Classic question/observation

[Mike Taft2]

Interesting to me not much commentary around the classic this year. What (if anything) does that tell me about the Classic? Did the new timeframe throw of interest? Or was it because a local guy wins it? Just interesting I didn't read much banter about it this year. Not like when we were wondering if KVD would unseat Quinn on his home lake, etc....



Also, what does everyone think about Swindle's DQ? That flyby looked mightly close to me. I think I would have been cranking up to follow had I not been in a tourny.

 

[Herndonpro]

I think the DQ was the right decission, looked close to me as well. Alot of the talk I've seen was about the wake he might have thrown, but I think it was more about how close he was to the other boats and the chance of collison.



As far as the talk of the Classic I think alot of it had to do with the lack of information. BASS did a poor job of updating their website after each day and the television coverage was not as indepth as last year and the times were terrible. There was no way I could stay awake until 12:30 a.m. to watch it and it left no opportunity for kids to watch.



HP

 

[Steven Parker]

I talked to Swindle on Sunday after the DQ. He said (just like on TV) that he made a bad decision, but that they do it all the time in practice without issue. He did feel that he had the ok to drive by.



For those of us that know, the wake is less on plane than it would have been if he were doing 10-15 mph. (Which explains the apparent speed)



In my opinion, these guys are professionals and nobody in that group was in any danger. GS was behind the wheel as opposed to some clown that is out there on a Sunday afternoon just cruising around in his ski boat.

I think if there had not been a camera and spectators around, we would not have heard about this.

With all that being said, I think the DQ was appropriate based on the situation, because it sent the wrong message to less experienced boaters.

 

[Mike Taft2]

I agree with the on plane vs idle wake comment, but I don't want anybody

runing WFO that close to me while I'm sitting still. One slip, one bad wake,

one anything could send it right over my boat. I think I would have banned

him from another tourny or two also. Seems very dangerous to me.

 

[Mike Newman]

I watched some of the live and also the replay this weekend and here are my comments. I can hardly stand to watch ESPN BASS coverage anymore. It is about 80% hype/commercials and 20% fishing/info. I think I saw the GS flyby replayed 100 times. My wife was even going nuts. I miss watching Hank Parker actually fish and explain what he is doing on any lake vs. watch a whole bunch of talking heads and little actual fishing/techniques. I would be interested to know if anyone has ever kept track of how much actual fishing(line in the water) time there is in the current 30 or 60 minute shows. I guess my issue is more about not having the technique shows on anymore which is what I am more interested in at this time.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

You didn't hear anything about it this year because it was crap!

Swindle deserved what he got and then some

 

[Texas Transplant]

I liked the comment that Skeet had.



'G had a brain fart.' Pretty much sums it up.



And no, I don't think that Randy Howell gave him permission to go through at full throttle. Howell commented on film after Swindle flew by, that 'he shouldn't have done that.'.



The other comment would be this. Howell is sitting there flipping a jig. Someone running by WOT is going to cause a large water disturbance both with the wake; the churn; and the noise. That will screw up your 'spot', pretty quickly.



And, idiling by causes little or no wake/disturbance.



Tex

 

[Greg Meyer]

BASS has gradually slipped since about 2001.... Hmmm that's about when they were bought by ESPN...

 

[Mike Taft2]

First time I didn't renew my membership in MANY years!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

I think the DQ was entirely justified and also an a$$ whippin' if the chance showed itself.



I don't like WHEN the classic is held. Ever since it's been held when it is I just haven't had the enthusiasm about it that I used to. I know it's considered old fashioned but I also would like to see the classic go back to the way it used to be. That's when they didn't have any idea of where they were going to fish because they were on an airplane and didn't find out until they landed. After landing all anglers had the exact same boat to fish out of and everything seemed equal to me, unless it was someone's home lake. I just thought that was as nerve wracking as it could get! That's why they used to say Roland Martin never won the Classic! He wasn't given the time to plan his attack and chart the waters.

I don't know, I just miss that.. I realize it hurts marketing but it would solve a lot of the "citizen" boats chasing the anglers around, etc.. Just my .02 worth...



Uncle Billy