Ozark_Basser Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Is he losing his edge? This is doubtful. He still tears it up in MLF where no one gets to prepare for tournaments. This leads me to believe that he doesn't have the time to prepare for elite series events like a lot of other anglers. You know that since he is KVD he is doing more promotional events, seminars, etc. than anyone else. Is he being overloaded to the point where it's effecting his performance? This may be true. I have read that Kevin is obsessive about studying up on past tournaments, future lakes, videos of old tournaments, etc. Was this one of the main factors that contributed to his edge as an elite angler? He doesn't seem as confident on the water as he did in the past. Quote
MassBass Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 I look at the way KVD fishes as a professional athlete. And as a professional athlete gets old, he starts to decline. Just a thought. 3 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 25, 2015 Super User Posted June 25, 2015 Either way, I prefer MLF over all the other tourneys. Great stuff. KVD is a beast on that show. 1 Quote
NJSalt Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 KVD is currently sitting 7th in the AOY standings. While he's not dominating tournaments and winning titles, I would not say he's "losing his edge" at all. 4 Quote
Ozark_Basser Posted June 25, 2015 Author Posted June 25, 2015 I look at the way KVD fishes as a professional athlete. And as a professional athlete gets old, he starts to decline. Just a thought. Lol. It's fishing. He is 47 years old. Old in fishing is more like 60 I would think. Quote
Logan S Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 Last year was abnormal for him, but he's in the top 10 for AOY right  now...So I wouldn't say he's doing poorly at all.   Look at this way...If Bassfest counted for points last year, like it did this year, KVD would have made the Classic.  I doubt we would be talking about his slump as much if that were the case, if we even talked about it at all.  Even still, you can't be at the top of your game 100% of the time, even if you're KVD .   The Elite Series field gets better every year too, with more top FLW guys making the jump.  The competition has gotten progressively better over the last 5 years or so.  There is very little 'dead money' in the Elite Series now.  1 Quote
Ozark_Basser Posted June 25, 2015 Author Posted June 25, 2015 KVD is currently sitting 7th in the AOY standings. While he's not dominating tournaments and winning titles, I would not say he's "losing his edge" at all. Well, I didn't see that. I usually just glance at the top five on the bassmaster homepage. I guess that finish on Kentucky Lake really moved him up the standings. I figured he was somewhere in the middle. Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted June 25, 2015 Super User Posted June 25, 2015 Maybe he needs to stop tinkering with his swing ... sorry ... wrong sport. Â Â He just had a bad season ... nothing more, nothing less. Â I hope it fueled him for this season. Â So far ... so good. 1 Quote
EmersonFish Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 He may not be at his peak, but he has not declined as much as some believe. At the 'Elite Series' level, there are so few tournaments, that you can't afford to have any kind of let down. The fact that he missed the 'Classic' last year only spotlights how incredible it is that he had gone so long without missing it. I'd imagine whatever decline there has been does has something to do with all of his commitments catching up to him a bit, and him being at a point in his career where he has nothing left to prove. So putting in the work to compete with all of these hungry young guys, who comprise a more competitive field than the sport has ever seen, plus balancing family and everything else? It's gotta be tough. He's not trying to scratch out a living anymore like most of the guys on tour. Having said all of that, if he wins "Angler of the Year" next season, I'm pretty sure nobody (with any sense) will be surprised. Quote
Gotfishyfingers? Posted June 25, 2015 Posted June 25, 2015 It's hard not to agree his overall performance has declined imho. He missed the classic last year for the first time in a while. As far as world rankings, he has declined drastically after being # 1. It's also hard not to agree he is not fishing for a check like a lot of the elite guys either. I think mentally he might not prepare himself like he use to because of that, again imho.. All elite events have a off limits period. Unless he gets to a lake prior to the off limits time, he spends just as much time as the next elite on the water. Also, there only allowed Mon- Wednesday (Wed is at most a half day) to figure out a lake for a Thurs- Sunday Tournament. I think missing the classic might of embarrassed his ego just bit. After all, some of his competitors in the elites dreamed growing up to be the next KVD!! Some of them young guns are fierce!! Quote
