Question of the Week!!! (9/3/04)

[phrontist]

Hmmm... Epsilon Delta (116) would be cool, what with having the Hint-meister as a mentor, not to mention being the source for an inordinate amount of FIRST humor. 1257 (Parallel Universe) because they come across as Cool People (TM) on FIRSTwiki.

[Marygrace]

Chatsworth, 22, they are so cool and they do wonders for FIRST!

[ElfMaster]

330, they're just awesome!

[JVN]

Whoa, great question Andy. I've got a list and a half.
Here it goes.


254 - The Cheesy Poofs
As mentioned before, the poofs rock. I've been a long time admirer of their team (I distinctly remember watching the 2001 SVR webcast, and being amazed at that robot, and the way it was handled). Every interaction I've had with this team since then has been strongly positive, I even got the chance to work with these "greats" in Cleveland 2002. They were one of the easiest teams I've ever worked with.
It'd be sweet to hang out with them for a year, and learn how they work. Hopefully I'd find a way to contribute to their awesome program. Plus, living in San Jose for a year would be a nice change.

111 - Wildstang
The most beautiful, incredible robots in FIRST. Form and function.
Seriously, check out their 2002 entry which did EVERYTHING, or their 1997 entry which defies all expectations, and just keeps getting taller...
I want to learn. Raul, need someone to just sit around doing CAD? I'd enjoy just watching these guys work. I've gotten the chance to hang out with some of their mentors on several occasions, and it's always been a GREAT time. Another team I'd have a ball with, and learn a lot from.

45, 65, 217 - Technokats, Huskie Brigade, Thunderchickens...
Andy Baker, Ken Patton, & Paul Copioli. Between the three of them, they have taught me most of what makes me a halfway decent FIRST Mechanical designer. They have taught me so incredibly much over the years, despite the geographical distance between us. They probably don't even know the impact they've had. I'm glad to call them my friends.
I would love the opportunity to jump onto one of these dynamic teams, and just sit back and learn. I'm sure Andy/Ken/Paul, as well as the other mentors on those teams would be able to teach me a ton about not only robotics, but about being a better mentor. There is nothing quite like having a strong rolemodel to emulate.

234 - Cyber Blue
Another incredible program. Over the past few years I've gotten to know a lot of the mentors from this team, and gotten to see their team in action. They are one of the strongest teams I've seen off the field. On the field, they are a tough competitor, but still not "all they could be". I would love the opportunity to work with them, and maybe help take them to the next level. Watch out for 234 folks, they get stronger every season.

121, 48 - Rhode Warriors, Delphi E.L.I.T.E.
Great people, great robots, great friends of ours. It'd be great fun to go work with them. Both of these teams have proven themselves as tough competitors who take pride in the positive experiences they provide their students. I know I'd have a blast.
Either of you guys need a drivetrain nerd?

20 - The Rocketeers
I'm a Shenendehowa HS Alumnus, it would be incredible to get the opportunity to go, give back to the team that gave so much to me. Plus, my father is still a team 20 mentor, and it'd be fun to work with him on this project. (Hopefully we'd still be speaking to each other by the end of 6 weeks). These guys are a strong program, that no one knows about. They must have something special going for them if they've stuck it out since 1992....


2892 - Chief-Techno-Thunder-Beatty-Stanger-Poofs
I'm not quite ready to start my own rookie team. I'm not sure if I'm even ready to be the "backbone" mentor for a low-resource team. But, I'd be willing to give it a shot, and work my butt off to be successful.

The name? A homage to those who inspire ME.




Okay... I know I'm a copout listing a whole bunch of teams. Grady asked for "one" team, and I guess now I have to deliver:

71 - "The biggest of the big dogs." Team Hammond
There is a reason these guys have won 4 national championships. I want to learn EXACTLY what it is.
There is no other team in FIRST which has been as successful as these guys, both on and off the field.

Everything I know about them, and every new thing I learn makes me admire them more. Not only do they regularly field the most competitive robot of the year, but they also provide strong positive experiences for their kids, while having a lot of fun.
I'm sold. Sign me up. I'm ready and eager to learn.

