Congratulations 1114, 217 and 148

[Herodotus]

Congrats to 1114, 217, and 148 on the win. You guys were a real powerhouse alliance, and you really knew how to fight through some tough competition. Also, job well done to all the Divisional winners. I don't think any of you gave Galileo an easy match, you all did amazingly well against that powerhouse alliance.

[Vince lau]

Congratulations teams 1114, 217, and 148. it was an amazing eliminations to watch

[Jim Meyer]

I just wanted to echo the congratulations to 1114, 217 and 148. You guys made a truely epic alliance. It was hard to feel bad about losing to you guys.

For those of you curious about what we were scrambling around working on before the championship match, when we'd gotten tangled up and tipped over in the last match of the semi-finals, our arm feedback potentiometer stopped working. We had a spare installed on the other side of the arm, but we'd never really tested it. Apparently we'd forgotten about the little fact that it rotated in the opposite direction, so the polarity was backwards. By the time we'd gotten this all sorted out, it was time for our first match of the championship. With a broken arm pot this meant we couldn't knock any balls off in hybrid. We were very disappointed as we'd just gotten our 2 ball hybrid working (second ball worked both times we'd tried it).

In that first match we also broke one of the two lexan flex plates that allow our roller to survive impacts. In the mad dash to get the flex plate and our potentiometer fixed in the 5 minutes after the first championship match (never did get either fixed ), we hadn't noticed that our packaging device was broken until we were on our way to the field (it only takes 2 bolts to replace). Thankfully the judges gave us a zip tie to cobble it in place for the last match. I guess our machine was getting even with us, it'd been virtually problem-free all year.

Does anyone happen to know why we don't have any awards planned between those last two matches? Sure would have helped us out. We spent hours waiting around for our matches before that, then those last minutes frantically trying to fix out crippled bot. Our drivers did a fantastic job with a machine that didn't grip balls very well and an arm that had to be positioned manually.

Again, Congratulations to the awesome championship teams. Hope to see you at IRI.

[Jimmy Cao]

Congrats to the winners, as well as everyone else!

1114, you had a awesome bot this year, and it's about time you can claim a national championship. You definitely earned it! Good luck in the future, and I look forward to seeing your bot next year =P

217, it was wonderful knowing you guys. You are probably some of the nicest people in FIRST, and you had one awesome bot. Congrats on joining 71 in the multiple win club. Making it 3 next year =D

148, you guys are awesome. Your drivers are possibly the best ones in the league, knowing exactly how to use that little robot of yours to the best of it's ability. I never thought a little thing like that could play defense the way you guys did, it was extremely fun to watch! Good Luck next year! EDIT: Didn't know you guys also had a championship underneaths your belts. Congrats on also joining 71 and 217 in the multiple win club./EDIT

Also, congrats to all other teams at championships and all those who were unable to make it. I hope you all had a wonderful time playing FIRST Overdrive!

[hoorayforpink]

Congratulations to 1114, 217, and 148 you guys were amazing. If we had to lose to anyone, I'd want it to be you guys. Once i saw the score on our first match on Einstein, and saw we didn't win by much with 217 down, I knew it would take a miracle to beat Galileo. Although that second match had me hoping...

Oh well. Again, great job, you guys deserve it.

[notabmw]

I want to congratulate the officials for the best job I have ever seen at the worlds to date.

Great calls on Galileo putting an sweeping end to the poor sportmanship of some teams.

Congratulations to Simotics, Thunder Chickens and the Robowranglers.

[ParkerF]

Originally Posted by Lostmage333

217, it was wonderful knowing you guys. You are probably some of the nicest people in FIRST, and you had one awesome bot. Congrats on joining 71 in the multiple win club. Making it 3 next year =D

For the sake of my retiring teacher, and great coach of 15 years, I want to point out the little known fact that 148 won the world championships in '93. With this being her last year, I was ecstatic to be able to hand her the championship trophy. There's just no greater feeling than giving someone who has devoted 15 years of her life to our team the happiness she was showing.

[Jon Jack]

I have to say, the finals on Galileo this year were some of the best matches I've ever seen. There were some truly amazing alliances in the finals. I was shocked to see that 1114, 217 and 148 were able to hold 1717, 254 and 384 to 58 points in both finals matches while scoring 100+ points, especially considering 1717 and 254 were consistently putting up 100+ points through the QFs and SFs.

SF1 on Einstein was the best set of finals I saw all year. Though 968, 233 and 60 were eliminated, they still hold the title of being the only alliance to beat the SimChicken Wranglers in a match.

Congrats to 1114, 217 and 148!

[Crebb]

Congrats 1114, 217 and 148!
we had fun running with and/ or against each of you during the qualification rounds. It was a privilege to run against 3 such great machines during the Galileo finals. You deserve it.

[Jacob L]

As soon as I checked the Galileo standings at noon on Saturday and saw 1114 as the number one seed, I knew they were going to pick 217 and the other three divisions on Einstein were in serious trouble. Congrats to 1114 on the GREATEST display of dominance I have ever seen and 148 for providing a strong compliment to the two outstanding hurdlers.

