week 1: Three Things I've Learned

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Johnson

The game is VERY boring and anti-climatic.

I cannot disagree more. Once teams figured out how to play the game, it bacame very exciting. I'll agree that the early qualification matches and practice matches looked boring but that (I believe) was because teams weren't sure what strategies would work.

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Johnson

The matches are determined by penalties more often than not.

I'll agree here, but TBH teams need to learn to control their beasts. Driving the wrong way or interaction outside the bumper zone penalties are both avoidable and those are the ones killing alliances.

Originally Posted by Jeremiah JohnsonA

team can get selected because of their reputation to build amazing robots in the past. (Someone from 16 or 1625, please explain to me why you selected us [648]? I'm grateful that you did, but it's perplexing.)

This has always been part of FIRST.

If you cannot "sell" your team and robot strategy to others then you will not be picked. Winning is a habit, and as such teams with winning reputations get picked because of this.

Originally Posted by iCurtis

As for the first point I can't disagree more. I can't recall a game where the audience rose to their feet more often. Every time a ball went over, the roar of the audience at BAE was obvious from the field. Autonomous was essentially a mass of cheering. This is without a doubt the most exciting game I have seen in my 5 years of FRC. BAE's elimination bracket was very even, we had a tie in BOTH semifinals. Balls went up, balls came down it was without a doubt amazing. We were picked by the 7th seed, and won our first match against the 2nd, and the only time I have ever felt more adrenaline during a match was when we won BAE in 2006. I LOVE OVERDRIVE!

We were in that 2nd seeded alliance. You guys were great. Those matches were some of the best, most exciting that I have watched in years. Even from the stands the adrenaline was pumping.