Bobb O'Brien: FFS Family Member and Close Friend

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	Topic: Bobb O'Brien: FFS Family Member and Close Friend
Russ Bliss_108 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 18355 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 16:32 Normally in this blog, I write about various things pertaining to fantasy football and the NFL. After all, STARTERS is a fantasy football help website designed to help you in your quest for a fantasy football championship. I also have my radio show (entering my 16th season) devoted entirely to fantasy football. And since I have broadcast the show live from Santisi Brother's Pizzeria and Sport Grill since 2000, inviting people to come out and play a fun free fantasy football lineup contest each week of the regular season, I have met thousands of listeners of the program, as well as members of our community here at STARTERS. I'm very proud of the community we have created here at FFS over the last 8 years these forums have been active. I've developed friendships in person with some of you and I thank you for your continued support of FFS, my radio show, and myself. One such listener, and member of this community, Bobb O'Brien, passed away recently. Bobb was a fantasy enthusiast and member of the FFS community as well. He didn't post a lot on the forums, but he did occasionally, and always played our Lineup Contest. In fact, he possibly could have won it two years ago as he finished just over 100 points out of first place at the end of the season, but had forgotten to set his lineup in week 1 that year before the rosters locked and so he lost an entire week. He was the friendly competitive type and bragged often to me that he would have won that year if not for that. He was also a huge Denver Broncos fan who was excited to see Peyton Manning come to his beloved team. I remember the first time Bobb came out and joined me at Santisi Brother's to watch a Monday night game. We used to have a "come out and watch the Monday night game with the radio guy" event each week and he joined me for one. I don't remember the game, but I do remember that after it was over and the others at my table had left, Bobb and I sat at the bar for a couple of hours just talking and getting to know each other. We found we shared many common interests, were big on the important things in life like family and friends more than our passion for our favorite hobby (fantasy football), and a friendship was born. We got into leagues together, and were two of the most notorious (and abrasive) smack talkers on our message boards. But we always understood, it was all in good fun and never meant to be taken seriously. Not everyone always took it that way, as some people take fantasy football too seriously. We used to laugh about that. We were in agreement that the main reason to play fantasy football was for the FUN. For the camaraderie it brings between friends, and the new friendships you make thru it. That's the BEST part of playing fantasy football. We both believed winning was great and the bragging rights it brought a lot of fun too, but we both still could have a lot of fun even if our team's were struggling in last place in our leagues. Not everyone gets that. Bobb got that. As the years developed he came out to support my radio show religiously. In times of need he would help me set up, or run to get something I needed from home or radio shack, or watch the remote equipment while I did so. We often stayed late after the show was over and everyone else had left and would just hang out. It was about 4 or 5 years ago when he brought a new girlfriend out on their first date to see me on the air and hang out afterwards. Amy was an instant hit and I knew he had found a keeper in her. The connection between them clicked so easily they were soon married. She wasn't as avid a fantasy sports fan, but she was just as supportive to me and my radio show as he was. She not only accepted it as part of Bobb's life, she embraced it, and became another great friend to me too. This past NFL draft, knowing I was not doing a Draft Special on the radio (as I have been most of the last 15 years), Bobb texted me as it began and we spent the first round texting each other back and forth about the picks, who we thought was going next, breaking down team needs, and who the potential fantasy studs from the first round could be. It cheered me up as I loved being on the air doing an NFL draft show and I was a little depressed about not doing it for a second year in a row. He knew that, and reached out to me. We actually decided that starting next year in 2013, if I wasn't going to be on the air for it, we needed to have an NFL draft party with a bunch of friends. He was a great guy. And a better friend. I could write ten thousand words about him and not do him justice. Bobb died at the ridiculously young age of 43. The pain I have at losing my close friend just can't compare to that of a spouse losing their partner. I know I'm not the first person to lose a close friend, nor is Amy the first woman to lose a beloved husband, but I wanted to share this with you, in hopes that each of you will remember to take the minutes out of each day for recognizing and acknowledging the important things in life. The great gifts of family and friends. The unconditional love of a child or pet. The joys of a memory that brings a smile. I guess God needed Bobb more than Amy or I did to take him away so young. For those who empathize and would like to help out Amy and her family (Bobb as a young, self employed man always figured he'd get around to getting life insurance sometime in the future) we have a memorial fund set up by one of Bobb's other great friends, Brittney. The support is appreciated. Bobb O'Brien Memorial Fund Thank you, my friends, for reading me out even though it's not about fantasy football. My first radio show of the season is tonight and I just know that at some point I'm going to look over and expect to see him standing there. But I know he won't. ---- On any given Sunday any fantasy team can beat another, only to still lose Monday night.
