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By Keith Nighswonger
2.03.09-Gerry, I Hope You Are Paying Butch!-Though I am quote un quote, out of the game for now, I still dabble, still brose, still check in to make sure that all of you are behaving yourselves and I am constantly taken back by what I consider the most heartfelt, the most genuine, the most unbiased, the best written and the most entertaining content on the entire internet regarding bass fishing, the infamous Butch Tucker Tournament Journal. I can't think of anything regarding the sport I would rather read then one of Butch's masterpieces.
Ironic of course is the fact that Butch posts these journals on the BassFishingHomePage which brilliantly makes anyone and everyone an instant columnist. One must wade through a lot stink weed to find one of Butch's gems, but now that the tournament season is finally upon us, I trust that I will get my fix on a more constant routine. Ironic of course that in a business where everyone is trying to squeeze water from rocks to generate a few dollars, Tucker is posting his brilliant commentary on a public message board. Message to Terry Brown at Wired2fish and to Mark Jeffreys at BassZone, hire this guy.
Gerry, (BFHP wizard and founder,) you don't know how good you've got it, on second thought, yes you do. Butch keep on writing, if you need a publicist or an agent, give me a call.
1.03.09-What Game Is Everybody Else Playing?-Maybe the NCAA could create a new division for USC to play in. I mean it just isn't fair to people who tune in and want to watch a competitive football game on New Year's Day to have to see a game that is over at half time. Is there nobody else who can at least stand on the field with this program?
5-0 SEC, 5-0! Pac-Ten teams won all of their bowl games this season which should dispel the myth that football is soft in the west. Speaking of western teams SEC, how does Utah destroy Alabama, the one time number one? I'll tell you how it happens, the SEC is weak. Yeah, I said it................
Of course the SEC isn't really weak, it is normal. A strong conference in the NCAA's first division. However, when compared to what USC brings, the conference is a perennial back seater. It just isn't fair to the rest of the division for USC to schedule matches with D-1 schools. Perhaps next season, USC will be able to pick up a few NFL teams on it's schedule.
12.31.08-Happy New Year: Message To The Auto Industry-Being in the market for a new vehicle it occurs to me that what the Industry is trying to sell us what amounts to a large, healthy, heaping mound of "Banta Fodder." Consider this, I just got through watching a Ford commercial in which a woman, presumably a Ford employee looks me in the eye and proclaims that now Ford wants to sell me a car, and that I will get a special price; my price is the price that Ford employees pay. Imagine that, Ford wants to help me out by giving me the special "employees only" price. You know what I think of that? "NUTS!" I've got a message for you Ford, you better believe you're going to give me the "employees only" special price, and here is another term of our sale, I'm going to get zero percent financing.
Then there is Saturn with their "no-haggle" pricing. What the hell do you mean, "no haggle" pricing? We are going to haggle. I don't care what the tag says, we are going to have a very uncomfortable discussion about the price of your vehicle, in fact, if we don't wheel and deal, I'm going to walk out that door, and travel down the street to the next dealer, and you know he will be willing to haggle.
The auto industry has prostituted itself for years, making "special deals," talking 90% of something to avoid getting 100% of nothing. The industry has established itself as "shady" at best over the years with its "smoken deals" here and "sweetheart deals" there. Now the industry wants to be bailed out, I mean, it wants a loan that "it intends to pay back in time." You know what I say? I say the auto industry should ask the oil companies to lend them the money they need. If you think about it, the two industries deserve each other. Certainly the oil companies probably look at the auto industry and see a bad investment, how ironic is that?
11.14.08-BASS Marshals-Good news former pro-cos, now it will only cost you one hundred bucks to be able to climb into a pro's bass boat! Yes, you former back seat pros can now trade in your patches and vests for the golden badge of a Marshal. More good news pro-cos, you can still affect the outcome of an event! You can be a rules technician and bust guys when they go up on pad three feet before the buoy, you can throw your penalty marker if a pro keeps a crank bait fish that was hooked outside the mouth, (actually that is only in California,) you can still be "the man" in the back of the boat, heck, I expect Budweiser to do a "real men of genius" commercial for you, "this Bud's for you, Mr. Bass Fishing Back Of The Boat Man, Marshal."
By the way, there is no word yet as to whether you will: a) Get a real badge; b) Get a penalty marker; c) Get to wear a cowboy hat.
Brody And The Chocolate Factory-You know the story of Charley And The Chocolate Factory. Find the golden invitation inside a Wonka Bar and you're going inside the gates of Willy Wonka's magical candy kingdom.
You may remember Brent "Brody" Broderick, the BASS Open angler who went to the top of the proverbial mountain and made the bass fishing world aware of the "Open Angler's Plight." Brody was instrumental at calling everyone's attention to what guys at the Open Level have to deal with, in their quest to get into the magical candy kingdom known as the BASS Elite Series.
