Bob Long's Ironmen
Bob Long's Ironmen was an American professional paintball team formed by Bob Long following his departure from the original Ironmen in late 1996. The team competed in the professional division of the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) during the late 1990s and early 2000s.[1]
The organisation was distinct from the continuing Ironmen team associated with Dave Youngblood and Shane Pestana, which was variously identified in tournament records as the Southern California Ironmen, SC Ironmen or simply Ironmen.[2][3]
Bob Long's Ironmen made their professional tournament debut at the 1997 NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open, finishing third. The team subsequently won the 1998 NPPL professional 10-man season championship.[1][4]
The two Ironmen organisations competed against one another during the late 1990s and early 2000s, including a widely reported encounter at the 1998 Chicago Open and championship finals appearances at the 2000 World Cup and 2002 Chicago Open.[2][5][6]
Bob Long's Ironmen formed an important chapter in Long's competitive career following his leadership of the original Ironmen and before his later involvement with teams including the Oakland Assassins.
| Full name | Bob Long's Ironmen |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | BL Ironmen; Bobby's Ironmen; Bob's Ironmen |
| Sport | Tournament paintball |
| Country | United States |
| Founded | Late 1996 |
| Founder | Bob Long |
| Team leader | Bob Long |
| Competition | National Professional Paintball League |
| Division | Professional 10-man |
| Notable achievement | 1998 NPPL professional season champions |
| First documented professional event | 1997 NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open |
| First documented professional result | 3rd place |
| Associated players | Rich Telford |
| Related teams | Ironmen, Oakland Assassins, Bob Long's Blast |
| Status | Historical team; later organisational succession not fully established |
History
Background
The original Ironmen emerged from the Northern California paintball community during the mid-1980s.
Bob Long became the team's captain and helped establish the organisation as one of the leading American tournament teams.
The Ironmen achieved considerable success during the early years of the NPPL.
The team was also closely associated with the introduction of the Autococker developed by Bud Orr and Worr Game Products.
During the early 1990s, the Ironmen became one of the most recognisable names in professional paintball.
However, the original organisation experienced internal disagreements during the mid-1990s.
Departure from the original Ironmen
Bob Long left the original Ironmen in autumn 1996.
Contemporary WARPIG reporting at the 1997 NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open explicitly records Long's departure and the establishment of a new team.[1]
Long assembled a separate roster that became known as Bob Long's Ironmen.
The original Ironmen continued independently.
The two organisations therefore shared a historical origin but competed as separate teams.
Formation of the new team
Bob Long's Ironmen was established following the split.
The team competed in professional 10-man paintball.
Its roster included experienced tournament players and new recruits.
Long remained the central figure in the team's leadership.
The organisation retained the Ironmen name while distinguishing itself through the use of Long's name.
1997 season
Las Vegas Desert Open
Bob Long's Ironmen competed at the 1997 NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open.
The event was organised in conjunction with the Great Western Tournament Series.
Contemporary WARPIG reporting described the tournament as the new team's professional debut.[1]
The continuing original Ironmen did not compete because its members were refereeing the tournament.
Tournament performance
Bob Long's Ironmen advanced through the preliminary and semifinal rounds.
The team entered the professional semifinals as the eighth-ranked qualifier.
It subsequently reached the finals.
The recorded professional results were:
| Position | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | All Americans |
| 2 | Aftershock |
| 3 | Bob Long's Ironmen |
| 4 | GBD |
The result established the newly formed team as a competitive professional organisation.
Early significance
The third-place finish was achieved shortly after Long's departure from the original Ironmen.
It demonstrated that the new team could compete against established professional organisations.
The result also provided an early distinction between Bob Long's Ironmen and the continuing Ironmen.
1998 season
NPPL competition
Bob Long's Ironmen continued competing in the NPPL professional 10-man division during 1998.
The team became one of the leading competitors of the season.
Its results included a third-place finish at the Chicago Open.
Chicago Open
The 1998 NPPL Chicago Open was held at the Badlandz paintball field in Illinois.
The event featured the first documented tournament match between Bob Long's Ironmen and Dave Youngblood's Ironmen following the 1996 split.[2]
The encounter attracted considerable interest because of the teams' shared history.
First meeting between the Ironmen
Contemporary WARPIG reporting described the match as highly anticipated.
Players from both teams had competed together before the split.
The game featured Rich Telford of Bob Long's Ironmen and Micah McGlocklin of Dave Youngblood's Ironmen.