And, finally, I want to congratulate our fellow Michigan team, 217, the ThunderChickens. I remember seeing you guys for the first time two years ago on Einstein, when WE won Galileo. I remember how incredible your robot was, and felt that had we made it to the finals on Einstein, it would have been an epic showdown.
This year, I was extremely excited when I looked at the team list for the Great Lakes Regional last month and saw your team on it. I immediately knew you would be the team to beat, which as it turned out, you were. I loved not only your robot, but your humble demeanor and your display of class toward our drive team after you beat us. On Einstein, up on the second level near Curie, our entire team was cheering for your alliance to take Einstein and were elated when you finally did. On behalf of Team 201 the FEDS, I congratulate you on a great season. I couldn't ask for a better team to win Einstein.

(Oh, and one more thing, 217. We would really, REALLY like you guys to come to the Great Lakes Regional next year. We would actually like to play with your team lol )

[Pavan Dave]

I told you the South would dominate this year. 148 won it and 16 was very close. Now, its time for the south to step it up another notch for next year!


Pavan




.

[GaryVoshol]

I'd like to add my congratulations to the winners. Did you hear 1025 and a Canadian team (20xx) hollering and cheering from the upper deck above Curie?

But congrats are also due to the rest of the alliances. When I saw the teams introduced on Einstein, I thought, "This is going to be good!" And it was. Any of those alliances would have been worthy World Champions.

Originally Posted by KTorak

Does anyone have a video of Semis 1 Match 2, I was in the pits crating our robot and missed it.

Yeah, you missed a ... well, I don't know what to call it. 148 was out with repairs, and 1114 and 217 elected to play 2 v 3. Two seconds into teleoperted there was a high speed ram, and it went downhill from there. After a 15 minute conference, it ended with 11 penalties and a DQ for 40 for intentionally tipping 1114.

Originally Posted by Jim Meyer

Does anyone happen to know why we don't have any awards planned between those last two matches?

Perhaps because they can't be sure of how many matches there would be played. If one of the semis hadn't gone to 3 games, the whole thing would have been over before they got to that award.

[FoleyEngineer]

1114 - All year we watched the vids of you scoring and everyone kept saying, "Where's the defense? Doesn't ANYONE want to try and slow them down?" Well, you certainly had a target painted on your back all weekend, and you showed how well you could still do against defenders - it was amazing! When 330 pinned a ball against their drivers station, and you reached in "around" their arms, lifted up and pulled back with the ball we couldn't believe it! Bet they couldn't either - right in front of them. Way to play so smart and cool, and under such tremendous pressure. Congrats!

217 - We couldn't wish for a nicer team to win! Being 1 win away from winning it all with you at Great Lakes and getting a ticket to Atlanta, we REALLY wanted to see you show off your stuff and boy did you! When you stretched that surgical tubing about 15 feet across the field from that far side post we were waiting for something to explode! Then you fixed it but too tight, and finally got it back to 100% again - all while surviving the playoffs in the most difficult division there. Wow! We're so glad you could show off why you have such a tremendous robot, drive team, and strategist. Here's hoping we can partner with you again this year! We're making a ton of improvements and will be ready for the summer off-season events with a vengence!

148 - I can just imagine what went through your minds when they called your name to partner up with those two juggernauts! We had the same privilege at great lakes when the #1 seed 66 and 217 picked us as their third and then we all took it to the third match of the finals. Hats off to your drive and design team. Way to chose to do one element of the game and do it great!

[Adam Freeman]

As everyone else has already said, Congratulations to 1114, 217, and 148 you guys deserve it.

1114 - I think I told this to every 1114 team member that I talked too, in the 4 years that I have been in FIRST, Simbot SS is the most dominant robot that I have seen . The amazing thing about it is that any of the other teams in FIRST probably could built that machine, but none of us had the vision to come up with that design. When Jim and I saw your machine on the Midwest videos we were amazed and confused why we didn't think of that design. Whats even more incredible is that your driver has two more years left to compete. He was awesome at fighting thru traffic and lining up the machine for trackball collection.

217 - Thanks for bringing another championship back to Michigan. 2 out of 3 years is incredible. We really wanted to be the first team to break the Beatty Curse, but we are proud that another local team has done it. Your machine is great. I love the way you collect the ball and hurdle, its very unique. We may have thought of 1114's machine eventually, but we never would have thought of the way you guys solved the problem.

148 - You guys did it! I think you guys were the most effective team we have played against all year at defending our robot. Your machine is so fast and manuverable, it was giving our drivers fits trying to get past you. Seeing your serve module was very inspiring. You guys deserved to be out there and you definately earned your Gold medals.

We tried our best to keep our drivers focused on the fact that anything could happen, even what most considered the impossible - beating the ultimate alliance, 2 out of 3 matches. To their credit both the drivers and coaches stayed extremely focused and the pit crew did a awesome job trying to get the machine 100% functional after our semi-finals tip over.

We will wear our Silver Medals with our heads high, knowing we tried our hardest but got beat by a well deserving better alliance.

Congratulations again!

[Karthik]

It was all a dream...