WELL.....Brody got his wish. Just a couple of days ago, Brody, along with several other Open contenders were notified that they had earned their shot at the BASS Elite Series. For Brody, it is all he has ever wanted, (he does want to win a Classic, but that will be for another column at another time.)
The metaphors around Brody's qualification are so many that a book could be written. But consider this, Brody is the ultimate track star because he has jumped so many hurdles to get to this point. However, just as in the steeplechase, there is that last hurdle to get past. The last one, is the nasty high hurdle over the water hazard. Now all Brody has to do is find a way to come up with the estimated $150K that it will take to fish the Elite Series, ($55K entry plus about $85K give or take in expenses.) Do we put this into the be careful what you wish for category? Absolutely not. This is something that Brody has planned for, and worked for. After all he has had to do to get his "golden ticket," coming up with $150K doesn't seem all that tough.
If you would like to reach Brody, drop me a line. A line.
Bass Fishing Home Page: The Pulse Of America?-Wow did you guys get that one wrong. I guess that in the future I will have to spend more time reading news outlets and looking at other polls when it comes to reading the "pulse of America." After reading the BFHP I was so sure that McCain would win that election by such a landslide that I simply disregarded all of the other obvious signs. When I watched Obama out execute McCain in several debates, I thought, "yeah but the BFHP has McCain-Palin at about 56 to 3" I thought, surely what I am watching isn't reality. So I did what I thought was right. I stopped watching the debates because I didn't want anybody changing my mind.
BFHP, how does it feel to know that you are so out of touch with main stream America? After all in a Presidential election, the reality is that who ever wins really is the choice of the main stream. Out of touch? Out of date? Apparently I am.
I will tell you this, I am impressed that this "kid" inspires so many people. I am impressed that our nation has evolved to the point that we can see past a man's skin color, closing our eyes and opening our ears, thus allowing our mind to choose what sounds like substance. I am impressed that once again our system has allowed for a change of government without a single shot being fired. The people have spoken, let's give the kid a chance.
10.19.08-Conventional Coaching-Two stories in professional sports this week demonstrate why the coach will never win in the "rear-view mirror" world of second guessing that occurs every Monday morning or at least after every big playoff game. Decisions by two coaches prove that no matter what you do as a coach, you are going to be wrong unless the players bail you out.
Raiders vs Jets: Tom Cable did the right thing. With just 8 seconds left on the clock and his opponent setting up for a 52 yard field goal attempt that would tie the game, Cable waited until the last possible second to call a time out, to ice the kicker, to make Jay Feely think a little bit more about how far away those goal posts looked. Cable got his wish, a time out, that was called as Feely was connecting with the boot that was long enough, but hit the up right and fell harmlessly to the ground, no good, right? Wrong, the official of course insisted in give Cable his time out, and of course, given a second chance, Feely banged it through.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. As I watched the game, I thought "wow if Cable doesn't call a time out to ice this kicker and the kick is good, Al Davis will probably fire him." Cable would have been wrong in the newspapers and sports talk shows tomorrow no matter what he decided to do.
D-Rays vs Red Sox: Baseball is a sport of tradition and unwritten rules. One such unwritten rule is that you don't show up the other team by waving your hands when you hit a home run, or pump your fist when you strike a guy out. Another such unwritten rule in baseball is that when you have a big lead, like say, oh, I don't know, 7-0, you don't advance runners by stealing or bunting them across.
Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon with his team leading 7-0 in the top of the seventh inning, had runners on first and second with no outs. The book says you bunt those guys over, the unwritten rule says you don't humiliate the team that is on the verge of being eliminated and is trailing 7-0. Opposing pitchers throw at the heads of your batters for doing things like that. Sadly for Maddon, it is two games later now, and his team has a great chance of being eliminated this evening. If Maddon bunts those runners over, he is a jerk because he was trying to run up the score. If Maddon doesn't bunt those runners over, he is a jerk because he allowed a team down 1-3 to come back and beat him.
10.17.08-The Happiest Man In America-Bill Buckner had to be wearing a cynical smile last night, that is if he stayed up late enough to witness the most improbable comeback in the history of sports. You heard me (read me) correct on that one, the most improbable comeback in the history of sports. I'm an LA guy but sorry Kirk Gibson, that 7 run comeback puts your bottom of the 9th grand salami into second place on the all time list of dramatic comebacks, (actually my dinner last night is a close 3rd place on the list of dramatic comebacks, I've got to stop eating Mexican food!)
Wait a minute, how can I say that a seven run comeback over the final three innings is more impressive than a World Series game winning grand slam? Simple, the Red Sox always find a way to come back from 0-3 or 1-3 deficits in championship series, and this year, trailing 1 game to 3, and losing by 7 runs with only 7 outs left, even the most devoted Red Sox fan had to admit, things weren't looking too good. Many Sox fans were seen leaving the stadium early. (The ones that were still there at the end were drunk, or waiting for the final train to take them home.) This year the Red Sox have out done even themselves in coming back to win last night. Question: In the name of doing things "green" and in conserving energy and so on, do we even need to play those last two games in Tampa Bay?
