Do you like the seeding system?

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Johnny

I remember those days...but unfortunetely things change and we just gotta change with them. There's always going to be things we like/dislike about each years game, but we just have to play the game and adjust. It's still very fun though

[rant]
So, maybe in 1776 the colonists should have just adjusted? It was so very fun being a colonist.

Yes a bit extreme but honestly if we ever get complacent and stop caring about the things we feel are wrong I would hope FIRST would just close its doors and shut down. If you feel passionate about something you should ALWAYS try to improve everything you touch.
[\rant]

Originally Posted by johnr

I really don't like this system and things i am reading. Rookie teams pay attention-If some team asks you to just sit there and block the goal,don't. They may tell you that you will be helping yourself gain points but all you are doing is helping them. That team already thinks that you are not good enough to win and will never be on their pick list. You busted your butt for six weeks,now go kick that ball in the $@#$@#$@#$@# goal.

On one hand I agree with you, before seeing our ranking drop when we won I was of the persuasion to go out there and score balls until my robot can move no more. Now I am questioning that. I am not a competitive person normally but I do take extreme pride in my work. When I have a robot that, by going out there and doing its best is essentially penalized for it I begin to think that doing my best isn't what FIRST wants from me. In short, I am hurt and appalled at what FIRST is seemingly forcing me to do. In 7 years I have gone out to WIN every match. I have lost matches 128-0 I have won matches by the same margin. I have been on teams who can barely field a drive team and teams that can't find enough for students to do. I've seen a ton, but NEVER have I seen something as utterly disrespectful as a team not playing their best against another team.

Do you hear me FIRST? You are encouraging me to disrespect my peers, my friends! Nay, you are essentially FORCING me to. I should never have to choose between doing my best and ranking high, the second should follow the first.

Yes, I will be writing a quick program to help me figure out what the best way to play a match will be. I will never ask a team to not do their best, even if the program tells me that would be the best option. I will ONLY suggest it as an option if it benefits EVERY single team on the field.

I apologize to the teams I offend by not playing my best against you. I will play FIRST's game this year because I owe it to my students to make sure they go as far as the robot they built can take them. I will not like it and I will be hoping that they change back to a system that rewards respecting your opponent in the future.