Defending Our Sport!

[blakstr1]

Well on the way to work this morning I was listening to the local rock station in Saginaw Z93, they have a morning show called Joe and the Poorboy.? They touched on the list of the most hated people in sports this morning, and Mike Iaconelli is around 9th on the list.? They went on to say things like, bass fishing isn't even a sport, and how do you trash talk while fishing...yada yada..? So I did what any self respecting tournament angler would do..I called them up and defended our beloved sport.? We argued back and forth, I explained why some people don't like Ike, and why others love him..? I explained why things are so competitive and other characteristics of bass fishing that make it truly the greatest sport in the land.? Right now more of an individual sport, but if the proposal gets accepted for the Bass Club Championships, it will quickly become the greatest team sport as well.? Anyway, my points began to ring through with most of them, in the end I think I have them convinced to come to the State Championship on one of the days and do a live feed at the ramp.? Then they will be convinced!? Did anybody hear my call in, i'm not even sure it was aired, but it sounded like it was going to be??

[McCarter]

You know what the funny thing is, these guys on the radio are probably mid aged over weight couch potatoes who play no sports.  Who are they to say what is and what isnt a sport. 

Let me take them on a Lake Erie boat ride, out to Pelee Island on a calm day and see what they call it then.  IMO that kinda thing should be considered an XGame sport.

Disc Jockey punks

  Sorry, i just gave up my Kodiak Wintergreen habit.  Im feeling the withdrawls and its making me a little a-n-g-r-y.  And im starting to twitch too.

PoorBoy himself

[blakstr1]

the radio station just called me back here at work and did a live on air interview with me about bass fishing and Mike Iaconelli.  They didn't air the call in, i guess it was too argumentative and they weren't prepared, so they called back and we had a pretty intelligent conversation about things..they still have a hard time seeing Bass Fishing as a sport..they made the comment, I would have a hard time asking another guy to sign my pole...

got to do a plug for Team BASS too...so all in all not too bad..

[Revtro]

I hear that kind of stuff all the time.? Most people view our sport as some old guys sitting in still water for hours on end with a worm on a hook hanging over the boat or dock while taking a nap.? That's the view the average person has of fishing.? When I talk with people about the competitive nature of fishing they tend to struggle to understand it because they ask questions like "how do you compete with other guys just sitting there with a worm?"? They have no concept of the high energy style of fishing that is the tournament scene.? Generally, people don't understand that it takes stamina, energy, focus, education, and an amount of fitness.?

I am especially aware of the fitness aspect of competitive fishing because of my chronic back problems.? I end many tournament days with a very sore back and utterly exhausted from running and gunning.? Fitness and stamina are also an issue when rough riding St. Clair.? Oh yeah, and there's balance.? I'd like to see the average non-fisherman stand up and operate a trolling motor in heavy current with 2 foot waves, like we often have to do in the St. Clair river.? So let's see... balance, strength, skill, stamina, patience, focus, education, and straight up competition.? Sounds a lot like a sport to me.?

Another thing that often gets strange and confused looks from people is when I mention that I need to practice for a tournament.? "How do you practice for fishing" they ask.? Most people have no idea what it means to have to understand bass movement, location, forage, mood etc.? They think I'm out there practicing my casting or something.? When I take people out for the first time, they are always shocked that there is so much to it and they instantly get a whole new level of respect for our sport... especially when they come home exhausted at the end of the day.

I think the only way we're really going to change people's minds is to take them out fishing.? Someday TV will have a larger impact, but until then we should make an effort to take people out as much as possible.? Every year, I make it a point to take people out on the water and expose them to tournament style fishing.? I've only been tourney fishing for a couple years myself, but I have been fortunate to take about 10 people out and get them totally addicted.? It's been awesome to see.?

Good job calling into that show.? I hope they come out to an event and get their minds changed.? That would be great to see.

PB - Good job too giving up the habit.? I know it's tough, but the twitching and homicidal feelings should subside soon.? Try not to kill anyone in the meantime.? ?

[MBell]

Don't think sport is the right word, it's a competitive event that is more mental than anything.  It doesn't take any extraodinary athletic ability or size, anybody can do it with practice.  It is something all it's own, it's you against the fish in an ever changing environment.  It's on the bordline of sports along with bowling and golf; But unlike those other two sports there is no physical advantage someone can have like someone who can drive the ball 380 yards in golf.
-Matt 

[dhuff]

Fishing to me is a sport but as Mbell said a different kind of sport.  This may be one of the most mental sports out there.  Hours and hours without a bite all in an effort to catch a little fish.  Got to love it.  Keeping that mental edge is key, especially in tournaments.  I have a lot of respect for the pros that do it all the time.  It is also physically demanding.  I stand all day.  I do not like to sit.  I am way to intense.  At the end of the day after the sun and wind beats on me all day.  I am exhausted and ready for a shower and some sleep.  Everyone can call it whatever they want, to me it is the greatest sport or whatever anyone wants to call it that there is.  Golf what's that when I have an open lake, boat, rods and some bait.  Golf will lose every time.

