|
Post by tailchaser on Jul 20, 2005 9:40:26 GMT -6
I have been reading about the Klein/Clunn deal... and i do not know what to think.... and to think this right after the shared weight fiasco .... i guess i do not understand why bass/espn was so hot to change it all up..25-30 years of tournaments that seemed to run smoothly probably didnt have 3 or 4 issues... espn takes and... well... i guess i look at it like "if it aint broke, dont fix it" i dont understand.... now FLW... i looked at the results of their championship... there were 4 or 5 guys that fished the final day whose total weight was heavier than cochrans...? what ever happend to " the guy that catches the heaviest stringer wins" ? what a crock... i hope it stays in the pro ranks... if the local level tourny's go that direction, i might quit tournaments....
also now i hear because of bass letting klein in, it changed up the years total points deal and now martens may not be AOY ... ?
i think espn needs to take a hard look at what they are trying to do... i dont blame klein/clunn/martens or any other pro who challenges espn... i think they have it coming... i think they tried to get cute and make a bunch of changes... and it has backfired...
ESPN.. put it back like it was....and leave it alone..i promise you will still make tons of money...
sorry guys, just venting a little...
|
|
|
Post by dave on Jul 20, 2005 15:28:56 GMT -6
I don't understand it either....I see both sides...it must be a blonde thing. Some one please help!!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by Joel Babin on Jul 20, 2005 20:07:05 GMT -6
I wish I could help make sense of this, but I agree, ESPN has made some bad decisions with BASS. Making changes to something once you take it over is human nature. Everyone feels like they can take something and make it better...even though it may not be broken.
Let's face it, its corporate fishing now, not competitive fishing....IMHO the elite 50 series is the only true test of skill in competive fishing. The spawn is over, practice is limited, and you are fishing right smack in the middle of the day in "real" world applications. That's when the truely skilled, versitle fishermen (VanDam, Davis, Iaconelli) excel in these events. The way it's been lately, all the events are scheduled around the spawn in an effort to bring in bigger fish to boost ratings and draw bigger crowds, which is great, but at what expense.
I have NEVER been a fan of the bracket system in the FLW championship....it's completely ridiculous. It's fishing, not college basketball.
Man, I hate to get long winded, but I feel some of your frustration.....not that I wouldn't drop everything (except my family) for a shot to fish professionally, but d**n......
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 20, 2005 20:36:06 GMT -6
As usual, I have an opinion. ESPN has taken a corporate business model approach to BASS. They have moved it to Florida (remember ESPN is really Disney)...They tinker with the format...they introduced Bass Center which might just be the best thing that has happened to bass fishing in years...they had a big turnover in long time employees when they moved (some were not leaving Alabama!)...Everything they do is based in numbers, advertising and ratings. Nothing else matters to them...that is why we are organizing the Professional Anglers Association: www.bassprofessional.com/ AS for the FLW format, you will be surprised to know that almost all the guys fishing it love it. You are only competing against one guy in each round rather than 45. Let's face it there is some kind of "bracket" competition in most sports...baseball, football, basketball playoffs are all the same format. In fact, the FLW pairs them like the NCAA does men's basketball. I was very skeptical until I went there last year and talked to the guys about it. Besides, when you are shooting for $500,000 the folks giving you the money have the right to set the rules. everyone complained, and I mean almost everyone, when Operation Bass instituted the sponsor rules (not wear conflicting logos etc.) Well, their model is the reason ALL purses have jumped tremendously. If it had been left to BASS first place would still be chump change and only the top ten or so would actually meet their expenses. BASS has followed suit because people like Clunn ump to Operation Bass/FLW when the money jumped. I have fished both organizations for quite some time, but to me, the downfall of BASS was when Ray Scott was run out of town...now they want him back but it is too late. ESPN/Disney is not Operation Bass...I wish they were. cbs
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 20, 2005 20:47:05 GMT -6
Here is another example: Lake Buena Vista, Fla. - At a news conference televised live on ESPN's "BassCenter," BASS General Manager Don Rucks announced that the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic will be contested on Central Florida's Lake Tohopekaliga near Kissimmee on Feb. 24-26.
"The Classic is coming home next year," Rucks said, referring to the site of BASS' headquarters in nearby Celebration. "It just makes sense for us to take advantage of our new location this time and bring bass fishing's biggest event to an area that offers some of the very best bass fishing in the world."
Gee is there anything Disney near by?
cbs
|
|
|
Post by Joel Babin on Jul 21, 2005 5:58:44 GMT -6
Still though, with the bracket system I could go home after the first round, and someone advances with a lower weight. To me that is insane...almost as bad as the shared weight system. Really professional fishing is a lot like golf(probably the closest by comparison), you are competing against the course to some degree. So you beat the course, you beat the fishermen. Golf doesn't have a bracket system, because it's not logical to play the opening rounds and not have the guys with the best scores advance. Same should go for fishing.
I sure hope the PAA can voice their concerns and keep the fishermen happy, and not the owners getting rich off of them.
|
|
|
Post by tailchaser on Jul 21, 2005 9:58:55 GMT -6
i agree with joel, i dont think you can really compare basketball, baseball etc to fishing... those are team sports... i think golf is the closest... tennis is an individual sport, but the "court" your playing at doesnt really matter....
I think the guy with the most weight should win... period.
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 21, 2005 15:35:14 GMT -6
I think the guy with the most weight should win... period. Guess that ends the discussion.
|
|
|
Post by goose on Jul 21, 2005 21:00:29 GMT -6
That sounds familiar. I will let you all know what I think off it in a couple years
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 22, 2005 16:39:54 GMT -6
All I know is most of the fisherman like the format. YOu fish against one other guy at a time in the first two rounds. You know the guy, you know his streanths and yours, you know what to expect of the lake...now go get it done.
Besides, as I see it, if they are willing to pay be $500,000 I do any format they want to have a shot at it.
cbs
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 25, 2005 14:39:35 GMT -6
Ed, just read the new BASS Times about the Klein/Clunn stuff. I am not sure what the problem is...both sides made sense in a unique situation. Anyone know who lost his spot because of this?
cbs
|
|
|
Post by mtbass on Jul 25, 2005 17:27:25 GMT -6
Neither lost a spot BASS added a spot by what I read, so every one should be happy for the moment only the moment tho.
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 25, 2005 18:29:43 GMT -6
It was an extremely unusual set of circumstances that came together. BASS could never forsee that. SOunds like teh fairest way to resolve it
|
|
|
Post by tailchaser on Jul 26, 2005 7:36:21 GMT -6
Yea, i read the Klein/Clunn stuff.. i think the guy that lost out was clunn, he is only qualified for the 05 classic, not the 06. where klein is qualified for both now? i dont know, it just seems awfully complicated.... i realize most of the pros SAY they like the different formats, rules etc. but i dont think any of them would say different publicly anyway... i guess i was just venting a little.... if i was there i would deal with it... but it does seem kind of weird that at the FLW championship, there were 4 or 5 guys in the top 10 whose total weight was more than the winner's.... it just doesnt seem right... even if i was there, it would be tough to accept 3 or 4th place with the heaviest weight...but maybe thats just me..
|
|
|
Post by The Fishing Coach on Jul 26, 2005 12:34:49 GMT -6
It's not just you Ed. I am sure most people agree with you. It is different and it takes people a while to get used to new things. I talked to some of the guys in a non-public setting, I think they were being honest.
cbs
|
|