Greg Ambrosius Receives NFBC Hall of Fame Recognition

[DOUGHBOYS]

Greg Ambrosius received the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame award in Las Vegas Saturday.

Ambrosius started the NFBC in 2004. The NFBC is the brainchild of Ambrosius.
The first year, the contest was operated at a loss. The $100,000 prize was guaranteed. The prize structure was formed in hopes of 300 participants. Only 195 teams entered.
Undeterred, Ambrosius nose to the grindstone attitude, his unparalleled customer service, and word of mouth enhanced and expanded the NFBC the next year to 300 teams.
Since then, auctions, satelite, Diamond, Super, Online, Slow Draft, and the NFBCXII Leagues have all been added.

As NFBC members, we all owe Greg Ambrosius a debt of gratitude. Thanks to Greg, many friendships have flourished. Life long friendships have been forged.
Greg has weathered being tethered or partnered with three firms since the NFBC’s inception. Each change was not easy for his customers and especially, Greg. After the partnership with Fanball dissolved, the NFBC itself, was in doubt. Greg resolved to find a lasting partner. He has succeeded with STATS Inc.

The NFBC has grown to 420 Main Event teams along with hundreds of teams in other divisions of the NFBC. Payments have been made promptly to every customer. While other high stakes game operators have fell by the wayside with substandard practices, Ambrosius never over promises or under cuts any of his customers.

It is unique in any industry for a group of customers to present an owner with a Hall of Fame award. Maybe unprecedented.
Then again, Ambrosius is a unique individual.
We are all proud to be a part of his dream. A dream to begin a high stakes fantasy baseball contest with exceptional customer service. That dream has become reality and we are all a part of it.
There is no way we can fully thank Greg for the relationships we’ve enjoyed over the last eight years.
What we can do however, is bestow the highest award possible from us to him.
And maybe since it is presented from the hundreds of people that he has touched, it’ll mean just a little more to him than other honors and awards that he has already claimed in the past.

Thank you, Greg.
And congratulations from all of us.

[Winston's Empire]

WOW, that must have been a pretty amazing presentation in Vegas today! WELL DESERVED doesn't even scratch the surface.
Congratulations Greg, you truly deserve the honor of being in the Hall of Fame for providing us all the venue we call our Fantasy Baseball Home - the NFBC!

[DOUGHBOYS]

Agreed Max!
Without Greg, each of us would be separated into home, Yahoo, and ESPN leagues. Worst, we all wouldn't have met or know each other. The NFBC has become a way of life for some of us. At the same time, the NFBC has become the pinnacle of fantasy baseball. If succeeding here, you're one of the best in our hobby. Period.
Shawn, Steve, Lindy, and Greg have each earned their honors.

[Joe Sambito]

Greg,

Thanks for your dream, your passion, and your commitment! We are all better for it!

Andy & Chris
Welcome to Stevieland

[Sack]

The best part was that it almost never happened. Our champ, Lindy Hinkelman was so
Busy taking a shot at son Gabe ( which was classic ) he forgot to introduce K J Duke for
Greg's surprise " Player's Only " Induction Vote.

Greg then stepped up and got the room rolling with " Boy, is Tom going to be pissed ".
Great stuff from
another great NFBC experience.

[normkent]

Having started with the NFBC in 2004, and then dropping out for a few years for health issues, coming back again this year to Vegas to run into some friends I had not seen in a while was special.

While watching Greg give Lindy this year's award, I was thinking someone should be giving Greg one.
And rightfully, moments later, someone, very thoughtfully did. Like Greg said, it is more than just making money, there are friendships that have been created and maintained, largely because of Greg's perseverance. Fortunately, the friendships are not too close. In fact, I drafted next to Lindy in two drafts this year, and I thought I might have to go back to Idaho with him and sow pigs. I kind of like the pool at the Bellagio a little more.

Seriously though, it is an award Greg richly deserved, and he was so very gracious in accepting it. Too bad KJ had to return it to the plaque shop by midnite.

[chest .rockwell]

Having started with the NFBC in 2004, and then dropping out for a few years for health issues, coming back again this year to Vegas to run into some friends I had not seen in a while was special.

While watching Greg give Lindy this year's award, I was thinking someone should be giving Greg one.
And rightfully, moments later, someone, very thoughtfully did. Like Greg said, it is more than just making money, there are friendships that have been created and maintained, largely because of Greg's perseverance. Fortunately, the friendships are not too close. In fact, I drafted next to Lindy in two drafts this year, and I thought I might have to go back to Idaho with him and sow pigs. I kind of like the pool at the Bellagio a little more.