You'll just have to forgive me if I routinely zone out during work sessions, admiring your past robots.
(Their 2001 & 2002 entries are ALWAYS on my list of "top robots of all time")

Seriously folks. When I'm trying to show people the excitement of FIRST, I show team videos from these guys (thanks for letting me steal a little of your thunder ). We routinely watch their stuff just to get fired up.

Say the word, and I'll move to Hammond tomorrow.




Overall you see the trend here?
Teams who inspire me, teams who I get along with, teams who I learn from, and teams who I'd have fun with. These are the ones I'd want to be on.

I'm sure there are tons of others out there who fit these criteria. I don't mean to snub anyone, but this is who I came up with.

Ahh well.
I'm on 229 for one more year, then, we'll see what happens.
Until then, watch out. The boys from northern NY are coming back stronger than ever. Our entire team is just rearing to go.

$.02 x 50
John

[suneel112]

There are too many good teams to choose from!!!

I have seen some people display team loyalty. I have no team loyalty, just FIRST loyalty. I will basically accept any team that accepts me (and my crazy ideas).

Some teams I would work with are 111, 190 (awesome auton hanger), 234, 469, 279, 66, 175, 179, 180, 68, 47, 494, 201, 33, my own team (461, if I go to Purdue) and maybe 71. I would work with just about any team (champions or not).

the only team which I may not work with is one which is too authoritative, and where the students and college advisors have little to no input. I would work with any team which has fun.

[Ken Leung]

Very interesting question, one I've asked myself many times since my leaving of team 192 Gunn Robotics Team from Palo Alto, California. Back in my time, wanting to go around helping other teams was some what against the philosophy of that time, a time when teams only work for themselves and for themselves only. The year 2001 changed a lot of that culture into a coporative culture.

So I thought about it, and decided for the 2002 season, Team 100 would be my team, and that was the best choice I've made. I got along with their student leader really well, and I got to know a lot of their parents and advisors really well. Extremely inspiring experience over all. I learned that there is no one way to run a team, and different school and background demand a different robotics team to benefit the students the most. But anyway...

Lots of Northern California Teams are not well known by the outside community, but as a whole, we are a strong group. There are lots of teams I want to work with, not to leech off of their accomplishment or glory, but to learn from them, and have a wonderful experience with a group of great adults and students.

Team 100: I would work with this team again just because of the advisors on the team. Arlene Kolber has been a long mentor for that team, and no matter how much hardship the team has to face, she and the team always pull through with an operating robot and going to different regionals. Adult advisors come and go, but it proves to me this is a good model for any self-sustaining team. Starting last year, team 100 is very much an important factor in California Robot Games when their high school started hosting the event.

Other than this team, there are lots of strong bay area teams I want to work with... Team 115 Monta Vista Robotics Team, Team 840 Aragon Robotics Team, and Team 852 Athenian Robotics, Team 1120 Milpitas Xtreme Robotics, Team 1151 The Hitchhikers.... They all have very cool people who aren't well known to the rest of the community, but who says you need to be well known to be cool? Each of those team will teach me a lot about working with people and shows me how they are solving the ultimate problem for their school: How do we educate and inspire our students? And in return, I will be giving to the teams all my FIRST experience and my self as a problem solver. I think that's the only way for people to have healthy relationships, both sides has to gain from the relationship.

I encourage everyone to think about this question before they say what teams they want to join: What do you really want out of the experience? I think I know, but do you?

Speaking of well known, I am VERY surprised no one has mentioned team 980 the Thunderbots. Not only did they went out to IRI from Southern California, they WON the event and seeded very high at the qualifying rounds. That team was wonderful at their rookie year of 2002 with one of the best ball handling robot I've seen, and they come back to 2003 and surprised everyone with that light saber robot with the giant arm, and even better during the 2004 season with a very competitive robot and an awesome autonomous mode. As far as I am concern, they grew tremedously since their rookie year, faster than anyone I've ever seen.

[Ken Loyd]

I think it would be a "blast" to be a member of the Bomb Squad!

Spending a year with Team #116 would also be outstanding!

