Prediction: Veterans take off the gloves in Week 3

[Joe Johnson]

Based on the results from weeks 1 & 2, there has been some discussion concerning veteran teams not having strong years [Note 1].

Well, rookie teams had better make sure their mouth gaurds are in place because this is the week that the veterans come out swinging hard.

Now to the predictions[Note 2]

Boilermaker Regional:

• I have to go with one of the Grand daddies of all of Veterans. Coming off their big win in St. Louis, the TechnoKats (Team #45) earn their second banner this season.
• I am also going with my heart rather than my head [Note 3] and picking Team #573, the MechWarriors, to repeat their winning ways from the Great Lakes Regional in Ypsilanti.

Chesapeake Regional:

• That noise coming out of Annapolis? It's the sound of the Buzz Robotics (Team #175) using their Dewalt XPR transmissions to win another regional this year.
• This time, my heart was really pulling for me to go with Mo & the rest of the great folks at TJ2 but I just couldn't do it. Look for Team #75 to have a good run, but they'll need luck at some key moments to take home the big trophy this week (they already won the Chairman's Award at NJ so they don't really need a win here to make their season).

Detroit Regional:

• In this case, my heart and my head agree. While I had almost no interaction with Chief Delphi this year, I did see a demo of Team #47's robot just before shipping. You heard it here first: The Mojo's back in Pontiac [Note 4]. Look for a lot of scoring and a killer ramp from the Mighty Chiefs.
• I saw The Killer Bees (Team #33) robot online and I was afraid, very afraid. I was surprized that they just couldn't get things done in Ypsilanti last weekend. I expect that things will be different this week. With a week of experience their drivers should be in better form plus Jim Zondag's will have another few fix-it-windows to do his programming magic (they can already score in automonous -- but I'd guess Jim has some extra coding tricks up his sleave), look for Team #33 to be in the hunt if not in the winner circle this weekend in Detroit.
• Team Rush (#27) is always a strong entry. This is their first week out of the shoot but they should be strong as usual.
• Thunder Chickens (Team #217) -- They had a great showing in St. Louis. But they have a tough choice to make: shift weight to make the arm more robust or put those gorgeous lifters back in service? It's hard to predict but I suppose the either way they go they will be a formidable presence on Saturday afternoon.
• Las Guerrillas (Team #469) had a bruising weekend in Ypsilanti. Rumor has it their robot was in pieces all day Thursday. By Saturday morning they had most of the machine together, but there were still bugs to be worked out and drivers to train. To my surprise they were drafted 3rd overall. They have a very large ramp and a serviceable arm. If they can get the last few bugs worked out and develop some of that driver skill that we've come to expect from Las Guerrillas, they have a good chance for a big win in Detroit.

Kansas City Regional:

• Three words: Baxter Bomb Squad (#16) The smart money has them playing a key role on the alliance that wins the KCR. I just took a peek at the Bomb Squad's robot from their website. Just as I expected, this year's robot is another funicular extravaganza. Nobody does cables as well as those Arkansas folk. Bottom line: Mountain Home gains yet another big trophy.

Midwest Regional:

• There's History, there's Mythology, and then there's Legendary. The Midwest has it all this weekend. Brains meets brawn. David meets Goliath. Beauty meets the Beast. Raul-the-Magnificent meets Mr. Bill. Wildstang (Team #111) meets Beatty (Team #71). I can't predict which will win or even if they'll somehow break the curse and get to play on the same alliance this year. But I can tell you this, I will be SHOCKED if the Midwest Regional Championship Alliance doesn't have one or both of these teams.

Peachtree Regional:

• I am afraid that I have to punt on punting this regional. I just don't have the data I need to make a sensible contribution to the body of knowledge. There are 47 teams competing with only 2 with numbers below 600. I am sure that there are some great teams in there somewhere but I am just going to wait to learn about them from someone else.

Silcon Valley Regional:

• Here is a tip for anyone making regional predictions: Bet on the Cheesy Poofs (Team #254). They won YET ANOTHER regional last week in LA. These guys are the Yankees of FIRST. They just keep on winning and winning and winning. FYI: They have won EVERY Silcon Valley Regional to date EVER. I don't expect that streak will end this year. Go Poofs!

UTC Regional:

• I am not quite ready to call Bristol-Myers Squibb (Team #25) the Cheesy Poofs of the East but I'm getting close. They look like they had another dominant weekend in NJ two weeks ago. With that big win under their belts I expect the UTC Championship to be well within their reach. But there are other veterans that they'll need to get through if they want another banner. If the 2006 Championships taught us anything it is that, while Team #25 is tough, they can't do it alone against three capable & strategically savy foes.
• There are a ton of veteran teams at UTC that should be called out including Aztechs (#157), Aces High (#176) and Int'l Fuel Cell (#177), but I am going to pass over all these and get right to the meat of the matter: Sight unseen, I am gong to predict that The Rage (#173) is going to have a monster weekend. This game plays to their strength. They should have a great year.
• Bottom line: The winning alliance will have Team #25 or Team #173. Run to your bookie and place your bets.

New York Regional:

• If I go with my head, I would have to pick Bound Brook (Team #56). Ethicon had a pretty good run down in Florida in Week 2. They need to build on that but having a regional under their belt will be a huge plus for them in NY where nearly every team is going to be ironing out their first regional bugs. ROBBE is not a lock by any stretch of the imagination but they are almost certain to be in the hunt for a high seed and will be a major force after lunch on Saturday.
• But my heart says that the RoboWizards (#522) will be in the mix in NY as well. I remember working with them in the pits at the very first NY City Regional. They have certainly come of age since then. On the plus side, they have a solid ramp design this year and they have a strong history of winning (especially at the NY Regional). On the minus side, they'll need to have help. If the robots in NY this weekend can't climb their ramp it is going to be a long weekend for the RoboWizards.

So those are my predictions and my veteran teams to watch this weekend.

This is all in the spirit of fun and sports. Please don't take anything too seriously.

Good luck to all teams.

Go Chiefs!

Joe J.

Notes:
[1] I think this view is is somewhat strange given that teams 4, 25, 39, 45, 60, 86, 103, 123, 175, 247, 250, 254, 272, 330. 337, 462, 501, 503, 537, 540, and 573 each have a shiny new banner to hang in their rafters, but we can have that debate another day.

[2] Read the the title of this thread. I am making all my predictions very veteran focused. Don't PM me with a bunch of angry messages about how your team was neglected, wha, wha, wha... ...This is just a fun thing to get discussion going. Calm down ;-)

[3] My daughter, Sarah, is on Team #573. Though my schedule didn't allow me to do much more than to provide a few bits of advice here and there, I still have a connection to the team -- Go Brother Rice/Marian.

[4] Actually, I like the sound of that phrase "The Mojo's back in Pontiac." Especially since I saw the other Pontiac team (GM Powertrain & Pontiac Northern #65) last weekend and, I must say, they looked very tough. They can really score the tubes. Nice job Huskies. I suppose that both Pontiac teams will do alright this year.