Oakland Assassins
Oakland Assassins was an American professional paintball team led by Bob Long that competed in the original National Xball League (NXL) during the 2000s. The team was one of the league's original professional franchises and became a leading competitor during the early development of professional X-Ball.[1][2]
The Assassins reached the final of the inaugural NXL championship in 2003, finishing runners-up to the Philadelphia Americans. They subsequently won the NXL Western Conference championship in 2004 and 2005.[2][3][4]
In 2005, Oakland finished the regular season with 22 league points, tied with Chicago Aftershock and behind Boston Red Legion in the overall standings. The team advanced to the World Cup championship playoffs and finished fourth.[4][5]
The Oakland Assassins were closely associated with Long's earlier Bob Long's Ironmen organisation. Contemporary reporting confirms that Oakland players competed in the NPPL under an Ironmen identity in 2004 because NXL franchise restrictions prevented teams from using their league names in outside competitions.[6]
The team should be distinguished from the Bob Long's Assassins entry in the NPPL semi-professional division and the later Philadelphia Assassins professional team. Although the organisations shared an association with Bob Long, their competition records and rosters should be documented separately.
| Name | Oakland Assassins |
|---|---|
| Sport | Tournament paintball |
| Country | United States |
| Associated city | Oakland, California |
| Founded | By 2003 |
| Team leader | Bob Long |
| Competition | National Xball League |
| Format | Professional X-Ball |
| Active period documented | 2003–2006 |
| Major achievements | 2003 NXL championship runners-up; 2004 and 2005 NXL Western Conference champions |
| Notable equipment association | Bob Long Technologies |
| Related teams | Bob Long's Ironmen, Bob Long's Assassins, Philadelphia Assassins, Bob Long's Blast |
| Status | Former professional team |
History
[edit]Background
[edit]The Oakland Assassins were associated with Bob Long, a prominent American professional paintball player and team captain.
Long had previously led the original Ironmen during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Following the division of the original Ironmen organisation in 1996, he established a separate team known as Bob Long's Ironmen.
That organisation won the 1998 NPPL professional season championship and continued competing into the early 2000s.
Long subsequently became associated with the Oakland Assassins in the newly established National Xball League.
Formation of the NXL
[edit]The original National Xball League began competition in 2003.
It was established during the development of professional X-Ball, a new tournament format involving repeated points, timed matches and player substitutions.
The league initially featured eight professional franchises.
The Oakland Assassins were among the original competitors.
Other teams included:
- Philadelphia Americans
- Los Angeles Ironmen
- Chicago Aftershock
- Baltimore Trauma
- Detroit Thunder
- Miami Effect
- New York Xtreme
The format differed substantially from traditional NPPL tournament paintball.
Teams played extended matches and accumulated league points throughout the season.
Bob Long's leadership
[edit]Bob Long led the Oakland Assassins.
His involvement connected the team with the earlier Ironmen and his equipment business.
Long was particularly associated with tactical planning and the organisation of professional tournament teams.
The Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons identifies the Oakland Assassins as an important part of his competitive career.[7]
2003 season
[edit]Inaugural NXL competition
[edit]The Oakland Assassins competed in the inaugural NXL season in 2003.
The league held regular-season competition at events associated with Paintball Sports Promotions.
The Assassins became one of the leading teams during the inaugural season.
Mardi Gras Open
[edit]Oakland competed at the 2003 Mardi Gras Open in Louisiana.
Contemporary WARPIG coverage records the Assassins defeating Miami Effect 12–9 during NXL competition.[1]
The event was affected by scheduling disruptions, with some games moved to later dates.
The Assassins continued competing throughout the season.
Regular-season leadership
[edit]Oakland finished the 2003 regular season as the top-ranked NXL team.
WARPIG described the Assassins as Bob Long's top-ranked team entering the World Cup championship playoffs.[2]
Their position gave them a favourable opening playoff matchup.
