Making heads or tails of the new announcement...

[tjrage_25]

btw... tj. how many regionals are you guys gonna try to attend in 2002? just curious.

Probably 2 if we can, the first of course is NJ, the second we will probably decide on tommorow.

[Todd Derbyshire]

What First should have done is this if it needed to limit Nationals
1)All winners of competitions last year and Chairman's award winner. This includes the winners of the divisions in Florida.
2) Whoever, hasn't qualified yet for Nationals has to face a process similiar to what the card game Magic has which is the DCI rating system. All teams will play their matches in the regular season and develop a ranking. This rating would be composed somehow be average points in a match by average points given up.(IF Given the ability to do so in the game). This system would not only give the top teams which FIRST whether it wanted to say it or not stated in their statement quite clearly that it wants the top and elite teams in Florida. So as a recap you would have the previous years winners invited of the robotic competition and chairman's award. Wait a second the overall flaw with FIRST'S STATEMENT WHAT HAPPENS IF A TEAM ALREADY QUALIFIED QUALIFIES AGAIN. a.k.a. Delphi. Well, I would definitely say this to the teams that are qualified you may participate in a regional to practice this years game but you may not move into the playoffs. I can see it no a team in the semifinal gets paired against a team who is already qualifed. Oh wait we forfeit and that team gets to go to the final while two other teams have to battle it out to reach the final.!!~!!! I can see it happening and its not right. So I am praying right now that Woodie or Dean has been reading these posts and has seen the flaws in their message for what they have stated in that message was not at all FIRST material. What FIRST stated in that message was something a FOX sports station would want were they would only want to see the elite of the elite and not the true spirit of FIRST.

[Jay Lundy]

Originally posted by Todd Derbyshire
I can see it now a team in the semifinal gets paired against a team who is already qualifed. Oh wait we forfeit and that team gets to go to the final while two other teams have to battle it out to reach the final.

I very highly doubt a team would do that. This isn't the NFL or something where the only goal is to win the superbowl. It's all about the thrill of competition and watching your robot do what you designed it to do. And also, what about the original teams like TechnoKats? Are they going to skip all regionals and only attend the nationals? No, the regionals are incredible competitions as well and in some cases are better than nationals. If a team doesn't qualify for nationals, take advantage of the almost 20 regionals that are offered this year. Try to goto 2 or 3 or, since you save so much money for not going to nationals, even try to goto 4! This way you can experience the competition the same way you would at nationals except you most likely will get to meet more teams this way. Then the next year you know you are garaunteed to be able to compete at nationals.

Also, I just wanted to point out something in the letter. This will give you an idea of where FIRST is coming from:

It is the process rather than product or performance that is at the core of what makes FIRST unique.

The competitions are simply an afterthought, and although they are important for attracting new members, if the only reason you participate in FIRST is for the national competition then you are missing the whole point of FIRST. Also there are plenty of regionals (as I pointed out above) that can satisfy those of you who want to compete and socialize with other teams.

[Lora Knepper]

Originally posted by Jeff Waegelin


Well said. Sometimes people (myself included) get too worked up about their own team's situation to look at the big picture. Not just the big picture for Nats, but for FIRST...

Agreed. Though for the record, I'm going to be one of the exceptions like Joe. I'm not officially with a team right now. And I've worked on or close to teams that will be guaranteed a spot in this year's Epcot event (I'm sorry, I just cannot call it "Nationals" anymore....not with this level of exclusion) and also with teams that right now are thinking they have no hope to make it to Florida.

I know in my heart that FIRST needs to limit Nationals. I dreaded the moment with everything in me, but I knew that it was inevitable. I just disagree wholeheartedly in how they went about it.

And now with the limits, I'm afraid. Not so much for the veteran teams that will sit back for a year and make things bigger and better to secure a spot at Epcot next year. But rather, I'm afraid for the rookies. As much as I hate to admit it, Florida is a big draw to new teams, and a great recruiting event. It's in the process that we all get hooked from Florida into the robots and team instead. And what about some of the teams from the "rookie regionals"? I know things have been said about the KSC and the VCU regionals especially - I know I'm guilty of some of them. The teams that participate in these regionals are always first out. They are always trying the new and unknown for the first time. And as history has proven, the scores at these two regionals in particular are lower than at say, the Midwest and the New England.

I'm concerned about how FIRST decided on this....but no matter. I am a FIRST-a-holic, and after I cooled off of some of the inital emotion over this, I know that no matter what silly moves FIRST takes, I'll keep coming back. I've gained too much from this project to give up on it now.

~ lora

[Wayne C.]

I haven't heard anything about the change in costs from this thread yet. If you make plane arrangements in advance you can get airfare for about $250 from our area. Going by the 2001 prices and a team of 20 that means the whole expedition would run about $15,000.
By waiting to the last few weeks before the Nationals to make arrangements the airfares shoot up dramatically- lets say to $1000. Now the same trip costs about $30,000 if you can even book the flights and reasonable rooms.

[Vin211]

Jess-
This Florida thing is big. Only a couple students from the team know right now. We're working for a meeting on Thursday where we'll discuss what is going to happen. Dan and I are really down because of FIRST and their "qualifications", I wish there was something they could do about it and I know they will. Also I have started posting on Delphi just like you Jess, I'm going to try to do things like You, Rich, and Pat did in the past. We received a couple new freshmen who have signed up. I actually pressured them to, they were from Lego League and they've always wanted a piece of the high school action. But telling them that there may not be a big show(FLORIDA) this year may be kind hard for them. I know we'll figure something out but I just hope its not too late.

[Jessica Boucher]

Vinnie....

I know, I know. But when you want to adress me specifically, use a pm or im or email or phone....trust me, the team has all my contact information.

You guys have good heads on your shoulders....I know that. But please let the thread not get off topic...if you want to talk, you know where I am.