week 1: Three Things I've Learned

[Craig]

I also attended MWR

I think that we all need to learn here that you cannot judge a competition of this magnitude and complexity at first glance, or even at first week.

I learned that even when you think you have the game all figured out and you have strategies planned, that experience, determination and teams abilities to evolve so drastically right at the competition can throw a huge wrench into the mix.

Of course week 1 practice and prelim matches weren't suspenseful, teams are self centered trying to prepare for the eliminations. It is not until the teamwork and cooperative strategies are present that the intensity is at it's fullest. Those are after all, the emphasis of first, right?

The evolution of competition in a mere 3 days was astounding, the true talent of teams making the elim. rounds made for some very climactic and exciting play.

Penalties are part of the game and will become less of a factor when we all learn how to play and how the refs are calling them. We can't go changing the rules every time we are faced with a challenge.

one last thing, we are all very aware that seeding teams has as much to do with luck and randomness as skill. That is part of the fairness of first. Reputation and performance are more reflective of a teams value in competition and when 24 teams are drafted, not all of the selected teams will be top competitors but they will all play an important role on the TEAM