2003 World Cup
[edit]The inaugural NXL championship playoffs took place during the 2003 PSP World Cup in Florida.
Oakland faced Detroit Thunder in the quarterfinal round.
The Assassins won both games of the best-of-three series.
The team advanced to face Miami Effect in the semifinals.
Semifinal victory
[edit]Oakland defeated Miami Effect in two consecutive games.
The recorded scores were:
| Game | Oakland Assassins | Miami Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | 14 | 7 |
| Game 2 | 12 | 9 |
The victories advanced Oakland to the inaugural NXL championship final.[2]
Inaugural championship final
[edit]The Oakland Assassins faced the Philadelphia Americans in the 2003 NXL final.
The championship used a best-of-three series.
Philadelphia won the first game 10–9.
The Americans also won the second game, securing the inaugural NXL championship.[2]
Oakland finished as the league's first championship runners-up.
Historical significance
[edit]The 2003 season established the Oakland Assassins as one of the leading teams in the new X-Ball format.
The team had finished first in the regular-season standings and reached the championship final.
However, it did not win the inaugural NXL title.
That championship belonged to the Philadelphia Americans.
2004 season
[edit]Continued NXL competition
[edit]Oakland continued competing in the NXL during 2004.
The team remained a leading Western Conference competitor.
The season also featured disputes over the ability of NXL players to compete in other professional leagues.
NXL exclusivity restrictions
[edit]During the early NXL period, league rules restricted players and franchises from participating in outside professional competitions.
The restrictions became controversial as players sought opportunities to compete in the NPPL Super 7 series.
NXL franchise names were also subject to restrictions outside the league.
These rules affected the Oakland Assassins and other teams.
NPPL Denver appearance
[edit]At the 2004 NPPL Denver Open, members of the Oakland Assassins competed under an Ironmen identity.
Contemporary WARPIG coverage identified the team as the Oakland Assassins led by Bob Long.[6]
The report explained that NXL franchise-name restrictions prevented Oakland from using its usual team name in the NPPL.
The same event featured other NXL players competing under alternative names.
For example, Chicago Aftershock appeared as Shock.
The Los Angeles Ironmen competed as The Men.
Relationship with Bob Long's Ironmen
[edit]The 2004 Denver event provides direct documentary evidence connecting Oakland Assassins players with the Bob Long's Ironmen name.
It also demonstrates that the NXL and NPPL team names did not always correspond to entirely separate groups of players.
Nevertheless, the two league entries should be distinguished when compiling historical results.
A shared roster or temporary alternate name does not establish that every historical result belongs to one continuous organisation.
Western Conference championship
[edit]Oakland won the 2004 NXL Western Conference championship.
WARPIG reported that the team had already secured the conference title before the Northeast Open.[3]
At that point, Oakland led Chicago Aftershock by 27 league points to 14.
The remaining matches could not change the Western Conference championship result.
Commissioner's Cup competition
[edit]The Assassins were also contenders for the NXL Commissioner's Cup, awarded for regular-season performance.
Contemporary coverage described Oakland as strongly positioned to secure the award.[3]
The Western Conference championship is independently confirmed.
The final Commissioner's Cup result should be verified separately before being added to the team's list of titles.
2005 season
[edit]Regular season
[edit]Oakland remained a leading NXL competitor during 2005.
The team competed against organisations including:
- Boston Red Legion
- Chicago Aftershock
- Baltimore Trauma
- Philadelphia Americans
- Detroit Strange
- Los Angeles Ironmen
- New York Xtreme
- San Diego Legacy
The season featured a particularly close contest for the Western Conference championship.
Northeast Open
[edit]The 2005 PSP Northeast Open took place in August near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The event marked the final regular-season competition before the World Cup championship playoffs.
Oakland entered the event competing with Chicago Aftershock for the Western Conference title.
Victory over Baltimore Trauma
[edit]Oakland defeated Baltimore Trauma 8–7 during the final weekend of regular-season play.
