[FTC]: Can anyone lend assistance?

[HAL3019]

Hey everyone, this is HAL's second year in FTC, but we aren't starting out so hot..
Our first problem is with LabView... people keep telling myself, and our team programmer that LabView is a bad choice, and that RobotC would be better. This point is well known- but the serious question is in if there is a teleoperated template out yet, as the template given with the software was 5x too big for the NXT memory.

Our second problem is in the development of a firing mechanism. We tried making a "pitching machine" type thing, but we can't seem to get that to work. Another idea we have been playing with is a slingshot (I will explain if you ask, but its a bit difficult to relate in text). Does anyone out there have any ideas they would like to share?

Asistance would be appreciated. And remember, "HAL is always watching."
(Yes a bad movie reference was made).