Statistical analysis, anyone? Just kidding. Thanks for bringing that up, Andrew. I’d actually rather we have too much information. I would hopefully like us to cross-examine documents to find all the similarities and differences between them. Then, if the percentages/stats are significant enough to prove the claim, take each into consideration.
Still, if you feel you have any better ideas, present them. I’m sure all of us would be more than willing to find the best approach possible.
As I understand it, the teams were numbered alphabetically by official team name. That name started with the team’s primary sponsor. The year numbers became permanent, The Juggernauts were team 1 based on their sponsorship by a company starting with a numeral rather than a letter. Delphi-sponsored teams ended up in the 40s. The X-Cats, sponsored by Xerox, got 191.
Alan,
I do know that Motorola teams were all in the 100 range when numbers became permanent. At that time, there were three local teams numbered 111, 112, 113. 108 is another Mot team from Plantation, FL, which implies there were 109 and 110 Mot teams as well. I know there were Mot teams in Ohio and Texas at one time.
Quentin,
For the record, our team name is spelled WildStang to ID the original two schools from which the team drew students from. We use the same grammar as ‘deer’ so there is never WildStangs even if there are more than one.
1998 was the year the numbers became permanent. You can see the original 1998 team list here:
http://web.archive.org/web/19980529072224/http://www.usfirst.org/1998comp/teamlist.html
Clearly, numbers were assigned in alphabetical order according to sponsor at some point during the registration, but also there are a number at the bottom after X-Cats who don’t fit the pattern, presumably because they registered after the initial list was sorted and numbers were assigned.
Team 82 on that list got a different number the next year for some reason–I think that was the year that their primary sponsor changed names. They’re now known as 330.
Permanently assigned numbers were used in 1998 forward from the info I have gathered as well.
Buzz was formed in 1995 but didn’t compete until 1996 (the declared rookie year) and started for two years as team 51 (good number, for us and the current team using it!). There are several teams with lower numbers that were started later than some higher-numbered more senior teams, but we know 51 given up as the result of re-numbering by request.
In 1998 our sponsor wanted sequential numbers for their first 3 sponsored teams in existance at that time: 175 Buzz in Enfield, CT, 176 Aces High across the river from Enfield in Suffield CT, and a neighboring town just south of us is 177 Bobcats in South Windsor.
We too have a ton of stuff - I will look and see what I can find in a week or so when we next have our Buzz meeting.
In 1998, team numbers were made semi-permanent. If a team’s official team name (sponsors and/or schools) changed for 1999, there is a high probability they were assigned a new number. Also, some teams that took the 1999 season off and came back in 2000 could have been assigned a new number. (See last sheet of spreadsheet linked in the first post of the topic)
Not applicable to 330; they were at SVR and Nationals in 1999 (and 2000).
As I understand it, the teams were numbered alphabetically by official team name. That name started with the team’s primary sponsor. The year numbers became permanent, The Juggernauts were team 1 based on their sponsorship by a company starting with a numeral rather than a letter. Delphi-sponsored teams ended up in the 40s. The X-Cats, sponsored by Xerox, got 191.[/quote]
Al might have been speaking of numbers being assigned sequentially in earlier years. That still happens to FLL teams. Rookie FRC teams are assigned sequentially too.
As Alan notes, when permanent numbers were assigned, the existing teams were assigned in alphabetic (alphanumeric) order. Another series of teams were the GM teams, in the 60’s.
This is correct. In 1998 I was on team 162 (TRW Automotive and Farmington Hills Harrison High School). For 1999 FH Harrison dropped out and we (TRW) partnered with Walled Lake Schools and the number changed to 308, which is still in existence.
Those numbers would also support the theory that Walled Lake was considered a rookie team in 1999, and thus got a new number.
Yeah, I probably should have noted by “changing schools in the official team name” I meant, adding or dropping schools; not a sponsor dropping a school and picking up another.
The Sponsor block was all the UTC Teams in existance back in 1998, 173-181.
This includes the Carrier sponsored 174 from Syracuse and The Pratt and Whitney Florida teams 179 and 180.
FYI
You can see an elim bracket from the NE regional in 98 here to verify some of this
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/22117
And from Nationals here:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/22268
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/22269
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/22270
So, to double-check this… I have you guys in 1992 ("Motorola, Inc. & Wheeling High School ", Wheeling, IL), not competing from 1993 to 1995, and then back from 1996 (“Motorola, Inc. & Rolling Meadows High School/Wheeling High School”, Schaumburg, IL) to the present. Is this correct?
So what is the term for a group of Wildstang? A herd? A pride? A flock? A team? Whatever it is, they are definitely awesome to see in their natural habitat. The alpha males are exceptionally impressive.
Quentin,
That is correct. Motorola approached the high school in 1992. I wasn’t part of the team at that time but as I understand, there was a positive response that took a while to coalesce into a viable team. By 1996 a teacher was splitting time between Wheeling and Rolling Meadows High Schools and convinced enough people to include both schools. I became involved late in the 1996 build to assist with video documentation of the robot at Wheeling. My wife and I provided adult support at Wheeling but never saw the robot compete. The same took place in 1997 with additional parent support for animation and much more video work. My first hands on came at the Midwest Regional when an electrical problem developed. I have been involved in the robot ever since.
WildStang comes from student choices of mascot names…Wheeling WILDcats and Rolling Meadows muSTANGs. The tie dye just came naturally. The Motorola mentor from 1992 came back to the team much later and is with us still.
Gary,
Whatever!!! No alpha males allowed, just Raul. We’re flexible.
Okay. [so here’s the earth… jk]
After a couple weeks of searching for a nice place to share our cumulative data that was free and had a high storage capacity, I realized I overlooked the best place to upload and share documents, Google Docs. It’s free; everyone has their own 1GB limit; and of course, the interface is superb. Problem solved.
You should be able to share, any/all historic FIRST data you or your team(s) may have. I say should be because I’m not 100% sure I set the permissions correctly for you to put your stuff in the same shared collection.
Google Docs - Historic FIRST data
Please view the README before sharing.
Note: I’ve already posted all relevant documents from Team 45’s History Project (1992-2000) and the images Peter Matteson linked to in a previous post.
Mark, you may want to update your spreadsheets.
I love when revisiting overlooked news articles pays out with information of value.
Here are the 1992 Award Winners:
Champion - [126] NYPRO/Clinton High School
Chairman’s - [191] Xerox/Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School
Most Creative Design - [126] NYPRO/Clinton High School
Best Offensive Round - [190] WPI/Doherty High School
Best Defensive Maneuver - [146] Kiwanis/Manchester West High School
Most Photogenic - ??] Advanced Animation/Rochester High School (Vermont)
Best Sportsmanship - [111] Motorola/Wheeling High School
Best Team Spirit - [191] Xerox/Joseph C. Wilson High School
Play of the Day - [131] NH Technical College/Central High School
The Ultimate Keeper - [45] Delco/Kokomo High School (I’d call this one a Judge’s Award)
Note: The article did not list the finalist.
Source: Google Doc / PDF (Orig)
Good find from the TechnoKats archives.
It confirms most of the awards I had, but there are a few conflicts that have to be reconciled-different teams have a claim on the Best Offensive and Best Defensive awards and I think Sportsmanship is contested too.
There seemed to be three finalists in 1992 and 1993.
4 teams played in the final match and we know who they were, one winner and three finalists.
45 has the Finalist trophy and it’s mentioned in one of their other news articles that they came in third.