The result was important to the Western Conference standings.[4]
Chicago Aftershock subsequently lost to Boston Red Legion 13–8.
The combination of results secured the Western Conference championship for Oakland.
Western Conference champions
[edit]Oakland finished the 2005 regular season with 22 league points.
Chicago Aftershock also finished with 22 points.
Oakland received the Western Conference championship based on the applicable standings and results.
Boston Red Legion finished with 26 points and won the Commissioner's Cup.[5]
The Assassins therefore won their second consecutive Western Conference championship.
2005 World Cup
[edit]The 2005 NXL championship playoffs took place at the PSP World Cup in Florida.
Oakland entered the playoffs as one of the leading regular-season teams.
Its quarterfinal opponent was the Philadelphia Americans.
The Americans had won the first two NXL championships.
Quarterfinal against Philadelphia Americans
[edit]Oakland won the opening game 11–5.
Philadelphia responded by winning the second game 9–8.
The teams therefore required a deciding third game.
Oakland won the deciding game 13–4.[8]
The result eliminated the two-time defending NXL champions.
Semifinal against Baltimore Trauma
[edit]Oakland faced Baltimore Trauma in the semifinals.
Trauma won the first game 10–6.
Oakland responded with a 15–5 victory in the second game.
The deciding game was closely contested.
Baltimore won 10–7, eliminating Oakland from championship contention.[8]
Third-place match
[edit]Oakland faced Detroit Strange in the third-place match.
Detroit defeated the Assassins 10–8.[8]
Oakland finished fourth in the 2005 NXL championship playoffs.
Baltimore Trauma subsequently defeated Boston Red Legion to win the overall championship.
2006 season
[edit]Continued competition
[edit]The Oakland Assassins continued competing in professional paintball during 2006.
The team appeared in the PSP professional division.
The format and league structure had evolved from the original NXL competition.
Season rankings
[edit]PBLeagues records the Oakland Assassins finishing thirteenth in the 2006 PSP professional season standings.[9]
The team accumulated 205 ranking points.
Its event placements were:
| Event | Placement | Ranking points |
|---|---|---|
| Event 1 | 9th | 50 |
| Event 2 | 10th | 45 |
| Event 3 | 11th | 40 |
| Event 4 | 13th | 30 |
| Event 5 | 11th | 40 |
| Total | 13th overall | 205 |
The results indicate a decline from the team's conference championship performances in 2004 and 2005.
Later history
[edit]The precise date when the Oakland Assassins stopped competing under that name has not been established.
Bob Long continued his involvement in professional paintball and equipment manufacturing.
Other teams associated with his organisation included Bob Long's Blast and the Philadelphia Assassins.
The exact organisational succession between these teams requires further verification.
Bob Long's Assassins and Philadelphia Assassins
[edit]NPPL semi-professional team
[edit]During 2005, a team known as Bob Long's Assassins competed in the NPPL Super 7 semi-professional division.
The team finished second in the 2005 semi-professional season standings.[10]
Its results earned promotion to the professional division for 2006.
Philadelphia Assassins
[edit]The team changed its name to Philadelphia Assassins when entering the 2006 NPPL professional division.
Contemporary WARPIG reporting explicitly documents the name change.[10]
The Philadelphia Assassins should not be confused with the Philadelphia Americans, which was a separate established professional organisation.
Distinction from Oakland
[edit]The Oakland Assassins competed in the NXL and PSP professional X-Ball structure.
Bob Long's Assassins competed in the NPPL semi-professional division.
The Philadelphia Assassins subsequently competed in the NPPL professional division.
These entries shared a relationship with Bob Long's broader competitive organisation.
However, complete roster overlap has not been established.
For historical purposes, results should remain attributed to the names and leagues under which the teams actually competed.
Playing style
[edit]Tactical organisation
[edit]The Oakland Assassins were closely associated with Bob Long's tactical approach.
Long was known for planning game strategies around field layouts and opponent movements.
