Bob Long
Bob Long is an American professional paintball player, team captain, coach, equipment designer and entrepreneur. He is best known for captaining the original Ironmen tournament team, developing the Bob Long Intimidator electronic paintball marker, and establishing the equipment business commonly known as Bob Long Technologies or BLAST (Bob Long's Assassins Sports Technology).[1][2]
Long was one of the leading figures in American tournament paintball during the late 1980s and 1990s. As captain of the Northern California Ironmen, he helped establish the team as a major force in professional competition and became particularly associated with tactical planning and on-field leadership.[1][3]
He subsequently competed with and managed teams including Bob Long's Ironmen, Oakland Assassins and Bob Long's Blast. His competitive career spanned the transition from woodland tournaments to Hyperball, Speedball and modern inflatable-bunker competition.[3][4]
Outside tournament competition, Long developed custom Autococker equipment before introducing the electronic Intimidator around 2000. His company subsequently manufactured the Defiant, Marq, Victory, G6R, Insight, Onslaught and MVP, among other paintball markers.[2][5]
In late 2016, members of San Diego Dynasty and team manager Eric Crandall established Field One Paintball, acquiring assets and designs from Long's equipment business. The new company publicly announced the arrangement in January 2017.[6][7]
Long was inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons in 2022.[3]
| Name | Bob Long |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Bobby Long |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professional paintball player, team captain, coach, equipment designer, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Original Ironmen; Bob Long Technologies; Intimidator |
| Playing career | Late 1980s–mid-2000s |
| Associated teams | Ironmen, Bob Long's Ironmen, Oakland Assassins, Bob Long's Blast |
| Company | Bob Long Technologies (BLAST) |
| Notable markers | Intimidator, Defiant, Marq, Victory, G6R, Insight, Onslaught, MVP |
| Associated organisations | National Professional Paintball League, Paintball Sports Promotions, National Xball League, Field One Paintball |
| Recognition | Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons, 2022 |
| Country | United States |
Early involvement in paintball
[edit]Northern California paintball
[edit]Long became involved in competitive paintball during the sport's early development in Northern California.
During the mid-1980s, he joined a group of players that included ironworkers and their friends from the San Francisco Bay Area.[1]
The group developed into the Ironmen, one of the most successful early American tournament teams.
Long became the team's captain.
The Ironmen competed during a period when tournament paintball was primarily played on natural-terrain woodland fields.
Formation of the Ironmen
[edit]The original Ironmen emerged from Northern California's early competitive paintball community.
Its roster included players who subsequently became important figures in the sport.
Historical accounts identify members including:
- Bob Long
- Shane Pestana
- Marty Bush
- Dave Youngblood
Other players joined and departed during the team's development.
The original Ironmen should be distinguished from later organisations and rosters that competed under the Ironmen name.
Team captain
[edit]Long became particularly associated with the tactical organisation of the Ironmen.
He directed players during games and developed strategies based on field layout, opponent positioning and available cover.
Historical accounts describe his ability to coordinate team movements and adjust plans during competition.[3][4]
His leadership contributed to the Ironmen's success during the early professional era.
Ironmen tournament career
[edit]Late 1980s
[edit]Long competed with the Ironmen during the late 1980s.
The team participated in major American paintball tournaments.
Competition at the time generally used natural-terrain fields and relatively large team formats.
Players relied on communication, coordinated movement and tactical planning.
Long's approach to tournament paintball developed in this environment.
Early 1990s
[edit]The Ironmen became one of the leading American tournament teams during the early 1990s.
The team competed in major events associated with the emerging professional tournament circuit.
Its success contributed to the development of the Ironmen name as one of the most recognisable brands in competitive paintball.
Long remained central to the team's leadership.
Relationship with Worr Game Products
[edit]During the transition from pump-action to semiautomatic tournament equipment, Long developed a relationship with Bud Orr and Worr Game Products.
Orr had developed the WGP Sniper and was working on the pneumatic Autococker.
The Ironmen became an early WGP-sponsored team.
The relationship provided the team with access to semiautomatic equipment during a period of rapid technological change.
Autococker debut
[edit]In March 1991, the Ironmen used WGP Autocockers at the Lone Star Open in Texas.[8]
Historical research identifies the event as an early documented tournament appearance of the Autococker.
The relationship between Long, Orr and the Ironmen helped establish the marker's reputation in competitive paintball.
The Autococker subsequently became one of the principal tournament marker platforms of the 1990s.
SwiftLine
[edit]Long and the Ironmen also developed a relationship with Skip Swift of SwiftLine Industries.
Swift was an early East Coast specialist in Sniper and Autococker equipment.
