KVD and the rest of the field...

[pignjig]

Got a question for the guys that follow the pros- Is KVD a Living Legend, or what? Some of the other top pros have tried to best him and it just seems to be getting harder and harder for them. He's in a tight race for TAOY right now, but does anyone think he can be beaten? Personally, I think the fellow is the best in a field of incredibly talented anglers. Any thoughts?

[Robbie R.]

He is one of the best.......but of course he can be beaten.

Remember George Foreman ?

[pignjig]

There are a couple of other guys on his tail- closest is Faircloth- so, we'll see. This has been a great year for the Elite Series as far as hitting lakes at their peak (other than Old Hickory and that was nature's call). The last two tournaments are on big, bronzeback waters so the advantage goes to the northern anglers. I'd like to see KVD pull this off in a tight race. Thanks, Robbie.

[zooker]

a while back alot of the long time pro's split from b.a.s.s. kvd stayed..look at some of the other bass winners since the split. guys who were pro's but almost never were heard from are now coming and challanging.. i think the split helped bass pro's in some ways.

now as for kvd ability there is no question he is one of the best.. but as for his attitude toward others he is an azzhole PERIOD!!! i personally have seen it several times...

i was at the launch when the elite 50 loaded up. pro's were doin autographs, pictures,and such..van dam REFUSED to stop and talk to the 100 or so fans that was there. many of which were 8-12 years old..my thought was " what a d!ck!!!"

in all honesty i never thought much of mike iconeilli as a fisherman or a person till that day. ike probly is the most fan friendly pro i have ever seen..


i say this as an angler who is not overly wrought by any pro's name or ability.

zooker

[bassnman30]

Uncle Mike has that bass tattoo on his arm. That set the standards, now I have mine !

[carolina-rig-01]

i think that kvd is without a doubt a living legend. zooker said he was a prick when he seen him. i have heard that about him from a few guys and i have also heard that he was a great guy from a few guys (one of which is my dad who got kvd's autograph for me). they have bad days just like us where they really don't want to or feel like talking to people. i realize and agree with the fact that being personable and available to your fans is a part of the job. like it or not when you start fishing on that level being fan friendly is something you have to do and your sponsors will demand it and with the money these sponsors shell out who could blame them for wanting somone who is wearing their companies name to act pleasant no matter what kind of day they had. that being said the question was if kvd is a living legend and i strongly believe he is. when you look at all he has done and no matter where they go he is the guy with the bullseye on his back, and for a good reason too. probably the most versatile angler on tour (i know all these guys are versatile but not all are as strong at every part of fishing as kvd is). i personally have no problem with kvd winning but i like it more when someone else wins that hasn't "been there done that" over and over again. i don't see it happening at all but i would really like for mike mcclelland to win aoy.

[pignjig]

McClelland has a reputation for being one of the most personable, down-to-earth guys on the circuit. It's good for the sport when guys like that are successful, so I can see how it would be a good thing for an angler like Mike M. to come on strong. Of course, I don't know Van Damm personally, but he's really taken the competition to a "hole 'notha level". Logistics aside, I'd like to see a tournament or two during the year where the pros don't know where they're going until a few days before the event. That would really separate the pros from the also rans. Again, the logistics of that kind of format would be difficult, but it might prove real interesting.

[bamabassman]

while i agree with carolina-rig.... i also have to say that if kvd is having a bad day, he should realize that he is a public figure...no matter what. so in saying that, he should always smile and sign a few autographs and such. even if it is just a show. which i think it is anyhow. i have really gotten away from watching and listening to the pros now. i would rather watch and listen to folks here and on the river, lake, pond etc. sometimes they can help you more than any pro. i know that we have a few pros here, so reread what i wrote, ok? not ALL pros are a pr!ck. just a few. and that is understandable.... see they are trying to win money. and if you are into what you are doing, got your "game face" on, you truly don't have time for autographs and such. so i forgive them for that. i understand that that is their way of making a living. and each pro out there gives so much back to the sport they deserve to have "their" time. so i guess what i am really saying is it's cool as far as i am concerned. as for kvd being a living legend... i would have to say yes. he is still out there fishing and winning. where some are not. but even thay are legends in my opion. they started this craze. and the younger ones are continuioning it. and pignjig. that would be great in my opion about a tourny. just 1 thing i sould like to see added. DON'T let them prefish. try a tourny where they go out "cold turkey". then we can see just how good they truly are. but which lake could you send them to? find a lake they have never fished before. then turn em loose and see what they do. winner take all.

