2006 IRI - Thanks & Congratulations

[taggartbg]

IRI was awesome! i just got back from a 12 hour bus ride back to PA

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

My 3rd personal IRI, and 116's second, I can safely say this was the best of them all.

To 25, 1114, and 33:
You guys were a blast to hang around during the QFs and SFs. You pushed 71, 1625, 910 further than any other alliance, and played what I consider the greatest elimination series I have ever seen. Probably the most impressive feat was the fact that the croud was actually cheering for Beatty!

To 71, 1625, and 910:
Wow......just wow. Your trip to the championship was amazing. We were almost giddy watching those matches with how close, high scoring, fast, and genuinely entertaining they were. You guys really earned all of your wins.

To 1712:
Thanks for the cardboard!

To 296:
Thanks for letting us cut off the end of your pool noodle, it saved us!

To 393:
Thanks for having so many entries in the talent show, it would have been alot less fun without you.

To 1114:
Thanks for making that fire alarm sound pleasing

To 71:
Thanks for giving us a chance to get outside on Friday

To all the folks that helped to put together IRI:
Thank you for an amazing event. I can't wait to come back next year!

To anyone else I forgot:
thanks!

hope it came in quite handy.

[David55]

I am very happy I had the chance to come to IRI this year. It was definitely the best FIRST event I have been to. The teams were great, the event was well organized, everyone was nice and it was just overall fun.

A big thanks to Chris Fultz and Libby Ritchie for making it possible for me to come to IRI.
Also thanks to the members of team 393..It was fun hanging out with you guys and having dinner after the competition.

Hopefully everything will work out and I'll be in the US next summer and will be able to come to IRI again next year.

David

[carla_rose]

[quote=Lil' Lavery]To 25, 1114, and 33:
You guys were a blast to hang around during the QFs and SFs. You pushed 71, 1625, 910 further than any other alliance, and played what I consider the greatest elimination series I have ever seen. Probably the most impressive feat was the fact that the croud was actually cheering for Beatty!
QUOTE]

thanks so much! it was a great series and were glad that so many people enjoyed it!!!


IRI was so awesome! it was my first time attending it and it was probably my fav. comp. besides nationals. i just wish it lased longer..... All the people were so nuce and friendly. plus all the best robots were there. i got to see old friends and make a lot of new one. I had so much fun and will definetly be coming back!!

[FoleyEngineer]

Our second trip to IRI and what a blast! Thanks to Jim Z of team 33 for letting us know about it last year and for being so gracious in your help with anything we asked for.

Thanks to our partners in the playoffs - 71 and 1625... what teammates! You guys just poured them in! Great strategizing and amazing offense! We let everyone on our team get a chance at driving or being the human player during the weekend matches so we figured our so-so record would make our chance of getting picked pretty slim. Thanks for looking beyond the stats! Nobody thought our alliance stood a chance against the #1 and #2 seeds plus the Killer Bees. It took three incredible matches but we did it! We're still shaking our heads at the one match when our defensive autonomous mode managed to take them on when all three went to shoot, and we somehow managed to push 1114 into 25 and drive them off to the side out of range, then back up and turn around and drive 33 into the opposite side wall for the duration of the auton period. It was like it had eyes. Yeah, it ran an arc pattern and reversed and went forward multiple times to cover as much area as possible but let's face it... catching all three robots? What luck! Sheesh!

Hats off to our finalist opposition too! The world champs, previous IRI champs and (Boilermaker?) regional winners - wow! Everyone took us to three matches and we had to play our last 4 matches with only 1 of 2 CIM drive motors on one side working (speed controller died) so we were sweating bullets if we could still defend and also keep you off of our teammates. You were so FAST! Everyone was just so darned good!

We're a very small team and have learned so much from so many helpful teams out there that we can't begin to thank them all. I know my son will grow up to be a better engineer, and a truly gracious professional because of each and every one of you. Why can't all sporting events be like IRI??? Thanks to all!

Foley Freeze - #910 - 2005 Newton 9-0 & Finalists, 2006 Grand Rapids Finalists, 2006 IRI Champs (woo hoo!)

[J Flex 188]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

To 296:
Thanks for letting us cut off the end of your pool noodle, it saved us!

296 came to IRI!? I would have taken them in a pool. Or is that 269? heh.

[Kyle Love]

Originally Posted by J Flex 188

296 came to IRI!? I would have taken them a pool. Or is that 269? heh.

I believe it was 269, I didn't see 296.