Why is Bill Buckner smiling this morning? Because now sports fans will have Evan Longoria to remember as the guy whose error with two outs allowed the Sox one more chance. Because now Red Sox fans have finally been paid back for the destruction caused by Buckner's error in the 1986 World Series. Because now, of course, the Red Sox are going to win the next two games in Tampa Bay, ruining the World Series hopes of several dozen D-Ray fans.
Poor Evan Longoria. This morning, he simply thinks he made an error in a close game last night. When the Red Sox accomplish the inevitable, winning the next two games in Tampa Bay, Longoria will begin to realize the magnitude of his throwing error last night. When the Red Sox make the Phillies look sillies in the World Series, it will all begin to sink in. Somewhere in America Bill Buckner will have a special sigh of relief, and Red Sox fans will finally have been paid back for the 1986 World Series.
10.16.08-Presidential Debate-I haven't watched the presidential debates on television, not a one. It is not for lack of interest, it is simply that I don't want to take the chance that my mind might be changed.
I'm Voting For Obama-Or maybe I'm voting for McCain, the real test will come when I actually step into the voting booth and cast my ballot. This election has got to really be frustrating for those who conduct political polls, news outlets, opinion pollsters, even the candidates themselves. How do you really gage the way people will vote in this election? We live in an ever increasing nation of political correctness, and that is probably OK, we have gone the other direction for so long, it is probably OK that you and I have to think about what we say before we say it, I have no problem with PC. However, if you ask me who I'm voting for, come up to me at a grocery store with your clip board, tell me your taking a survey, I'm very likely to simply tell you what I think you want to hear, just so I don't have to explain myself.
Look up the "Bradley effect" on Wikipedia, and you will see that there is a known syndrome that seems to attach itself to elections in which minority candidates are the perceived leaders in the polls, however not necessarily on the ballots.
"is a proposed explanation for an alleged discrepancy between voter opinion polls and election outcomes in American political campaigns when a white candidate and a non-white candidate run against each other.[2][3][4] Named for Tom Bradley, an African-American who lost the 1982 California governor's race despite being ahead in some voter polls, the Bradley effect refers to an alleged tendency on the part of some voters to tell pollsters that they are undecided or likely to vote for a black candidate, and yet, on election day, vote for his/her white opponent.
The theory of the Bradley effect is that the inaccurate polls have been skewed by the phenomenon of social desirability bias.[5][6] Specifically, some white voters give inaccurate polling responses for fear that, by stating their true preference, they will open themselves to criticism of racial motivation. The reluctance to give accurate polling answers has sometimes extended to post-election exit polls as well. The race of the pollster conducting the interview may factor in to voters' answers"
Social Desirability Bias-I'll tell you what ever I think you want to hear. Catch me after I vote, an "exit poll," I'll tell you I'm undecided.
Where Have I Been? I have been in treatment for a multiple personality disorder that I think I have under control at this point. My doctors tell me it comes from wanting to take all sides in every argument, or simply wanting to argue for the sake of disagreement. I believe I have it under control at this point, however I'm told that Ted, "What's His Name" could still emerge from the emotional wreckage that goes with a multiple personality disorder.
Bass Fishing In A Green World-Actually I have spent quite a bit of time lately working in the garage on a mast and sail system for my bass boat. I will never have to put a drop of gas in my boat, I will simply sail from the marina to my various fishing spots, on the wings of the wind. What about my electric trolling motor? I have that figured out as well. I have hired "Mario" a Venetian Gondolier from Italy, and as soon as he gets his visa, I will be out on the waters again. Mario also has a beautiful singing voice which makes it even better.
Gas Prices-While most of us in the United States are making adjustments in our consumption of gasoline, trying to do our part to ease the demand on oil, (heck I even looked at a Hybrid Tahoe last week.) Our friends in emerging industrial nations are just now getting their first tastes of "The Western Lifestyle" and they are loving it. This summer's Olympics in Beijing demonstrated that nation's potential for consumption. Does the Western man expect China's 1.3 billion people, not to want big screen TV's? Not to want high speed internet? Not to want to drive a Suburban? Here is some news, everyone wants the same thing.........more. We may be able to cut back on what we do, but we should not expect others around the world to "do without," when many of them now "can have." According to News Week, the number of new millionaires in China is growing rapidly, and that equals a whole of consumption.
Oh, by the way, don't look now, but India, with it's population of 1.1 billion people, has a faster growth rate then China. It won't be long before that man wants what the west has.
Bass Fishing-I must admit that I have not found a lot to get excited about recently in the world of bass fishing, heck even the BFHP has turned into a platform for political rhetoric, you can't even get a good football discussion anymore!
I did read recently however that FLW will look to make it's tour events accessible to BASS Elite Series pros by actually scheduling around BASS events in the 2010 season. Wow, what a concept. It has taken a near depression to do it. That would be something that would peak my interest again. Putting ALL of the best anglers on the same body of water.