Apologizing for Blowout Match

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

A team can never play its best when it is competing against a team that can't play on the same level. Neither team can. The team who scored 100 - 0, scored 100 - 0. Period. They didn't play to their best ability.

For those comparing a basketball game to this year's FRC game, it can't be done. Different rules. How the teams on the alliances play according to the rules and the scoring will determine the teams who play to the best of their ability.

Sometimes running up a score is just that.

Jane, I agree on your first point, teams can only play to their best when they are pushed. Otherwise they are playing at whatever level they feel comfortable. A lot of people would never move forward if they weren't pushed.

While FIRST is different than basketball the concept is the same. Both are team sports where we compete to win. In my opinion the major difference is that in basketball you can choose your team, FIRST doesn't give us that benefit for most of the competition. Does that mean we should take it easy on people? NO. Ive said countless times that teams need to compete as if it were the last match they will ever play. Ive had people go easy on me in various games and competitions. I was offended. I was hurt. Frankly, the fact that the winning team stopped at 100 is more offensive in my opinion than the fact that they dominated the game.

How does this apply to FIRST? I don't care who you are, if you are 1114 or if you are a team who barely made a robot if you do not play your hardest against me I will think less of you.

How do I feel about the apology? I think that is offensive to the team that lost. What the district is saying is, "We are sorry we didn't take it easy on you because you are pathetic and we are so much better than you." I applaud the coach for standing up and treating these kids as actual competitors instead of treating the game like a practice match.

DISCLAIMER: I do not approve of leveling the playing field or G14 in any way shape of form.