Seriously though, it is an award Greg richly deserved, and he was so very gracious in accepting it. Too bad KJ had to return it to the plaque shop by midnite.

I am pretty sure you are just joking about the last part, but was there something wrong with the plaque if so please let me know...

[ToddZ]

A classy act organized by a bunch of classy guys to recognize a class individual - well done.

Hang in there TK, from one trusty sidekick to another, your day will come.

[KJ Duke]

I had a few more things to say ... but with Lindy forgetting to call me up initally, I got thrown off my game.

I wanted to mention during the presentation the guys that contributed time/expense in putting this together to get an authentic NFBC plaque (without Greg knowing anything about it). I forgot that part, but those involved were Lindy, Steve Jupinka, Kent Stermon, Bob Mazur, Andy Nolan and of course the lead instigator in all of it, Dan "dough" Kenyon.

We all thought this was a great idea and deserving honor, and we knew it would be 100% supported by the NFBC players. I also thought is was very appropriate that Lindy and Greg, with their respective accomplishments, be inducted at the same time as it was with Steve and Shawn last year.

[Ando]

KJ and Group,

Well done spearheading the recognition that Greg richly deserves. Perfect opportunity that gave Lindy as dancing partner!

[Tom Kessenich]

Great to hear the guys in Vegas did this. It's certainly a deserving honor. When it comes to pioneers in the fantasy industry Greg is absolutely at the forefront. From being the editor of the first fantasy sports magazine in the late 80s to being one of the first fantasy columnists on ESPN.com, to being the first president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association to creating the NFBC and NFFC, Greg has easily been one of the most impactful people who has ever worked in this industry. The NFBC was his baby back in 2004 and I'm just happy he's allowed me to tag along for the ride and not get in the way.

Not a lot anyway.

Congrats to Greg on this great honor. I'm proud to call him my partner and my friend. I wish I could've been there to see it. Sounds like it was a great moment with both Greg and Lindy being so deservedly honored.

[Spartacus]

I had a few more things to say ... but with Lindy forgetting to call me up initally, I got thrown off my game.

I wanted to mention during the presentation the guys that contributed time/expense in putting this together to get an authentic NFBC plaque (without Greg knowing anything about it). I forgot that part, but those involved were Lindy, Steve Jupinka, Kent Stermon, Bob Mazur, Andy Nolan and of course the lead instigator in all of it, Dan "dough" Kenyon.

We all thought this was a great idea and deserving honor, and we knew it would be 100% supported by the NFBC players. I also thought is was very appropriate that Lindy and Greg, with their respective accomplishments, be inducted at the same time as it was with Steve and Shawn last year.

Not to worry KJ, it was a classy presentation and Greg's impromptu remarks were both gracious and hilarious It was a good moment. It's a shame Kent, Andy, and especially Dan weren't there for the presentation, they would have enjoyed it. I also want to throw out a shout to Mike Cameron for his part in this, as well as the vast majority of NFBC vets who would have participated had they known about it in advance.
It's amazing when I think about how Greg and Dennis orchestrated this show both efficiently and seemingly so effortlessly. Okay, Dennis was huffing and puffing a bit, he's an old coot y'know , but still...........? I tip my NFBC cap to you both, you deserved those Corona's! And last but not least, next up KJ is a 'Plaque of Endurance' for your significant other who sat through your entire Ultimate Auction. On the other hand, a pair of earrings would probably work just as well..............

[Greg Ambrosius]

I apologize for being so busy that I didn't even have time to respond to this very, very, very nice thread and this incredibly very, very, very nice honor. These last two weeks have been hectic, but hectic in a good way. No, make that a GREAT WAY.

First of all, let me say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took the time, money and effort to bestow this nice honor on me. I pooh-poohed the idea when Dan Kenyon presented it on the boards this fall because I had no intention of creating a Hall of Fame so that I could get in it one day. That wasn't the idea of this hallowed hall. It was for the players who established their skills above all others. And besides, I feel like I have a lot more great things to do yet with the NFBC before receiving any awards for my job. I just really felt that the players were the ones who needed to be honored, not me or Tom or anyone else who worked behind the scenes. We've always wanted to make our players the stars and that was part of the intent with the NFBC Hall of Fame.

