Everyone at Kyo Logic is always talking about just how powerful FileMaker is– it can be used to create all kinds of helpful professional applications. We’ve shown off plenty of ways we leverage it to help businesses solve problems and fill specific needs. That includes everything from complex, unique applications to automating and streamlining basic data entry.
But it’s also fantastic for everyday use. Patrick, a seasoned Kyo Logic developer, uses FileMaker to give him an edge when it comes to NFL and NCAA football. Why does he take his work home with him? Is it because he loves analyzing stats? Is it because he’s super competitive and wants an edge? Does he just love FileMaker that much? The answer is all of the above.
College Ball
Patrick runs a successful and informative blog, 1 Nerd Sports, that delves into the numbers behind successful college teams. He loves college football. And he’s been able to weave his knowledge of FileMaker in with that passion.
His app takes the results of every game and builds a model based on key factors. It provides an objective list of team rankings based solely on performance. It also allows Patrick to dive into specific teams, players, and years. Patrick has built it to be completely automated; his app pulls from the NCAA API (application programming interface) that updates every game.
The app focuses on factors like a team’s win and loss percentages, average margin of victory and loss, and compares it to the opponents stats. His model accurately predicts spreads about 65% of the time. Patrick isn’t one to brag, but considering how many other factors are at play in the sport… those are pretty solid numbers.
More recently, Patrick has also built an app to give him an edge in fantasy football. Similar to his college app, it plugs players stats in and makes recommendations on who to play and bench in a given week. So far, it’s been more accurate than the NFL’s own recommendations.
Fantasy FileMaker
Patrick uses FileMaker for his hobbies not just because he’s an expert. It also gives him a level of flexibility and control other languages and tools don’t offer. It’s also easy enough to navigate that any of his friends can (and do) use these apps.
But most importantly, it’s the fact that it’s a relational database. FileMaker understands how to relate different tables and values. It makes it incredibly intuitive for a stat-heavy game like football– it understands how to scrape data from weekly games and apply it to individual players or specific teams, almost instantly. It can also make changes and adjustments easily. If Patrick needs to add or swap parameters, he can do so on the fly and see the changes reflected in real time. It also provides the backend and frontend for the application, so everything is in one spot. It makes for a nimble, flexible, and response application.
If you want to learn more about how Kyo Logic can enhance your business (or just need help with your fantasy team), you can reach out to us here.1