Iaconelli DQ'ed

[blakstr1]

I want to eliminate the usage of the word conspiracy within this string all together...rather I strongly believe it was a marketing ploy, you don't televise a sports event just to satisfy already finatics of that sport (although its partially for that) but rather to draw viewers that wouldn't normally tune in, how do you do that???  drama and interesting stories..enter IKE! 

Every sport has a bad boy, no major sport is without one..Ike's our guy; like they say, love him or hate him...ESPN will continue to present him as such until the hype for him begins to fade, but that won't happen anytime soon.

[blakstr1]

This is an article from www.jayyelas.com ...  please be aware this article does not support BASS, so if you would draw offense from that please do no read; this is just a view from a professional anglers eyes and experiences.  It's a very interesting read and quite relavent to this string's topic...

http://www.fishingworld.com/Pro-JayYelas/Summaries-Previews/default.html

[yukonjack2]

Well said Jay!  I couldn't agree more.

[McCarter]

If this were golf, Ike would be Happy Gilmore and Yelas would be Shooter McGavin.

I understand some of the things that Yelas is saying, but it really seems to me that he doesnt want the sport to grow.  I have nothing against Jay Yelas, but in all the footage i have ever seen of him, he seems very bland and without a personality.  He is getting left behind because he is not exciting to watch.  Guys like Ike, Swindle, KVD are fun to watch and you can see there passion everytime they are on TV.  Thats why these guys are the best known anglers.  And they get other people interested in fishing, and watching the events on TV.

I was at my soon to be father in laws house last Sunday for his birthday.  I turned on the classic at 5:30 and a few of the people there came over to watch it with me.  None of them ever watch fishing, but 2 of the 3 knew who Ike was.  And they all knew who KVD was.  They couldnt name one other pro fisherman to save there lives.  But they knew these two guys because they get a lot of mention.  Of course companies are going to want to have there products endorsed by guys who are in the spotlight.  Can you imagine if the classic coverage only showed guys like Yelas all day long?  No one would watch.  There would be no big named sponsors becuase there would be no audience.

I think Ike got the short end of the stick on this one.  He definatly needs to tone it down a bit, but i think he is being targeted.  We have seen this kind of behavior before.  No one made a big deal when David Dudley threw his temper tantrum at the Jacobs Cup ( i think it was the Jacobs Cup ) when he kept losing fish.  He went on a minute long cussing rampage, almost broke his rod over his leg, then threw it on the ground and kicked some other stuff.

And i seem to remember Ish getting bleeped a few times when he was yelling at spectators to get out of the lock.  Now that was for sure directed at the spectators. 

I think it was poor decision making on Rangers part to 'fire' Ike over what happened.  IF he loses any other sponsors over this thing it will be ridiculous.  I am not a fan of Berkley or Pure Fishing in general for personal reasons.  But i commend them for standing by Ike.  I would hate to think that i would lose my sponsors over being passionate about fishing.  Maybe he took it a little far, but its the bassmaster classic.  I might have done the same thing in an ABA tournament if i lost all my fish. 

I do think we will see a more tamed Mike Iaconelli in the future.  thats too bad, really.  I know a lot of guys dislike him, but i think he is great.  He is passionate.  Whats wrong with that? 

PoorBoy himself

[225XS4Garza200PXL]

Thats just the thing... he is "passionate"... It's all an act...

I believe that the passion he showed at the Classic he won was for real. ESPN saw this and ran with it. They liked it and i'm sure they're giving him some type of compensation to keep doing it. He's wigging out over a 1.5 lb fish... c'mon... get real...

Don't get me wrong, I want to see the sport grow just as much as all of you, but ESPN is turning our sport into the WWF. And I won't stand for it because I think it is making bass fishing lose its integrity...

Mike Iaconelli used to me one of my favorite bass fisherman... but his alterego "Ike" just chaps my rear... That's exactly what it is... ESPN doesn't want Micheal Iaconelli, they want "Ike"... I think he's a sell out...

Its all an act... its all a sham... Watch "Ike" run a Triton this first tournament here at Amistad...

[smbassman]

? Can you imagine if the classic coverage only showed guys like Yelas all day long?? No one would watch.? ?

PoorBoy himself

I would!!!

[superjay5]

I would too

For me its not about the characters catching fish, its all about the fish!!!! and that is what fishing should really be about.

[dartag]

I would too

For me its not about the characters catching fish, its all about the fish!!!! and that is what fishing should really be about.

ESPN has made it about MONEY not fishing...? ?look how much actual coverage of fishing there was..
the thing that got me was him trashing that pole with the American Flag on it..
Imagine the troops defending our country watching that..
FLW is now running boats with National Guard wrap.. i bet if he did that there he would be gone for good..

i am sure someone will sign him up,? and he will be back making even more money..

look at? ? Kobe, O.J.,? Bode Miller...? the list goes on...

come on summer so we can all be outside...

[McCarter]

I would too

For me its not about the characters catching fish, its all about the fish!!!! and that is what fishing should really be about.

If it was only about that, you would see fishing as a sport die.  You cant expect to entertain people who do not already fish by keeping the slow pace of years past.

Maybe ESPN is only in it for money, but the way fishing is marketed these days is what gets new people into it.  I have old fishing videos that i lend out to people who want to get into fishing.  Most of them hate the older ones that are slow paced and bland, but the newer ones with all the flashy colors, newer style music, hit tech equipment, and fast paced style are the ones get there attention.

My nephew is 9 now, and he cant sit through 5 minutes of my older Bill Dance or Babe Winkleman videos.  But i throw in KVDs pitching to heavy Hitters and he will sit through the whole thing, askin questions about different stuff.

He will also watch Bass Saturdays with me.  Every show.  But i cant get him to sit down and watch the older style shows.  Because to someone who is not into fishing like we all are, its boring.  If the kid thought that is all there is to fishing, he would never want to go. 

They have to do something to compete with the things younger generations are into and used to these days.  And i think they are doing it. 

PoorBoy himself