Congratulations 1114, 217 and 148

[ParkerF]

Originally Posted by Karthik

In the words of Ric Flair...

WHOOOO!!!

[Sorry, I just had to...]

[brentmcjunkin]

congrats
and I have to do it
GALI...

[Mike Harrison]

Originally Posted by Jacob L

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.

Thanks for the support! I remember you guys gave us a heck of a time in GLR. Hands down the best defending robot we've been up against. Thank you also for the kind words, it means a lot.

Originally Posted by 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.

It was a privilege playing with and against you guys as well. I remember going into a match with you guys not expected you to match us in points (which gave our alliance the win), so when I found out we were against you guys with Cheesy Poofs and D'Penguineers I was a little worried that their third robot could get 4 hurdles in a match! You guys put up a tough fight, good luck next year.

Thank you 1114 for picking us, couldn't have asked for a more dominating partner, you carried us through most of Galileo and I felt bad until we got to pull our weight on Einstein. Your design was simple and elegant and your drive team amazing.

To 148: Wouldn't have had it any other way, you guys are simply incredible. I love Tumbleweed, and I love your team. You proved to everyone that yes, the little robot can kick some butt. I've never spent so much time just looking at a robot, never. I hope you guys use the crab drive for years to come Maybe next year FIRST will allow for some titanium bevel gears. And if you ever find yourself needing to get rid of one of those modules you know who to call

And thankyou to the rest of FIRST, in the past 3 years I have gained what seems a near infinite amount of knowledge. I've learned about teamwork, engineering, deadlines, and rivets. I've made friends, and a CAD drawing here and there. I've found something that has changed my life and influenced my decisions in a positive way. I've experienced feelings that few people get to experience at my age. I've felt accomplished, accepted, ecstatic, elated and tired after 12 weeks of the most exciting time in my life. I've never belonged to something like FIRST, it's an indescribable feeling to belong to something so big. For lack of adjectives, FIRST is, simply put, epic. An epic adventure with an epic ending. But FIRST's pull on me will not end now that I'm going off to college, I'll always have these memories, and I will treasure them, and one day I hope to be able to give back to the organization that has given me so much.

Thank you one and all,
Mike Harrison

PS:

Originally Posted by Karthik

In the words of Ric Flair...

[Derek Bessette]

This has been an amazing season and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I am so proud of all the Simbots. You worked so hard all season long, yet managed to keep it fun. You are my extended family and the joy on all of your faces on Saturday will stay with me forever.

Thank you to team 217 and 148. It was a privilege being aligned with you. Your teams are a model of professionalism.

John and Paul, it was an honor to be coaching with the likes of you two. Let's do it again some time.

Thanks to FIRST, the GDC and especially the referees. Your jobs were next to impossible this year. As a former hockey referee, I know that every call is wrong and right depending on which side of the field you ask. Thanks for taking the abuse and calling it like you see it.

Finally, thank you to Christine and Abby, the two loves of my life. Your support during the busy FIRST season is unbelievable. You are the best.

[Laura 1547]

First of all I want to wish the biggest congratulations to all of the teams for giving one of the most intense finals I've ever watched. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the entire thing.

1114, 217, 148 - What an amazing alliance. You guys were so inspiring to watch!! Congratulations to all three of you.

I want to both congratulate and thank 1114 for not only bringing the championship title back to Canada but for all the support they, once again, gave Waldo at the championship event. We found ourselves an hour before our Chairman's interview realizing we forgot something and Simbotics was right there ready to help us. It's just yet another example of how 1114 is more than just a winning team - they help define the term "gracious professionalism" and truly embody FIRST. That makes them an all-around winning team. I said multiple times at that event that I couldn't think of another team that deserved to win Championships more and personally, I still can't. They deserved that so much.

Originally Posted by Karthik

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.