Historical interviews describe Swift performing custom work on the Ironmen's Autocockers during the early 1990s.[9]
The relationship demonstrates the growing importance of specialist airsmithing and aftermarket components in professional paintball.
Ironmen split
[edit]Internal disagreements
[edit]The original Ironmen organisation experienced internal disagreements during the 1990s.
Historical accounts describe a division between Long and other members of the team.[4]
The dispute eventually resulted in separate competitive groups using the Ironmen name.
The precise chronology of the split and subsequent naming arrangements requires further documentation from contemporary tournament records.
Bob Long's Ironmen
[edit]Long continued competing with a team identified as Bob Long's Ironmen.
The organisation maintained a connection with his earlier tournament career.
The separate Ironmen organisation continued under other leaders, including Shane Pestana and Dave Youngblood.
The two groups should not be treated as a single uninterrupted roster.
Later development
[edit]The team associated with Long subsequently competed under other names.
Historical accounts identify Blast as one of the names adopted by Long's organisation.[4]
The separate Ironmen team continued to develop independently.
Both organisations contributed to the later history of professional paintball.
Oakland Assassins
[edit]Establishment
[edit]Long became associated with the Oakland Assassins during the development of modern professional X-Ball competition.
The Assassins competed in the National Xball League and other major tournament formats.
Long's involvement included team leadership, tactical planning and equipment development.
NXL competition
[edit]The Oakland Assassins competed in the NXL during the mid-2000s.
In August 2005, WARPIG identified the Assassins as the NXL Western Division champions at the PSP Northeast Open.[10]
The result placed the team among the leading competitors in the league that season.
2005 World Cup
[edit]At the 2005 PSP World Cup, the Oakland Assassins advanced to the NXL championship playoffs.
The team defeated the Philadelphia Americans 13–4 during the quarterfinal stage.
The Assassins subsequently faced Baltimore Trauma in a semifinal series.
After losing the first game, Oakland defeated Trauma 15–5 in the second.
Trauma won the deciding game 10–7, eliminating Oakland from championship contention.[11]
The Assassins subsequently contested the third-place game against Detroit Strange.
NPPL competition
[edit]Long's organisation also competed in the NPPL Super 7 format.
In 2005, Bob Long's Assassins finished second in the NPPL semi-professional season standings.[12]
The team moved into the professional division for 2006.
At that time, it adopted the Philadelphia Assassins name.
The Philadelphia Assassins should be distinguished from the Oakland Assassins NXL entry when documenting results across the two leagues.
Bob Long's Blast
[edit]Team identity
[edit]Bob Long's Blast was another team identity associated with Long.
The name reflected his involvement in both professional competition and paintball equipment manufacturing.
The term BLAST also became associated with his equipment company.
The precise dates and roster transitions between Bob Long's Ironmen, Blast and the Assassins require further documentation.
Competitive development
[edit]Long continued to work with competitive players and teams after his principal playing career.
His coaching and leadership activities influenced subsequent generations of professional players.
The Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons identifies players including Tyler Harmon, John Marques and Rich Telford among those associated with his coaching influence.[3]
Equipment development
[edit]Early airsmithing
[edit]Long became involved in paintball equipment development while competing professionally.
His early work included customising Autocockers and producing aftermarket components.
He developed equipment based on the practical requirements of competitive tournament players.
His experience as a team captain provided direct feedback on marker reliability, handling and performance.
Custom Autocockers
[edit]Long became associated with a range of custom Autococker products.
These included modified bodies, pneumatic components and other upgrades.
His custom markers formed part of the growing aftermarket for the WGP platform.
The Autococker's modular design allowed independent manufacturers to produce specialised equipment.
Compressed-air systems
[edit]Long was also associated with the development and distribution of compressed-air equipment.
Historical technical material describes his involvement in early high-pressure air systems for tournament paintball.[13]
These products formed part of the transition away from CO2 as the principal propellant used in high-performance competition.
Spyder-based products
[edit]Long's early equipment business also produced components and customised markers based on the Spyder platform.
These products preceded his later fully electronic tournament markers.
They helped establish his name in the equipment market beyond the Autococker community.
Bob Long Technologies
[edit]Establishment
[edit]Long developed an equipment business commonly known as Bob Long Technologies.
The business also used the name BLAST, associated with Bob Long's Assassins Sports Technology.
It manufactured premium paintball markers and related components.
The company became particularly associated with electronic tournament markers during the 2000s.
Design philosophy
[edit]Long's equipment development focused on competitive performance.
The company's products emphasised:
- High rates of fire
- Efficient gas consumption
- Compact construction
- Low marker weight
- Electronic firing controls
- Tournament-oriented ergonomics
- Mechanical and pneumatic reliability
The company manufactured multiple generations of markers.
Manufacturing
[edit]Bob Long Technologies operated in Northern California.