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by J Flex 188

296 came to IRI!? I would have taken them in a pool. Or is that 269? heh.

woops.....269
That's not the first, and probably not the last time, I'll flip those numbers around. >_<

[David Brinza]

Originally Posted by xzvrw2

This has been an awesome IRI for me.
<snip>
There is no explaining 44 balls in the center goal.
How awesome.
<snip>
Thanks
Stevie

As the "stick guy" trying to keep the balls from jamming in the blue center goal, it almost seemed like a dump truck deposited those balls in the goal in a matter of a few seconds. I managed to knock a ball out of the goal while trying to clear the jam. The scorer, two referees and a few field reset people saw that ball come out as well, so the correct tally wasn't 45 ...

[xzvrw2]

I would like to thank 1213 and Jack Jones for letting me come down to IRI and help them with their awesome robot.
I seen video and seen that they could hit 10 out of 10 but then again they were by them selves no pressure.
Then I went to a practice and seen how good their robot is.
When we started to compete at IRI we lost the first match...we the 'bot was awesome.
We only missed like 2 or 3 balls out of like 25.
We proceeded to win every match we were in and place second seed.
It was awesome.
I had so much fun.
The strategizing, the competing, the people, just everything was awesome.
This is the most fun that i have had at a FIRST competition since Midwest 2003.
And being able to pick the legendary 111 is awesome.
I mean when i was on 65 in '03 they picked us.
playing along side Jack Jones was awesome.
He is brilliant when it comes to robotics.
Being teamed up with 16 again was fun.
Finally some one other then me that remembers Midwest '03 haha.
Even tho i was the gunner for 1213 i also helped Jack coach.
It was fun.
strategizing with the great Raul was awesome.
making it to the semis was a lot of fun too.
Losing to The Pink Team and the chickens is an honor.
Even tho i would have loved to beat them.
Seeing everyone was fun also.
And people like Paul Copioli Andy Baker and JVN Knowing me is more then awesome.
The matches and everything this year were the best i have ever seen.
IRI was just awesome for me.
I will be back next year...haha

[Karthik]

IRI 2006 was an awesome event as always. Thanks to Andy, Chris, Libby and everyone else who had a hand in making IRI the most fun event in all of FIRST.

It was a definite thrill to be a part of alliance with the type of fire power that 25, 1114, 33 had. Throughout the season there was a lot of debate over who was the best team in FIRST, 25 or 1114. I think Team 71 proved that this debate was a moot point. Beatty's display in the semifinals proved once again that they are the most dominant team in all of FIRST. They outplayed and outstrategized us, and once again proved an old adage of mine, "Never bet against Beatty". Teams 1625 and 910 were great compliments to the BEAST and are well deserving of their championship trophies.

Special thanks to Ryan Dognaux for organizing an amazing talent show, and allowing Team 1114 a chance to show off our talents. Also, thanks to all audience members for not showering us with projectiles, even though we probably deserved them.

Congratulations to Kyle for running such an exciting dodgeball tournament. The crowd was totally into the event, and your rule change allowing for a team to bring back players by throwing the ball through the center goal was an amazing idea. Kudos.

Like I said up top, IRI is the most fun event of the season, and Team 1114 looks forward to returning next year. We've already started planning our talent show act.

... oh the sun'll come out tomorrow...

[Chris Fultz]

Originally Posted by Karthik

Team 1114 looks forward to returning next year. We've already started planning our talent show act.

Note to IRI Planning Committee:

Seriously consider an alternate activity to replace "talent" show...

[Jack Jones]

Some people have no sense of humor. For those who didn't get it; the idea was that a performance like that was a threat to national security. A lampoon, sorta like Chris', but different. Geesh

I will say no more - forever!

Goodby

[Mark Pierce]

A big thank you to the sponsors, organizers, volunteers, and participants. I had a great time, not just because it was my first FIRST event ever with no family, team, or volunteer responsibilities. If I'd have known my schedule in advance I would have loved to help out.

I'd also like to thank all of the kind folks who said they wished rest of team 85 was there. Maybe next year. I think the last time was 2001.

Congratulations to all of the teams. I found all of the matches exciting and the level of play to be breathtaking. The elimination rounds were absolutely amazing.

[Mike Martus]

After reading the great comments here I can sum them up with a big WOW!

This by far was the best assembly of great teams ever. Strong competition, great organization and best of all another opportunity to meet, greet and talk to the great Community of FIRST.

One vision that will stay with me for awhile is the massive amount of balls all heading for the opening at the same time in auto mode. It happened several times that the goal just was not large enough to take the massive amount all at the same time. Quite a sight.

Thank you from Chief Delphi Team #47