Marty Bush also played for the continuing Ironmen organisation.[2]
The match developed into a tactical contest.
Bob Long's team eventually advanced, eliminated sufficient opponents to secure the flag and completed the hang.
The victory became an important moment in the history of the two organisations.
Chicago Open result
Bob Long's Ironmen advanced to the professional finals.
The team finished third overall.
The recorded leading positions were:
| Position | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Revolution |
| 2 | All Americans |
| 3 | Bob Long's Ironmen |
| 4 | Lockout |
WARPIG reported that the final game between Revolution and the All Americans affected the positions of the second- and third-place teams.[2]
1998 NPPL season championship
Bob Long's Ironmen won the 1998 NPPL professional season championship.
Contemporary photographs from the 1998 NPPL World Cup identify the team as the overall professional series champions.[4]
This was the team's most significant documented achievement.
The championship was won only two seasons after the organisation was formed.
World Cup refereeing
Bob Long's Ironmen performed refereeing duties at the 1998 NPPL World Cup.
WARPIG's contemporary photographs document the team refereeing alongside Ground Zero.[4]
Under the NPPL's historical competition structure, teams sometimes received season points for refereeing an event.
The championship should therefore be distinguished from winning the World Cup tournament itself.
The 1998 World Cup professional tournament was won by Aftershock.
1999 season
Continued professional competition
Bob Long's Ironmen continued competing in the NPPL professional division during 1999.
The team appeared at major events including Dallas and Chicago.
Contemporary results distinguish Bob Long's Ironmen from the continuing Southern California Ironmen.
Dallas Open
At the 1999 NPPL Dallas Open, Bob Long's Ironmen advanced to the professional semifinals.[3]
The team entered the semifinals as the fourth-ranked qualifier.
The same event separately listed the continuing Ironmen as SC Ironmen.
Bob Long's Ironmen recorded 111 points in its semifinal group and did not advance to the professional finals.
Chicago Open
At the 1999 NPPL Chicago Open, Bob Long's Ironmen again reached the professional semifinals.
The team's recorded semifinal results were:
| Game | Points |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | 6 |
| Game 2 | 95 |
| Game 3 | 95 |
| Total | 196 |
The team ranked third in the combined semifinal standings and advanced to the finals.[7]
The continuing Ironmen were listed separately and finished seventh in the semifinals.
Historical distinction
The 1999 Chicago results provide particularly strong evidence that the two organisations were separate.
The tournament records list:
- Bob Long's Ironmen
- Ironmen
Both competed in the professional 10-man division.
Their results must not be combined when reconstructing historical championship records.
2000 season
Continued competition
Bob Long's Ironmen remained active in the NPPL during 2000.
The team competed in professional 10-man tournaments.
The continuing Ironmen organisation also remained active.
Chicago Open
At the 2000 NPPL Chicago Open, Bob Long's Ironmen advanced to the professional semifinals.[8]
The team recorded 26 points across its three semifinal games.
It did not advance to the final stage.
The continuing Ironmen finished first in the semifinal standings and advanced to the finals.
NPPL World Cup
Bob Long's Ironmen advanced to the professional finals at the 2000 NPPL World Cup.
The final group included:
- Southern California Ironmen
- Image
- Aftershock
- Bob Long's Ironmen
The team finished fourth.[5]
World Cup results
The recorded final standings were:
| Position | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Southern California Ironmen |
| 2 | Image |
| 3 | Aftershock |
| 4 | Bob Long's Ironmen |
WARPIG reported that Bob Long's Ironmen lost all three of its final-round games.
The result was another documented instance of the two Ironmen organisations competing directly at the same event.
2001 season
Chicago Open
Bob Long's Ironmen competed at the 2001 NPPL Chicago Open.
The team advanced to the professional semifinals.
Its recorded semifinal results were:
| Game | Points |
|---|---|
| Game 1 | 92 |
| Game 2 | 43 |
| Game 3 | -4 |
| Total | 131 |
The team did not advance to the professional finals.[9]
The continuing Ironmen also competed at the event and advanced from its semifinal group.
Tournament environment
By 2001, professional paintball was undergoing significant changes.
The NPPL continued to use 10-man competition at major events.
However, smaller-team formats and purpose-built tournament fields were becoming increasingly important.
Bob Long's Ironmen competed during this transitional period.
2002 season
Chicago Open
Bob Long's Ironmen competed at the 2002 NPPL Chicago Open.
The team completed its preliminary games undefeated.