curtis9 Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 As the sport has become more popular, I'm sure it's more challenging for him to fish in events. I expect he always has a big crowd following him and has to manage that in addition to fishing. Quote
Super User Jrob78 Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 I wouldn't worry about KVD, he's just fine. Â Everybody has a bad season every now and then. Â It's just amazing that he hasn't had many in his career. Â It wouldn't surprise me at all if he won one of the remaining tournaments this season and/or AOY. Quote
moguy1973 Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 He looked like a machine down on Kentucky. I think he has plenty left in him. Last year was a fluke. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 Counting all that money distracted him 2 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 I heard his wife lost that Original Lucky Cookie recipe . . . .  And the new one is just not the same.  He's Hosed.  A-Jay 4 Quote
Super User Sam Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 Why KVD is not doing well........ Because a taxidermist does his taxes? His other hobby requires dogs and a lantern? He cleans fish in his living room? He and his dog are on the same medication? He is now using his bass boat to haul lumber? He was voted "most likely to fish from a bridge" in high school and he is working towards that goal? He enjoys playing with his baits more than he likes to fish? His kids' basketball hoop is a fishing net? He likes to hunt quail in the interstate median? The photo on his fishing license includes his dog? Motel 6 turns the lights off when they see him coming? He practices casting in his yard? His favorite hunting story includes, "So I rolled down the window real quite-like...." He sunk a rental paddleboat at the park? His house caught fire and he ran back to save his fishing lures? He likes to go fishing in Louisiana with a generator and a copper wire? He has been in the emergency room more than thee times this year to have a fishhook removed. He keeps catfish in his aquarium? His most effective fishing lure is TNT? His wife would rather fish off a bridge than shop for clothes? He would rather fish than have sex? He sends fan mail to his favorite fishing lure company? He spends more than a half a day in a tackle store? He was baptized on a boat ramp? He has an above ground swimming pool that he fishes out of? He has eaten out of a minnow bucket? His wadding boots double as dress pants? When he talks about great bass fishermen his grandmother's name always comes up? His truck license plate frame mentions fishing? His dream home is a bass boat? There are electronic singing fish in more than three rooms in his house?  I am sure you all can add to these suggested reasons why KVD is not clobbering everyone on the tours.  And special thanks to Jeff Foxworthy who is a genius for creating these sayings. 2 Quote
aceman387 Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 He's probably been spending too much of his time reading the everything else section on here instead of the other more useful sections  Kind of like me. 2 Quote
Super User Jeff H Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 I heard his wife lost that Original Lucky Cookie recipe . . . .  And the new one is just not the same.  He's Hosed.  A-Jay Yup, get the fork ready! Quote
Super User Sam Posted June 26, 2015 Super User Posted June 26, 2015 That is not a cookie recipe. Â It is McArthur Park and leaving that cake out in the rain. 1 Quote
Thornback Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 Lol. It's fishing. He is 47 years old. Old in fishing is more like 60 I would think.Knock it off you young whippersnapper I'm 76 and I have put four, that went over 8 pounds, in the boat since January. Back to KVD -- He runs on atomic energy and it could be at 47 he needs a new shot of uranium. 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted June 27, 2015 Super User Posted June 27, 2015 Sam ya got way to much time on your hands 1 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted June 27, 2015 Super User Posted June 27, 2015 Knock it off you young whippersnapper I'm 76 and I have put four, that went over 8 pounds, in the boat since January. Back to KVD -- He runs on atomic energy and it could be at 47 he needs a new shot of uranium. Â You saved me from commenting. 1 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted June 27, 2015 Super User Posted June 27, 2015 He lost his Larry Nixon play book . Quote
Super User RoLo Posted June 27, 2015 Super User Posted June 27, 2015 After an astounding string of top dollar years, KVD finally proved that he is human, and not a fish. The only surprise, is how such stellar performance could last so long!! If the 'Greatest Angler Debate' were repeated today, I'm afraid Clunn and Martin would be bumped. Â Roger 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted June 28, 2015 Super User Posted June 28, 2015 Everyone experences a slumps, it just took KVD 24 yrs to reach his! 3 Quote
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