His experience included woodland tournament paintball, Hyperball and inflatable-bunker competition.
The Assassins competed during the transition to modern X-Ball.
X-Ball format
[edit]The original NXL used an extended-match X-Ball format.
Teams competed for repeated points rather than playing a single traditional elimination game.
The format required:
- Coordinated substitutions
- Tactical adjustments between points
- Effective communication
- Specialist player positions
- Roster depth
- Physical endurance
- Consistent equipment performance
The Assassins were among the teams that adapted successfully to the format during its early years.
Competitive reputation
[edit]Oakland's results established it as one of the leading early NXL franchises.
The team reached the inaugural championship final in 2003.
It won consecutive Western Conference titles in 2004 and 2005.
Its 2005 World Cup quarterfinal victory over Philadelphia ended the defending champions' attempt to win a third consecutive title.
Equipment and sponsorship
[edit]Bob Long Technologies
[edit]The Oakland Assassins were associated with Bob Long's equipment business.
The company developed high-performance tournament markers including the Intimidator.
Bob Long Technologies was commonly associated with the name BLAST.
Intimidator
[edit]The Bob Long Intimidator was an electronic tournament paintball marker developed around 2000.
It became one of the leading electronic marker platforms of the early 2000s.
The Assassins' association with Bob Long connected the team with the company's equipment development.
However, individual marker models used by the team at specific events should be verified from contemporary photographs and equipment records.
Sponsorship documentation
[edit]The team's complete sponsorship history has not been reconstructed.
Contemporary photographs, tournament programmes and manufacturer advertisements may provide further evidence.
Equipment sponsorships should not be inferred solely from Bob Long's ownership or involvement.
Notable people
[edit]Bob Long
[edit]Bob Long was the team's principal associated figure.
He had previously captained the original Ironmen and Bob Long's Ironmen.
Long became one of the most influential equipment designers in paintball through Bob Long Technologies.
He was inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons in 2022.[7]
Players and coaching staff
[edit]The Oakland Assassins included professional players competing during the early X-Ball era.
A complete verified roster has not been established for every season.
Contemporary tournament photographs and team registration records should be used to identify individual players.
The team's association with Bob Long does not establish that all players from his earlier Ironmen organisation competed for Oakland.
Tournament results
[edit]Selected verified results
[edit]| Year | Competition | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | NXL regular season | 1st | Top-ranked team entering World Cup |
| 2003 | NXL World Cup championship | 2nd | Lost final to Philadelphia Americans |
| 2004 | NXL Western Conference | Champions | Title secured before Northeast Open |
| 2005 | NXL Western Conference | Champions | Second consecutive conference title |
| 2005 | NXL regular season | 22 points | Tied with Chicago Aftershock |
| 2005 | NXL World Cup championship | 4th | Lost third-place match to Detroit Strange |
| 2006 | PSP professional season | 13th | 205 ranking points |
Selected match results
[edit]| Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mardi Gras Open | Miami Effect | 12–9 | Win |
| 2003 | World Cup semifinal, Game 1 | Miami Effect | 14–7 | Win |
| 2003 | World Cup semifinal, Game 2 | Miami Effect | 12–9 | Win |
| 2003 | World Cup final, Game 1 | Philadelphia Americans | 9–10 | Loss |
| 2005 | Northeast Open | Baltimore Trauma | 8–7 | Win |
| 2005 | World Cup quarterfinal, Game 1 | Philadelphia Americans | 11–5 | Win |
| 2005 | World Cup quarterfinal, Game 2 | Philadelphia Americans | 8–9 | Loss |
| 2005 | World Cup quarterfinal, Game 3 | Philadelphia Americans | 13–4 | Win |
| 2005 | World Cup semifinal, Game 1 | Baltimore Trauma | 6–10 | Loss |
| 2005 | World Cup semifinal, Game 2 | Baltimore Trauma | 15–5 | Win |
| 2005 | World Cup semifinal, Game 3 | Baltimore Trauma | 7–10 | Loss |
| 2005 | World Cup third-place match | Detroit Strange | 8–10 | Loss |
Historical significance
[edit]The Oakland Assassins were an important team in the early development of professional X-Ball.
