I Love New York
When Greg first posted the locations for the live Main Event drafts this year, that original announcement did not include Chicago. After being a part for all 10 years since the NFBC's inception, live drafts in the Windy City would be no more. Fortunately a grass roots movement to save the Chicago drafts by some of its more loyal participants managed to save the day as they were able to fill a handful of leagues staving off extinction for this year and hopefully years to come.
I observed all this from the sidelines, but all the while quietly rooting for Chicago to pull this off. I was very happy when they did. All I could think about was how I would feel if the NYC drafts went bye-bye. As much as I've enjoyed my treks out to the Sin City drafts the past couple years, NYC was where I first took part in the NFBC, it's my home base, it's where those I first got to know in high stakes play.
The NYC drafts ended last night for me. Over the two days I attended out there, I had a blast as always. The following are a few of the highlights...or lowlights:
Dirty Water Dogs - We all have a vice. Dirty water dogs are mine. Well, one of mine

. Every year after taking the train into NYC, I grab one, or ummm at least one

, during my walk from Penn Station to my hotel or directly to the drafts. It's a good thing I decided to uphold the tradition this year instead of expecting to eat when I arrived at the drafts. I heard I just missed out on the slice of pizza they were dishing out at the Hilton. Well, at least it was Digiorno.

All joking aside, after that slightly inauspicious start, the food did improve the rest of the weekend. The filet mignon tacos during the Main were pretty damn good and the turkey during the Primetime later that night was great as well.
Busting Tom's Balls - Over the years, I've been known to get on Tom's case during the NYC events for transgressions sometimes real, but mostly made up.

He always takes it in stride and typically plays along. This year, the Digiorno pizza was the initial volley, but quickly turned to of course.....a FAAB update. When I recruited others to ask for updates as well, Tom simply stated he was "no longer talking to Lowy".

All in fun of course. Still, when the topic of FAAB got serious during the weekend, his response was along the lines of "you'll have to ask Greg for an update". Uh oh.
NYC Super Auction - A great league with ridiculously skilled participants who go against each other multiple times year after year, I definitely felt like the new guy and a little out of my element. It was a great time though and an unbelievably challenging auction. I guess a couple times my frustration shown through, which at one time led Ice Cream Man to remind me that "I'm playing with the big boys now!" There was no doubt.
Alan Greenberg did a great job making the league even more special for each of the participants. Thank you Alan. He put together albums for each of us, filled with the baseball cards of our favorite team from the year of their last World Championship. I guess it's a good thing there weren't any Cubbie fans in the Auction.

Alan also had two special prizes that he awarded that were tied into winning bids for two specific players through the Auction. The prizes were an autographed Mets baseball and a Yankees jersey. Of course in a league loaded with fans of the local NY squads, a Phils fan won the Mets baseball, and of all things, a Red Sox fan the Yankees jersey.
One more classic moment in the Auction, early on during the first time around throwing out players, Gekko announced David Ortiz with the added nugget "Remember, anyone who wins Ortiz will be locking up their utility spot and losing all flexibility." Well thanks for looking out for us Mark.

Of course, he won Ortiz for $16. I guess he didn't mind the lost flexibility. By the way, Dee Gordon went for $2. Mark thought that too expensive to outbid.
Late Night Steaks & Debate - The MtM organized Friday night after party had a few less attendees than advertised and had to switch from Ruth Cris to a local pub/restaurant last minute, but was a great time nonetheless. Thanks for setting all that up Mikey. I'm not big on after-midnight meals, but the steaks were great and really hit the spot. The conversation though was even better. The highlight was when Greenberg and Dobies led the anticipated Mets-Yankees debate. As a completely impartial observer, I'd have to call the debate a slam dunk victory for the Greenberg contingent.
Sorry Jeff.
The Main Event - There's really not much I can say about the live Main Event, except that whether in Vegas or NYC, it always is something that brings me great anticipation and always is something that lives up to the billing.
BHQ - There were a couple times during the weekend that other players mentioned they enjoyed reading my articles over at Baseball HQ. I was very flattered to realize that the BHQ editors and my family aren't the only people who bother to read my stuff. One time during a break in the Main Event, one player in my league even stated that he learned something from one of my articles.

