Hack to the Elites in 2021

[TnRiver46]

I’m glad Scott made it so we get an inside look at the tour through his cameras! 

[Shimano_1]

Glad to see some of the well known guys going back. Hate to see cox go to the bpt. He's become one of my favorites and seemed to be doing well where he was. Nothing against the bpt necessarily but I always like hearing anything the helps BASS. They are the organization that started it all and I sincerely hope they persevere and everyone continues to see them as "THE" tournament series. If I had the opportunity to go fish any professional tour next year it would be them for sure! Maybe cox will give wheeler and Lee some competition next year! Good luck to all of them!

[redux]

Invitees include: Bryan New, Justin Atkins, Matt Robertson and Marc Frazier from the overall standings; Jason Christie, Greg Hackney, Kenta Kimura and Darold Gleason from the Central Opens; Stracner, Martin, Justin Hamner and KJ Queen from the Eastern Opens. Schlapper has already earned an Elite Series invitation as winner of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

[OCdockskipper]

"When you strike at the king, you must kill him" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

When BPT formed at the end of 2018, they struck at BASS.  They wounded them, but did not kill them and the point of Emersons quote is being exposed.

 

BPT had all of the momentum to start the 2019 season, instant credibility based on who they brought to their roster.  Cracks started to show at the end of the year when Palaniuk & Swindle literally paid to leave BPT & go back to BASS.  Think about that, it had never happened in professional fishing before.  Top anglers willing to pay $50,000 to NOT fish a tour.  This year closes with Christie, Hackney, Martin, New, Atkins and others willing & able to qualify (or requalify) though the Opens to join the Elite series, while BPT tries to replace their losses with Cox.  The organizational momentum has swung back to BASS and is picking up speed.  It will be interesting to see what BPT names sign up for the 2021 Opens in order to try to qualify for the 2022 Elite series.

 

2021 exposed a major fundamental difference between BASS & BPT.  BPT did not have the organizational strength or commitment to finish out their season when Covid19 hit, they called it quits halfway through.  BASS had the ability to reschedule events for both the Elite series and the Opens in order to complete a full season.  I think that makes a difference to the anglers participating as well as to the fans.  Suddenly having an organization run by & for the anglers doesn't seem like such a great feature.

 

I know many may not agree with this, but I am of the belief that BPT is 3 anglers away from being looked upon as a secondary tour, kind of like the way FLW was when the Elite series was flying high.  If Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee and Ott DeFoe chose to leave BPT and requalified for the Elite series, I would call checkmate.  Those 3 represent the young but successful future of BPT and should they jump ship, BPT becomes the minor leagues.

[billmac]

If Scott Martin is joining the Elites, then Roland may join him on the trail in 2021.  I think he has a Legend exemption or something like that.

[OCdockskipper]

I'm not sure how the legend exemption works exactly.  I know anglers are awarded points for Classic wins or AOY's, with the more points being higher priority, but I believe there are a limited number of Legends exemption spots (2).  Further, I'm not sure if an existing angler on the Elite series because of a Legends exemption can be bumped out by a more qualified legend (i.e., if Roland Martin wanted to fish the Elites, he couldn't bump out Gerald Swindle and take the spot Swindle was already awarded).

 

Roland might have more fun being Scott's number one fan.  I can envision the first time Scott comes across the Elite stage, Dave Mercer may wisecrack "Someone told me your dad used to fish BASS tournaments, is that true?"

[billmac]

OCdockskipper:  I'm just going by a video that Roland and Scott put out together.

[OCdockskipper]

Oh, I never saw it. 

 

I would love to see Roland Martin on the Elite series, he is good for the sport of bass fishing.

[billmac]

15 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

I would love to see Roland Martin on the Elite series, he is good for the sport of bass fishing.

I think this is the video:

 

I don't know if he's right about his ability to get in.

[scaleface]

The BASS fantasy fishing rosters are up for the first event and John Cox is listed in  it .Roland Martin not .

[IrishJig]

On 12/6/2020 at 11:05 AM, OCdockskipper said:

I know many may not agree with this, but I am of the belief that BPT is 3 anglers away from being looked upon as a secondary tour, kind of like the way FLW was when the Elite series was flying high.  If Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee and Ott DeFoe chose to leave BPT and requalified for the Elite series, I would call checkmate.  Those 3 represent the young but successful future of BPT and should they jump ship, BPT becomes the minor leagues.

For me, the draw of MLF over BASS isn’t about the anglers as much as it’s about the “every fish counts” way of doing things.  I like it better than the big 5 method.  Of course it helps to have known anglers to root for, but with their TV coverage it is easy to get to know the ones on their roster and find guys to cheer on.

 

MLF is a more entertaining spectator sport because there can be excitement at both the top of the scoreboard and at the cut line, or even at the lines to qualify for Cups during BPT events, or even at the top 3 to qualify for the World Championship during Cup events...

[OCdockskipper]

5 hours ago, IrishJig said:

For me, the draw of MLF over BASS isn’t about the anglers as much as it’s about the “every fish counts” way of doing things....

 

MLF is a more entertaining spectator sport because there can be excitement at both the top of the scoreboard and at the cut line...

 

I don't necessarily disagree, although I would suggest that the "every fish counts" format works better when the pros are fishing a lake they haven't practiced on.  When they have to figure out the lake on the fly, that format shines.  When they have had a couple of months to prepare for a tournament and a couple of days to dial in the conditions, it makes catching a dozen 2lb bass less impressive.

 

Even though I have been a marshal multiple times, I find all live fishing events to be like baseball.  I enjoy having it on in the background while I am doing something else.  To try and sit and just watch it, I just can't do that.  At least when you are a marshal, you can chat with the competitor and you have something to do (log fish catches, take & submit photos, etc.).  Since you are not an official when you are a marshal, it is much more fun than being in the boat for an MLF event - that is a job.