MARC 2010 IS OPEN

[Vikesrock]

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[Steve Ketron]

I just got back from Atlanta and have received excellent inputs about our event and teams saying that they are coming. I could very easily see our total teams reach 42. After consulting several mentors who I consider my advisory committee, I am going to keep the team total at 42 and have a waiting list if needed.

There were two major reasons for limiting it to 42.
One: I have figured out the scheduling for the event and with 42 teams I can still schedule each team for 10 qualififcation matches. I want this event to be an experience and I don't want to go under the 10 match number. BANG for your buck.
Two: Scheduling of more teams would require me to lower the number of mentor matches and I really like the idea of a full elimination schedule for the mentor matches. Us mentors like to have fun also and I really like giving the students the oppertunity to yell at the mentors and especially say' "What are you doing?" or "What were you thinking?"

I truely believe this is a fun event. Everyone who knows me has heard me say that my goal is to get this event up to 60+ teams. I really want that number, but I must consider all aspects of what we wanted to achieve with this event and put my ego to the side.

What this means to the teams:
With limiting the amount of teams to 42 there has to be some ways of picking which teams will get into the event if we go over the 42 team limit. The rules are very simple:
1.) The original 12 teams that attended the MARC in its first year are always guaranteed a spot as long as they apply and pay before the deadline.
2.) Last years winning alliance is guaranteed a spot the following year as long as they apply and pay before the deadline.
3.) First come first in : teams that apply and pay first are in.

[Steve Ketron]

Someone emailed about the mentor matches and asked since there is only 24 spots could I make it so the winning alliance teams are automatically entered in the following years matches. I think that is an excellent idea.

So 2834, 1718, and 51(47) have spots in the mentor matches as long as they register and pay before the May 30th deadline. This does not mean that they are going to be on the same alliance. Alliance selection for all teams will be done for all by the random pull a number from the hat.

This means there are 21 spots open for the mentor matches.

Thanks ED for this idea.

[Mike Schreiber]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Mentor matches? I gotta ref MENTOR MATCHES?

But if there's a pig roast involved, OK, I guess I'll put up with some whiney mentors behind the glass.

So who stands in the question box after that match?

[ExTexan]

So who stands in the question box after that match?

Not to worry! Any mentor that has been around any length of time will just whine but never go to the Question Mark with Gary!

[pathew100]

Originally Posted by ExTexan

Not to worry! Any mentor that has been around any length of time will just whine but never go to the Question Mark with Gary!

I say let the mentors go in the question box if they want, but they have to put up another $5 charitable donation first...

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by pathew100

I say let the mentors go in the question box if they want, but they have to put up another $5 charitable donation first...

Wouldn't that tend to make me want to call all kinds of controversial things, to up the ante? It is for charity after all ...

That reminds me of the poster you see in cubicles:
Answers, $1
Intellegent answers, $5
Dumb looks, free. (I have plenty of those to go around)

[Steve Ketron]

The following is a list of teams already registered (most not paid yet) for the event: The top group of teams are the original twelve teams

51 Pontiac, MI Wings of Fire
70 Goodrich, MI More Martins
226 Troy, MI HammerHeads
240 Monroe,MI TEMPEST
279 Ottawa Lakes, MI Tech Fusion
503 Novi, MI Frog Force
910 Madison Heights, MI Foley Freeze
1023 Temperance, MI Bedford Express
1243 Swartz Creek, MI Dragons
1504 Okemos, MI Desperate Penguins
1528 Monroe, MI iPirates
1732 Milwaukee, WI Hilltoppers


815 Allen Park, MI Advanced Power
830 Ann Arbor, MI RatPack
2719 Monroe, MI Ketronix Trojan Robotix
245 Rochester Hills, MI Adambots
2834 Bloomfield Hills, MI Bionic Barons
2612 Waterford,MI WMD
3098 Waterford,MI The Captains
33 Auburn Hills, MI Killer Bees
280 Taylor, MI TnT
201 Rochester Hills, MI The FEDS
234 Indianapolis, IN Cyber Blue
107 Holland, MI Team R.O.B.O.T.I.C.S.
2337 GrandBlanc, MI EngiNERDs
1918 Fremont, MI NC GEARS
3147 Munster Indiana Munster High School Human Cyborg Relations
461 West Lafayette, IN Westside Boiler Invasion
302 Lake Orion, MI Dragons
494 Goodrich, MI Martians
2338 Oswego, IL Gear It Forward
1718 Armada, MI The Fighting Pi

[Dylan Gramlich]

No guarantees but 1126 is looking into it! And by that I mean me trying to convince the mentors to let me and a few others take some students because the students definitely want to go!

[Steve Ketron]

I have been trying to get your team here from day one. It would be nice to see you here at our event. Maybe KoKo Ed can help convince your powers-to-be to let you come. Go KoKo

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Steve Ketron

I have been trying to get your team here from day one. It would be nice to see you here at our event. Maybe KoKo Ed can help convince your powers-to-be to let you come. Go KoKo

I'm still trying to get my own team to come (not likely due to the event is on the same day as graduation at Wilson Magnet High School).
Maybe my going will convince some of the Sparx mentors to let the robot go and play.

[Steve Ketron]

Just added three more teams:
548 Northville, MI Robostangs
3096 Detroit, MI Finney Highlanders
1024 Indianapolis, IN Kil-A-Bytes

That gives us 35 teams already. Boy is this years competition going to be fun. KoKo don't worry if you can't get your robot here. I'm sure we can find a spot in the mentor matches for you.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Steve Ketron

Just added three more teams:
548 Northville, MI Robostangs
3096 Detroit, MI Finney Highlanders
1024 Indianapolis, IN Kil-A-Bytes

That gives us 35 teams already. Boy is this years competition going to be fun. KoKo don't worry if you can't get your robot here. I'm sure we can find a spot in the mentor matches for you.

Unfortunately MARC is gonna be a one day event for me again this year.
I can't get Friday off so it's my travel night to make it for Saturday.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by pathew100

I say let the mentors go in the question box if they want, but they have to put up another $5 charitable donation first...

Can we prepay? Get some sort of 3 for the price of 4 deal going? I guess I would be willing to challenge calls with Gary for a good charity.

This sounds like a fun competition.

EDIT: No, 3 for 4 is not a typo. Wouldn't want to get a discount on charitable donations now would we?

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Can we prepay? Get some sort of 3 for the price of 4 deal going? I guess I would be willing to challenge calls with Gary for a good charity.

This sounds like a fun competition.

Sure, if you want to ask 3 questions for $20, we'll let you.