Their principal achievements included:
- Competing as one of the original NXL franchises
- Finishing first in the inaugural NXL regular-season standings
- Reaching the 2003 championship final
- Winning the 2004 Western Conference championship
- Winning the 2005 Western Conference championship
- Defeating the two-time defending Philadelphia Americans in the 2005 World Cup quarterfinals
- Maintaining a connection with Bob Long's earlier Ironmen organisation
- Participating in the transition from traditional professional paintball to modern X-Ball
The team's history also illustrates the complexity of paintball team identities during the early 2000s.
NXL franchise restrictions, NPPL participation and alternate team names created overlapping records.
Careful separation of these entries is necessary to reconstruct tournament history accurately.
Timeline
[edit]| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Oakland Assassins compete in the inaugural NXL season |
| 2003 | Defeat Miami Effect at the Mardi Gras Open |
| 2003 | Finish first in the NXL regular-season standings |
| 2003 | Reach the inaugural NXL championship final |
| 2003 | Finish runners-up to Philadelphia Americans |
| 2004 | Compete in the NXL Western Conference |
| 2004 | Oakland players appear at NPPL Denver under an Ironmen identity |
| 2004 | Win NXL Western Conference championship |
| 2005 | Defeat Baltimore Trauma at Northeast Open |
| 2005 | Win second consecutive NXL Western Conference championship |
| 2005 | Defeat Philadelphia Americans in World Cup quarterfinals |
| 2005 | Finish fourth at NXL World Cup championship |
| 2006 | Finish thirteenth in PSP professional season standings |
| After 2006 | Later team history and organisational succession require verification |
See also
[edit]- Bob Long
- Bob Long's Ironmen
- Ironmen (paintball team)
- Bob Long's Blast
- Bob Long's Assassins
- Philadelphia Assassins
- Philadelphia Americans
- Bob Long Technologies
- Bob Long Intimidator
- National Xball League
- Paintball Sports Promotions
- National Professional Paintball League
- Boston Red Legion
- Chicago Aftershock
- Baltimore Trauma
- Detroit Strange
- Los Angeles Ironmen
- History of professional paintball
- Paintball in California
- Paintball in the United States
References
[edit]- "2003 Mardi Gras Open", WARPIG. Contemporary event coverage documenting Oakland Assassins' participation in the inaugural NXL season and victory over Miami Effect.
- "2003 PSP World Cup", WARPIG. Contemporary tournament coverage documenting Oakland's regular-season leadership, semifinal victories and appearance in the inaugural NXL championship final.
- "2004 PSP Northeast Open", WARPIG. Contemporary report confirming Oakland's 2004 NXL Western Conference championship.
- "2005 PSP Northeast Open", WARPIG. Contemporary report documenting Oakland's second Western Conference championship and decisive victory over Baltimore Trauma.
- "The Road to World Cup 2005", WARPIG. Analysis of NXL regular-season standings, including Oakland's 22 league points.
- "2004 NPPL Denver Open", WARPIG. Contemporary report identifying Oakland Assassins players competing under an Ironmen name because of NXL franchise restrictions.
- "Bob Long — Hall of Icons", Iconic Paintball. Historical biography identifying the Assassins among Bob Long's principal teams.
- "2005 PSP World Cup", WARPIG. Contemporary event coverage documenting Oakland's quarterfinal victory over Philadelphia, semifinal against Baltimore and fourth-place finish.
- "2006 PSP Season Rankings", PBLeagues. Tournament database recording Oakland Assassins' thirteenth-place season finish and 205 ranking points.
- "2006 NPPL Huntington Beach Open", WARPIG. Contemporary report documenting Bob Long's Assassins' 2005 semi-professional season finish and renaming as Philadelphia Assassins.