Happy Birthday to BallOfSpray and thanks to all the Ballers

[Horton]

This site came to life in its current forum 10 years ago this week. Those early years were a bit rocky. I never thought the site would become what it is today. I guess with just over 50 Million Page Views in 10 years, BallOfSpray is here to stay.

 

Thanks Ballers.

 

[Orlando76]

Thank you!

[andjules]

Thank you, @Horton. You're making a real difference for our sport.

[rawly]

Crazy time of the year to start a waterski forum. Congrats on your success with the sight. Would be interesting to view some of the early threads....... “ Hearing rumors of a new Nautique “ ....... “ No way , it can’t get better than a 196 “ ....... “ it will be “ ...... “ people will want their 196’s ten years from now “ ........ “ no way “ .....”Way “......

[ToddL]

50 million page views? Well, I did my best to help with that, LOL!

[skidawg]

Still waiting for my royalty checks to start coming in @Horton !!!

[keithh2oskier]

if only you could count the number of hours companies wasted paying salaries to surf BOS...

[BrennanKMN]

Thank you.

You and this site are one of the many reasons I am a better skier today than I was yesterday.

[Horton]

@skidawg check your Paypal account

[thager]

Hey!!!!

[Ed_Johnson]

I have a GREAT appreciation for all the information SHARED by Baller's of all levels on BOS. I thank John for giving us a place to Learn, Contribute, and Share our LOVE for this Sport. I cannot imagine a day that goes by, I do not check this Forum for the latest info at least 3 times a day. No where else can I Gain and Share knowledge of our beloved sport.

 

I simply have to say THANK-YOU !!!!

 

PS: I proudly wear my Baller's Hat, that stays in the boat at all times !!!

 

 

[Bulldog]

Happy Birthday Ball of Spray!! Thank you John for making this happen!! @Horton

[Jaypro]

@Horton , when I got back into skiing after a 25 year break, Ball of spray was instrumental in getting me the info I wanted. It also introduced me to the idea of coaching. I have "met" many great folks through the site,

[The_MS]

Couldn’t have done it without me

[teammalibu]

Id settle for a donut!

[Horton]

@teammalibu still on my desk :(

[Garn]

Thanks Horton for all your hard work.

[Horton]

I gotta to tell you guys it was totally random that I realized we had past 50 million page views. I mean 50 million is a number that I've never applied to anything real in my life. It's completely surreal. You have to remember that this was just a hobby website.

[TustinTom]

What @Ed_Johnson eloquently said !!

 

Being a 15 offer, I've appreciated all the encouragement and advice from the ballers (and yes we rock our Baller hats too).

 

For me (and probably all of us) the site has influenced my spending with specific vendors, manufacturers, authors, ski schools, video coaching, getting hooked up with a club and even buying our (used) boat.

 

Beyond that, it's the handful of guys I've befriended and ski'd with (one from Canada) that all share the same hobby/addiction, made possible by BOS. Happy B-Day

 

[chris55]

And BOS is a worldwide site so full of so many super good advices and so on. Like @Jaypro I really started slaloming 5 years ago at 57 and dream came through, and I used a tons of advices from BOS.

So THANK YOU John and all the BOS members

Chris from Geneva

[E_T]

Thank you to the unsung hero’s and intergalactic posters @E_T

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@skidawg I'm betting your royalty is a handful of pesos and probably more than mine was.

@ms YGBSM

@Garn thanking Horton for his "hard work" is like thanking a panhandler for taking another gulp of MadDog 2020. The same amount of effort was expended.

 

Otherwise this is a pretty good place to waste time until spring!

[Horton]

@Bruce_Butterfield I made you famous

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@horton its actually the other way around. If your comment was true, I'd be the one who is retired, sitting in front of my keyboard in my boxers and you would still have a real job!

[Horton]

@Bruce_Butterfield OMG real jobs suck!

[DW]

Thanks @Horton for all your hard work, well maybe work or simply just your keyboard addiction to creating a ski addicts website. You have 'the knack':

 

[ForrestGump]

Congratulations! You couldn't have done it without MS. Thanks for making me spend all this money on skis over the years. Man, it's been so long I don't even remember what your original forum was that we were part of.

[thager]

Coyote Brothers Fins or something along those lines.

[Horton]

@BoneHead

 

Slalom Tweakers Forum

[KRoundy]

@Horton Seriously, or are you pulling our leg? :D :D

[Horton]

no jokes

[ForrestGump]

That's it! I'm proud to say I was a Tweaker.

 

[Sivota]

Thank you for facilitating a transnational debate and providing such insightful support for a wonderful [and addictive] sport.

[thager]

Wasn't Coyote Brothers Research before Slalom Tweakers? Seems to me there was a forum on CBR that was changed to S Tweakers and finally settled on BOS because @Horton was too slow or too cheap to pay for the handle?

[Horton]

@thanger No the Coyote Brothers Research forum was technically the Slalom Tweakers forum. I think I still own coyotebrothersresearch.com

 

That tech platform was crap and so that is how I ended up building a real site.