I'm from one of the teams that went to IRI this year but I'm pretty sure that if the event were to be downsized we wouldn't have made the cut. Yes we did win the Xerox Creativity Award for DEWBOT VI's innovative 4-wheel independent pivot drive-train at Philadelphia and were part of the 5th alliance and made it to the semis. But we are not 469 (but we aspire to be!)
When we got the invite the team discussion revolved around "We are going to a knife fight armed with a spoon, what are we going to do about that?" So we spent the 4 weeks before IRI doing upgrades to our kicker, possessor and to our programming code.
At IRI we ended up 31st (34th in Ed Laws rankings). I'm pretty pleased with that result when I factor in the teams that were there. So we must of had one of the sharpest spoons there.
The win for me was being able to see teams like 148, 1114, 33, etc. operate both on the field and in the pits. Both Clem (Head Mentor) and I came home with notebooks and cameras full of things to try/build/investigate. Most of our roboteers were inspired by things they saw and want to try to expand on. I think this was the point that Jane was trying to make. We are not all big dawgs, but we are learning.
From an event size view I was stunned. It was hard to imagine that there were almost 80 teams there. There was a ton of space we never felt crowded. Match queues were good with Ed doing his world class robot wrangling. I've said it before, it's the best run FRC event I've ever been to. And I thought the qualification matches were better than the finals at FLR and Philadelphia. I've never been on Einstein, so that may be a whole different world.
I like that it's an Invitational and I'm glad that our team squeaked in the door. I'm good that the Indiana teams get first crack at slots. It would seem silly to deny a team in IRI's back yard a chance to play. Granted it may seem like being forced to take your little sister to play with your friends, but I've found that little sisters grow up and become cool people.
So I'm happy to have gotten a chance to go and if offered will accept a chance to take our team in 2011. It was one of those must do robot experiences. But I also understand that it's an Invitational and a smaller tighter team list may improve the experience and matches for the roboteers there.