The Divisions...

[Joe Johnson]

Let me begin by saying that I love the format of the Championships. I like that they have 4 divisions that come together to play on Einstein (I was one of those who wholeheartedly supported the idea when someone -- Chris Hibner? -- first suggested it on ChiefDelphi.com oh so many years ago).

But... as the years go by, I wonder if there are improvements that could make things even better. One thing that I see as a weakness is that being the "Curie Division" champion, for example, doesn't really have a history associated with it.

Think of the NFL's black and blue division (Bears, Packers, Lions, Vikings... ...and the Bucs) you know what you're getting when you say you've won the NFC North Division. Basically this is because the teams in that division are of a certain kind with a history and a character that mean something to fans.

Here is my question for the ChiefDelphi.com members.

Would the divisions be better if teams were not pseudo randomly assigned to a division each spring but were place permanently in a division according to some plan? Or if not by assigned by some plan then perhaps the divisions could become home to various teams over time*?

In this way, you could get to know that teams X, Y, & Z were from this or that division. Over time the divisions would take on a character built brick by brick from the characters of the teams that had settled in that division.

There are down sides to such a scheme to be sure. I will leave it for others to share these with us all as well.

Please, share your thoughts. Pros and Cons.

Perhaps we can influence those in a position to decide one way or the other but it is not very likely. Even so, the discussion is worth having because we will have had a passionate discussion about the future of FIRST, a subject which we all care a lot about.

Joe J.


*for example you may be randomly assigned to a division your first year and bounce around divisions until you did something of note in a particular division (say you win an award of this or that status or you won the division or finished second in the division or were the number 1 seed, or perhaps even you just played in a classic match that is one for the ages) at which point are assigned to that division forever -- becoming part of the history and fabric of that division going forward.