Sunday Live Chat Starts Now

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:10 am

Roundtripper, you beat me to the punch. I will be here for the next hour and then have to leave unfortunately because I have a little one in the hospital. Unbelievably, it's my nine-year-old who picked the New York Auction League draft order on Friday after school. But Rocky Landsverk will man the phones here and cover everything online until I get back. So let's talk for an hour and bring everyone up to speed on the NFBC.

Any questions?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:25 am

Can you throw a couple potential bust players out? Is Podsednik on the list?

Hope your daughter feels better.

[ March 14, 2004, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: Gordon Gekko ]

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:26 am

So Greg, what's it feel like to be within days of your dream becoming a reality?

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:30 am

On a baseball note...with Hairston banged up, do you feel this opening for Roberts will give him the spot he won't give back?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:31 am

No, I can't do bust players. I'd be accused of manipulating the draft. Besides, I always hate to write those kind of columns because it's easier to predict success than failure.

As for Podsednik, I live in Wisconsin and saw how he just got better and better last year. He finished so strong and when he had a chance for 100 runs and .300, he found a way to do it. I don't have him on a single team this year, but that's not a reflection of how I think about him.

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:33 am

Any chance of getting a list of the current owners in the Las Vegas Auctions posted? I know you can't do it for the stright draft because know one knows what league thier in yet.

rotatorcff · Post by **rotatorcff** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:34 am

Greg,

First, and most importantly, best wishes to your daughter. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and her recovery will be speedy.

I'm a bit concerned about Chicago. Is it possible that if another Vegas or NY league fills today, that those latecomers (myself included) in an incomplete Chicago league might be shut out?

Also, you have alluded to a system that would allow the extras from the 3 sites to complete in a split league of sorts. I'm curious as to how you guys plan to make that work. Is it too soon to ask for details? Thanks.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:34 am

What does it feel like? Tiring. Believe me, a HUGE pain got off my chest when we decided to guarantee all of the prize money because I always knew we would, but so many people waited until the end to sign up that I feared the worst. This has been a lot of hard work, but a labor of love.

Again, I'm happiest for the true baseball people, who seem to have been ignored in recent years as fantasy football became the sport in the limelight. And I'm guilty of that too. We changed our magazine name from Fantasy Baseball Magazine to Fantasy Sports Magazine. USA Today Baseball Weekly went with Sports Weekly as well. All of the national interviews I do is before the fantasy football season, not the fantasy baseball season. So I'm happiest that we proved that there is still a strong baseball base for fantasy and next year I envision 300+ teams in 3-4 cities.

We proved this format works and now we have to prove that all three cities will have drafts that go off without a hitch.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:35 am

Do you know what? I felt that Hairston would be the best sleeper pick of the draft and this latest injury was really a setback for him. Roberts is a good player, but I don't think he would have played much had Hairston stayed healthy. We'll have to see if he can keep the job, but I still think Hairston will be a good stolen bases guy this year. But that's just me talking, not someone trying to influence anyone's thinking before Draft Day.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:36 am

List of the current owners for the Las Vegas Auction League? Yeah, I could do that. I can't promise that within the next hour, but I'll do my best. It's a good group of guys, that's for sure.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:41 am

Everybody who is signed up to this minute is officially in. I can guarantee that. We have enough people now for a good start on another league and I think we can fill one more. Now depending on where those signups come from will determine if it's a sixth full league in Las Vegas and a combined Chicago-New York league or not.

It's still too early, but I think you can envision it. Same draft setup in every city, same 15 teams, same number of draft facilitators and everything else, with just a phone line hooked up to bring the picks together.

rotatorcff · Post by **rotatorcff** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:43 am

Thanks, Greg.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:44 am

By the way, I'm creating an NFBC newsletter right now that will go out to all current members via e-mail. Expect that in the next 30 minutes as it will contain a lot of the updated information. I'll then have to split for awhile and return online tonight. But Rocky will be here to handle all of your questions if you have any.

