In response to recent 2010 Pittsburgh Regional Threads - Handling Adversity.

[Rich Kressly]

Within 12 hours of the Pittsburgh Regional ending, two threads were started here by a team that attended the event. One of them personally slandered a long-time volunteer referee who is part of a hall of fame team, the other attacked one of the most historically sucessful teams, on and off the field, in all of FIRST. Please know you are creating a reputation for yourself and your team that is less than exemplary.

For the sake of argument I'm going to assume all of the information presented in both threads was correct and factual (my gut tells me otherwise, but indulge me for a second here).

For those who feel the need to launch personal attacks at people and teams like this because you feel you've been wronged, please understand you are saying volumes about yourself. Your future employers, including NASA executives, read these boards in search of the next generation of engineers and scientists and they don't care if you won or not, but they do care about what kind of person you are and how you handle adversity. If your reaction is one of finger pointing and open ridicule, EVEN IF YOU'RE CORRECT (and I doubt you are anyway), you're on your way to shutting the door on your own future and you don't even know it.

Don't believe me? Read this:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...1&postcount=11

Looks like it's time for some to focus more on FIRST's real mission and less on pointing figers. Let it go and go make a positive difference in your community. If you have legitimate concerns, FIRST provides avenues and procedures for them.

[Nuttle89]

First of all, I would like to apologize for the post that my teammate was responsible for. While many at 2641 do feel wronged, a public attack on a FIRST volunteer solves nothing. We may or may not take up the issue with people at FIRST, but that is something to be decided after the competition season.

I agree with you that there was no need for such a post. However, I ask you to reconsider your judgement of my classmate and our team as a whole, understanding that it was written shortly after the events today, when both emotions and tension were running much higher than usual.

Was the post rash and inappropriate? Yes.
Was the post a fair assessment of our captain's or our team's mentality about FIRST? Certainly not.

I understand the prestige some hold to these forums, and so I can see how you may think this was a statement the entire team discussed and agreed on. Let me assure you, it was not. Had the entire team had some time to cool off and agree on a message (if any) to be posted here, I would have ensured no names were mentioned, and some of the grizzlier details (many of which are accurate) would have been omitted.

Thanks for your understanding,
-Ben Nuttle, (student, mechanical design)

[2641Captain]

After looking at the UStream video and seeing what you guys are seeing it really is a much harder call to make than I thought. I will not longer contest Mrs. Perrotto's call about the red card. I had no right to pester her like I did. I will agree that there are things in life that are not fair and we have to deal with them. I would instead like to apologize and say that I would like to see different rules for future events that don't put so much pressure on the referees and their discretion.

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by 2641Captain

After looking at the UStream video and seeing what you guys are seeing it really is a much harder call to make than I thought. I will not longer contest Mrs. Perrotto's call about the red card. I had no right to pester her like I did. I will agree that there are things in life that are not fair and we have to deal with them. I would instead like to apologize and say that I would like to see different rules for future events that don't put so much pressure on the referees and their discretion.

It takes guts to admit such a mistake in a public forum. Here's to learning from experience and going forward to provide a great example for others to follow as we ALL work together for a better culture.

Good luck to 2641 as you work hard to provide improved futures for your team members and for all of society.

[Mr. D]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

It takes guts to admit such a mistake in a public forum. Here's to learning from experience and going forward to provide a great example for others to follow as we ALL work together for a better culture.

Good luck to 2641 as you work hard to provide improved futures for your team members and for all of society.

I agree it takes guts to admit a mistake and realize FIRST is a different format for competition than what most people are used to. You did well overcoming adversity at DC, you will recover from Pittsburgh. Good luck at your next regional, you will have your shot at showing your best side as you have always done before. Good Luck 2651.

[Mr. D]

Originally Posted by Mr. D

I agree it takes guts to admit a mistake and realize FIRST is a different format for competition than what most people are used to. You did well overcoming adversity at DC, you will recover from Pittsburgh. Good luck at your next regional, you will have your shot at showing your best side as you have always done before. Good Luck 2641.

Sorry good luck 2641