WARPIG reported that Bob Long's Ironmen finished the preliminaries as the highest-ranked professional team.[6]
The continuing Southern California Ironmen ranked second.
Only seven points separated the two teams.
Professional finals
Bob Long's Ironmen advanced through the semifinals to the professional finals.
The final group included:
- Dynasty
- Bob Long's Ironmen
- Southern California Ironmen
- Strange
The event was particularly notable because both Ironmen organisations qualified for the same final group.
Direct encounter
During the professional finals, Southern California Ironmen defeated Bob Long's Ironmen by 94 points to 12.[6]
Bob Long's team also played Strange to a 16–16 stalemate.
The result provides another documented head-to-head encounter between the two organisations.
Historical significance
The 2002 Chicago Open demonstrated that both Ironmen teams remained competitive several years after their separation.
It also placed the organisations in direct competition with Dynasty and Strange during the final years of the NPPL's traditional 10-man era.
Players
Bob Long
Bob Long founded and led the team.
He had previously captained the original Ironmen.
Long remained closely associated with the organisation throughout its documented competitive history.
He subsequently became known for his equipment business, Bob Long Technologies, and the Bob Long Intimidator.
Rich Telford
Rich Telford was a prominent member of Bob Long's Ironmen.
Contemporary WARPIG coverage identifies him playing for the team at the 1998 Chicago Open.[2]
Telford was involved in the first documented tournament encounter between the two Ironmen organisations.
He subsequently became associated with other professional teams and the development of modern tournament paintball.
Other players
The team included additional players during its competitive history.
However, complete season-by-season rosters have not been established from the available sources.
Contemporary photographs, tournament programmes and magazine reports may provide further identifications.
Players should not be assigned to the team solely because they previously played for the original Ironmen or subsequently competed for other Bob Long-associated organisations.
Relationship with the original Ironmen
Shared origins
Bob Long's Ironmen and the continuing Ironmen both traced their history to the original Northern California team.
The original organisation had achieved substantial success during the early NPPL era.
Bob Long had been its captain.
Following his departure, both organisations continued to compete.
Separate competitive records
The teams must be distinguished in historical results.
Contemporary sources used several names for the continuing Ironmen, including:
- Ironmen
- SC Ironmen
- Southern California Ironmen
- Dave Youngblood's Ironmen
Bob Long's team was identified as:
- Bob Long's Ironmen
- BL Ironmen
- Bob's Ironmen
The naming conventions varied between events and publications.
Head-to-head competition
Documented meetings included the 1998 Chicago Open, 2000 World Cup and 2002 Chicago Open.
The 1998 Chicago encounter was particularly significant because it was described as the first tournament match between the teams since the split.
Historical interpretation
The two organisations represented separate branches of the original Ironmen history.
Bob Long's Ironmen should not be treated as a simple alternate name for the continuing Los Angeles Ironmen.
Likewise, championship results achieved by Bob Long's team after 1996 should not automatically be attributed to the continuing Ironmen organisation.
Equipment and sponsorship
Bob Long
Bob Long was involved in paintball equipment development alongside his competitive career.
He had previously been associated with WGP Autocockers during the original Ironmen era.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, he developed his own equipment business.
Electronic marker development
Long's equipment work eventually led to the introduction of the Intimidator electronic paintball marker around 2000.
The marker became an important platform in professional tournament paintball.
However, the exact marker configurations used by Bob Long's Ironmen at individual events require verification from contemporary photographs and equipment records.
Sponsorship history
The team's complete sponsorship history has not been reconstructed.
Equipment and clothing sponsorships should be documented separately for each season.
The original Ironmen's WGP sponsorship should not automatically be assumed to have continued unchanged after the split.
Later history
Decline of 10-man competition
During the early 2000s, professional tournament paintball shifted toward smaller-team formats.
The NPPL developed its Super 7 competition.
The PSP and NXL introduced X-Ball formats.
These changes affected the structure of professional teams and tournament organisations.
Bob Long's later teams
Bob Long subsequently became associated with teams including:
These teams formed part of his later competitive career.
However, the precise organisational and roster succession from Bob Long's Ironmen has not been fully established.
They should not automatically be described as direct renamings without supporting documentation.
Final documented period
Bob Long's Ironmen is documented in major NPPL tournament records through 2002.
The exact date when the team stopped competing under that name has not been conclusively established.
Further tournament records may identify later appearances or clarify its transition into subsequent organisations.