Jeff Coruccini_6 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 9971 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 16:37 He will be there Russ in spirit. Bobb would always give me ideas to pass along to Simon on how we could make our projections and website better every year. He was good people and will be missed early 40's is too early. His wife Amy was out in 100+ weather Sunday washing cars and being so gracious to everyone. My prayers are with her and the family as well. RIP Bobb. ---- Winning isn't everything- its the only thing!
Robert The IDP Guru_9600 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: September 06 Total Posts: 1902 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 16:38 R.I.P. Bobb, God Bless, and my condolences to his family and friends. Even though I've never met him, or anyone on here in person, I feel you all are like family, so I feel your loss as well. ---- Draft: 3QB's 4RB's 5WR's 3TE's 2K 4DL 5LB 4DB. Start: 1QB 2RB's 2WR's 1TE 1K 2DL 2LB 2DB. PPR League: 1PPR, 1 pt 10 yds rush/receive, 1pt 10yds pass, 6 pts TD
Throwball Heroes_118522 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: June 10 Total Posts: 13988 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 16:45 Some wonderful words Russ. I too didn't know Bobb, but the respect you had for him shines through. ---- Stephen http://www.the6thfloor.com/category/fantasy-football-2/ "Bringing confusion and contradiction to YOUR post!" "ISIYBITSI" -Russ Bliss
James_4852 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: August 05 Total Posts: 7389 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 16:50 This is so sad. I am sorry for your loss Russ. James ---- Full time Ghostbuster!
David_119342 Membership: Starter Joined: August 10 Total Posts: 633 Favorite Team: Online	Post Date: 08/21/12 18:37 Russ, condolences from our family to yours. ---- ---- QB: Stafford, Palmer RB: AP, CJ?K, Fred Jax, Bradshaw, McGahee, J Starks WR: B Lloyd, D Bryant, D Moore, J Maclin, J Gordon, A Roberts TE: Olsen K: S Gostkowski DEF: Seahawks IDP: C Greenway, J Laurinitis Scoring: Non-PPR 1 pt per 10 yrds (rush & receiving) 6 pts per TD (rush & receiving) 1 pt per 25 yrds (passing) 4 pts per TD (passing) 1 pt per 25 yrds (returning) -1 for INT -1 Fumble lost
Nic_98681 Membership: Starter Joined: August 09 Total Posts: 3924 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 18:49 That's some high praise Russ. So sad to hear this, 43 is way too young. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and to his family. ---- Bear down Chicago Bears!! Go Gators!
Erick_44330 Membership: Starter Joined: September 07 Total Posts: 1523 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 20:37 Well spoken Russ and as others have said 43 is too young. I'm 43 and have survived 2 heart attacks at age 39 so this hits close to home. Thoughts and prayers to you and his family. ---- Keeper League, PPR, ESPN Standard Scoring Start 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1FLX(RB,WR), 1TE, 1K, 1D/ST QB's = M. Ryan, J. Freeman RB's = A. Bradshaw, D. Murray, D. Sproles, M. Leshoure WR's = W. Welker, D. Bowe, V. Jackson, J. Maclin, B. Lloyd, L. Moore TE's = K. Rudolph, B. Myers D/ST = Falcons K = M. Bryant
Fumanaz_109000 Membership: Starter Joined: September 09 Total Posts: 527 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 21:37 Bobb sounds like a great friend to have had and a chance to share apart of your life with him. Makes me even more sad I never got a chance to met someone like Bobb Adios mi amigo, Vaya con Dios Farewell my friend, Go with God ---- Football Freak
Ram Mas_5910 Membership: Starter Joined: September 05 Total Posts: 707 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 08/21/12 23:31 Thank you for sharing your story, Russ, as I too extend my deepest condolences to you and his family--both immediate and extended. As I waited for a bus last night, I witnessed the most brutal red-light crash I've ever seen. Neither of the three woman in the cars were over 30 and I'm shocked they each survived. But it was a reminder of how quickly life can be taken from us...and a reminder also that of the Four F's, Football must not come before Family, Friends and Faith. ---- Bleeding Blue and Gold Since 1975
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