Posted by Andy Grady at 2/5/2001 11:25 PM EST
Other on team #126, Gael Force, from Clinton High School and Nypro Inc…
ok guys, here is an interesting thought that went through my mind today, tell me what you think.
Team A and B are functionally the same. Team B has one tough round and at the end of the qualification rounds Team A is ranked 1 and team B is ranked 5. Now, the problem lies when team A and B realize that if both their robots can’t be on the field if they have any chance at winning the competition, and they must decide who should be out there, and who the partners are gonna be. What do you think about this scenario…also lets add into the mix that team A and B are 2 powerhouse teams, who both have mild ego’s. Disaster? What do you think?
Posted by Jessica Boucher at 2/6/2001 8:27 AM EST
Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.
In Reply to: Frightening Scenario
Posted by Andy Grady on 2/5/2001 11:25 PM EST:
:cough cough:: mild? I can see lots of arguments on who would play, even though if the alliance won, all 5 robots would bring home 2 trophies (thats a lot of hardware!)…You don’t have to tell your town how little you did, but I find the team that has the courage to step down and be the backup to have the most courage out of all of the alliance.
At UTC last year I will never forget team #209…they were our alternate, and they gave everything. They gave batteries, tools, so much so that if we needed them, we’d probably have to spend some time making them runnable, they gave so much to us. From what I was told by Rich (so if this isn’t correct, he said it 
) when he asked them if they felt bad for not being able to play…their answer? “It doesnt matter if our team plays, as long as we win.”
Now THATS GracProf…I think that’s what Dean & the crew are trying to get at (among other things)…to see what would happen if this situation arose.
-Jessica B, #237
Posted by Deej at 2/6/2001 1:28 PM EST
Engineer on team #190, Gompeii, from Mass Academy and WPI.
In Reply to: ewwwwww
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 2/6/2001 8:27 AM EST:
the only problem with things like that are if your alliance is losing out on the field, and you know that your team would turn the tables back to where our alliance can win… and your stuck on the sidelines watching from 5 feet away, Skrach knows what im talking about…(sorry coll)
Posted by JVN at 2/6/2001 3:21 PM EST
Student on team #250, Dynamos - Capital District Robotics Team, from Shenendehowa High School and General Electric and Verizon.
In Reply to: Re: ewwwwww
Posted by Deej on 2/6/2001 1:28 PM EST:
Some teams are happy even in that scenario…
The finals of Long Island turned into a battle, it was one big shoving match. Our robot took a serious beating but was still functional. We were all set for the final match, win or loose. I was alliance captain and I handed our cards (all you captains know about the cards) into Eric to show who would be competeing in the match. I turn around only to see a mushroom cloud of white smoke (magic white smoke) pouring out of our robot. FIRST declared our robot the comteting bot and would not let us switch to our alternate. Our alternate was Robotics Plague - from Staten Island. Not one member of their team complained about the decision. The entire team even came and thanked us in the pits later. THAT is my idea of gracious professionalism. To watch 1st place slip away in a cloud of white smoke, and still be content.
Staten Island Rocks,
~John #250
Posted by Michael Bloomfield at 2/6/2001 10:00 PM EST
Student on team Robotic Plague from Staten Island Tech sponsored by Verizon.
In Reply to: Re: ewwwwww
Posted by JVN on 2/6/2001 3:21 PM EST:
Without you guys we wouldn’t have taking home that Second place medal. We couldn’t thank you enough to even trust us in the first place on your alliance. If you can’t have first then the next best thing is second. I would also like to apologize once again for our teammate who did get a bit out of hand and fight with you not for having us in the match. He was out of line and trust me did he hear about that from our teacher on the way home…LoL…too bad I couldnt record the event and send it to you. Thanks again guys and hope to see you again this year. Good luck.
Sincerely,
Mike
Team #375
Robotic Plague
Posted by Jason Wolf at 2/6/2001 10:16 PM EST
Student on team #375, Robotic Plague, from Staten Island Technical HS and Verizon.
In Reply to: Re: ewwwwww
Posted by JVN on 2/6/2001 3:21 PM EST:
2 words that will never be stressed enough…
THANK YOU
John your whole team and the whole alliance gave our team more than we EVER expected, we were all wooden, we expected to be ok but not great and just survive until this year with a good feeling, the silver medal i now hang on my wall is a reminder everyday that us as a rookie and a lil wooden robot was givin the chance to be in an alliance with you guys and well even though we didnt do much, we were still there with you and you had every intention of putting us in until the BS rule was declared, well anyway who cares, THANK YOU AGAIN!!! We wanted to win a match, we ended up winning a silver medal, its almost too good. Also like Mike said sorry about our 1 ■■■ teammate.