[smbassman]

Don't think sport is the right word, it's a competitive event that is more mental than anything.? It doesn't take any extraodinary athletic ability or size, anybody can do it with practice.? It is something all it's own, it's you against the fish in an ever changing environment.? It's on the bordline of sports along with bowling and golf; But unlike those other two sports there is no physical advantage someone can have like someone who can drive the ball 380 yards in golf.
-Matt?

I suggest you try keeping up with the number of casts KVD makes in one tournament day and then say there is no extraodinary athletic ability .  All I know is that after an 8 hour tournment, I am exhausted and it takes a couple of days to fully recover and these guys fish 3-4 tournament days straight.  I would definitely call it a sport, at least at the pro level!

[Savage]

I get the whole mental pursiut aspect of it, but when you go flying across a lake at 72 MPH to beat someone to a spot, and if your heart gets beating when the adrenaline hits your system upon seeing a big hog, it's probably a sport.  Direct competition = sport in my book.  It's even starting to be a spectator sport!

Now that we have that settled, let's get some cheerleaders.

[djkimmel]

I consider it a sport. A lot of emphasis is put into physical training by a number of the top pros. About as much as is put into mental training.

I know running a boat for a couple hours, then hard fishing all day (especially if you try to challenge KVD cast for cast), then running for a couple hours back is not something many people could take for very long.

Blake - thanks for doing what we all need to do. I've 'corrected' a few outdoor writers too in the past. I took one out and he thought we were going 60 some miles per hour all day - a real wild ride like he had no idea could be done. It was kind of rough and I probably never went over 40, but to him...

I know when I lose weight and work out, I fish a lot better in competition. Better sleep is also very important.

One of my favorite things was when (I think it was) Stephen Browning won that ESPN survival challenge against all those other type of sportspersons. The tournament bass guy won it all!!!! I think that says something about many of the top tournament anglers.

Granted you don't have to be an 'ironman' but it sure don't hurt...

[Savage]

To be consistantly succesful at a higher level, you MUST be in shape.

[MBell]

Theres a lot of guys who can cast as fast as KVD but they would be fishing too fast for their minds to keep up, thats what sets him apart.  I would consider it a sport I just think it's in a class by itself.  Not only do you have to have the ability, you have to be constantly adjusting when dealing with a living creature.  That's why I'm so impressed by the guys who continually finish near the top.  I just think that unlike other sports natual ability or talent will only take you so far.  With fishing you have to work constantly at getting better otherwise you get left behind. 
-Matt 

[dhuff]

I have to laugh, because as I am reading this I am eating chips and drinking pop!  Maybe I should go for a walk.  Ha ha

[fishon1219]

As far as the being in shape goes I consider my self to be healthfully obese. 2 years ago I got my 5'10" frame down to 220 lbs, was working out every day and eating granola bars and other good for you snacks while fishing. My tournament finishes stunk, after about 2 hours into the tournament I would have to take a dump, and my back hurt so bad in between my shoulder blades after 4 hours I couldn't stand it to hardly cast. Last year I went off of the health craze, quit working out and started eating Vienna sausages, and pringles for boat food. My back quit hurting and I could hold my bowels for the entire tournament. I also started chewing Kodiak like a fiend when I would fish. I won more money fishing last season then the past 20 years of fishing combined. So, bring on the junk food and the Kodiak for this season cause I now have to make a boat payment

[Cheetam]

...I went off of the health craze, quit working out and started eating Vienna sausages, and pringles for boat food. My back quit hurting and I could hold my bowels for the entire tournament...

I almost lost my bowels reading that (I was laughing so loud)...

[Savage]

Must be the Kodiak!

[ronhuntfish]

Now that we have that settled, let's get some cheerleaders

That's the smartest thing I ever heard you say savage!

By the way, I fish, and I have lots of shape.

[Skulley]

I wonder if these guys on the radio have ever been to an Active Anglers Event on Lake Erie.  That is the only Tournament Trail that has the Hooter Girls from the Taylor Hooters show up for the weigh ins.  It is obvious to me that the DJ's from that radio station don't have a clue.  If they knew what kind of preparation goes into the event itself as well as the preparation that the competitors have to go through, they may change their minds.  There is mental preparations as well as physical ones.  They need to witness more tournaments.  And as far as I am concerned, fishing is a sport and will always be a sport, because we as anglers are all considered SPORTSMEN.

Most of all, they only have opinions, and as we all know......OPINIONS ARE LIKE $%^#&*@'s, EVERYBODIES GOT ONE.  The media.......a real clueless bunch. 

BD     

[blakstr1]

maybe the fact that Skeet Reese was on a superbowl commercial will help people see what we are about...but i'm sure a lot of people didn't even know what they were looking at.

mental and physical preparation prior to competing..sounds like a sport to me!

[smbassman]

I'm sure most people missed that part of the commercial or were thinking..."why is that race car driver fishing in a water fountian pond?"  Of the group I was with, myself and my wife were the only ones to notice Skeet.  BTW - who would name their kid Skeet? 

[blakstr1]

Skeet is my real name....   but seriously you're probably right, somebody, somewhere said hey, was that Jeff Gordon?

His older brother is named Jimmy...i've never understood how Skeeter boats hasn't made some kind of deal with him, seems obvious...of course I don't mid he runs a ChampioN