Its equipment was manufactured and assembled in the United States.
The business developed a reputation for relatively specialised production compared with larger paintball equipment companies.
Field One Paintball subsequently continued manufacturing operations in Northern California.[6]
Defiant
[edit]Development
[edit]The Defiant was one of Long's early electronic tournament markers.
It developed from the ICD Bushmaster 2000 platform.
The marker incorporated modifications associated with Long's equipment business.[13]
The Defiant preceded the introduction of the Intimidator.
Historical significance
[edit]The Defiant formed part of Long's transition from custom mechanical equipment to electronically controlled markers.
It provided experience with electronic firing systems and modern tournament marker construction.
This work contributed to the development of the Intimidator.
Intimidator
[edit]Introduction
[edit]The Bob Long Intimidator was introduced around 2000.
It became one of the company's most influential products.
The Intimidator was an electronically controlled, pneumatically operated tournament paintball marker.
It was commonly nicknamed the Timmy.
Operating system
[edit]The Intimidator used an electronic trigger system and a pneumatic ram to operate the firing mechanism.
Its design allowed high rates of fire with relatively short trigger movement.
The marker used electronic controls to manage firing.
The platform was developed specifically for competitive paintball.
Tournament adoption
[edit]The Intimidator became widely used in professional tournament competition.
It was among the early electronic marker platforms to achieve substantial adoption by professional teams.
Its introduction contributed to the transition from mechanical semiautomatic markers to electronic tournament equipment.
Generations
[edit]The Intimidator developed through multiple generations.
Models and variants included:
- Classic Intimidator
- 2K2 Intimidator
- GZ Intimidator
- Alias Intimidator
- Empire Intimidator
- Vice
- G6R
Numerous limited-edition and custom-bodied versions were also produced.
The precise classification of individual models varies between collectors and manufacturer documentation.
Later marker designs
[edit]Marq
[edit]The Marq was a later Bob Long Technologies marker platform.
It incorporated a different mechanical layout from the original Intimidator.
The Marq family included multiple production and custom variants.
Victory
[edit]The Victory was developed as a high-performance tournament marker.
It used an inline firing-engine configuration.
The design incorporated a compact receiver and tool-accessible internal components.
The Victory became one of the company's best-known later products.
G6R
[edit]The G6R was a later Intimidator-derived electronic marker.
It incorporated improvements to the company's established ram-operated design.
The G6R became popular among tournament players interested in efficient, compact poppet-valve markers.
Insight and Onslaught
[edit]Bob Long Technologies subsequently developed the Insight and Onslaught marker families.
These designs reflected the company's continued experimentation with firing-engine configurations and electronic control systems.
MVP
[edit]The MVP was a pump-action marker developed using elements of the Marq Victory platform.
The manufacturer's manual described its use of a roller-bearing pump mechanism and a specialised firing engine.[14]
The MVP represented a return to pump-action equipment within a company principally associated with electronic tournament markers.
Field One Paintball
[edit]Formation
[edit]In late 2016, members of San Diego Dynasty and team manager Eric Crandall established Field One Paintball.
The new company acquired assets and designs from Bob Long's equipment business.[6]
The transaction marked a major change in the ownership and operation of the former Bob Long Technologies product range.
January 2017 announcement
[edit]On 18 January 2017, Dynasty player Ryan Greenspan publicly announced the team's relationship with Field One Paintball.[7]
The announcement stated that Field One had recently acquired Bob Long Technologies.
It also explained that the company intended to continue manufacturing selected existing products while working with Long on further designs.
Continued association
[edit]Field One's official history describes Long as an important part of the company's technical heritage.
The company retained a connection with his earlier marker designs.
However, Field One was established as a new ownership partnership rather than simply being a renamed Bob Long Technologies business.
Field One Force
[edit]Field One subsequently developed the Field One Force tournament marker.
The Force drew on the company's inherited engineering experience while introducing a revised design.
It became closely associated with San Diego Dynasty's equipment programme.
Coaching and influence
[edit]Tactical planning
[edit]Long became known for his emphasis on preparation and tactical planning.
His approach involved evaluating field layouts and developing coordinated team strategies.
Historical accounts describe his ability to adapt tactics during games.
He was particularly associated with communication and directing player movements.
Player development
[edit]Long worked with numerous players during his competitive and coaching career.
His influence extended beyond the original Ironmen.
The Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons credits him with helping develop players who subsequently became prominent in professional competition.[3]
Tournament formats
[edit]Long's career spanned several major changes in tournament paintball.
These included:
- Woodland tournament paintball
- Ten-player competition
- Hyperball
- NPPL Super 7
- X-Ball
- Inflatable-bunker tournament paintball
His experience across these formats contributed to his reputation as a tactician.
