, let alone beat them a round. Not too shabby.

Thanks to 449 and 1676 for being excellent partners, and congrats to 1676 for winning Chairman's!!! Such a young team winning demonstrates that you truly must exemplify what FIRST deems as outstanding qualities.

Congrats to teams 25, 103, and 381 for winning the event!

Also, a congrats to our rookie neighbors, 2590 (Nemesis) for their numerous awards, including finalists and rookie-all-star!!

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by robotcanuck1676

Anyone know where to find the text of the awards speeches given? I know we were given a printout of the Chairman's script, but I don't have it and I'd like to read it again. Are they online?

I have never seen the text of the awards posted before (other then people providing their own transcripts). The video will probably be posted here: http://www.soap.circuitrunners.com/2008/movies/nj/

[Waynep]

Originally Posted by ssand1990

On Behalf of 1403 and myself i would like to say congrats to 103, 25 and 381.
Also congrats to Team 1676 for winning Chairmans. You guys really deserve it.

Last but not least i would also like to congratulate all the teams that won award yesterday and today.

This congratulatory note to the Regional Chairman's award winning team shows how much of a class act 1403 is. I have it on good authority that picking a RCA winner at NJ was extremely difficult this year. It did not go unnoticed that Cougar Robotics became a well deserved repeat Engineering Inspiration Award winner. I know you are destined to become a RCA recipient in the near future. Please keep up the good work as you continue to lead the way in inspiring those in your school and community.

[muffinxo]

GREAT REGIONAL!! I watchedd it!! Loved every minutes of it!!

Congrats to everyone who participated

Especially 816, you guys did great Loved the sexyy bot *wink wink*

[Chrisms]

Originally Posted by Chaos204

I am sorry if i offend anybody but rules or no rules i think that asking a driver to jump forward to catch their controllers is not only unreasonable, but un-gracious professional.

I'm sorry if I offend you, but i'm not quite sure who's being ungracious here?

are we asking the control box to please disobey physics for those 15 seconds, or what?

fact of this game is high speed, and the real risk of impact. As we saw in practice rounds, pretty much up front, it doesn't take much to knock the boxes off. Your choice is risk your hands, or risk your controls. I'm not really seeing anything ungracious. They don't give you a penalty for diving froward to catch the box, What else can you really ask for this year? I mean, i hope next year they redesign the drivers stations.


also, congrats pioneers! i'm so happy for you guys! I'll see you all in Atlanta!

[Larry Albert]

Team 1980, The Brigade would like to extend their congratulations to the Alliance of teams 25, 103 and 381 on winning the New Jersey Regionals – you guys were awesome!. We would also like to thank our alliance partners Team 11, M.O.R.T. and Team 2590 Nemesis – it was such a pleasure being your partners. We would also like to thank team 108 for hosting the webfeed – it let all our people back in Maryland share in the excitement. Lastly, we’d like to thank the New Jersey regional staff and volunteers for putting on a great event.

Larry Albert
Lead Mentor
Team 1980

[George A.]

Originally Posted by Chrisms

fact of this game is high speed, and the real risk of impact. As we saw in practice rounds, pretty much up front, it doesn't take much to knock the boxes off. Your choice is risk your hands, or risk your controls. I'm not really seeing anything ungracious. They don't give you a penalty for diving froward to catch the box, What else can you really ask for this year? I mean, i hope next year they redesign the drivers stations.

Sky did mention it at the drivers meeting, and I know it was suggested in the pits several times that teams put velcro on the bottom of the control boards to stop this kind of thing from happening.

[Laura 1547]

So Waldo just got back from their oh-so-enjoyable 11 hour bus ride home (yesss! one hour shorter than the way there) and for anybody who has a different time zone, it's 4:45 am right now and FREEZING cold outside. We're missing that hot New Jersey weather!

I want to say, on behalf of the entire 1547 team, thank-you to everyone who made our second visit to NJ just as, if not more, fun as last year. It was great meeting new people and seeing everyone again that we had met down there before. The whole team had so much fun and everybody was so nice to us (besides the regular Canada jokes...just kidding).

I'll write again when I've had more than 30 minutes sleep on a bus...I'm pretty much falling off my bed I'm so tired right now. Thank-you again to everyone!

[BandChick]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

I have never seen the text of the awards posted before (other then people providing their own transcripts). The video will probably be posted here: http://www.soap.circuitrunners.com/2008/movies/nj/

Joe's right, but last year we posted them on the NYC/NJ FIRST website (http://www.nycnjfirst.org). I'll see about getting a copy of them again this year, and let you know!

[Graham Donaldson]

Originally Posted by Laura 1547

The whole team had so much fun and everybody was so nice to us (besides the regular Canada jokes...just kidding).

Just be thankful you only deal with those for 3 days. I get them year-round!

Originally Posted by BandChick

Joe's right, but last year we posted them on the NYC/NJ FIRST website (http://www.nycnjfirst.org). I'll see about getting a copy of them again this year, and let you know!

Thanks for looking into it, Sara. As I said, I know we have a printout, but as you can imagine, none of us heard the second half of the speech because we were all just going nuts.

[Danny McC]

Does anyone have any video of our robot in action? If so please send me a PM or send an email at syntheticfear@Hotmail.com. Please and thank you.