[pignjig]

Bama- I should have included te no pre-fishing in the post. Those were my thoughts, too. Of course, with how the sport's grown these last 4 decades, setting up a tournament like the first ones would be hard to do, unfortunately. I also agree that there are a lot of legends stil with us- Brauer, Rowland, Clunn, etc. You're spot on about that, my friend! I was just wondering what folks thought about KVD in general.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

while i agree with carolina-rig.... i also have to say that if kvd is having a bad day, he should realize that he is a public figure...no matter what. so in saying that, he should always smile and sign a few autographs and such. even if it is just a show.

i agree 100%.....that was what i was driving at when i said that they all have bad days just like us. but being available to your fans is your job. i am in total agreement with you my man! well said.

[zooker]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

just 1 thing i would like to see added. DON'T let them prefish. try a tourny where they go out "cold turkey". then we can see just how good they truly are. but which lake could you send them to? find a lake they have never fished before. then turn em loose and see what they do. winner take all.

during the elite 50 event they fished 2 days on high rock and the top 6 on lake townsend.. townsend was a "no prefish" lake. of the top 6 only 3 weighed in bass.i belive ish monroe won it with 3 fish. please note townsend in late spawn would shunk out even the most seasoned anglers with lots of prefishin. it is a tough lake to fish ANYTIME..

zooker

[bamabassman]

well i hope i wrote what i meant the right way, i was meaning to say i generally like the man. he has good days as well as bad. just like the rest of us, haha. he is without a doubt a legend in the fishing world. and he writes a great article in bassin. and carolina-rig, thank you. and zooker....i did not know of that tourny, thanks man. that just goes to show us that they ARE human, lmao, just like us.

[WTL]

I think we water down the word legend so egregiously that it no longer signifies the compliment it once was.

Muhammad Ali was a legend. Ted Williams was a legend. Satchel Paige was a legend.

Kevin Van Dam is a good fisherman. Thats all.

[BassMaster_17]

KVD is a great Fisherman and a legend in the making. I would love to spend a week fishing with him in all sorts of situations. Will he be the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time)?? He could be but i think he needs to get some wins or even solid finishes when they are fishing the lakes when they are catching 120+ lbs to win it, i have not seen him in the running when the BIG bite is on. As far as the others they just fear him to much, kinda like every boxer feared tyson in the 90's he was tough but was beatible and he got beat by those who set the fear aside.

I respect him, but as stated here by other members is that he thinks he is above everyone else, and he may be but a true champ and legend never lets it show to the FANS just in competition. He is a legend in time but right now he is a legend in his own mind and thats his downfall with the public.

[Jim80]

I remember when i was younger we had a golf tournament in waterbury , ct called the Bobby Bonds , Willy Mays , Barry Bonds tournament . My mom is pro photographer , so she landed the gig of staff photographer for this event . Being her son i got a press bracelet and got to go pretty much everywhere throughout the event . I got to met a lot of great guys but the things that have always stood out in my mind was how big of an a** Willie Mays was and Barry Bonds as well . At the time i was 12 years old and it left a life long impression with me . To earn the living legend brand you have to be more than better at what you do , it is a distinction that follows you everywhere you are and does not end when you step off the field or in this case boat in my mind earning the legend tag has a lot to do with how the youth that could be your successor is treated by you . A kid that is snubbed by a star no matter the sport it involves will be left with a memory of that event , and in general it reflects poorly on the sport when it's stars snub the fans .

[Jigger]

KVD is the best tournament bass fisherman ever, bar none, in my opinion. Even better than Clunn. The competition is so much tougher now than when Clunn and Roland Martin were in their heyday. What he does is almost magical.