For years, Team 1114 has dreamed of winning the championship. In 2006, we thought we had the robot and alliance to finally put it all together, but in mere few minutes it all evaporated. We were a wreck after that loss. I was a disaster. But we regrouped, came back with renewed focus and dedication in 2007. Then in 2007, we once again thought we had the robot to go all the way. Then the unthinkable happened. After the 2007 season we were heartbroken and angry. Our chances at winning the championship were literally ripped away.

I began to wonder, how many more chances would we have? Could we really be cursed? There was much introspection and self doubt after Atlanta 2007. In spite of it all, we moved on. We had to. Knowing that a team can only have so many chances to be on top, an immediate sense of urgency developed. We attacked the 2008 season with a singular focus. Never before have I seen a team so driven towards success. We constantly talked about execution. Every team member was single mindedly driven towards their goal.

Motivation. Our team was constantly motivated internal and externally. Every one of us knew how much the others wanted this goal, and this propelled us each to work harder. Our team is a big family, with everyone working to make sure that every one reaches their goal. No one wanted to let any one down. Then there were the external sources. Our team was maligned often this season. This only served to make us work that much harder to prove the doubters wrong. To a certain degree we took a Tiger Woods / Michael Jordan approach to it all, using the negative words of others to motivate us even further.

We had an amazing regional season, but we knew it would be rendered relatively meaningless if we didn't win the Championship in Atlanta. So despite all the attention, hype and the giant target on our backs, we continued to focus on execution. Every team member performed at the highest level this weekend. We were not about to let this opportunity slip through our hands again.

I can't even begin to describe the emotions we felt this weekend. There were so many spectacular moments. Clinching the number one seed on Saturday morning. Assembling the dream alliance of 217 and 148. Earning our first trip to Einstein by winning arguably the toughest division in FIRST history. Surviving so many technical problems to come from behind to beat the 968/233/60 alliance. Then finally finishing our ascent, and winning our first World Championship.

Right now I'm so high that I've ascended through the blue atmosphere and am about to ring the doorbell on the international space station. This feeling is truly indescribable. You dream of something for so long, that to a certain degree it seems unattainable. Anyone who knows me or the Simbots knows how badly we wanted this. There's nothing quite like this.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible. There's so many of you.

Team 217 - We've wanted to work with you for years. We learned a valuable lesson about your team in 2006. There is no better Saturday performer than the ThunderChickens. This team just knows how to win. No matter what adversity is thrown their way, they always find a way to pull it out. Despite technical glitches that would have derailed most teams, they just kept fighting back. Most teams would have given up with the electrical problems they were having (after winning Galileo, the team lost all power to their robot), but not 217. They stayed focused and came back at full strength on Einstein. Their last second places proved beyond any doubt that they were by far the best pick.

Team 148 - We wanted a second round team who had the flexibility to be both a lap runner, and a strong defender. When the fastest robot in our division, with strong defending capabilities became available, there was no way we could turn them down. For all the doubters out there, wait until the video comes out. You'll see that 148 was able to consistently slow down and shut down some of the most effective robots in FIRST. They also managed to play this defense without stooping to the dirty and ugly that we've seen from certain teams over the years. It was a true pleasure to work with the Robowranglers.

The Canadian Teams in Attendance - It was great seeing all those Canadian flags waving in support of us during the Einstein matches. We could even hear Waldo cheering for us all the down on the field. It was a true honor to represent our country. Just thinking about it all nearly brings tears to my eyes. Special thanks you our littlest supporters, the WAFFLES FLL team from Kingston, Ontario. The support you gave us at both GTR and Atlanta warms my heart.

The Simbot Supporters Across The Dome - The Championships were such a refreshing change. It was great having team after team come to our pit congratulating us on our design. Then there was the the support in the stands. Talking to our team parents, one of their most memorable moments was when they were leaving Galileo to head to the Einstein stands, and received a standing ovation from the fans of Galileo as the walked up the stairs. The support we received in Atlanta was overwhelming, especially considering the treatment our team has been accustomed to in Toronto and Waterloo.

A couple personal ones:

Mark Breadner - There is no more deserving winner of the Woodie Flowers Award than you. You've helped shape me into the man I am today. I'm grateful towards you for so much.

JVN and Paul Copioli - Winning the championship was everything I dreamed it to be and more, but part of what made it special was to win it with friends. You guys are awesome, and there's no one else I'd rather share this title with than you.

To all the Simbots - You guys have kept me going for the past 5 years. I've been through some ups and downs in my life, but you've been the one consistent factor. No matter what else is going on, I can always count on the Simbots to inspire me and motivate me. The bonds on this team are so much more than that of just being simple teammates. You are truly my family and my best friends. I look up to each and every one of you in different ways, both Big and Little Simbots. You help define the standards that I live my life by. There's really no other group that consistently makes me smile and laugh the way you do. This journey has been amazing, and I look forward to seeing where it takes us next.

Finally, I'd like to thank the few people who've been by my side and supported me at various points during this epic journey. Some of you may or may not be reading this, but you know who you are. I'm glad to have sat under Thunder and rain with you, and grateful too For sunlight on the garden.

In the words of Ric Flair...