Editing Brian Fow


{{Short description|American professional paintball player known as LB}}

'''Brian Fow''', commonly known as '''LB''', is an American professional [[paintball]] player known for his career with [[Team Image]], [[Avalanche]], [[Miami Effect]] and [[Infamous (paintball team)|Infamous]]. He competed in the [[National Professional Paintball League]] (NPPL), the original [[National Xball League]] (NXL) and [[Paintball Sports Promotions]] (PSP), and later returned to classic-format tournament competition.[1][2][3]

Fow was among the founding players of Infamous in 2004 and remained associated with the organisation during the 2000s. He was inducted into the Paintball Hall of Icons in 2026 in recognition of his professional playing career.[4][5]

== Paintball career ==

=== Team Image ===

Fow began competing in professional tournament paintball during the 1990s.

Contemporary [[WARPIG]] records document his participation with [[Team Image]] at Skyball 1999 in Toronto, Canada.

The published five-player roster included Fow, Richie Maliszewski, Dave Thomas, Travis Lemanski and Ralph Sotelo.[1]

He remained with Image during the early 2000s.

The team's published 2001 NPPL professional roster listed Fow alongside players including Richmond Italia, Lane Wright, Andy Kopcok, Richie Maliszewski and Travis Lemanski.[2]

Fow's early professional career included international tournament competition, with subsequent interviews documenting his experiences travelling throughout Europe and Asia.[6]

=== Avalanche ===

By March 2002, Fow had joined [[Avalanche]], one of the established American professional tournament teams.

The published NPPL professional roster listed him alongside [[Chris LaSoya]], [[Rusty Glaze]], [[Steve Rabackoff]], Rocky Cagnoni, Travis Lemanski, Todd Martinez and other professional players.[3]

Avalanche competed in traditional professional 10-man competition during a period of significant changes to American tournament paintball.

Several of the team's players subsequently joined Miami Effect and Infamous.

=== Miami Effect (2003) ===

In 2003, Fow joined [[Miami Effect]], one of the eight original franchises of the newly established National Xball League.

The team brought together several former Avalanche players, including Chris LaSoya, Travis Lemanski, Rusty Glaze and Jon Richardson.

At the inaugural NXL tournament, held during the Mardi Gras Open in New Orleans from 20 to 23 February 2003, Fow was registered as player number 23.

The team's published roster also identified Steve Rabackoff as coach.[7]

The original NXL introduced a professional X-Ball competition format, featuring timed matches and repeated points rather than individual elimination games.

=== Infamous (2004–2009) ===

Following the departure of several players from Miami Effect, Fow helped establish [[Infamous (paintball team)|Infamous]] in 2004.

His involvement in the team's formation was confirmed in a 2022 interview published by ''Paintball Nerd''.[4]

Infamous initially competed in the [[NPPL Super 7]] professional division, bringing together experienced players from Avalanche and Miami Effect.

The team won its first two NPPL Super 7 tournaments in 2004, defeating [[San Diego Dynasty]] at the Tampa Open and [[Sacramento XSV]] at the Denver Open.

Fow remained a member of the organisation during subsequent seasons.

The published professional roster for the 2006 NPPL Commander's Cup included Fow alongside Travis Lemanski, Rusty Glaze, Jon Richardson and other Infamous players.[8]

In 2008, Fow appeared alongside Travis Lemanski in an interview conducted by [[Matty Marshall]] for ''Splat Magazine''.

The interview was subsequently republished by Social Paintball in November 2011.[9]

Fow also participated in Infamous's international tournament activities.

In August 2008, contemporary coverage of the NPPL Asian Invitational in Malaysia documented his presence with the team alongside Rusty Glaze, Glenn Takemoto and Jon Richardson.[10]

In May 2009, he was listed on the Infamous roster for the PSP Mid-Atlantic Open.[11]

== Return to classic paintball ==

Fow subsequently returned to competitive paintball through the [[International Classic Paintball League]] (ICPL).

Official tournament records document his participation with [[KAPP Factory]], a team associated with the former California paintball equipment manufacturer [[KAPP]].

The ICPL's historical player rankings list Fow among the KAPP Factory professional players during the 2023–2024 competition period.[12]

Fow also returned to competition with Infamous.

In March 2026, he appeared on the ''Shellda Podcast'', discussing his professional career, retirement and subsequent return to tournament paintball.

The interview coincided with the team's return to Tampa, the location of Infamous's first professional tournament in 2004.[13]

Official PBLeagues records subsequently listed Fow with Detroit Infamous at the 2026 ICPL Windy City Classic, competing alongside former teammates including Chris LaSoya, Travis Lemanski and Andy Kopcok.[14]

== Playing style ==

Fow was associated with back-line and midfield positions during his professional playing career.

The Paintball Hall of Icons described his playing style as adaptable, combining defensive positioning with the ability to advance and control other areas of the field.

His career spanned the transition from woodland tournament paintball to inflatable-bunker speedball and X-Ball competition.[5]

== Paintball media ==

Fow appeared in '''''[[Cereal Killerz 2]]''''', a documentary film directed by [[Patrick Spohrer]] and produced by Monkey With A Gun Productions.