Ummmm, learned something from me? Doesn't he know I wouldn't even trust my own advice!! I've got to tell Ray Murphy to add a disclaimer to my articles from now on.
Neftali Feliz & Josh Johnson - Every year, Tom announces the wifi codes prior to the draft. Every year, I plug in the password, sign on, pull up Rotoworld and plan on checking up on the latest news prior and during the drafts. And I never do. Thus I draft Neftali Feliz in the Main an hour after it's announced that Soria was named closer and I draft Josh Johnson in the Primetime an hour after it's announced that he's going to miss a month. I was wondering why they fell so far.

When I drafted Johnson in the Primetime, Dobies called out to me across the draft table "Weren't you listening when I told everyone the Johnson injury news just before the draft??" Well of course not Jeff. I was having a last minute pre-draft cigarette!! Yet another reason to give up smoking.
Primetime - Looking at this league heading into draft weekend, all I could see was how brutal it was. Some claim that I have a tendency to blow the shark quotient of a league out of proportion. Well, maybe.

However, there was no doing that with this draft, especially when looking at the top half. I found myself in the middle of a run of Edelman, Greenberg, Dobies, Palavis, and Magner... all around me in the top half of the draw. Yikes!!

And the draft played out just as tough as expected.
However, there was a benefit to having so many players that know what they're doing in one draft. 30 minutes. That's how long it took to get through the 1st 10 rounds of this Primetime. Yes, you read right. 30 minutes. The entire draft, under two hours. The fastest draft I've ever been a part of. And that's with William Perry trying to draft 2 or 3 already chosen players... every single round. So when a draft plays out like that, it's almost worth it to be surrounded by sharks.
And the shark quotient wasn't even as bad as it could have been. Juprinka was looking into joining. Luckily, he ended up joining an Online Primetime instead and was drafting alone on his laptop at the table next to ours... hours after we finished.

And of course when we were done, there were at least 5 of us giving Juprinka unwanted advice for the rest of his draft. Serves him right for avoiding the shark tank.
The Train Ride Home - When all was said and done with the Primetime (and advising Juprinka

), it was time to head home. I shared a train with my good friend, neighbor, and should-be-mentor

, Jeff Dobies and his boys, talking fantasy baseball most of the way. I don't think there's a better way to end a draft weekend than to get to chat about it with someone who loves the hobby as much as you do.
It was a great weekend. I love New York and I love the NFBC. Put the two together and you've got a great combination. And the greatest thing about that combination is the people it helps bring together at these drafts, both those who run them and those who partake in them.
It was great seeing all the guys again that I've gotten to know over the years as the regular NYC crew, Mr. Kessenich of course, as well as Dobies, Juprinka, the Mouth, Edelman, Magner, Saxton, the Ice Cream Man, Gekko, Ante, Greenberg, Bendar, Duponte, Mitlof, Martino, Kielinski, John Hogan, Gillis, etc. etc.
Plus a couple great guys visiting the Big City that I usually see out in Vegas in Gates and Zola.
And it was great meeting or chatting with for the first time with Hal Goldstein, Jody Ryan, Matt Modica, Leonard Ringle, Steve Lerner, Andre Boucier, Chris Throop, Cory Schwartz, Artie Rastelli, etc. etc.
If I left anyone out, I am sorry. It's just there's so many great people that you meet and chat with at these live drafts. It's most of what makes them great. I'll see some of you in a few days in Sin City, others next year back in NYC. I know each will once again be a blast of a good time.
PS.... I wrote most of this while taking part in a Sunday Primetime. Let's just say an Online draft cannot compare in either the fun or excitement. If anyone's on the fence about trying a live draft one day, take it from me, do it. You'll never go back to Online only.
PSS... I just looked over the team I drafted while writing this. Man, I got crushed tonight.
Maybe I should study more and write less!!
PSSS... Any update on FAAB Greg? Tom told us to ask you.
Only in New York. 