I disagree with those who say that eliminating pre-fishing the lakes would better determine the best fisherman. I think it would have the opposite effect. I think if they weren't allowed to pre-fish, the results would be more likely to be determined by luck or by someone who had a lot of experience on a particular lake. Pre-fishing is what levels the field and gives everyone a chance at showing their ability. Tournament bass fishing doesn't have as much to do with the actual mechanics of fishing as it does in finding fish, reading a lake, figuring out what bait to use, how deep to fish and many other decisions that couldn't be made adequately if you just showed up and fished the day of the tournament.

[Deacon]

KVD is the best tournament fisherman out there. He has done so much for the sport its unreal. I met him when the E-50 was here and he was the nicest guy. I know he gets paid to be a nice guy but he was really approchable and friendly. I got a couple pics with him and chatted for about 5-10 minutes. All around a nice guy. Would I say hes a living legend.....in our sport sure why not. For our sport he is the Babe Ruth, Brett Farve or Jeff Gordon. I think KVD will be around for along time doing what he does best.......WINNING!

[bcklash]

When the Bassin Bandit was about Buzz Wings age we met KVD in Richmond Va. he had just finished about 7th or 8th in the FLW tourn. on the James River, not at all happy about it but still treated Adam like a son, so I think he is a nice guy. We met him in Hampton Va. a few years ago, he remembered Adam and gave him a coupon for 60% off any Quantum product and we could order up to 10 items. Yes he is a first class person and the best tournment bass fisherman of all time. BTW, being an old fart I'm a Rick Clunn fan.

[1FASTLASER]

I too think KVD deserves the legend fame today. One person I always thought was a true legend for the fact that it didnt matter what he fished he could be s strong winner at any time. Guess I am in the old fart club too backlash but my vote is for LARRY NIXSON.

[bcklash]

The one man I would love to learn how to fish plastics from is Larry Nixon, the best ever at using soft plastics. Yea laser I like him to.

[rrw4258]

KVD is a legend but I met him at our Bass Pro Shops a few weeks ago, and my take on it was that he did not seem to execited to be there, and when people were talking to him it just seemed like he was not paying attention. Jimmy Houston was also there, and he was much more friendly, talked to him, signed my hat and was just a nice guy to be around. He was very cheerful, and seemed excited to be there...

Ryan

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by 1FASTLASER

but my vote is for LARRY NIXON.

you're leaving out why, laser...the arkansas factor.

[thebus71h]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

while i agree with carolina-rig.... i also have to say that if kvd is having a bad day, he should realize that he is a public figure...no matter what. so in saying that, he should always smile and sign a few autographs and such. even if it is just a show.

I 100% disagree. Many racers get a bad reputation because they are "dickheads" because they'll go directly to the hauler after a race, or seeming like they're a big jackass. The problem with all that is, you can't say that one way or the other, because you don't know what's going on. One of my favorite drivers in the world (Steve Kinser) has bad nights every now and then, it happens. I remember being 12 at a World of Outlaws race at Lasalle Speedway in Lasalle County Illinois. He led the first 27 laps of the feature, then after a red flag, faded to 3rd as he didn't make the right adjustments. Now think about this, I'm 12 years old, and have been waiting practically my whole life to meet him, and say hello. We walked to the pits after the races are over, and he's no-where to be found. We wait, and we wait, and when he comes out, seems mad, and ya know what, I left him alone. That's all you have to do, if he doesn't want to talk, then don't try to force him. Thought is one of the most important things in life, and just because you're a "public-figure" doesn't give everyone else the right to barge in on your life, and control your life. He is told where to go, and when to go enough, and the last thing he needs is more of that. And honestly, I've met him at a BPS before and seemed really nice, and of course, it's a sponsor event so things are always different, but just because you're a public figure doesn't mean you have to be perfect all the time.

And if you disagree with me, think about the people that work retail when someone walks in the door at 8:59 and you close at 9:00, generally they're not to happy either. Think about that insurance salesmen that is in his office getting ready to end the week, and someone walks in 5 minutes before he locks the door and wants to talk life insurance for 3 hours. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute, think of all the athletes that have had this issue over the years, Tony Stewart, Ryan Leaf, they're under more pressure than you or I can fathom. We fish because we enjoy it, and I race because I enjoy that as well. I've attempted to do the professional thing in raicng, and I'm telling you right now, there has been plenty of times that I've gotten out of the car, changed into the street clothes, and hid from everyone.

