The Fantasy Sports Writers Association was founded on the premise of promoting journalistic excellence in the area of fantasy sports. Part of our stated mission is to “recognize the work of fantasy sports writers by means of annual awards for journalistic excellence.” AS such, the Fantasy Sports Writers Association is pleased to announce the FSWA Fantasy Football Award Winners for 2006.

Fantasy Football Writer of the Year –
Winner: Eric Karabell, ESPN

* OTHER NOMINEES: Shawn Peters, Talented Mr. Roto; Michael Fabiano, CBS SportsLine; John Nemo, Pro Fantasy Sports; Tony Finn, Pro Fantasy Sports

This award is presented to the writer recognized as the best overall fantasy football writer for the year.

Best Fantasy Football Article in Print –
Winner: Michael Fabiano, CBS SportsLine
Article: Twenty Lessons Learned

* OTHER NOMINEES: Just How Old is "Old"? by John T. Georgopoulos, Gridiron Grumblings; Nightmare Comes at Wrong Time of Year by Matt Schauf, Oneonta, NY Daily Star; Year of the Quarterback by Chris Liss, Rotowire

This award is presented to the writer of the overall best fantasy football article to appear in print form. This may include magazines, newspapers, periodicals, etc.

Best Fantasy Football Article on the Internet –
Winner: Lenny Pappano, DraftSharks
Article: Confessions of a Fantasy Expert

* OTHER NOMINEES: Anatomy of a Draft by Tristan H. Cockcroft, ESPN.com; Dispelling Kicker Myths by Tristan H. Cockcroft, ESPN.com; Grand Theft Roto by Shawn Peters, Talented Mr. Roto; Passing the Torch by Mike Sheets Roto Times; XX's and OO's by Heather Cocks, Talented Mr. Roto

This award is presented to the writer of the overall best fantasy football article to appear on the Internet. This includes any online publication, website or other online format.

Best Fantasy Football Article in Major Media –
Winner: Ken Daube (Talented Mr. Roto), appeared on SI.com
Article: Roto Addict

* OTHER NOMINEES: Around the AFC by Chris Harris, Talented Mr. Roto; Around the NFC by Ben Ice, Talented Mr. Roto; The Bizarro World of Fantasy Football by Michael Fabiano, CBS SportsLine; Defense Decides It by Eric Karabell, ESPN; Impact Players by John T. Georgopoulos (Gridiron Grumblings), appeared on SI.com; XX's and OO's by Heather Cocks, Talented Mr. Roto

This award is presented to the writer of the overall best fantasy football article to appear in any major media outlet, including print and online formats. Major media is defined as a format commonly accepted as a standard in mainstream media. This would include such outlets as Sports Illustrated, ESPN and FOX Sports, USA Today, CBS Sportsline and Sporting News.

Best Fantasy Football In-season Article, Feature or Series –
Winner: Michael Fabiano, CBS SportsLine
Article: Start 'em & Sit 'em

* OTHER NOMINEES: Expert Eye for the Roto Guy by Andrew Madison, Talented Mr. Roto; Finn Factor by Tony Finn, Pro Fantasy Sports; Grand Theft Roto by Shawn Peters, Talented Mr. Roto; Platoon Watch by Jake Berry, The Fantasy Hotsheet; XX's and OO's by Heather Cocks, Talented Mr. Roto

This award is presented to the writer of the overall best in-season fantasy football article, feature or series to appear in any media format.

Most Humorous Fantasy Football Article –
Winner: John Nemo, Pro Fantasy Sports
Article: Crucial Questions Deserve Comical Answers

** OTHER NOMINEES: Grand Theft Roto by Shawn Peters, Talented Mr. Roto; XX's and OO's by Heather Cocks, Talented Mr. Roto; Are Your for Real? by Nando Di Fino, Bob Schenks and Dale Normanson, Talented Mr. Roto

This award is presented to the writer of the overall best humor based fantasy football article to appear in any media format.