Recognition
[edit]Hall of Icons
[edit]Bob Long was inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons in 2022.[3]
The recognition acknowledged his contributions as a player, captain, coach and equipment manufacturer.
The Hall of Icons identifies his principal associated teams as the Ironmen, Assassins and Blast.
Industry legacy
[edit]Long is significant in paintball history for combining success in professional competition with equipment manufacturing.
His contributions include:
- Leading the original Ironmen
- Supporting early adoption of the Autococker
- Developing custom tournament equipment
- Establishing Bob Long Technologies
- Introducing the Intimidator
- Producing multiple generations of electronic tournament markers
- Coaching and developing professional players
- Contributing to the formation and technical heritage of Field One Paintball
His career connects the earliest period of professional tournament paintball with the development of modern electronic markers.
Timeline
[edit]| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Mid-1980s | Becomes involved with the Northern California group that develops into the Ironmen |
| Late 1980s | Captains the original Ironmen in tournament competition |
| 1990 | Ironmen develop a sponsorship relationship with Worr Game Products |
| March 1991 | Ironmen use Autocockers at the Lone Star Open |
| Early 1990s | Ironmen become one of the leading American professional teams |
| 1990s | Long develops custom Autococker equipment and aftermarket products |
| 1990s | Original Ironmen organisation divides into separate teams |
| Late 1990s | Develops early electronic equipment, including the Defiant |
| Circa 2000 | Intimidator introduced |
| Early 2000s | Intimidator becomes a major electronic tournament marker platform |
| 2005 | Oakland Assassins compete in NXL championship playoffs |
| August 2005 | Oakland Assassins identified as NXL Western Division champions |
| 2005 | Bob Long's Assassins finish second in NPPL semi-professional standings |
| 2006 | Philadelphia Assassins enter NPPL professional competition |
| Late 2000s | Marq and Victory marker families developed |
| Early 2010s | G6R and other later marker designs become established |
| Late 2016 | Field One Paintball established and acquires assets and designs from Long's business |
| January 2017 | Field One and Dynasty announce their partnership and acquisition |
| 2022 | Inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons |
See also
[edit]- Ironmen (paintball team)
- Bob Long's Ironmen
- Oakland Assassins
- Philadelphia Assassins
- Bob Long's Blast
- Bob Long Technologies
- Bob Long Intimidator
- Bob Long Defiant
- Bob Long G6R
- Field One Paintball
- Field One Force
- San Diego Dynasty
- Eric Crandall
- Bud Orr
- Worr Game Products
- Autococker
- Skip Swift
- National Professional Paintball League
- National Xball League
- History of paintball markers
- Paintball in California
- Paintball in the United States
References
[edit]- "About Us", Field One Paintball. Official company history describing Bob Long's early Ironmen career, equipment development and the formation of Field One.
- "Paintball People — Bob Long", Paintball Story. Historical profile of Long as a tournament captain, player and equipment designer.
- "Hall of Icons — Bob Long", Iconic Paintball. Hall of Icons biography identifying Long as a 2022 inductee and documenting his playing, coaching and manufacturing career.
- "Paintball People — The Ironmen", Paintball Story. Historical account describing the split between Bob Long's team and the separate Ironmen organisation.
- "Bob Long Paintball Manuals", PB Manuals. Archive of manufacturer documentation for the Intimidator, Defiant, Marq, Victory, G6R, Insight and related products.
- "About Us", Field One Paintball. Primary company source documenting its formation in late 2016 and acquisition of assets and designs from Bob Long.
- "Dynasty Signs with Field One Paintball", Ryan Greenspan, 18 January 2017. Contemporary announcement confirming the acquisition and intended continued collaboration with Long.
- "Autococker", Paintball History. Historical account identifying the Ironmen's March 1991 use of WGP Autocockers at the Lone Star Open.
- "Skip Swift of SwiftLine, an Early Autococker Innovator", Paintball History, 2 April 2020. Historical interviews documenting Swift's work on the Ironmen's Autocockers.
- "PSP Northeast Open 2005", WARPIG. Contemporary event coverage identifying the Oakland Assassins as NXL Western Division champions.
- "PSP World Cup 2005", WARPIG. Contemporary tournament coverage documenting the Oakland Assassins' NXL playoff results.
- "NPPL Huntington Beach 2006", WARPIG. Contemporary event coverage documenting Bob Long's Assassins' 2005 semi-professional result and transition to the Philadelphia Assassins.
- "Airsmith Survival Guide", historical technical guide. Documents Long's early custom Autocockers, compressed-air products, Defiant and Intimidator.
- "Marq Victory Pump — MVP Manual", Bob Long Technologies. Manufacturer documentation describing the MVP's mechanical design and development.