Classic Miscellany

Just some more stuff I came across or thought about at the Classic today.

Overhead?

The last few years I've walked around the Classic looking at the hundreds of BASS and ESPN employees and thinking, How in the world can they justify all this overhead (costs)? Is the sport actually better off if ESPN spends all this money on the Classic?

In other words, I've been kind of worried. As in, How long can they keep this all up?

For some reason, this year it flipped around for me. I'm walking around seeing kids, families, college fishing teams, non-BASS trails, manufacturers of all sizes, banks of reporters, TV cables snaking everywhere, and it hit me: How can you not invest in all of this?

On the business side of bass fishing, people can talk all they want about viewers, subscribers, "impressions" and other stuff, and it's all important to a point. Obviously you have to balance the ledger, hopefully with enough left over to buy a Christmas turkey. But the bottom line is that you reach bass anglers through their hearts, and spending money to provide a forum (the Classic) for that to occur on a mega scale is a good thing for our sport's future.

Manufacturers that come into the sport have to realize this, way beyond just saying they realize it. BassFans kind of see the world like that old Charlie the Tuna commercial: "Charlie, StarKist doesn't want tuna with good taste. We want tuna that tastes good." If that makes any sense.

The New Guy

I'm not a prognosticator. Like most bass fishermen, I'm a wait and see guy. So I can't predict how Tom Ricks will do in his new position as GM of BASS.

And let's face it: A lot of things are out of his control (or at least seem to be), like what his superiors in the ESPN mothership tell him to do.

Nevertheless, I got the opportunity to watch Ricks in action a little this week. Here's what I did NOT see: holier than thou behavior, an entourage, conceit. Contrast that with what I'll call the "solar system-like" presence of his predecessors. They'd walk around with people orbiting around them like planets, all day long.

What I did see is a guy who took the time to listen to a bunch of people, actively sought some out to hear what they had to say, and at times told them what he thought. Basically what you'd expect anyone in his position to do who really cared about the organization and the membership -- and who had some common sense. I take that as a good sign.

Hall of Famers

For people on the business side of bass fishing, more events go on around the Classic than you can possibly attend. But one can't-miss event for me every year is the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

For any long-time fan of the sport, it's great. We hear firsthand from the people who pioneered and built this sport, people who you'd love to spend a day in the boat with, people whose autographs we should cherish -- and once you hear their stories, you'll want their autographs (Stan Fagerstrom, I want one from you).

I feel privileged just to be there once a year on what's always an emotional evening.

All of us owe these people a debt of gratitude, whether we realize it or not. I look forward to the day when there's a physical Hall of Fame. Enshrinement there is the least these people deserve.

McKinnis' Legacy

Since I seem to be forgetting stuff these days, it's no surprise that when I wrote about Jerry McKinnis' Fishin' Hole farewell a couple of days ago, I forgot one thing about his legacy: JM Associates.

I trust it's obvious that his company creates the best fishing TV. Their production values have helped elevate the non-fishing public's perception of fishing, and, at times, the sport's entertainment value.

As with all good things, those kind of results don't happen by accident. JM (the people) is one of the most forward-thinking, creative shops in the outdoors. I mention this here because that's a McKinnis legacy that will be contributing to fishing long after the Fishin' Hole is off the air.

The Runner-Up

I can't say I spend much time thinking about what makes Kevin VanDam so good. But when it comes up -- which is pretty often -- it's pretty fascinating.

Do you have any theories? I mean, beyond the whole born superhuman thing.

One I came up with is that I noticed that VanDam never gets flustered. Harried, yes, but then he just does that whole "gets mad at 'em" thing and it's all over. But he never, ever gets flustered.

During a tournament he gets that edge-of-the-razor focus, kind of like a fighter pilot. Not hyper. Like he's looking down a tunnel only he can see.

But then I realized that all the great fishermen are that way, in slightly different ways. So maybe that's part of the KVD thing, but it's not "it."

Obviously the last few years he's performed even better. So what's behind that? If you say that competition is easier on the Elite Series these days, how do you know? Did you use the World Rankings and run the numbers?

I've joked about the Elite Series being the "Kevin Van Dam Tour," but is it really? If not, it sure does sound insulting to the rest of the guys.

One other theory -- no doubt harebrained -- I came up with is the whole big brother/little brother thing. What I mean is, When the little brother is bigger physically than the older brother, the little brother still has this little voice in the back of his head thinking, He can still beat me up.

Is that what happened here? Is VanDam just beyond the "I have to beat Brauer, Clunn, etc." thing?

Probably not. KVD came out of the gate fast, and has always done it his own way.

Like I said, it's a harebrained theory. But I don't think it's his wife's lucky cookies. Maybe it's just as simple as he's the Tiger or Pele of fishing.

Lines of the Day

A couple from the weigh-in stage:

> Emcee Keith Alan asked Alton Jones what he would've done differently fishing wise. Jones said, jokingly of course, "I would've hole-jumped Skeet Reese , Kevin VanDam and Boy Duckett."

> Skeet Reese thanked the volunteers and manufacturer "pit crews" on-stage. Very classy.

> Best line of the day, Alan to Kevin VanDam when the "Super Six" were announced on stage: "I see you here all the time."