[811SmallFry]

I only really know the local teams-
And out of them, I've been spending time with people from 166, and they rock. I would LOVE to join their team for a bit. Also, 501- I LOVE YOUR ROBOT!!! All the teams that I've seen so far have had SOMETHING about them that screams "WE ROCK!" In their own unique way. Being in FIRST at all is great- the fact that all the teams are awesome.

I have to say, though, as much as I love all the other teams, 811 is an awesome team to be on!

[Chris]

I would choose to be on Team 45,

Who wouldn't want the ability to learn from the best? Their bot this year was a work of art, i would love a chance to be able to learn from Andy, Mark, and all the other great people on the T-Kats.

The other team i think it would be fun to be on would be Team 151. I think it would be great to be able to go back to my old High school team with what I know now, I’ve learned so much from all my fellow mentors on team 229, JVN, Eric O, Joel, Boire. I'd love to go back as a mentor to the team that first got me hooked on FIRST, and engineering.

Chris C.
Team 229

[J Flex 188]

Adding a bit of a Canadian twist to this finally,

I would love to be able to have the opportunity and privilege to join the simbotics team (1114), the Theory6 (1246) team, NNRSI (1305). Aside from obvious dealing with performance and sportsmanship, I would love to be able to have access to the kinds of resources that GM sponsorship provides. Having engineers around with work experience would be a change (not necessarily better or worse, just a change) that would be awesome to experience. Theory6 is also one of the most enthusisatic rookie teams in existence, taking team spirit at natinals and a massive heap of rookie awards along the way. To be on a team that brings 5 busloads of people to an event, with their own cheering sections, and having to drive/perform for the hopes of that number of people would have so much pressure but so much fun at the same time.

1305 purely for the fact that they are based in (north bay, ON) i believe? working with a rural environment with great performance and results

1114 also for the woburn/188 experience. a couple of alumni have worked with 1114 and through travelling to pittsburgh/cr/atlanta the drive crew had gotten to know each other pretty well. itd just be plain fun driving the simswerve/simon =P

[Ryan Dognaux]

980 - These guys are just awesome, period. They're going into their 3rd year of competition now I believe, and I'm just blown away by the level of competitiveness and professionalism they put out every season. Watch out for these guys, they'll give 254 and 60 a run for their money, easily.

[Karthik]

It's so hard to pick just one team. Just looking at pictures of the 60/254 robot, makes be wish I could just be a fly on the wall, in one of their brainstorming sessions. The same goes for 111. I've been in awe of their robots ever since my first competition in 1998.

Team 67 is other team that I'd love to work with. They're constantly innovating, with lots of success. Plus from all accounts, the Milford Proving Grounds are pretty awesome.

Also, after a few years away, it might be interesting to go back to Woburn and help out Team 188 again... Stranger things have happened...

[Korky328]

279...for some odd reason, i just know tons of people on that team and they are awesome...i still love my team more..but if i had to choose another..i would go with TECH FUSION!

[Jaine Perotti]

I would have a really hard time NOT being on my team...but if I had to pick, I would go with a team that is very similar to ours, collaborates w/ others AND makes fantastic robots. This team would be 237.
I am always looking to learn about improving public outreach efforts. A year on 237 would help me. Recently, 237 visited our team to ask us if we would like to help collaborate with them for a fundraiser, and I was astonished at how similar they are to us, and how willing they were to ask neighboring teams to collaborate. Both of our teams are from the NW corner of CT, and therefore in a very rural location, which means that it is very hard for us to find large corperations willing to donate lots of $$. It's great that they were willing to collaborate with other teams to help do this. I also found that they were a very friendly bunch, which is always important. I was impressed by their ability to organize, which is something my team needs to learn to do better. They are about more than building great robots (which they happen to do consistently); they are willing to reach out to the teams around them in a spirit of cooperation. That virtue is something that ALL of us could learn more about. I would like to be on a team that exemplifies this quality.

[Barry Bonzack]

If I could only choose one, I would want to be on team 233. I can only imagine what it would be like to work inside the NASA facilities and the people I'd meet. They always have a strong robot, and are proud to show off their team color. I have the upmost respect for this team. Perhaps pink would look good on me?