It appears that the application team is paying close attention to the details of each application. I would hope they have a clerical person or two who is setting up application packages with the paper apps and the videos, checking for compliance (age, 3 people, etc.), cataloging them (in a database I hope), and then setting the Canadians teams aside for next season (Geez, calm down, just kidding).

I think after they have been given a first pass by the clerical team the application team reviews the paper apps and watches the video a time or two. I am sure they have a 'maybe' pile and a 'try again next year' pile. I think that once they are through with the entire set. They start again by watching the 'maybe' pile and separating the apps in three piles, the 'short list' pile, the 'maybe' pile and the 'try again next year' pile. The app team keeps going until they exhaust the 'maybe' pile by removing some from the 'short list' and putting them back in the 'maybe' and so-on.

By this time, they would like to watch the 'short list' pile again to make sure they caught everything but are too tired and say, 'Lets just go with it'.

Now, seven weeks after this oddesy started, they begin calling the short list teams. If the 10:1 number holds, about three teams from this board will get the call. If I were a betting man, and I am, I would guess that the number of teams from this board that get calls for the short list will be around 8.

There will be a flurry of happy posts on this board, a few sore sports and many well wishers. I hope I know some of the teams that get the short list phone call, I hope my team is among them(I promise not to brag too much).

I think RDF will post a listing of all the teams that applied to the show on their website so those that were not selected can atleast see that their application was received. I do not think they will make over 900 phone calls (they might, those brits are polite).

I, of course, do not know any of this to be factual, I just decided to post my thoughts today. The one thing that is factual is that I am not done with my silly 'applicants list' website. It appears that I may have to enhance the site a bit. I think I am going to make the polls harder to cheat on (feel guilty only if you are!). Good luck!

Ron Lesseraux Team Mr. Fixit

-- Ron Lesseraux (rlesseraux@hotmail.com), March 22, 2001

Answers

Ron,

Glad to hear you say you're keeping you "silly board" up. It's great as far as I'm concerned. Even if the "guilty" comment was no doubt aimed at us. I can tell you that no one on the team is doing it, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone we work with or one of our techie students is having fun with the voting.

Keep up the good work on the board!

-- Ron Walker, Canadian ACES (rwalker@flemingc.on.ca), March 22, 2001.

Keep up the great work with the "Applicants list". I check it on a regular basis and it's interesting to see the addition on new teams. Had a good laugh with the Canadian comment. (Yes I have a sense of humour and can laugh at myself). I just have to say that I'm very pleased to see that we (Canadians) can finally apply to televised competitions with Americans. I don't mean to dissapoint the Americans but don't be upset if they pick 8 Canadian teams. Hehe, back at ya Mr. Fixit! Good Luck!!!!

-- Michel Morin (michel.g.morin@home.com), March 22, 2001.

Crap, forgot to post my team name to the above message...It's late..What can I say?? Beer anyone?

-- Michel Morin " The Alcolympians" (michel.g.morin@home.com), March 22, 2001.

Michel, I'll take that beer! Ron, I like the way your brain works, don't stop the web site, I too have fun going there and checking things out. To all Canadians, my nickname is Hoser, I live in Texas, go figure. I think it has to do the the stocking cap I wear in the winter, Eh....ken

-- Ken Sklorenko (the3rdwits@yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Ron, You're doing a great job of upkeep on this site. Do you have a job and a life aside from this board? Keep up the good work!!!!! Crazy Canucks

-- percy ehnes (pehnes@hotmail.com), March 23, 2001.

Thanks for putting up the teams list. That is extremely nifty. I am just amazed at all the interest that this show has generated. Now if only all ~1000 teams would tell you their names!

I am now actually considering a team page. We (The Odd Goods) felt a bit odd (oops, pun) about advertising ourselves for a show we aren't even on yet. (hopefully) However, I have a horrible habit of overusing parentheses, so Erik gets to write the text.

Oh yeah, I should say something with a point. You guys are all cool. Thanks for all the neat web pages.

-- Gregg Christopher (fsgac@uaf.edu), March 23, 2001.

I have no idea of the parameters for selection for this series, but, this might be close. Two states seem to have very high concentrations of applicants, California, and Ohio. So one team from each of these states. One additional team from each time zone, that's four more. One team from Canada. Now for the final team, well let's see this is a hard one to come up with, how about the team that is spread out the most.

JustJay

-- JustJay-captain-Three Rusty Juveniles (justjay@neo.rr.com), March 23, 2001.

I doubt they care where the teams are from. My guess is that teams will be selected based on the personalities of the team members and their overall abilities. There may actually be more emphasis placed on personality. Teams would be wise to have one person who is comfortable in front of the camera and a bit of a showman. Lets face it, out of all the teams who have applied... certainly many (if not the majority) of them will have the ability to create these machines, and they're provided with an expert for knowledge they do not have. But I'm only guessing...

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), March 24, 2001.

The original concept before the last series was to have 8 regional trials, the winners of these would go to England. Between the location of entries and the time available they had to pick the teams directly. I believe they (RDF) want to have representation from as many states as possible, otherwise just pick all the teams from California and save all the air fares. I have seen over 50 videos from teams all over the states and without seeing their applications only about 6 don't offer any skills on their videos. They all appear well qualified. I have only seen 1 with no talking, which was a little strange. They have to start somewhere and dividing up the country seems the most logical way.

JustJay

-- JustJay-captain-Three Rusty Juveniles (justjay@neo.rr.com), March 24, 2001.

Come to think of it, having certified divers is one skill that will greatly increase your teams chances of being on the show. Since an underwater challenge requires two teams... and there will be only eight teams total... leaves only six teams for those without divers. All this is assuming there is one underwater challenge, with that challenge being in the first round.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), March 24, 2001.