Team 217 - Thunderchickens

[Mike Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Karthik

The Thunderchickens are one of the best run teams in all of FIRST. They arguably have one of the most intelligent student groups of any team in FIRST. (The "ringers" as we've dubbed them) Each year they astonish me with what they accomplish and have probably done more to inspire my methods of mentoring on 1114 than any other team in FIRST. So yeah.

I would like to argue that point. By no means am I going to call their students unintelligent, but I believe that how well a team doesn't necessarily have a direct correlation to the intelligence of the students. Yes a team that does have smart kids is going to do better than with students who are lacking that feat, but if a student from another team was put in a position with as many educational resources (sponsors and mentors who know their stuff) as a thunder chicken student I am 100% confident they would still do well.

For example Team 397 has never won a regional, but that doesn't mean our students aren't as smart. Our students just realize that we must build within our limitations and since there are only 5 of them this year we physically could not put together a thunder chicken machine even if we put every day all day into it. We came up with all sorts of strategies and designs that we see being used, but because of our financial and labor limitations we know we couldn't do it.

I agree the thunder chicken students are smart, but I think that there are many less privileged FIRST students who are smart, and it saddens me that they don't all get the recognition that students like those on the thunder chickens do.

I would also like to comment on one of Baby Cakes comments:
"The driver on the team when asked if he was excited at the cass tech district said " not really, i know we are going to win it"."

I sincerely hope that this is not true, because if it is I am actually disturbed and offended. There is a fine line between pride and arrogance, and I'm sure the mentors of team 217 know how to deal with such issues because that is a terrible reflection of an excellent team. I will leave it at that.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by ICanCountTo19

I would like to argue that point. By no means am I going to call their students unintelligent, but I believe that how well a team doesn't necessarily have a direct correlation to the intelligence of the students. Yes a team that does have smart kids is going to do better than with students who are lacking that feat, but if a student from another team was put in a position with as many educational resources (sponsors and mentors who know their stuff) as a thunder chicken student I am 100% confident they would still do well.

...

I agree the thunder chicken students are smart, but I think that there are many less privileged FIRST students who are smart, and it saddens me that they don't all get the recognition that students like those on the thunder chickens do.

Michael,

I agree that there are thousands of team with thousands of very intelligent students. My post was based on my first hand interactions with the Thunderchicken students since 2006 as opposed to any success they have had on the field. Each year I meet a more than a handful of them who dazzle me with their intellect. I normally wouldn't have pointed something out like this, but in light of the implications of the original poster I felt that someone needed to point out the outstanding abilities of these students, despite of claims/implications to the contrary.

It would be great if we could recognize every student in this program, but thankfully not every team needs their reputation boosted a bit after being tossed baseless insults in a public forum like 217 was tonight.

[Mike Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Karthik

Michael,

I agree that there are thousands of team with thousands of very intelligent students. My post was based on my first hand interactions with the Thunderchicken students since 2006 as opposed to any success they have had on the field. Each year I meet a more than a handful of them who dazzle me with their intellect. I normally wouldn't have pointed something out like this, but in light of the implications of the original poster I felt that someone needed to point out the outstanding abilities of these students, despite of claims/implications to the contrary.

It would be great if we could recognize every student in this program, but thankfully not every team needs their reputation boosted a bit after being tossed baseless insults in a public forum like 217 was tonight.

That makes more sense now, I completely understand your defense of these students, the thunder chicken students do get bashed every year as do yours. Must get old having to point it out every year to anonymous posters though...

[HashemReza]

I unfortunately forgot to do so beforehand, so let me take the time now to applaud the drive, dedication, and intelligence of every team member of 1114, 217, and the other IFI teams who spent many hours perfecting their robot. Furthermore, I would like to thank the mentors for each of those teams, as it is by those same qualities that you have shaped such successful 'dynasties'. I look forward to playing Breakaway with all of you at Championship, and continuing to learn from you all in years of mentoring to come.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by ICanCountTo19

That makes more sense now, I completely understand your defense of these students, the thunder chicken students do get bashed every year as do yours. Must get old having to point it out every year to anonymous posters though...

[comic relief]
I'm telling you guys,

everyone's just jealous of the cowboy and chicken motifs, not the robots. [/comic relief]

But really, can there be a part in CD registration that requires a team number or team name please?

...Or any other ideas to prevent idiotic & arrogant posters from making false accounts?

[IBdrummer]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

But really, can there be a part in CD registration that requires a team number or team name please?

...Or any other ideas to prevent idiotic & arrogant posters from making false accounts?

I'm not so sure that would solve the problem because they'd probably just make up a team or use some other teams number/name.

Is there anyway the posts or accounts can be deleted though? I can't see how that post has done any good or done anything other than anger members and take away from the original thread's intentions.