On "graciously" accepting

[lukevanoort]

I'm also a proponent of the crunk Lil' John acceptance. It can get really dull to hear the same thing twenty odd times. I don't remember what our rep said this year at VCU, since I was busily examining other robots in the pit. (I didn't think we'd get in) I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have done it crunk style even if we'd all suggested it to her though...

[Hieb]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I seem to remember a team respond "Hell yes" to an alliance offer. Surprising, but at least interesting.

I think the award for best use of a team name in accepting should go to team 650 (Hella's Angels) at the St. Louis Regional with "Hella yeah we accept."

[Branden Ghena]

I don't know if this follows the topic, but on the term of graciously accepting the wierdest thing I ever saw was when three seperate teams "graciously" declined the offer to be on an alliance with Team 1286, seed #2, at the Detroit Regional. They turned out to be a great alliance member when we accepted and made it to the semifinals.

[Koko Ed]

A lavish gift basket would do nicely.

[KenWittlief]

how bout " I am disinclined to acquiesce to your proposition".

Now that I think about it, you are being gracious when you do something you DONT want to do - so saying that your team graciously accepts is actually an insult - its like saying "we dont want to be your alliance, but in the interest of GP...."

[Dan Petrovic]

Maybe you could do a super double negative.

"Team XXXX does not not not not not not not not accept"

That might be a bit confusing though...

[Peter Matteson]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

Maybe you could do a super double negative.

"Team XXXX does not not not not not not not not accept"

That might be a bit confusing though...

But a double positive would be a real insult: Yeah, right.

[eugenebrooks]

Originally Posted by Emily Pease

I know that "gracious professionalism" is a huge part of FIRST, but I was just wondering if anyone knows when or how the "graciously accepting" (in the alliance selection ceremony) started.

I actually think that calling oneself "gracious" is itself ungracious, and it would be better if, when called to join an alliance, the team captain said: "Team [000] humbly accepts team [000]'s gracious offer."

Just getting caught up in semantics...

In the Silicon Valley regional, we were invited to join an alliance by
team 668, the Apes of Wrath, who were seeded higher than us in the
top 8. We did not have to accept because we were in the
top 8 ourselves, we could have formed an independent alliance.
We knew that 668's robot was broken and torn apart in the pits,
the gears in their ball shooter having been stripped. We graciously
accepted the invitation to their alliance, helped them repair their robot
by helping glue and pinning nylon gears on their shafts, and then went
all the way to finalist for the Silicon Valley Regional.

I watched students on team 668 assembling their ball shooter with
just minutes to go before being called up for the finals, their hands
shaking, and it was a sight to behold!

This is "graciously accepting" and defines Gracious Professionalism
as far as I am concerned. We were proud to have done it, and everyone
on the alliance was happy with the result.

In the end, it was a broken wheel on our robot that wounded the alliance
in the third finals match. The eventual winner of SVR, an alliance led
by team 254, gave us their unused 6 minute timeout to complete the
wheel repair, giving us time to bolt on a caster in order to play the
final match of the regional.

So, when teams "graciously accept" an invitation to an alliance
in the finals, this is what we are talking about. Lets not lose
our focus by worrying about the semantics...

Notwithstanding the opinion of the Grammar Curmudgeon, of course...

Eugene

[KenWittlief]

yeah, when you accept an alliance offer, and you would rather not, then you ARE being gracious

but as soon as you say "we graciously accept" then any and all grace on your part just vaporized.

thats the point. You cant be gracious if you make of point of making sure everyone knows how gracious you are.

[ScoutingNerd175]

::looks around:: well, I guess if I really have to I might as well.
Think about it. We are just better of that teams don't tell us how they really feel. How would you feel if the team came up and was like "Team XXX accepts because if we turn you down we don't get to play the finals but we were really hoping for team YYY" That would be worse.
Again, it's tradition, and I'm fond of it.
Still, though, it's fun to think of what you can say.

[Peter Matteson]

Originally Posted by ScoutingNerd175

::looks around:: well, I guess if I really have to I might as well.
Think about it. We are just better of that teams don't tell us how they really feel. How would you feel if the team came up and was like "Team XXX accepts because if we turn you down we don't get to play the finals but we were really hoping for team YYY" That would be worse.
Again, it's tradition, and I'm fond of it.
Still, though, it's fun to think of what you can say.

You are absolutely right there are all kinds of things that go on in the back ground that don't get said. It's just fun to let the mind wander with these types of threads and see how scary and weird we CD posters are. Also with any luck the kids who are nervous on the field during picks will chuckle thinking about this thread and maybe throw out a good one-liner.

Also, meow, I think meow I figured out meow to accept in another comical way. Meow I've decided to call it the "Super Troopers". MEOW!

[JudyVandy]

Perhaps what some of these folks mean to say is that they 'gratefully' accept?

"...as soon as you say "we graciously accept" then any and all grace on your part just vaporized."


Ken's comment is right on the money!