Mike Iaconelli - Bassmaster Classic

[Mad Kayaker]

Wow, listening to the weigh-in, I have to give Ike a pat on the back for being so gracious as they brought the final 6 out. The MC pushed and prodded him to get a rise but he gave the final two (Reese and Fralick) compliments. Skeet, on the other hand, gave him a dig by saying that when he heard Ike had a big bag, that he wasn't too worried because Ike "big-sizes" everything. I can't wait to see the coverage on ESPN to see if Skeet looked as bad as he sounded. In any event, this seemed like a good classic - I just wish there was better and more coverage.



Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[TrepMan]

I didn't realize till this morning watching the day 2 recap on ESPN2, that they had webcams in every boat, next year i'll have to figure out where on the site to go see those live, if they do them.



Sorry Van Dam was out of the running, but enjoyed the little TV coverage I did get to watch.



Trep

 

[Ken Sabin]

Congrats Skeet.



But ANYONE other than Iaconelli, all his screaming and BS makes me sick.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Congrats to Skeet but, his head is about as big as his boat:lol:

 

[Mad Kayaker]

So they didn't show the video clips that were part of the audio in the live feed. I think maybe they tried too hard to go with other media channels (e.g. web, premium service on web, blog, radio, etc...) and it came out a little watered down.



Maybe all of this will be on the DVD they are already pre-selling?



Good for Skeet, I wish Fralick was able to do what he did on days one and two and I like the way Ike handled it on the live audio feed. Whether you like him or hate him, he made a strong run from behind the pack, caught the bass he needed to make the run to number one in the last minutes of the classic and arguably got the biggest applause when he came to the stage for the weigh-in of all of them. That made it a very interesting classic.



Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Agree...Ike can flat out fish

 

[Texas Transplant]

Bassmaster and ESPN have so many mixed messages on their web site. Even though I tuned in via the internet several times over the weekend, it was always 'painful' to try and find what I was looking for. On Friday and Saturday, their 'live view' of the weigh-ins, were simply via the big monitor at the Expo. On Sunday, they didn't even have that.



Both Friday and Saturday their 'live updated leaderboard' didn't work right. Sunday it was working well.



I believe that Ike already knew that he had been beaten, given that he wasn't part of the official Super Six. I thought that was very poor taste on the part of the producers/director of the show. He clearly came BIG on Sunday, and was relagated to non-winning seat before the Super Six started.



Skeet is certainly a great angler, but I agree with the comments. He probably fishes without a hat, since it would be hard to find one that fit's his head.



On another note, did anyone watch some of the footage where these guys were taking their boats through the stump fields? Man, some of those people have no concern whatsoever, on their boats/motors.



We have to navigate similar stump fields here on Palestine all the time. You simply have to slow down and go easy. Some of them looked like they were in a demolition derby!



I also realized (should have really know it last year), that a number of the older big pro's that went to FLW came back last year to BASS, the Elite Series and the Classic.



Nice to see that the Federation Guy's who made it, performed well.



Tex

 

[Dan Poff]

I watched the 2 hour ESPN coverage of yesterday's action, last night from 10 to 12 Eastern time. Ike can flat out fish, but he does go overboard, got kind of turned off when he was spitting after catching a really good fish. I understand being pumped up, but that was a bit much.



As for the guys taking those boats through the stumps, CRAZY!:blink:



Not sure why they had to wait until 10PM Sunday night to show final coverage.



Shelbydad

 

[Bill McElroy]

Big difference how boats/motors are treated when the people using them don't have to pay for them or aren't financially "liable" in any way.



Ike would be a whole lot more marketable if he throttled back on his antics,....but maybe that's what his whole marketing plan is.........appeal to the Gen"X" crowd. I think he's a little "old" for that now....being in his late 30's, he acts a lot like a teenager, but to each his own. KVD is the epitomy of a professional in my book...he and several others who don't need to wear their hats crooked, bust light poles and toss flags in the water, break dance, and act like idiots to get attention. But,..not everybody will find those people appealing either. I will say this though,.....there are alot more KVD fans who will buy HIS sales pitch and persona, than IKE's. IMHO...Ike's fans are "gamers" who occasionally fish and would rather spend their $$ on an x-box.........KVD's fans fish and will spend their money on rods/reels and tackle more than games!!

