In the Beginning.....

People ask, "How did the pool start..." Heres what I tell them. When I was a real little kid. Like 3 years old. I remember loving to watch basketball on TV. I didnt watch the game at all, I just watched the score that they had on the screen. I loved it when the numbers changed.

Yes, a big geek even back then. Then I turned 4 and started getting interested in girls. I forgot about hoops for the next 18 years or so. Then one day in March 1988, Braz and I were reading the Daily Cardinal. They had a NCAA Tourney contest. So we filled out our brackets and followed them though the tourney. I remember I picked Indiana to win. (They won in 1987 so I thought I had a sure thing. I was a Pool neophyte) I dont remember if Braz or I won but Im pretty sure we drank some beers at some point.

So the next year (which would be 1989) when the tourney rolled around we decided to expand. At the time it was Braz, Ross Krueger, Jeter and I in the pool. We called over to Tim Melms (who we playted the softball with the previous summer) and got him and Scot Becker and Gus and a couple others in. We then called over to Blake (also on the softball team) and got him crew. So we ended up with maybe 20 people. A good start. And so we started. Since Al Gore hadnt invented the Internet yet, all the scoring was done on the original entry sheets and a pink highlighter. Very low tech. I get all itchy just thinking about it.

The thing I remember most is Ross being right near the top. But whenever a game would end and I would go through all the sheets, he never could pass some guy named Pajewski. (A friend of Scots) So ROss would be running around the house muttering "Fuckin Pajewski" I still say this whenever Im in any sort of pool and cant seem to make any traction against someone.

"Juice" finally wrapped it up when Rumeal Robinson sunk 2 free throws to beat Seton Hall (Dicky Vs alma mater). In celebration I threw those sheets out. I really wish I had those back.