2001 Football Pool Frequently Asked Questions...
Dear Footballers,
As America tries to return to normalcy, the NFL and, of course, our little pool kick back into gear.
We have made it through the opening weekend with everyone's $$$ and picks arriving in a mad flurry as the deadline approached. Week One went off almost without a hitch. There are some questions floating around and I thought I should address them here so that if someone else had the same concerns, this would take care of it.
Did you get my check?
If you are considering asking me this question, please check the main board. Anyone with an asterisk next to his/her name is, as of this writing, unpaid.
Where is this main board?
It is on ducey.com, specifically at www.ducey.com/pool2001
Is there another board?
No.
Then why is that one considered the "main" board?
OK, there is kind of another board. At some point on Saturday, once all of the picks have been posted on the main board, I try to reorganize them by "team picked" on another page. You can view that page by clicking on the WEEK heading at the top of the column. That info is most useful for watching the games on Sunday to see how many people will take a loss for the week. I will add, though, that the main board is the official one. I apologize for any discrepancies that appear.
And by "discrepancies," you mean mistakes that you make?
Yes.
Where do I send my pick?
Send your pick, via email, to pool2001@ducey.com
Is that your email address?
Well, technically, no. Sending an email to that address should result in TWO emails going out. One goes to me and one goes back to you.
What does the one to me say?
It says, very simply, "email received."
What if I don't get a reply email like that?
Send your email again.
What if I still don't get a reply?
There are a couple of people that, for whatever reason, are not getting a reply email because of how their work email is set up. If that happens to you, let me know and we will set up an alternate arrangement for submitting picks.
What about the email that goes to you?
I then receive an email with about 25 lines of computer mumbo-jumbo followed by your original email.
So you see everything that I type and send?
Yes. Sort of. The subject line is buried within the aforementioned mumbo-jumbo. So I don't read the subject line unless I go looking for it. Some people use the subject line for their actual picks. While that might seem to make things easier for me, and in the past it has, this new set-up actually makes things a little harder.
So don't use the subject line at all?
No.
And what should I send every week?
When you submit a pick, this is what works best for me: Put your whole name and your pick in the body of your email. I can't always identify people by their email addresses and with so many people in the pool this year, it's time-consuming to go looking for an email match in my contacts.
So you're just being lazy?
That's one way to look at it.
That's how I'm looking at it.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
What about those quippy little quotes that appeared in the weekly update?
Those were written by the pool contestants. Along with your full name and pick for the week, a hearty aside or reflection or prediction is always welcome. As previous players know, the weekly update is most enjoyable when sprinkled with the words of the people.
Vikings suck.
Is that a question?
No, I'm just saying that the Vikings suck. I can't believe they lost.
Yes, it was unexpected.
Are you going to put my quote in a weekly update?
No, probably not.
Why not?
Well, mostly because it's too late. And it's really not all that clever or funny.
Well, they do suck.
OK.
What is the deadline each week for my pick?
Saturday morning at dawn.
Dawn on the East Coast?
Dawn from wherever you are sitting when you send the email. Anyone in Hawaii has a few extra hours to contemplate his pick.
So I have until Saturday?
You're better off thinking of it as Friday night. Dawn comes pretty early for most of us. Send in your pick before you go to bed Friday night. (In fact, sooner is better. That gives you time to check the main board to be sure it reached me.)
What if I send in my pick on Tuesday, let's say, and then on Thursday I want to change it.
That's fine. Picks can be changed up until Saturday at dawn as well.
What if I want to change it again on Friday?
Fine.
What if I want to change it back to my original pick?
Fine.
I thought you couldn't pick the same team twice.
I'm not even going to address that.
What if I look at your precious main board and see that you wrote my pick down wrong?
That's what Saturday is for. (Or any day before that if you send your pick in early.) Please check the board Saturday during the day and alert me that something is amiss. That way we can straighten it out BEFORE any games kick off. Calling me Sunday afternoon at 3:30 makes things less simple to fix.
What if I picked the Thursday game?
You can't. You must pick a winner in a Sunday or Monday game. Even Saturday games during the regular season are OFF-LIMITS. Do not plan for a late-December Saturday pick.
What about in the playoffs?
Then Saturday games will be allowed.
This all seems so confusing.
The rules are laid out as simply as I could muster on the website. You can find them by clicking on RULES at the top of the main board.
Main board, main board, main board. I'm sick of hearing about this main board.
Is that all then?
I guess.
Good.
Wait, what about the missing week of the season?
As I understand it, those games will be played during an added "Week 18" at the end of the regular season and one round of the playoffs will be lost. Plan your picks accordingly.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Ducey