 

[Jody Woodruff]

From what I have heard from guys that have met Ike he is a very nice guy in person and is very approachable and not at all like on TV. I think he looks like a moron with his antics and think a lot of it is his marketing act. Skeet on the other hand comes across as a first class smart aleck. The guy can fish but is a punk. I have a lot more respect for guys like Alton Jones and KVD that show class whether they are winning or losing and know how to act win a camera is around.

 

[Gilbert Scales2]

Mac, like always well said. I like KVD.



Bubby

 

[Ron288 Callahan]

if ike would just shape is cap lol

 

[Bill McElroy]

Woody,..that's a true statement.....I've met Ike a few times and fished with him as a "co" in a FLW a few yrs ago....in private he's not at all like he is on TV, ....that's what bugs me I guess!! It's all an act on TV! I guess that's why I like KVD....he's the SAME in person as he is on TV.....as genuine as they come!! I like "real people" I guess...nothing fake or pretentious about VanDam, Alton, Brauer, Woo, Stricker, Bill Dance, Hank Parker,....they're all the SAME in front of or behind a camera.

 

[Kevin Kern]

ESPN360.COM had the coverage live. I watched it on my computer all three days. I normally watch all the fishing shows and follow the tournaments this time of the year, however, when bass fishing starts around here.....I watch a lot less tv and spend my time fishing. I think Mac pretty much feels the way I do about Ike. Some of it may be we are showing our age. It seems that Ike attracts the younger generation, KVD on the other hand is a great ambassador for the sport. I watch Ike and he gets a fish on and says "it's a giant" and then puts a 2 pounder in the boat, that S _ _ _ gets old. I enjoyed the Classic, they had over 100k people there those three days total. It's a great sport, get out and enjoy it!

 

[Teri C.]

I just hope I qualify for the final tournament for the Women's BassMasters so I can fish the Red River and all that structure!!!!!!!!! I was drooling at all the things I saw and it was everywhere!!!!! I promise I won't scream like Ike but I might kiss a hog repeatedly.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Do me a favor Teri...when you set the hook, put the gorilla hurt on em'!

Don't have a wimpy hookset like Kim Bain:lol:



I seen one thing about Ike that kinda bugs me at the classic...the spitting off the boat after a catch is not a good example to set for the younger generation.:wacko:

 

[Mini]

ESPN360.com's live coverage of the classic was only available to people that had ISP's that were "affiliated" with ESPN. I watched Friday's weigh-in at my local watering hole (WiFi) but couldnt see the other days from home (Comcast).



Ike is what he is. In "his" world he is the only one, all the fish are giants and he is still 25. I think its time for Ike to grow up and leave it to the younger Pro's to bring the younger generation into the game. Just my .02

 

[Texas Transplant]

One of the last 'BASS University' sessions I had, both KVD and IKE were they. Both did a great job. Only once, did Ike put on the 'Gen X' look, and somewhat winked at everyone. Too much of it is for the camera/show.



KVD is simply - THE MAN. Period. Eclamation point!



Loved the interview that he did with Zona on Sunday. 'I made a mistake of Friday, and went to the wrong area.'. Nuff said.



Tex

 

[JIM SHINN]

Ike is the man. I like what Mike brings to fishing. It's never dull and it spices up what others don't bring to it(fishing).



Ike will fish an open in NJ once in awhile to keep his competitive edge and it gives us weekend anglers a chance to fish against a local guy who has made it big. He's one of the nicest guys in person. He stays behind after the tournament, answers questions, poses for pictures and will sign autographs without any hesitation. There's never a negative response from him and will share a ton of tips as well. Here is a picture of Ike & I after an open tournament on the Delaware River on Labor Day weekend. Ike and his partner finished 2nd. We were within a 1/4 of a lbs of him and his partner. My partner missed a solid 3 lbs.'er on a crank early in the day and we knew that it was going to haunt us in the end.