Jason
375
Robotic Plague
Posted by Lora Knepper at 2/6/2001 7:05 PM EST
Other on team #73, Tigerbolt, from Rochester Institute of Technology / Edison Tech HS and Alstom.
In Reply to: ewwwwww
Posted by Jessica Boucher on 2/6/2001 8:27 AM EST:
I’ve had the privilage of working with the members of team 209 over the past two years, and I’d have to say they embody more gracious professionalism than I ever thought was possible. Both their students and adult members have made a great impact on me, and I know my old team as well. Don’t count this little team from Dighton-Rehoboth, MA out by any count! Good luck this year guys :o)
As for Andy’s little dilemma, I’ve had both the experience of a “third wheel” team, and one of the players in the elims. Never once have I regretted the decision of our allies to keep us off the field in '99 - it was the best choice they could have made at that time. In '00, I have often thought that the “third wheel” team would have been a better choice to field, but since we were not the picking team, we deferred to their decision. They after all were the ones that got us there.
In this case, I think things will run quite similar. The higher seeded team simply has that “right” to choose it’s partners for a match. It’s the privilage of doing well in seeding. I think, however, the best alliances will be those that honestly look at their allies, and where that difficult decision to step down and let the others play will be made, if it is needed.
One of the toughest things is to watch from the side of the field with your 'bot and be powerless to help your alliance. That takes courage, and to step down yourself to let another, perhaps better team play, takes guts and gracious professionalism.
Posted by Jessica Boucher at 2/7/2001 1:13 PM EST
Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.
In Reply to: 209 - a team with class (plus an answer to andy)
Posted by Lora Knepper on 2/6/2001 7:05 PM EST:
: I’ve had the privilage of working with the members of team 209 over the past two years, and I’d have to say they embody more gracious professionalism than I ever thought was possible. Both their students and adult members have made a great impact on me, and I know my old team as well. Don’t count this little team from Dighton-Rehoboth, MA out by any count! Good luck this year guys :o)
Here here to that! I hope someone from #209 is reading this…
-Jessica B, #237
Posted by Brett at 2/6/2001 4:55 PM EST
Student on team #201 from Rochester High School.
In Reply to: Frightening Scenario
Posted by Andy Grady on 2/5/2001 11:25 PM EST:
Why not just alternate? Just because you’re “backup” doesn’t mean you can’t be used until another breaks…
Posted by Ken Patton at 2/6/2001 9:24 PM EST
Engineer on team #65, The Huskie Brigade, from Pontiac Northern High School and GM Powertrain.
In Reply to: Frightening Scenario
Posted by Andy Grady on 2/5/2001 11:25 PM EST:
I think the team A should get the say, since they are the “captain.” They earned it. In this case if they let their ego get in the way, its their right. I think team B would accept this.
Our team has kinda been this type of situation. Last year in the games 2 and 3 of the finals in Ypsi, we pulled ourselves out and put in Technokats. We had one important system that was not working as well as it should - although it still might have made it through - so the decision was probably easier than your nightmare scenario. We made the right decision, I think (plus, the other Andy gave me a hat!).
Ken
Posted by Andy Baker at 2/6/2001 11:51 PM EST
Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: my opinion
Posted by Ken Patton on 2/6/2001 9:24 PM EST:
Ken,
That was one heck of a finals. We were happy to help, that’s for sure, aand honored to be your partner. Everyone was suprised to see our alliance win the second match. We (65, 1, 45) were a broken 1/8" steel cable away from taking the gold… if it wasn’t for those meanies from team 201.
Anyway, thanks for the hat.
My opinion about playing the alternate robot is to always get them into the action. Even if it’s just for one match, the alliance captain should be gracious enough to get all of the teams playing at least once.
“the other Andy”
Posted by Erin at 2/7/2001 7:35 AM EST
Other on team #65, Huskie Brigade, from Pontiac Northern High School and GM Powertrain.
In Reply to: We were honored to serve
Posted by Andy Baker on 2/6/2001 11:51 PM EST:
Oh man…
some thoughts…
201…
Anyways…
I thought that the Huskies made a hard but good decision when they opted out…you guys may have caused additional unnecessary (and probably irreparable) damage to the 'bot. It’s hard for teams at the top to take themselves out, but I believe you guys did when the time was right. And I agree that team A should be the captain. If they got that far, and they picked you, they should have all say in what happens.
Too bad the technokitties weren’t with us at the IRI, we could have made up for lost game 
-Erin
p.s. i thought it was pretty cool though when 201 pointed out at Kettering that there was a huge strach of yellow paint on their robot (ahh, scarred for life!)