Fantasy Racing Writer of the Year –
Winner: Christopher Harris, Talented Mr. Roto

** OTHER NOMINEES: Bob Schenks, Talented Mr. Roto; Bryan Van Stippen, Pro Fantasy Sports; Mark Taylor, Rotowire

Fantasy Golf Writer of the Year –
Winner: Greg Vara, Rotowire

** OTHER NOMINEES: Wade Alberty, Talented Mr. Roto

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FSTA Press Release
FSWA DEBUTS TO HIGHLIGHT FANTASY SPORTS WRITERS
As the fantasy sports industry continues to grow, much of the focus has been on the ever-expanding size of the marketplace. Rarely has the spotlight shined on the individuals who create the opinions, analysis and commentaries that many fantasy players utilize on a daily basis, but a new organization hopes to change that.

“The Fantasy Sports Writers Association was founded and designed to be a voice for writers in the arena of fantasy sports,” FSWA president Ryan Houston said. “We serve as an advocate for fantasy writers’ concerns and seek to address any adverse issues that may arise within the community.”

Located online at www.fswa.org, the FSWA was founded by Houston and treasurer Kirk Bouyleas, both of Asylum Fantasy Sports, LLC. Emil Kadlec and Bob Harris of Fantasy Sports Publications, Inc. are the vice president and treasurer, respectively. The board of directors is comprised of representatives from many of the leading companies in the industry, including SI.com, ESPN.com, Sporting News.com, USA Today.com, Rotowire.com, Yahoo! and RotoTimes.com.

“We wanted members of the board to represent a cross section of the fantasy sports industry,” Houston said. “As such, we sought out board members from every genre of fantasy sports. We wanted individuals who possessed honesty and integrity, members who would champion the organization and seek to represent it in a professional manner. In reflecting on our current board, I ’d say we certainly scored big.”

In large part, Houston believes the creation of the FSWA is one vital step in legitimizing fantasy sports writing and elevate it more strongly into the public consciousness.

“We feel that fantasy sports writers have had an integral part in developing this industry,” Houston said. “For years, the mainstream media resisted acknowledging that fantasy sports even existed. Fantasy sports writers were thought of as lesser members of the journalistic community. We are seeking to change that mindset and acknowledge the contributions made by the fantasy sports community.

“However, there are equally important goals that we hope to reach. We would like to inspire young sports journalists by making college grants available to them. Additionally, we would like to provide an avenue for writers and potential employers to network. And finally, we would like to acknowledge our membership with yearly awards for journalistic excellence.”

Ultimately, all of this is being done with one primary goal -- to continue the efforts being made to further legitimize all aspects of the fantasy sports industry.

“In the end, we feel that we can grow this organization into a respected member of the sports community as a whole,” Houston said.

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St. Louis, MO – July 19, 2004 -- Realizing a need within the fantasy sports community, Asylum Fantasy Sports and Fantasy Sports Publications have partnered together to establish the Fantasy Sports Writers Association ( www.fswa.org ).

For far too long, fantasy sports writers have been treated as second class citizens within the writing community. Given the astounding growth of the fantasy sports industry, the FSWA believes that the remarkable efforts put forth by fantasy sports writers deserves to be acknowledged. As such, the Fantasy Sports Writers Association is the first ever organization to recognize and promote sports writers exclusively in the area of fantasy sports.

The FSWA Executive Committee will consist of the following members:

President: Ryan Houston, Asylum Fantasy Sports, LLC
Vice President: Emil Kadlec, Fantasy Sports Publications, Inc.
Secretary: Bob Harris, Fantasy Sports Pulications, Inc.
Treasurer: Kirk Bouyelas, Asylum Fantasy Sports, LLC

The mission of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association is to provide be a voice for writers in the arena of fantasy sports. The FSWA will function as an advocate for fantasy sports writers and strive to promote and acknowledge the hard work and dedication shown by fantasy writers throughout the industry.

The Fantasy Sports Writers Association will also provide its members with both opportunity and acknowledgement through the following initiatives:

• Classified Ads: The FSWA will feature classified ads to match both writers looking for employment and companies looking for writers.
• Networking: The FSWA affords members the opportunity to contact, meet and network with other esteemed members of our group.
• Grants: The FSWA will provide grant(s) to aspiring young students who are looking for opportunities in sports journalism.
• Awards: The FSWA will present yearly awards to writers from each fantasy sport, to acknowledge their contributions to the industry.

The Fantasy Sports Writers Association ~ Promoting journalistic excellence in fantasy sports. Inquiries or questions can be sent to Mr. Kirk Bouyelas @ doctorfootball@bellsouth.net.

FSWA Press Release: Click2NewSites.com

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