Las Vegas Thoughts!
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:56 am
First, let me add my kudos to the list for Greg, Ryan and team. From the minute my wife and I walked into the NCAA Viewing Party Thursday night, the whole Fanball team really made us feel welcome. I cannot imagine how much bucks was spent on food, snacks, rooms, service providers, and of course, booze. For example, Greg and Ryan kept the bar open Thursday night long after it had been planned to close, and there was plentiful beer at each of my drafts. I do not drink (much) when I am selecting my teams, so I cannot blame the alcohol on my teams, but knowing it was there for us meant a lot. The Mexican Buffet Saturday for the main looked great though I stuck with the excellent salad and desserts. Again, thanks to all the Fanball folks. Your commitment to providing the best experience possible shows. And Rich Gannon is a real gentleman. He was very accessible for those who wanted to talk to him and was genuinely interested in hearing about how the NFBC does fantasy baseball. It was also great to find out that he and I are fraternity brothers. I wonder if there are any other Sig Eps out there in the NFBC? In Year One, we had a group discussion with Marty Barrett, who was just as friendly and open as if he were one of the “regular” people. Rich was like that too and if he ever gets a chance to read the boards, I wanted to say thanks again. He really added to the event and I hope he did well with his team at the draft.
Anyway, especially now that Vegas insists on asking for resort prices for food and beer, I know the additional fees we paid for the spread did not come close to covering the additional costs of the upgrades. This is one long-time owner who really appreciates the willingness to go the extra mile. I thought it was all great. You guys really hit a home run!
The Vegas experience was great as I was able to see some folks again for our annual foray as well as get to see some of the folks from the Florida drafts I hadn’t seen in a long time. You know the ones…us former Florida drafters who were dumb minnows who don’t know beans about fantasy baseball and a few sharks take advantage of and win the whole main event! Great to see Kent Stermon. Kent has always been a straight shooter who will openly share his views and opinions on players. Best of the best in my book. As well, I got to meet Andy Nolan for the first time, though I really did not get to spend as much time with neither Andy nor Kent as I had wanted to. Got the chance to draft against Bobby Jurney again (hoping for better results on my end) though he thought I was channeling Dave Clum at the Live Online Double Play draft. The biggest surprise was getting to have a face to face conversation with Ira Kerker (who hasn’t changed) and his son (who definitely has). Two years ago when I last saw them, the brains of that team was 14 and barely came shoulder high on me. Now, he is 6’2” and can reach out and pat the top of my head. He didn’t as he obviously has been, as we say in the South, raised right, but man what a change. Don’t worry, Ira, I will have my friends in Athens get in contact with your son to see if he wants to attend a class institution!
Got to talk a good bit with Mike Duggan.
I was very fortunate again to have two great groups of guys on either side of me at the Main . I cannot off the top of my head recall the co-managers names, but Patrick and Stewart kept me on my toes. I was also good to talk, although briefly because we all had bigger fish to fry, to Neal Moses and Rob Silver. I had not met those guys before and it was a real pleasure. I was also fortunate in my pick that I did not have to draft in the middle of a brutal run of NFBC vets like Brent Grooms, Marc Meltzer, Steven Jupinka, KJ Duke, and Chris Poulson, who occupied spots 10 through 14. Everybody was on there game and I can tell you nothing “slipped” by that end (nor come to think of it, from the other side either). You know how it is when you sit at a poker table and you look around to find out who the rube is, but you cannot figure it out, that means it is probably you? Well, I kinda had that feeling Saturday. Nice meeting James Rodriguez as well. James was not scared to jump on the players that interested him and he snagged several guys I really wanted on my team.
It was also good to finally meet King of Queens, too. Had a chance to say hello to Ray Flowers who rights as good a baseball article as anyone who know hockey so well! Just teasing, Ray. Really enjoyed talking to you. Got to have a few words with Nick Cassavetes too. And of course, Shawn Childs was there to make it interesting. Thanks again, Shawn for sharing your info. It is always good to see someone tout a pick, then actually follow through. I should listen more, but you already know you’re the EF Hutton of the NFBC.
I am sure I left off a lot of folks I talked to, but that is not because I didn’t enjoy the fellowship. It is more because I am still dragging from flying back in the sardine can that passes for an airplane these days and am a bit jet lagged. Now, I just have to figure out what to do with what I drafted. Good luck all!
[ March 29, 2010, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]
Anyway, especially now that Vegas insists on asking for resort prices for food and beer, I know the additional fees we paid for the spread did not come close to covering the additional costs of the upgrades. This is one long-time owner who really appreciates the willingness to go the extra mile. I thought it was all great. You guys really hit a home run!
The Vegas experience was great as I was able to see some folks again for our annual foray as well as get to see some of the folks from the Florida drafts I hadn’t seen in a long time. You know the ones…us former Florida drafters who were dumb minnows who don’t know beans about fantasy baseball and a few sharks take advantage of and win the whole main event! Great to see Kent Stermon. Kent has always been a straight shooter who will openly share his views and opinions on players. Best of the best in my book. As well, I got to meet Andy Nolan for the first time, though I really did not get to spend as much time with neither Andy nor Kent as I had wanted to. Got the chance to draft against Bobby Jurney again (hoping for better results on my end) though he thought I was channeling Dave Clum at the Live Online Double Play draft. The biggest surprise was getting to have a face to face conversation with Ira Kerker (who hasn’t changed) and his son (who definitely has). Two years ago when I last saw them, the brains of that team was 14 and barely came shoulder high on me. Now, he is 6’2” and can reach out and pat the top of my head. He didn’t as he obviously has been, as we say in the South, raised right, but man what a change. Don’t worry, Ira, I will have my friends in Athens get in contact with your son to see if he wants to attend a class institution!
Got to talk a good bit with Mike Duggan. I was very fortunate again to have two great groups of guys on either side of me at the Main . I cannot off the top of my head recall the co-managers names, but Patrick and Stewart kept me on my toes. I was also good to talk, although briefly because we all had bigger fish to fry, to Neal Moses and Rob Silver. I had not met those guys before and it was a real pleasure. I was also fortunate in my pick that I did not have to draft in the middle of a brutal run of NFBC vets like Brent Grooms, Marc Meltzer, Steven Jupinka, KJ Duke, and Chris Poulson, who occupied spots 10 through 14. Everybody was on there game and I can tell you nothing “slipped” by that end (nor come to think of it, from the other side either). You know how it is when you sit at a poker table and you look around to find out who the rube is, but you cannot figure it out, that means it is probably you? Well, I kinda had that feeling Saturday. Nice meeting James Rodriguez as well. James was not scared to jump on the players that interested him and he snagged several guys I really wanted on my team.
It was also good to finally meet King of Queens, too. Had a chance to say hello to Ray Flowers who rights as good a baseball article as anyone who know hockey so well!
Just teasing, Ray. Really enjoyed talking to you. Got to have a few words with Nick Cassavetes too. And of course, Shawn Childs was there to make it interesting. Thanks again, Shawn for sharing your info. It is always good to see someone tout a pick, then actually follow through. I should listen more, but you already know you’re the EF Hutton of the NFBC. I am sure I left off a lot of folks I talked to, but that is not because I didn’t enjoy the fellowship. It is more because I am still dragging from flying back in the sardine can that passes for an airplane these days and am a bit jet lagged. Now, I just have to figure out what to do with what I drafted. Good luck all!
[ March 29, 2010, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Edwards Kings ]
So I always behave out there and I'm downstairs setting up the room hours beforehand and making sure to shake hands and greet folks when they arrive. I want this to be the most special day of your season and I won't let you down.