The film premiered at the 2009 PSP World Cup and featured biographical segments about established professional paintball players.

Fow was among the featured players, alongside Ryan Greenspan, Travis Lemanski, Angel Fragoza, Thomas Taylor and others.[15]

He has also appeared in interviews documenting professional paintball history.

These include:

* ''PROfiles with Matty Marshall'', an interview with Fow and Travis Lemanski originally produced for ''Splat Magazine'' in 2008.[9]
* ''Paintball Nerd'', a November 2022 interview discussing Team Image, Avalanche and Infamous.[4]
* ''Paintball Passport'', a March 2024 interview with Joe Barrett concerning his professional career and international tournament experiences.[6]
* ''Shellda Podcast'', a March 2026 interview discussing retirement and his return to paintball.[13]

== Recognition ==

In 2026, Fow was inducted into the '''Paintball Hall of Icons''' in the Golden Era category.

The Hall recognised his playing career with Image and Infamous, particularly his participation in professional tournament paintball during the late 1990s and 2000s.[5]

The induction was also documented in the April 2026 edition of ''Paintball Media Magazine''.

Other members of the 2026 induction class included Frank Connell, J. C. Whittington, Davey Williamson, Ed Poorman, Chuck Hendsch and Alex Martinez.[16]

== See also ==

* [[Team Image]]
* [[Avalanche]]
* [[Miami Effect]]
* [[Infamous (paintball team)]]
* [[KAPP Factory]]
* [[National Professional Paintball League]]
* [[National Xball League]]
* [[NPPL Super 7]]
* [[Cereal Killerz 2]]

== References ==

# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/skyball99/roster.shtml WARPIG – Skyball 1999 Team Roster]. Contemporary roster identifying Brian Fow with Team Image.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/nppl/2001/proroster.shtml WARPIG – 2001 NPPL Professional Rosters]. Lists Fow with Image.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/nppl/2002/proroster.shtml WARPIG – 2002 NPPL Professional Rosters]. Lists Brian LB Fow with Avalanche.
# [https://paintballnerd.com/blogs/interviews/fun-five-interview-with-brian-lb-fow Paintball Nerd – Fun Five Interview with Brian "LB" Fow]. 8 November 2022.
# [https://www.iconicpaintball.com/hall-of-icons-class-of-2026 Iconic Paintball – Hall of Icons Class of 2026]. Official induction profile.
# [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2295397/episodes/14740384-ep11-brian-lb-fow Paintball Passport – Episode 11: Brian "LB" Fow]. Joe Barrett, 21 March 2024.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/mardigras/2003/nxl_rosters.shtml WARPIG – 2003 Mardi Gras Open NXL Rosters]. 20–23 February 2003.
# [https://pbhub.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18672 PBHub – 2006 NPPL Commander's Cup Professional Rosters]. Contemporary reproduction of official NPPL team rosters.
# [https://www.socialpaintball.com/2011/11/05/travis-lemanski-and-brian-fow-interview-profiles-w-matty-marshall-19-2008/ Social Paintball – Travis Lemanski and Brian Fow Interview, PROfiles with Matty Marshall]. 5 November 2011.
# [https://seburo.blogspot.com/2008/08/with-infamous-at-nppl-asian.html S E B U R O – With Infamous at NPPL Asian Invitational]. 10 August 2008.
# [https://seburo.blogspot.com/2009/05/psp-mao-pro-schedule.html S E B U R O – PSP Mid-Atlantic Open Professional Rosters and Schedule]. 1 May 2009.
# [https://pbleagues.com/icpl-players-ranking PBLeagues – ICPL Historical Player Rankings]. Official records listing Fow with KAPP Factory.
# [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2428081/episodes/18838791-72-brian-lb-fow-returns-to-tampa-22-years-after-infamous-was-born Shellda Podcast – Brian "LB" Fow Returns to Tampa 22 Years After Infamous Was Born]. Dan Shelley, 18 March 2026.
# [https://mlpb.pbleagues.com/team/roster/68oDe5Je9Oab6Qx0 PBLeagues – Detroit Infamous, 2026 Windy City Classic Roster]. Official ICPL player registration.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/resources/videos/mwg_ck2/ WARPIG – Cereal Killerz 2 DVD Review]. Bill Mills, 2009.
# [https://viewer.joomag.com/paintball-media-magazine-april-2026/0613718001775828564/p95 Paintball Media Magazine – April 2026, Hall of Icons Induction Coverage].

== External links ==

* [https://www.iconicpaintball.com/hall-of-icons-class-of-2026 Brian Fow – Hall of Icons profile]
* [https://paintballnerd.com/blogs/interviews/fun-five-interview-with-brian-lb-fow Brian Fow interview at Paintball Nerd]
* [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2295397/episodes/14740384-ep11-brian-lb-fow Brian Fow interview on Paintball Passport]
* [https://bunkerbuddypaintball.com/atlas/players/brian-lb-fow Brian Fow historical roster records]

[[Category:American paintball players]]
[[Category:Professional paintball players]]