I'm still here for questions until the top of the hour.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:45 am

You're in RotatorCuff, you're in. Anyone who puts that in their e-mail address has to be in a high stakes fantasy baseball contest, right?

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:47 am

No doubt everything will go off without a hitch for you Greg!

Now a logistical question to assure that those of us doing the 'double' on Saturday still in fact can count on Transportation between the two events...hadn't heard much on that recently and wanted to put some minds including mine at ease.

[ March 14, 2004, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: BONGIZMO ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:49 am

Okay, here's a question nobody has asked yet. Greg, when will are rosters be entered on the NFBC game site?

Our goal is to have everyone fly back to Iola, WI. on Sunday and start on the rosters Monday morning. We are not entering them from the three cities that night because there aren't games right away that week and we have so many event items to take care of in each city. We will enter them on Monday and Tuesday with STATS' help and hopefully they will be viewable then.

I can't promise anything, but that's the plan right now.

rotatorcff · Post by **rotatorcff** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:50 am

Great news!! You don't know what I had to go through to make this work. Let's just say, at least the new carpet looks nice, and I'm sure we'll have a nice time on our upcoming trip.

I'm going to pester you with one more split league question, however. How will draft order work? Will it still be determined on an individual basis? For example, if there are 5 Chicago guys in the draft, will we be drafting, in essence as a block so we can better track whose turn it is, or will we be assigned our own individual numbers (example: 3, 6, 8, 10, 13) and then sit in those appropriate seats at the table? Thanks.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:52 am

No problem on the transportation and in fact Emil called last week to find out the status, too. I will have a bus waiting for us outside the Rio at 3 p.m. Saturday that can fit 21 guys. If there's more than that, we can either take the rest in my car or the bus will come right back and pick the rest up. If we get done earlier, we can see if the bus can come a few minutes earlier, but I'll likely buy a drink first. If it's later, then we'll adjust and call Emil. But I see no reason why this shouldn't be done in 5 hours. Geez, I sure hope so.

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:54 am

Thanks Greg, as usual you are on top of things...Have a great day and my best to your daughter...

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:55 am

All leagues are selected randomly. Wherever you pick, that's the seat assignment you'll receive. Same for the tri-city league, if we go to that. But there should be no concern as the stopwatches will work the same, the draft facilitators will have the same rules and everyone will hear the draft picks just the same. All will work just fine if we have to go that route.

New carpet is always appreciated. For some reason, my wife is picking out new windows!!!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:58 am

Thanks. This damn Wisconsin winter gets her every March and she just got blind-sided by pneumonia and a double ear infection yesterday. She's on IV and the whole nine yards. Just what my wife needs before I take off to Vegas for a week involving two shows.

I didn't want to bring it up, but if someone can't contact me today at least they'll know I'm at a hospital instead of a bar watching NCAA games. No fun today, but you can certainly cheer me up with some last minute signups.

751542 · Post by **751542** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 7:16 am

hey greg!!

just got in from a run and saw you were doing a chat. quick question. i see you are doing poll prizes chosen randomly each week. is there any thought to having 26 WEEKLY winners, this to keep incentive to teams not in contention late in the year???? keep up the great work. RT

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 7:23 am

That's all taken care of. Upper Deck is providing GREAT weekly prizes and the best overall team for that week will win the prize. Check out the link on the left-hand side that says Weekly Prizes and you'll see the list.

So you are correct, we designed the Weekly Prizes to keep everyone fighting for something. So now you'll be able to check three sets of standings each day: League, overall and weekly. This is going to be a great contest, so best of luck.

751542 · Post by **751542** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 7:30 am

first and foremost i hope your daughter is ok!!!1

have you guys done everything possible to make this the best damn fantasy league or what!!!! INCREDIBLE!!! please fence sitters jump in NOW or you will have 6 months of regret. i cant wait till friday!!! thanks a million greg or maybe 100,000 will suit me just fine.