Who's the best team not in Atlanta in 2008?

With all of the focus on the big dance this week, I figure it’s only right to give a tip of the hat to the 1,000+ teams that aren’t.

Who, in your opinion and by your method of measurement, are the best teams not attending the 2008 Championship Event?

I’ll post mine in a while, but I will set one rule: no mentioning your own team, even if you have enough silver medals around your neck to cause scoliosis.

Let’s hear them!

I think 1731. They were first pick in both VA and the other regional they went to, but had terrible luck. They lost VA by penalties =S

The Best team in Atlanta may NOT be the team that wins!

I’d have to agree with the choice of 1731. At both VCU and Buckeye, both regionals I attended, they were the most consistent robot in both hybrid and tele-operated mode. You always know what you are going to get with 1731, they have the type of consistency that many teams strive for. That kind of consistency makes it obvious that 1731 is doing some serious engineering that works time after time just as it should.

Im pretty sure there not going…but i can be wrong… but my vote goes out to 910 the Foley Freeze… They have a great robot and were on the #1 allaince at the Great Lakes Regional and they were getting better and better with each passing match…

1731 handsdown. Look out for them during off season events, their robot will finally earn gold somewhere.

I’ll go ahead and put my two cents in: 342. They were outgunned in Florida against 233 and 1251 both at the peak of their game, and it was tremendously bad luck in the Palmetto finals (stripping a power distribution block and losing 343 in the early seconds of Finals 4–yes, 4) that kept them from getting their ticket to Atlanta.

You don’t become finalist at both Florida and Palmetto without doing something right.

Thank you for the vote .We are all bummed out were not going to the big show, espically our seniors. But we will be watching all the matches via the webcast. Now i want to see team 326 with your awsome hybrid mode knock two balls and five lines like you did aginst us in the Great Lakes finals in match #3 ,sweet!!! Hopefully we will see every one at IRI or one of the off season events . Good luck to every one.

defenitly 1726

FTC 417.

EDITED: Ah, darn, I wasn’t supposed to mention one of my teams. Oh, well, I guess Billfred is coming after me.

it hurts that 1718 the fighting pi wont be there they put there hearts and soul into those elimination matches at glr they would have made atlanta far more exciting

My vote goes to 272. They have a great shooter and they were the 2nd pick (semi) at FLR and 1st pick (finalist) at Philly.

i would have to agree 1731 is amazing they really deserve to be there. 1629 played with and against them at cleveland and they were some of the most exciting matches we saw. I think that according to our scouting they were the second highest scoring robot below 1024 (but not by much) and above 1126 and ourselves. We talked with them at a chance meeting at Mcdonalds on the way home, and if nothing else they are one of the more friendly teams i’ve seen after losing in the finals.

I’m going to vote for 1771… they picked up the ball effectively with a huge suction cup, and then shot it over the overpass with a plunger knocking it out from the grip of the suction cup (kinda 1114-like). go check them out on the blue alliance… their robot is really quite impressive…

I think one of the best lapbot will not be in Atlanta and that team would be 381. I am very disappointed that they wont be there. They are all very cool people.

I remember 1731 at Buckeye.
Very impressive shooter. It’s a shame they won’t get to show off their skills at Atlanta.

Thanks Martijn. We were definitely super bummed that we didn’t get a chance to win Peachtree Regional. In some amazing feat of luck however we are actually going to be attending the championship to show of our machine. We also have a much improved method of removing the trackball from the rack.

1731 FTW!
Dont know why they didn’t sign up for Atlanta, but should be there.
Two tough luck losses in finals due to penalties also as mentioned before.
I witnessed one of them.
They literally carried their alliance in elim. matches.

Had they gone to atlanta, they would have been a serious top 10 team overall.

The one and only 1731.
I was really disappointed not to see 1731 on Championship List.
will definitely miss you guys

-Imad

From the robots I’ve seen, 272 is a great bot. Like The Lucas said, they were the first pick (behind MOE which I’ve seen get two balls and three lines in hybrid then I’ve counted 6 balls in Autonomous), and then ahead of MOE in Philly. Watch video of it on MOE’s website, http://www.fsrobotics.org/moe365//competitions/philly08_matchvideos.php.

Also, from the offensive power rankings, 1731 is the best bot not to be included in nationals.