Conroversey at the Classic!

[KenDammit]

Originally Posted by IL.bassin

It has nothing to do with the sport it has to do with ratings. When ESPN took over it's all about the ratings. Every sport needs it's badboys. Tony Stewart, Ron Artest, T.O. even pro wrestling has bad boys and it's all scripted* Fact is those personalities draw attention to the sport so people watch.

And honestly they've always been there. Roland Martin is known as a jerk. They say Hank Parker was a handful in his day.

Another thing, and this is just my opinion, FLW was/is well on it's way to catching BASS. As cleancut and wholsome as FLW and Wal-Mart is making their series, maype ESPN thought they would shake things up a bit in hopes to elevate their organization over the other.

yeah but people say that his antics are "good for the sport"..they say that its "helping the sport grow"..but is it really, or is it really becoming a detriment? Is it lowering the sportsmanship standards that newcomers will have in the sport? Imagine a lake full of screaming Ikes, cursing and kicking and breakdancing...would that be good? When the actions of someone overshadow the reason everyone is there in the first place, you have a problem. You mentioned T.O. and look what happens to him...teams cut ties with him because it becomes a distraction. The same thing happened with Ron Artest. These guys start to become a sideshow and take the focus of everyone away from whats really meaningful, and in this case..its the betterment of fishing and its ethics. I understand the point that BASS likes it because it draws ratings, but is that something you are willing to support?

[Jackl]

Ike was one of the touring pro's that was part of the BASSMASTER UNIVERSITY group in Kansas City that I attended a couple weeks ago. Ike was very subdued, very instructional and very polite. I was starting to change my mind about what I thought of him, then he pulls that stunt at the classic and it just served to reinforce my first impression of him. A COMPLETE A__H___!!!!!

JackL

[bassintxlady]

looks like ike gives something to talk and gripe about ???...hence the necessity of his antics....we all have crappy days....sheesh....let it go.....shut up and fish....!!!!!!......

[betursweetbass]

I guess I'm forturnate I didn't see the coverage or the actual episode, but I say give Ike a break. I would like to believe that along with being rated one of the country's top fishermen, and all the pressure's and obligations of being where he is, he is bound to pop his cork now and then. Now I'm NOT saying what he did is acceptable, I'm only saying for someone as "passionate" as he is about his sport and career, it doesn't surprise me. Do I like Ike, Yes, Do I want to be like Ike..NO. I just admire him for his passion for bass fishing.
I would agree that he needs to work on controlling his negative emotions though, as the world is able to witness his every move on the water, and whether he likes it or not, he is a role model to alot of young men out there, and he should keep that in mind. Give him time, and he may mellow out and surprise us all by becoming a true Professional.

[bassintxlady]

very well said !!!!!

[WTL]

Why should we give him time? He's a grown man and he should act like it instead of acting like a child. Everybody by the time they hit their late teens, early 20s should at minimum be able to keep their own composure. I was willing to give him a few breaks, but after a while enough is enough.

Now maybe 30 years from now he will have finally settled down, in which case I may reconsider my opinion of him. But right now I think my mind is pretty much solidly convinced that the guy is a jerk. Sorry but those are the consequences of acting like a jerk.

[bassintxlady]

everyone is entitled to their own opinions....he lost the classic....so i say give it a rest..... period!!!!..............let's talk about "bass fishin" .....the most important topic i know of!!!!!......lol.....

[betursweetbass]

Thanks for jumping in there for me lady....smiles....as to your question: why should we give him time? Just cause he's grown, don't mean he's mature. He went from a nobody to superstar, in the media limelight, I would prefer to see him follow in the steps of Clunn, Nixon or Roland Martin, and show some humility and poise. I guess it takes longer for some folks to learn those traits though?

[Fishing4Soup]

wow a temper tantrum fishing? He probably lost some sponsors for that...hopefully.

[Fishing4Soup]

although my best catch was a dead steelhead lol...had to be like 10 pounds. Snagged it flyfishing nymphs on the bottom...i didnt throw a temper tantrum though lol.

[bass kicker]

triton and mercury are the same company now merc baught out triton

[IL.bassin36]

Originally Posted by KenDammit

yeah but people say that his antics are "good for the sport"..they say that its "helping the sport grow"..but is it really, or is it really becoming a detriment? Is it lowering the sportsmanship standards that newcomers will have in the sport? Imagine a lake full of screaming Ikes, cursing and kicking and breakdancing...would that be good? When the actions of someone overshadow the reason everyone is there in the first place, you have a problem. You mentioned T.O. and look what happens to him...teams cut ties with him because it becomes a distraction. The same thing happened with Ron Artest. These guys start to become a sideshow and take the focus of everyone away from whats really meaningful, and in this case..its the betterment of fishing and its ethics. I understand the point that BASS likes it because it draws ratings, but is that something you are willing to support?

I think it does help the sport grow because it draws attention. It's good for the sport because it draws attention so it grows. But I don't think that it would be good if there was a lake full of guys like that. I think you have to have a balance of good vs bad guys.

T.O. and Artest were shunned by their teams but thats what they were trying to do. Artest wanted out totally T.O. wants to go where he can win a Superbowl. When T.O. is just spiking on the Cowboys star, or grabs a Sharpie he's labled as an *** but everyone still wants to see what he's gonna do next.

Having said all that. No I personally don't support it but I can understand when they say it's good for the sport because your talking about growth which equals money at that level.

[pig n jig]

The dumb@ss watched too many Beavis and Butthead shows ? Maybe he should be mentally evaluated or at least have to fish wearing a straight jacket for a X number of tournaments ? Anger management classes ? Mike, whats next, cross dressing ? Maybe his father was Darth Vader.... Come to the dark side Mike.? I heard people with Bi polar are dysfunctional like that ?There are so many unanswered questions.

[basser087]

Ike also broke the record with his DQ for the most times DQ'd in a classic. What he did will leave a bad example with all of the young fishermen that look up to him. Then for him to say that he did nothing wrong after breaking a light pole, that was a BASS sponsor product and a safety device. I think that was even worse than they act because he couldn't say he was wrong and that he should't have acted that way then the kids think it's alright to do. Ike needs to come out and say that his actions were wrong and that no one should act that like that is a role model to so many children.