Bam! Here it is! Finally! It feels funny typing a PaS communication in something other than an email. Yep, that’s how it all started. A small group of coworkers and friends managing picks and scoring via emails, spreadsheets, and pdfs. Well, let me go back a little further, because there was a step or two before that
OUT OF NOWHERE
It really started on a whiteboard in my cube at work. A few coworkers got together and decided to pick college football games for the season. One guy recommended I design a spreadsheet to keep track of the picks. What started me down the road to PaS was something unbelievably simple, but unexpected. Instead of writing in expected winning team names in the boxes, people were writing scores. That led me down a road of finding a way to having a true winner for each week and season along with knowing who really has the skills to predict the outcomes of games and not just winners.
THE MANUAL GRIND
After designing a spreadsheet and developing an algorithm, a manual process just took over a chunk of my time. Of course, I couldn’t do it easy or simple. My spreadsheet had to have a layout, and that made it more cumbersome to maintain. We picked up new players, added more games, made calculation adjustments, and I began doing pre and post week analysis. It was almost like I had a little part-time job on the side, and it was fun… until it stopped. Life took over and made it difficult for me to keep up with everything, including PaS. Life has a way of doing that – shifting, turning, and pressing you into places unexpectedly. Add to that COVID, and you’ve got a serious lull in all things PaS.
OUT OF THE DOLDRUMS!
What not many knew was that I started a development effort a few years ago on the site you are now reading this on. I wasn’t consistent, nor was I totally focused, but I laid the groundwork for a later time; a time like now. After a complete user interface overhaul, tweaks and additions to the algorithm, and some good old-fashioned blood, sweat, and tears, we are here! A brand new way for everyone to enjoy sports! Also, a way for us to compete with friends and really prove who knows the game like everyone says they do.
THE WIP
We have made it this far, but we are far from “there”. PaS is completely functional, but there is still much to be done. I ask that you be patient with us as one of our pioneer members (you will receive a pioneer badge if you join early in the first season). Suggestions, corrections, and objections are welcome. We want to improve. We are a very small team with a small budget and infrastructure. Our growth as a community will dictate our growth everywhere else. Right now, PaS is free, but our intent is to charge a fee. Why? Well, because we will not add advertising bots to PaS. I hate ads on sites and in apps. The only way you will see an ad in PaS is if we add a sponsor – from our internal interface, not an ad bot. We plan to have sponsors for event and seasonal prizes. We will be adding a donation button soon for starters – we need a little “HBO”, help-a brotha out.
That’s all for now. If you haven’t joined, stop reading this right now and join! Make sure you tell all your friends and family. Create pools and compete against one another.
Just how good are you?