I know you went on with your post and kinda went in a different direction, but I saw that first sentence and just went, "oh god, not again".

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by thebus71h

I 100% disagree. Many racers get a bad reputation because they are "dickheads" because they'll go directly to the hauler after a race, or seeming like they're a big jackass. The problem with all that is, you can't say that one way or the other, because you don't know what's going on. One of my favorite drivers in the world (Steve Kinser) has bad nights every now and then, it happens. I remember being 12 at a World of Outlaws race at Lasalle Speedway in Lasalle County Illinois. He led the first 27 laps of the feature, then after a red flag, faded to 3rd as he didn't make the right adjustments. Now think about this, I'm 12 years old, and have been waiting practically my whole life to meet him, and say hello. We walked to the pits after the races are over, and he's no-where to be found. We wait, and we wait, and when he comes out, seems mad, and ya know what, I left him alone. That's all you have to do, if he doesn't want to talk, then don't try to force him. Thought is one of the most important things in life, and just because you're a "public-figure" doesn't give everyone else the right to barge in on your life, and control your life. He is told where to go, and when to go enough, and the last thing he needs is more of that. And honestly, I've met him at a BPS before and seemed really nice, and of course, it's a sponsor event so things are always different, but just because you're a public figure doesn't mean you have to be perfect all the time.

And if you disagree with me, think about the people that work retail when someone walks in the door at 8:59 and you close at 9:00, generally they're not to happy either. Think about that insurance salesmen that is in his office getting ready to end the week, and someone walks in 5 minutes before he locks the door and wants to talk life insurance for 3 hours. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute, think of all the athletes that have had this issue over the years, Tony Stewart, Ryan Leaf, they're under more pressure than you or I can fathom. We fish because we enjoy it, and I race because I enjoy that as well. I've attempted to do the professional thing in raicng, and I'm telling you right now, there has been plenty of times that I've gotten out of the car, changed into the street clothes, and hid from everyone.

I know you went on with your post and kinda went in a different direction, but I saw that first sentence and just went, "oh god, not again".

i understand what you are saying but i still disagree. you are 100% right when you say that people don't have the right to barge in on their life. however wanting to have a picture taken or wanting to talk with a pro at a weighin is hardly barging in on his life. his sponsors pay out unreal amounts of money so that he will represent their companies name in a posative manner regardless of what kind of mood he is in or what kind of day he is having. about 30% or 40% of that is on the water. the other 60% or 70% is at weighins or public appearances. with the money these sponsors shell out what kind of day he had or mood he is in shouldn't determine if the company is represented in a posative way or not.

the insuriance salesman you used for an example is only hurting himself if he decides to tell the customer to come back monday. but these pros have a responsability to a lot of companies that have every right to demand that there logos are in the public eye from the time the truck and boat arrive at the tournament until it leaves for the next event.

i know what you are saying about wanting to hide from people when you don't feel like dealing with stupid questions or shaking hands and kissing babies. but there are things in any job that people hate doing and it's just part of the job that they chose.

[Fishnngolfn]

Both bus and crig01 have great points. I tend to think that "barging" into a professional life is asking for autographs or pictures when they are doing "everyday" things (shopping, filling up at the gas pump, enjoying a day at the park with the family, etc.). I have an autograph from Jack Nicholas from when I was 10 years old. He stopped on his way from the practice tee to the 1st green to give it to me. I never even asked for it. He just saw me with a notebook and pen and stopped. I had a big smile on my face the rest of the day even though I was there with my scout troup to help pick up trash.

Pros are in the spot light whether they like or not, but some fans can be real jerks as well. Some are even crazy enough to run out on a tennis court and stab the opposition in the back. I understand if pros have their guard up in public. I just try to be polite and courteous. If they are not polite or distracted somehow, I try to not let it bother me. Common sense goes a long way. Sadly, many do not have any.