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 Celebration, We Have A Problem-In what has been an epic Classic, (I was going to say, "Classic" Classic,) an interesting side note is the fact that the two leaders, Luke Clausen (44 pounds,) and Ron Shuffield, (39 pounds,) are two anglers that will leave BASS once they put their boats on the trailer this afternoon.  Having spent the day with Clausen yesterday, it was made clear to me that aligning with sponsors was a big part of his reason for switching to an FLW only schedule in 2006.  Ron Shuffield on the other had is a little more complicated.  Ron has long been a Triton, Mercury Pro, and it would seem that the Elite Series would be tailor made for him.  It is not.  He is not.

In considering the leader board, these first two pros, if either wins, will be largely out of the spot light on the BASS scene for 2006.  Bassmaster Classic Champions have always been able to look forward to the "poster child" status placed up on them, not just for the upcoming season, but for many years to follow.  If Clausen or Shuffield wins, then what?  Who is BASS' hero?  Who is the pro that gets pushed to the forefront?

Lurking in the shadows are two strong possibilities, Terry Scroggins and Preston Clark.  Both are in the 39 pound range and within striking distance.  Both will be competitors on the BASS Elite Series in 2006.  Either would make an excellent Poster Child.

If either Clausen or Shuffield comes through and wins today, BASS could fall back on one it's time tested back up plans, that's right Mike Iaconelli.  I'm sure Iaconelli, if given enough time, can come up with a scheme to steal the headlines from either Clausen or Shuffield, but you are going to have to give him time to work on this one.  He isn't fishing today, so it will be harder for him to find a camera to "act" in front of.  Perhaps, Mike could rush the stage and steal the Classic Trophy shouting "mine, mine, mine," and keep on running until he is tackled by Micky Mouse.

Not to go off on a tangent here, this is a serious problem.  The Classic Winner is supposed to carry that banner for a year.  Be the spokesperson for the organization, heck, he is supposed to be the Mayor of Disney World!  If Clausen or Shuffield wins, this could be a problem.

They did this to themselves.  The organizations.  They have so tightly aligned themselves with truck companies, boat companies and motor companies that they have choked off the talent, forced pros to take sides and have divided the core of bass fishing fans across the country.  They have sold their soles to sponsors so much that the integrity of the events has been shaken.

What to do?  What to do?  What to do?  I have an idea!

BASS, the good news is that there is someone out there with a similar problem as the one you are faced with.  There is someone you can call, who has been dealing with the same predicament that gnaws at you.  Get out your phone book and look up Benton, Kentucky.  You spell it F.L.W.  Greg Hackney of course was FLW's Angler Of the Year in 2005.  Hackney should be wearing FLW's Golden Crown, yet because he is fishing only BASS Elite Series events this season, he just doesn't fit into FLW's marketing.

Yes, Celebration, we do have a problem.