That being said, the setting, the timing, the surprise, the friends all around me, everything about the moment was just PERFECT. When you get a surprise like that and you really never even saw any of it coming, it's special. The DaVinci room just had a special feeling to it on Saturday morning as everyone poured into that one room and we brought Emmett Ruland and Pat Gagne to the front to honor them as our 2011 Live Double Play National Champions, and then brought Stephen Jupinka and Shawn Childs to the front as past Hall of Famers, and then brought Lindy up for his Hall of Fame induction. Lindy really gave a nice, heart-felt speech, recognizing so many good people who helped him become a top-flight fantasy baseball owner. As I looked out to the crowd during his speech, I could see the pride on so many peoples' faces, especially that great CDM group of owners. They were SOOOOO PROUD of Lindy and you could see the emotions in their faces. I really was caught up in the moment, I have to say it. I proudly scanned the room and with about 150 people packed in that room it just felt extremely special. I looked at our hired video-grapher and just hoped that every bit of it was being captured on tape.

Then when Lindy was done and I was ready to send everyone back to their drafts I heard this loud voice out of my left side. It's KJ hollering at Lindy, "didn't you forget something Lindy?" I thought, oh boy, here's the runner-up from the 2011 event ready to fight the champ on the stage over the $80,000 he lost out on last year. Or he wanted to make a runner-up speech. When Lindy introduced KJ and he started in on the Message Boards and things that needed to be changed I just thought "what a rally killer. This was good until this point!!" But then he took out that Hall of Fame plaque and I must admit, I really did start to get emotional. It just was so out of the blue and such a nice surprise that it caught me completely off guard. And I did a quick scan of the crowd and honestly you could just see a collection of "NICE JOB KJ" expression on everyone's faces. I could tell people were happy for me and in turn that made me happy. I don't make a big deal of individual honors -- heck, I have as many Hall of Fame plaques now as kids!! -- but this one really did something for me.

I know I made a funny crack when I stepped to the mic that said "Boy is Tom going to be pissed", but I was just trying to be funny. I knew for a fact that Tom would be honored for me and feel as much pride in this honor as I had. This was an honor for both of us. He knows that we are a team here and always will be. His honor will come soon enough because without Tom there is no NFBC or NFFC. He's given as much time, love, effort and passion as I have to these contests. In all the moves we've had to make, he knows that I would never agree to anything unless Tom was part of the package. We'll retire together in this job and love every moment inbetween. This honor is as much his as it is mine and when the Players Choice committee gives Tom his plaque soon enough (buy the boys making the donation plenty of drinks Tom!! ) I will be the proudest person around. He's as deserving as me for the NFBC HOF.

We will get this Hall of Fame induction video on YouTube shortly and provide the link here. I think everyone will enjoy watching that. And once again, a BIG THANK YOU to the guys who thought of this, paid for the beautiful plaque and pushed this through despite my objections. My plaque is right in view where I sit in my office and it's a proud moment every time I look at it. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate this very, very, very much.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Great to hear the guys in Vegas did this. It's certainly a deserving honor. When it comes to pioneers in the fantasy industry Greg is absolutely at the forefront. From being the editor of the first fantasy sports magazine in the late 80s to being one of the first fantasy columnists on ESPN.com, to being the first president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association to creating the NFBC and NFFC, Greg has easily been one of the most impactful people who has ever worked in this industry. The NFBC was his baby back in 2004 and I'm just happy he's allowed me to tag along for the ride and not get in the way.

Not a lot anyway.

Congrats to Greg on this great honor. I'm proud to call him my partner and my friend. I wish I could've been there to see it. Sounds like it was a great moment with both Greg and Lindy being so deservedly honored.

Not to get mushy on public forums, but THANKS Tom for the post above. That means a lot. Sometimes you just put your thinking cap on, push as hard as you can in your everyday job and don't realize what you've accomplished until your career is done. I knew at times we were blazing new trails as the industry's first national newsstand magazine, as the first fantasy baseball/football/basketball columnist on ESPN.com, as the president of the FSTA, the creator of the Fantasy Sports Trade Conference, and the founder of the NFBC and NFFC, but each next step just seemed to make sense at the time. The good news is that every single one of them succeeded, so my ideas must have been right at the time. But again, I had great people to work with and support me, from Steve Ellingboe and Bob Lemke at Krause's, to Rob Neyer hand-picking me for ESPN.com, to Tom being my partner on the magazines/trade conference/NFBC/NFFC over the last 12+ years to Steve Byrd and Jim Corelis of STATS taking my phone call while they were in Switzerland on Jan. 4, 2011. It was a day that changed my life, from Fanball dissolving to Liberty Sports Media agreeing to sell the NFBC & NFFC to me, and STATS loving the idea of working together. It doesn't get any better than that.

