Introduction

Wallyball is Here!

After much anticipation, the signature event of our sports calendar has arrived.  We have some returning players, some who are new to NFL Wallyball and others who are new to Wallyball in general.  So with that, let’s get right to your questions.  

What are you talking about?  I didn’t send any questions.

Just go with it. 

Wait a minute... isn't this basically the same thing you said last year?

Well, it's not exactly the same, so please read through it.

What is Wallyball?

It all began in 2020, when Wally, Paul, and Jay K thought it would be a good idea to start an NFL eliminator pool.  Then half of us were eliminated.  So we changed the rules to make sure the game lasted the full season- and with that, NFL Wallyball was born.

You changed the rules... in the middle of the game?

Yes, I'm sure Tommy Pham would clearly disapprove of this.  But you will notice that the entry fee is relatively low- in fact if you were a freshman in 1982, it would be the equivalent of $8.14. As you read down, you will also notice that we have many small prizes, rather than one or two large prizes.  We realized that the value of doing this is for some old friends to stay in touch and to meet some new people, so the best way to keep people engaged is to always have something to play for.

I want to play.  How much does it cost?  How do I play?

The entry fee is $25.  Send it to Wally this year via PayPal at Walton.mew@gmail.com

If you have not seen an NFL eliminator pool elsewhere, here are the rules we copied- basically everything except the elimination part.  Hence the name Wallyball, since NFL Eliminator wouldn’t really make much sense.

• Each week, you have to pick an NFL team to win its game.
• Each team can be used only once during the season.
• You must make your selection before your team kicks off for the week.  In most cases, the deadline is 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Sunday.  If you want a Thursday game or a Saturday or Monday game, you have to pick before the first game that day kicks off.
• The margin of victory/defeat will be factored into the tiebreakers.

Unlike an eliminator pool, you will be making picks all 18 weeks and your final won-loss record will be reflected in the standings.

How can I earn money?

Head-to-head side bets are encouraged, but you'll have to settle those on your own.  

Here’s where your entry fee goes:

Consolation Pool ($30 total)

• $10 to last place and $20 to second-to-last place.  Maybe the season isn't going how you hoped, but that's no reason to pretend you're the Jets and try to lose every game.  The staggered payout means you'll have to have some strategy the last few weeks to avoid the cellar.

Bonus Pools ($70-$80 total)

• $5 to anyone who picks the first game that ends in a tie.  (If 2 or more people pick the same game, we’ll split $10).  If no tie game is picked, the money goes to the first-place finisher.
• November Sprint: If you are not doing well after the first 8 weeks, don’t worry, you can still earn $30 by having the best record over weeks 9-12 (November 3-28).  
• Holiday Bonus: $40 goes to the person with the best record over weeks 13-18 (December 1- January 8) .  
• Important note- the purpose of the bonus pools is to spread the wealth- so anyone who earns money from the Winner's Pool will be ineligible to win the November Sprint or Holiday Bonus. Don't worry: if you are fortunate enough to win more than one prize, you will take home the one with the larger payout.
• Exception- everyone is eligible to earn the $5 bonus for picking the tie, regardless of other prizes won.

Winner’s Pool

• Top three places earn a percentage of the total.  The actual dollar amount depends on how many people enter and how much is left over after the bonus and consolation pools.  We’ll have a better idea once we know how many people join.
• After all the consolation and bonus pools, we’ll give 50% of what remains to the winner, 25% to second place, 15% to third place, and 10% to the person closest to .500.  Amounts will be rounded to a $5 or $10 increment.  With 25 people playing this year, it works out to $225 for 1st, $115 for 2nd, $70 for 3rd, and $50 for .500.
  

What is the .500 prize?

The person who comes closest to winning 50% of their games with a tiebreaker of 0 earns the prize.  This isn't The Price is Right, so you can be over or under- both will be treated equally.  This was one of the closest battles last year with a handful of folks still in the running on the final week of the season.  Congrats to Katie who was 9-9, +30... one point closer to 0 than Wally.

How do I submit my picks?

Send them each week to us at wallyballuc@yahoo.com prior to the deadlines mentioned above.

Are we going to do weekly calls this year?

I hope so, but I realize it's hard to coordinate schedules with all of us spread across the country in five time zones.  We'll do our best to try something on a weekend day.  We'll also be sure to have plenty of conversations via text during Sunday games.  Make sure Wally has your contact information and you sign up for the Signal app. 

If I forgot anything, I'll be sending plenty more emails during the season to fill in the blanks.

We hope you are able to join us- please ask if you have any questions!

Good luck and have fun this season!

Wally, Paul, Jay, and Steve