I think I annoyed everybody sitting around me by making them jump up everytime 1114, 217, and 148 was announced. And of course 1547 was cheering - when did we stop all weekend? A Canadian team in the finals gets our full support!!!

And to add to Karthik - The WAFFLES are definitely the littlest supporters anybody could have. This FLL team continuously came and found Waldo (no pun intended) in the pits or in the stands to wish us luck. They attended the qualifying tournament we held at Trafalgar and 1547 hasn't stopped talking about them since. I've told countless people that one of the members of the WAFFLES was my inspiration in FIRST because she is one of the most awe-struck people I've ever seen by the whole robotics program - a future engineer for sure!

The whole weekend was amazing and my thanks goes out to every team that made the event the best one I've attended by far. It was the last FIRST event I'd attend as a student on 1547 and it was the one I'll remember the longest.

[Mr MOE]

1114/217/148

Awesome alliance. Congrats. Well deserved. Your alliance played this game to the entertainment of all the crowd.

No need to say more.

[Paul Copioli]

All I can say is ... WOW! We never could have expected this outcome. The Galileo division was stacked and there were sooo many great teams that I just can't count.

Even with all the great teams in Galileo, 1114 was an absolute cut above the rest. I still think they could have flipped a coin (or threw a dart at the dart board) for their eliminations partners and still won this thing. that is how good they are.

To team 1114:
I know I speak for all of team 217, when I say "thank-you" for believing we were the best pick for you. It was an honor and a priviledge to work along side dedicated and inspiring Simbots all Saturday afternoon. I am glad we could contribute to, what I believe to be, your destiny in 2008. I am also very, very glad we didn't screw it up for you.

To team 148:
Our recent history as close teams has been cemented forever after this past weekend. St. Louis was a blast and the Champs just topped off the perfect ending to a great year. Your courage to do what no one else had the guts to do is remarkable and your little robot was a work of art. I am glad that we were able to break the Beatty Curse together (for those of you that don't know, 148 won the champs in 1993). I look forward to maybe going to Dallas next year and you guys coming up to Great Lakes.

To the individuals:

Mark Breadner - Congratulations and welcome to the club. You deserve this award and I am glad you won it. Now I don't have to go to Canada anymore to present (JK)!

Rhona Breadner - Thank-you for helping us get your stubborn husband to the Championships this year. We could not have got him there without you.

Karthik - I am glad that we have gotten to be friends over the last few years. Your dedication to our team and to FIRST is admirable and you are an inspiration to many. I hope this marks the beginning of our teams working together more often.

Derek B - I am very happy we finally got to work together behind the glass. Your calmness under pressure and your excellent decision making under fire is a great motivator to me to become a better coach. Your dedication to your family and your team has inspired me to become a better man.

Geoff, Ian, Mike (the programmer), and all the other "go to" guys on Simbots -
You are all true professionals. You are the core of what makes Simbots tick. I know Karthik gets most of the spotlight, but you are the heart and soul of the team and it does not go unnoticed.

John V - You are one of my best friends, not just in FIRST, but in life. I am glad we started down our little collaboration adventure in 2005. It has made both of our teams stronger and closer as a result. Hey budy, do you remember when we won the Championship together? (sorry, inside joke)

Andy Baker and Ken Patton - You are both my original role models in FIRST. Although we didn't get much time to spend together in Atlanta, you both still have a big influence on me. When I grow up, I want to be just like Ken (Andy does too).

Finally, team 469 - You are the example of gracious professionals. Words can not express how much your unwaivering support of the ThunderChickens this year is appreciated. You let us invade your practice and build facility for almost 8 weeks and use your parts and tools like they were our own. Without us even asking, you brought us all of your support during eliminations and throughout the weekend and asked nothing in return. It makes a world of difference when we have friends like you.

To my team - we will talk tonight!

[Dan Richardson]

Congrats to all the teams, it was a pleasure to get to watch you guys play. Each of you had beautiful machines, and the alliances were well formed and executed perfectly. The back stories here are almost more impressive than the alliance itself and it is really a testament to what hard work, professionalisms, and dedication to their programs can do.