Tournament results
Selected documented results
| Year | Tournament | Division | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open | Professional 10-man | 3rd | First documented professional appearance |
| 1998 | NPPL Chicago Open | Professional 10-man | 3rd | Defeated Dave Youngblood's Ironmen in the semifinals |
| 1998 | NPPL season | Professional 10-man | Season champions | Confirmed by contemporary World Cup coverage |
| 1999 | NPPL Dallas Open | Professional 10-man | Semifinalist | Did not advance to finals |
| 1999 | NPPL Chicago Open | Professional 10-man | Finalist | Third-ranked semifinal qualifier |
| 2000 | NPPL Chicago Open | Professional 10-man | Semifinalist | 26 semifinal points |
| 2000 | NPPL World Cup | Professional 10-man | 4th | Southern California Ironmen won |
| 2001 | NPPL Chicago Open | Professional 10-man | Semifinalist | 131 semifinal points |
| 2002 | NPPL Chicago Open | Professional 10-man | Finalist | Undefeated in preliminaries |
The table is not a complete record of the team's tournament appearances.
Historical significance
Bob Long's Ironmen is significant for several reasons.
- It emerged directly from the division of one of paintball's most successful early professional teams.
- It established a separate competitive organisation under Bob Long.
- It finished third in its first documented professional tournament.
- It won the 1998 NPPL professional season championship.
- It competed directly against the continuing Ironmen organisation.
- It remained competitive during the final years of traditional professional 10-man paintball.
- Its history connects the original Ironmen with Bob Long's later professional teams and equipment business.
The team is also important for historical recordkeeping.
Its existence demonstrates why professional paintball results must distinguish between similarly named teams.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Autumn 1996 | Bob Long leaves the original Ironmen |
| Late 1996 | Bob Long establishes a separate team |
| 1997 | Team competes as Bob Long's Ironmen |
| 1997 | Finishes third at the NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open |
| 1998 | Defeats Dave Youngblood's Ironmen at the Chicago Open |
| 1998 | Finishes third at the Chicago Open |
| 1998 | Wins the NPPL professional season championship |
| 1999 | Competes separately from SC Ironmen at Dallas |
| 1999 | Advances to the Chicago Open professional finals |
| 2000 | Reaches the Chicago Open semifinals |
| 2000 | Finishes fourth at the NPPL World Cup |
| 2001 | Reaches the Chicago Open semifinals |
| 2002 | Completes Chicago Open preliminaries undefeated |
| 2002 | Reaches Chicago Open professional finals |
| After 2002 | Later organisational history requires further verification |
See also
- Bob Long
- Ironmen (paintball team)
- Dave Youngblood
- Shane Pestana
- Rich Telford
- Bob Long's Blast
- Oakland Assassins
- Philadelphia Assassins
- Bob Long Technologies
- Bob Long Intimidator
- Autococker
- Worr Game Products
- National Professional Paintball League
- NPPL Chicago Open
- NPPL World Cup
- History of professional paintball
- Paintball in the United States
References
- "1997 NPPL Las Vegas Desert Open", WARPIG. Contemporary tournament coverage documenting Bob Long's autumn 1996 departure from the original Ironmen, formation of his new team and third-place professional finish.
- "1998 NPPL Chicago Open", WARPIG. Contemporary coverage of the first documented tournament match between Bob Long's Ironmen and Dave Youngblood's Ironmen, including the team's third-place finish.
- "1999 NPPL Dallas — Professional Semifinals", WARPIG. Contemporary scoreboard separately listing Bob Long's Ironmen and SC Ironmen.
- "1998 NPPL World Cup Photo Gallery", WARPIG, photographs by Dawn Mills. Contemporary photo gallery identifying Bob Long's Ironmen as the overall 1998 NPPL series champions.
- "2000 NPPL World Cup", WARPIG. Contemporary event report documenting Bob Long's Ironmen finishing fourth and Southern California Ironmen winning the professional division.
- "2002 NPPL Chicago Open", WARPIG. Contemporary event coverage documenting Bob Long's Ironmen's undefeated preliminary record, finals qualification and head-to-head match against SC Ironmen.
- "1999 NPPL Chicago — Professional Semifinals", WARPIG. Contemporary scoreboard independently listing Ironmen and Bob Long's Ironmen.
- "2000 NPPL Chicago — Professional Semifinals", WARPIG. Contemporary scoreboard documenting Bob Long's Ironmen and the continuing Ironmen as separate competitors.
- "2001 NPPL Chicago Open — 10-Man Semifinals", WARPIG. Contemporary professional semifinal results documenting both Ironmen organisations.