Okay,
First, after the suggestions here, I figured I could be safe in buying a BP Pro Qualifier... So, I did. It and a few other things are on the way to my house...
Also, I bought a BPS Extreme Baitcaster with the flippin switch as an additional reel. (Like I really needed another one, but oh well!) It will do double duty for me since I like baitcasters with flippin switches for running three ways for walleyes/saugers.
Now, I need to pair them both up with a nice rod... same criteria... under $100
Primarily I will need one crank bait rod and one for flipping and pitching. I am going to probably add one more setup after I get familiar with these two. I am taking this to a whole new level for me... decent gear for bass fishing.