Finals Qualifying

[Prothe]

It is my understanding, or so I am told, that even numbered teams get to go to the final round and the only way an odd numbered team can go to this round is if they win the regionals. So if an even numbered team gets creamed, they still get to go.. how does everyone feel about this?

[Nate Smith]

The even/odd distinction refers to the National Championship at Epcot, where a large number of the slots were based on performance this and previous years, and the remainder of the available slots were filled based on a first-come, first-served basis with even numbered teams, based on the fact that 2002 is an even-numbered year. Therefore, next year, the odd teams will have the first-come, first-served option. The best system? No, but I think a lot of people who watch the board will agree we've already beaten that horse to death several times since the qualifying plan was announced. This does not affect who can play in the finals at a given regional, as the topic for the thread may at first suggest.

[FRCOps]

http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/res_art9.htm

I'm pretty sad about this rule. I know that FIRST is getting pretty big and I understand they had to do something about cutting down the nationals, but couldn't they have found another way that does not exclude so many good teams? Maybe like the top 10 from every regional or something, or top 15, whatever fits the numbers.
I guess it wouldnt bother me so much if it was always this way, but every year I look forward to going to the competition and now it's my senior year and we might not go.
Also I think this rule favors the teams with more money (as does everything else). Being sponsored by the navy we have to fundraise most of our budget because they can't support us financially at all. Due to this we can't afford to go to as many regionals as some of the other teams who are going to over five to improve thier chances of making nationals.
I don't understand why they can't just split the nationals into two, east coast and west coast or something. Yes, I know money is a big factor, but when you've got so many people wanting to go so badly it should not be that hard to find.
All I know is that I'm going to miss all the excitement of the nationals this year and I know I'm not alone. If anything can be done to fix this every other year situation then hopefully it will be implimented soon.

[EddieMcD]

No matter what way you do the limiting, there is always going to be a number of people complaining. We knew it was going sooner or later. Is it a good system? Well, yes and no. Like Becky said, the better funded teams do have sort of an unfair advantage as they could indeed go to a regional all 5 weeks. But at least with the even/odd system, teams with less experience will at least have a shot at Epcot every other year.

Remember, nothing is perfect. Not even Democracy.

[Nate Smith]

Originally posted by SharkBite
Due to this we can't afford to go to as many regionals as some of the other teams who are going to over five to improve thier chances of making nationals.

First, I agree with the majority of what Ed said. But, I also wanted to add my own short comment to the statement quoted above. FIRST, quite some time ago, asked all teams registered for more than 3 events to pick 3 that they most wanted to go to, and withdraw from the others. So, this year, no team should be going to more than 3 regionals, unless they slipped through the cracks somehow.

[EddieMcD]

I'd also like to add that no system is foolproof as well. So it is possible, although highly unlikely, that someone slipped through.