Did you see me there?

'Fish Burns' Up the Airwaves

If getting it right is bragging, then I'm guilty as charged. Wasn't it right here where the X-man pleaded the case for Fish Fishburne? Apparently someone at ESPN is paying attention because at the Classic, Fish finally emerged from the BASS doghouse and proved that he could hunt.

For what was obvious to me and probably countless other BassFans, Fish Fishburne has been an underutilized and equally underappreciated member of the broadcast team. But at the Classic, Fish finally got center stage all to himself, and the show reflected his up-tempo, steady performances.

ESPN is already touting a 44 percent increase in households over last year's Classic viewership and a 90 percent increase over 2000. Will Fish get any credit for those ratings, or the fact that viewership grew substantially each day of the telecast? He better.

One more X-Man observation that apparently hit home in Bristol: Whatever became of Kirsten Gum? Perhaps her absence signals a return to sanity and the end to know-nothing commentators, at least on Bassmaster telecasts. Let's hope so.

Frankly, I Don't Give a Damn

While Ron Franklin certainly is a slick announcer, he is merely the sizzle on the steak. Denny Brauer brought the real goods to the program, yet had to endure lengthy questions from his partner before getting any words in edgewise.

Instead of "throwing it" directly to Brauer once in awhile, the producers stuck to the formula of Franklin as set-up man. Brauer doesn't need it, and the show could have benefited from more time with the one guy who has something to say.

They Got it Right

The JM Associates crew made me a believer. Obviously someone gets it because they didn't sidestep the unfortunate shooting incident with Gary Klein, nor did they censor the bayou trash that blasted Klein with prop spray. In both situations, Louisiana unfortunately saw their promotional dollars flushed with the tides as these lowlifes only reaffirmed the stereotypical image of bayou residents. Take a kid fishing on the Delta? Only after he gets a gun permit.

JM also gets an X-plus for a Classic broadcast that was head and shoulders above recent efforts. The show moved along nicely, with on-the-water footage that complemented the stage production. Thankfully they toned down the manufactured Super Six drama and, in doing so, let the real drama play itself out.

One note to Jerry McKinnis: Am I the only one who wished he had held those bass partially submerged as he described the lateral line? For PETA's sake, don't ramble while a bass is gasping in mid-air.

The Ray Factor

Much of the talk around the Classic was speculation about Ray Scott's expected return to the BASS family, dysfunctional as it may be right now. The inside line on the deal is a delicate balance between what ESPN/BASS wants and what they fear.

What they want is Ray's obvious connection with BASS members and his calming influence with the Federation. What they fear is his personality, one that can be politically incorrect at times and not in keeping with Bristol sensibilities.

My guess is that Ray is already back. Whether ESPN/BASS can muzzle such a dynamic individual is the real question. Should be interesting.

I Like Ike

Mr. X likes Mr. Iaconelli, but the same feelings aren't true of some tournament pros. Iaconelli's New Jersey cockiness hasn't played well with the southern boys, as revealed in their desperate yearnings during the final day that 2003 would finally be Gary Klein's year.

Personally, I ascribe to the adage that "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up," and Iaconelli has done it. I'm still a little put off by the constant shouting, but I have to admit that it worked in winning this Classic. By the same token, his screams of "Never give up!" would have had more impact if it wasn't his normal reaction. I wonder if they cut out the footage of Ike grabbing a sandwich from the cooler and screaming at Classic-winning volume, "What, no mayonnaise?!"

Neon Is a Dim Bulb

If there's one thing Mr. X doesn't like it's being played for a fool. In no way, shape or form will I buy into the notion that Deion Sanders is an outdoorsman. A great cornerback? Yes. A former player/womanizer turned religious convert? No problem. A slicky-boy dresser? Word up, dawg!

Unfortunately, ESPN is now trying to sell this guy as a fisherman who harkens back to the days spent with Pappa Sanders learning the ways of Izaak Walton. Yo, what up with that? That is indeed whack and I don't mean whacking fish. His new title as host of The American Sportsman show makes Harry Potter look like a candidate for nonfiction character of the year.

Old News

I just happened to catch a re-broadcast of the made-for-TV fishing competition that paired NASCAR drivers with tour pros. Word to the agents of these drivers: There is nothing remotely positive to be gained from a program that shows your supposedly death-defying clients as pasty-skinned fishing incompetents. In their tailored tournament shirts, the tanned bass pros appeared far more like heroes than their Yuppie-looking co-anglers.