Thanks again Tom. We are SOOOOOOOOO lucky to be in the position we are in now. We had hoped for the type of support we are getting now during the 8 previous years, but things just weren't perfect then. They are now and we are having fun while growing every year. The best thing about this time is we both know the best is yet to come. We will look back at this time and say remember when? Trust me, we both know the best is ahead of us, not behind us. We enjoy the honor, but really GET READY FOR THE NEXT STEPS!!! We're really going to make our players STARS and that will be fun.

[Quahogs]

What I I want to know is.. how the !&*%$# did I sneak in there. 3 legends of the game and me. lol

[Quahogs]

Greg,

As you can see the HOF is much more than just statistics. Just like Cooperstown. I can only think of the hall of fame VOID in all our lives if you didn't have that vision. Again congrats Greg.

Q

[Greg Ambrosius]

What I I want to know is.. how the !&*%$# did I sneak in there. 3 legends of the game and me. lol

Why does that pig keep staring at me when I look at this picture!! Actually, the pig is the best looking animal in this photo!!

I feel honored to be pictured with this group of fantasy baseball players. I remember once when I considered myself a serious fantasy player, but nothing like these guys. They are SICK GOOD!!! But I'm glad we got this picture together and I'm glad it's as informal as it was on Sunday after the Diamond League. We all look a bit worn out, but happy nonetheless. Great job all. Great picture.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, let's take this a step further by showing the raw video of our Hall of Fame presentation. We haven't edited this at all, so enjoy the whole thing. It's kind of fun to look back at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb2tC4CW ... e=youtu.be

[King of Queens]

That was awesome! Thanks for posting.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Just an awesome job, Kevin!
Hilarious in that Lindy was so busy giving his son the business that he forgot the cue.
This was an excellent job put together by a great group of individuals for a person who more than deserves it!
I love it when a great plan comes together.
Kevin, thanks again for putting that last candle on the cake and to Dan Semsel for being your lovely assistant
Congrats again, Greg!

[Greg Ambrosius]

That was awesome! Thanks for posting.

See, now who said the live events were dead? It sure looked like a lively live event to me, didn't it? Great fun with a GREAT bunch of guys and gals. Is there a better way to spend 4-5 hours before the baseball season?

Now, who is going to be next in the NFBC Hall of Fame? This season will give us that answer. Good luck everyone.

[KJ Duke]

Thanks Dan and Glenn.

Too bad Dough couldn't have been there to do it, I tried persuading him to get to Vegas but I was happy to be the backup plan. Also too bad the cameraman didn't pan out to show the "what the heck does this guy think he's doing" look on Greg's face for most of the presentation.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Thanks Dan and Glenn.

Too bad Dough couldn't have been there to do it, I tried persuading him to get to Vegas but I was happy to be the backup plan. Also too bad the cameraman didn't pan out to show the "what the heck does this guy think he's doing" look on Greg's face for most of the presentation.

They needed to stay focused on you because in 10 seconds I was going to jump from the background and muzzle you!! But thankfully you got to the Hall of Fame plaque and I finally realized what was going on.

[ChiScottieBaseball]

Congratulations Greg, you truly deserve the HOF Recognition. I first started playing fantasy sports back in the day through your Fantasy Sports magazine and have stood by you guys through it all. It goes back to trust, and I know we as fantasy players can trust in you and really appreciate the hard work that you and Tom put in along with the other STATS personnel everyday.

All the best and thanks for everything man. You're a great guy, it's just too bad your a Packers fan, come on and jump on the Bears bandwagon

[Money]

Okay, let's take this a step further by showing the raw video of our Hall of Fame presentation. We haven't edited this at all, so enjoy the whole thing. It's kind of fun to look back at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb2tC4CW ... e=youtu.be

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!

Third year in Vegas, not part of the chum chum club, but was absolutely moved by the presentation. Well deserved and such a great guy that puts up with more (all of us) than most could. No accolade is strong enough.

Congratulations Greg, I'm proud to be a part of this community that you've created.