It was a pleasure watching this alliance, and a pleasure talking with all of you, way to go teams!

[Vince lau]

I think the Thunder Chickens have good luck with Canadian teams at Atlanta, 2006 with 296 and now 2008 with 1114.
Hope they come back to the GTR in the future

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

To team 1114:
I know I speak for all of team 217, when I say "thank-you" for believing we were the best pick for you. It was an honor and a priviledge to work along side dedicated and inspiring Simbots all Saturday afternoon. I am glad we could contribute to, what I believe to be, your destiny in 2008. I am also very, very glad we didn't screw it up for you.

Paul,

You couldn't screw this up for us. That's what was so special about this alliance, we won together and we lost together. This alliance felt like one giant team. Despite all the problems our three teams were having, there was never any finger pointing or blame. When one of us was down, the other two picked up the slack. It was by far the most cohesive alliance I've been a part of.

[thefro526]

I have a lot that I could say but I'm going to keep this short.

1114-Simbotics, you have been one of my favorite teams over the past three years. I'm glad you have finally silenced the skeptics. Your '08 season is one that most of use could only dream of, and you got to live it.

217-Thunderchickens, one of my personal motto's has been "how can you not love a team named The Thunderchickens". I'm glad you guys got another World Championship, you proved that your season was no fluke.

148-Robowranglers, You surprised us all many weeks ago when you unveiled your bot and proved that a lap runner could still be a contender in this years game. You've acted as an inspiration to many teams who did not have the capabilities to hurdle.

Congrats to all of the others out there, it's been one awesome season.

[Alex Dinsmoor]

Originally Posted by Mike Harrison

Thanks for the support! I remember you guys gave us a heck of a time in GLR. Hands down the best defending robot we've been up against. Thank you also for the kind words, it means a lot.

You can thank our drivers for that, they did an amazing job this year. We would have loved to played with you again, maybe next year. When I first saw your bot I was in awe, it looked so simple but it was so effective. You guys have an amazing design team to come up with something like that.

[fredliu168]

I just wanted to point out this post I made a while before the championships.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...9&postcount=36

Since I guess I can predict the future, I should start buying stocks and lottery tickets

[martschr]

Three of the greatest teams in FIRST. I could not feel even a bit sad about losing to your alliance. We did not get the privilege of playing the thunderchickens until the finals, so that was the one thing I was a little sad about. We did get the pleasure of facing simbotics at midwest, and robowranglers at bayou. Any match against any of you is a scary match. I have a lot of respect for all three of your teams, and can not wait to do it again. I was glad we got to face you guys in the finals. That was one hell of a show!

[Herodotus]

I just wanted to add a little bit more.

1114- Aside from having a really great robot, I believe the more important factor this year was your stellar drivers. I think some teams may very well have had a "better" robot, but no one could quite match the skill and composure of your drive team. You guys have been one of my favorite teams and I think you more than deserved to finally win the Championship after many hard fought seasons.

217- After driving with you guys at Great Lakes I can safely say you have one of the best robots in Overdrive. It's simple, it's ingenious, and it really gets the job done. Your drivers are also top notch and there are few coaches that can rival Paul. I loved working with you guys in Yipsilanti this past season and I hope we can do so again in the future. Congratulations on the much deserved second Championship win and thank you for representing Michigan so well.

148- I'm a big fan of defense. At first I was very confused as to why 1114 and 217 would choose a lap bot, but seeing you guys play defense as well as you did blew me away. For being such a little robot it can really do some serious defense on those trackballs. Judging by how you guys played I think it really made a difference on Einstein, and 1114 and 217 wouldn't have been able to win without it.

Congrats to the two new Double Champ winners(217 and 148). And congrats to 1114 for finally winning Championships(I think you should have done so much sooner )

See you all in the off season.