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You've read the Brushpile for some time now, and look at you...you're ok. Outside of that nervous tick, some abdominal spasms and a bit of nausea, you're just fine. This week Keith Nighswonger descends on the unsuspecting people of Florida, to give us his first hand account of the 2006 Bassmaster Classic. This week's Brushpiles will have a definite Classic tilt to them and we bet you will find them interesting. By his own admission, Nighswonger is off to find the stories that you won't read about anywhere else. If you go to the Classic, you may not see him, but rest assured he will be watching you. There is no telling where he will show up, so be on your best behavior...... You've been warned!

2/26/06 If You Don't Like The Player, Don't Play The Game-Yes, this is yet another column about Mike Iaconelli. Yes, this is another column about his antics, his choreography, his hype and his unique ability to grab the head lines. My intent is not to glorify what he does, but in a way, what I am going to write will sort of do just that. I spent some time yesterday talking to the people that sponsor Mike Iaconelli and got answers that most would expect to get. "Mike is such a competitive person." "Mike is so passionate." "Mike has done so many things for us."

Let's make something perfectly clear. Mike Iaconelli is NOT more competitive than any of the other anglers here this week at the Bassmaster Classic. Mike Iaconelli is not more passionate, whatever that means, anyway. It is an absolute insult to the professionals at this event to say that Mike Iaconelli is "just so competitive!" Everyone here is! Not everyone is willing to create the spectacle that Mike does.

Mike Iaconelli is a person who understands all too clearly what it takes to keep himself in front of the media, in front of the head lines and in front of the cameras. That is it. It is what he is good at. He is probably a good fisherman, he has demonstrated that to us over the course of his career, however lately, his ability to grab head lines has far out advanced his ability to catch fish.

Consider the following performances:

Lake Wylie, SC 2004 Bassmaster Classic. "The Classic DQ" Ever since his dramatic Classic win in 2003 where he showed the world how to grab head lines, Mike Iaconelli has been one the handful of pros to be assigned a camera boat on day one of the Classic or E-50 Series events. He is a story waiting to happen, so he gets a camera boat for that first day. However, the second and third days of events like the Classic, the cameras go with the leaders. At Lake Wylie in 2004, Mike wasn't doing so well. Knowing that with his first day performance, he would miss out on the camera boat for the next day, Mike created a controversy. He went in and fished an obviously posted no fishing zone. Then he called himself on it, made the cell phone call to Trip and had his name in the head lines. "Former Classic Winner's Weight DQ'd." Head lines that we talked about, well after the event. Head lines that kept the cameras on him. This was orchestrated. Bassmaster Classics are "Hero Or Zero" events, no AOY points, nobody cares about second place. What did he have to lose?
Pittsburgh, PA 2005 Bassmaster Classic. "The Iaconelli Rules" Again Iaconelli makes a run at capturing head lines. First, folks in Pittsburgh will tell you that it is a blatant violation to run between barges and Mike did that and should have been DQ'd. The "antic," undoubtedly planned, did not capture head lines, perhaps because he did not call himself on the violation this time, (he did after all, finish in 5th place only 1-10 behind KVD.) The head lines were captured on day 2 when Mike "beached" his Classic Triton boat, and then proceeded to "blow the engine" attempting to "blow the engine" while making it look like he was trying to get off the shoal or sand bar he was on. The result? Some angry tournament officials, because last time we checked, boat engines aren't cheap, and a new clause in the BASS Rule book about anglers being responsible for damage that they bring to the tournament boats provided to them for the final day. Again, more head lines AND his own clause in the rule book, "The Iaconelli Rules."
Orlando, FL 2006 Bassmaster Classic. "A Melt Down Of Lunker Proportions" Remembering that Iaconelli is a showman, and knows that he must produce on day one of the event if he wants the cameras on him on day two, Iaconnelli performs his now famous day one melt down, when he discovers that the fish in his live well are near death, and he goes ballistic. I am not about to say that he allowed his fish to expire or nearly expire purposely. It is just that the live well problem allowed him to perform, live for the cameras. Knowing that his weight was light, Iaconeli needed something that could keep him at the forefront. If it wasn't going to be performance, then it might as well be controversy. The disqualification, while the right call by BASS officials, only made it better for him. After all, nobody could expect him to win if his day one weight didn't count. Perfectly orchestrated, mission accomplished. Two 30 pound bags, (Clausen and Clark,) Clunn's ten pounder and what were we talking about? The melt down.

I have heard things like "mental illness," "anger management," "acts like a baby," and other things that I would prefer not to repeat. I don't buy the "he's out of control" comments, and I'm not sure what maturity really is either. Mike Iaconelli is a player in a game, that he has learned to master. Those who think that his behavior is unique only to bass fishing, apparently don't remember Dennis Rodman, a basketball player whose talents for the game are long forgotten, but his talents for getting arrested or drunk in public capture head lines that his game doesn't. I don't want go far enough with this to say that Mike Iaconelli is using these performances to substitute for his sub par fishing. Mike Iaconelli is an excellent angler, at least I remember him being one.

Sponsors, tournament organizers, journalists and fans have nothing really to complain about. The game is what the game is. All attention is good attention. If we are talking about him, then we are thinking about him. He is the monster that Dr. Frankenstein created. As long as sponsors pay and tournament cameras follow and record, this sport will have Mike Iaconelli, and likely others who pick up on what he is putting down. Pure and simple, if you don't like the player, you shouldn't play the game. Now excuse me please, I am going over to knock Kumar's lap top off the table and kick a few tripods...........Maybe you'll see it on Sports Center.