The death of sportsmanship??? ( not too long)

[5bass]

He didn't cheat THAT much.

Somehow that doesnt sound right.   :-?

he's obviously a smart businessman and made his career pay off big time.

Exactly, I think he saw where BASS could go down the road and he obviously took advantage of a few things "for lack of ruling" to get his name solidified as one of the top guys as BASS grew. He was the poster boy for a long time.....because he was winning tournaments.....did he cheat to win those tournaments?

Its kind of like Barry Bonds. He supposedly took steroids when they were legal in MLB......but it wasnt that they were legal at the time, they just werent testing for steroid use when he used them.  

[Jeff H]

No, it doesn't sound right but to play along with the potential encumbering assumptions, I said it. We can't call it that when referencing those early years, but today you'd likely get your butt shot for it, then banned posthumously while being dropped in a shallow grave in a pig pit. We are worlds apart on the rules now, from then.

Maybe it wasn't the ethical thing to do back then but he didn't break any rules because they didn't exist at the time.

[5bass]

Maybe it wasn't the ethical thing to do back then but he didn't break any rules because they didn't exist at the time.

My point exactly. He saw "what BASS could be" and did everything he could to make sure he got on that ride with BASS and win alot of money in the process.(OH SON!!!)  ;D

The rules that are in place now for today's pro's would have leveled the playing field back then, Roland was just a little smarter than everyone else. Once everyone caught on to what 'ol Roland was doing, they started making rules to prevent him from doing those things anymore.......and some of those rules are still in effect today.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

What I do not understand is some of these guys need to stroke their own ego's and to harrass guys who have less experience than they. ( they told this kid to come back in 10 years when he had enough skill to actually compete.

Karma baby,...had they taken the time to help this kid instead of trying to swipe his feet out from under him........who knows what could have happened.

What comes around goes around, they'll get theirs (or WON'T get theirs,lol,...next tourny hopefully)

Tin2win dealt with this a lot and still does.  It just fuels him to beat these people,...and he does!  Nothing sweeter, trust me, it's an exact duplication of my skiing career.  I was always the kid with the "chicken legs".  

Guess what,...."chicken legs" is in 1st place,....what's YOUR excuse?  

[Pittsburgh Reeler]

When I was looking at joining a local club as a non-boater I was met with a less than enthusiastic welcome. It was almost as though a resume and references were required. I fished one tournament with them and was paired with someone who hardly acknowledged I was on the boat ;D. Fortunately I'm in a club now where everyone is treated equal. I have the smallest boat at 16' 4" and the slowest with only a 75hp motor but no one cares as long as I show up for meetings and tournaments.

I was nervous about all of the things talked about in this thread and the club I found welcomed me and the members help me to become a better angler. We fish for points mostly, so money isn't an issue most of the time. BUT: Why can't people (like those mentioned in the initital post) be competitive AND have manners? I understand the whole thing about all the time and money involved, but if you are mean-spirited to all the new people who are trying to learn (mean-spirited in general, to boot), you WILL NOT attract new people to this sport, you WILL NOT please your sponsors and eventually hinder your own ability to make all that stinkin' money, and WILL NOT stop the decline in popularity of the sport so that it grows, ADDING $$$ for everyone. I'm not saying divulge all of your secret tactics, baits, and spots, but a little general common courtesy is never too much to ask, much less going out of your way to be rude. Sheesh!

Sorry- had to put in my 2 cents. I hope I didn't misunderstand anyone!

[boondocks]

I personally think the problem is the way our society treats other people as a whole. Its just trickling over into competitive sports.

People just don't seem as freindly to each other any more. People aren't as friendly at the check out counter, at the local gas station, you name it. Common courtesy is going down the tubes.

Next time you are at the mall say high to someone randomly and see what happens. I bet they look at you like your some kind of pervert, or weirdo or maybe even with discussed. >

In todays society being rude or unfriendly isn't as looked down on as it once was.

SMILE, lifes to short to be a sour apple.

[Gatorbassman]

There is nothing better than thanking those chest beaters for their donations as you walk away with the cash.

I like being the quiet one they fear.

[Tokyo Tony]

I heard the same thing about Roland in Tarpon tournaments in S Florida - pay guys to sit on his spots, they call him when the tarpon are passing through, then he goes and slams them.  He was banned.

I don't know this for a fact, but I heard it from a guide that fished the same tours who had no reason to lie about it.  

[HPBB]

You know you will meet jerks in any sport. In my club we are very competitive, but we don't put people down. Yes, we tease, but to put people down. no that's bad. I have met many of these guys who feel they have to put people down. more than most of the time these guys can't fish all that good and they try to punk someone out, and it seems they work some times. I don't have a bass boat per say. I have a walleye boat (a deep V, sea nymph GLS 175 (17'6") with a 75hp on it). some guys will say "I do not want to be in that boat" most do not,  also when they see I have a 36 volt tm and 2 color DF/GPS, their song changes, cause they don't have that kind of gear on their boat. Infact most say they have had a boat like mine and wish they would have never gotten rid of it. They guys that put my boat down at the begging of the day, usually change their mind at the end of they day.

Also these a*#holes are not just in Bass tournaments. Last year I was fishing a club tournament in Ohio and there was a crappie tournament there too. I was fishing this point at the mouth of a creek. The crappie tournament was coming out of the creek. I only was about 25 feet from shore and there was about 100 yards behind me of open water. I was in a no wake area, these guys saw me casting to the point. most ran behind me, not all about 4 ran between me and the shore. I yelled "what are you doing, can't you see I am fishing this point?" well, 2 of the boat told me I was #1. Luckily the tournament director of the crappie tournament saw what was happening. He told me he heard me yelling and saw what the boats did. He then told me that the 2 boats that just ran between me and the shore would be penalized 1/2 a limit and the 2 that signed #1 would be disqualified he then ran out in the lake and pulled both off the water. I told him he didn't have to disqualify them. he told me that they do not tolerate unsportmanship and these guys would be banned from the tournament trail

[dave]

I have heard more than once the term B@SSHOLE.    :-[

[fishfordollars]

Some people are just that way. Reguardless of the business they are insecure types that must be number one in their eyes. They cannot seem to acomplish this so they self promote to the point that it becomes an obsession that they can never live up too without trying to to make all others lesser in their minds. They have delusions of grandur that need to be addressed. Sizes and speeds of their boats would be the most provocative way to announce their standing in the scheme of things. These types tend to be the most insecure and unhappy people in the world.

Several years ago we had a socalled self promoted stick join our bass club to win some money. He left us to fish BASS and lasted a little less than two years on the BASS circuit. He did win money on the circuit(word we got he could not get along with Fish Fishburn).; however he never won a dime in any of our club tournaments. Everyone voted him down when he tried to rejoin our club. No one wanted to listen to his chest pounding.

[Fish Chris]

Of course just walking down the street, you will always run into an idiot here and there. Their is a lot of truth to the saying, "Their is always one in the crowd". Personally, I would not judge a person by the fact that he fishes tournaments, any sooner than I would judge him by the color of his skin, or his religious beliefs, or the size of his boat. I've got several buddies who fish tournies, who are some of the nicest guys you'd ever be likely to meet.

On the other hand, I have absolutely zero desire to ever fish a tournament myself. I think you need to be at least somewhat competitive for that, right ? Of which I am definately not. Personally speaking, I don't believe that I am any better an angler than the next guy..... So why would I try to prove such a thing ???

But, to each their own I guess,

Peace,

Fish

[warmer]

;D

so much love for tournament fisherman!  you guys are hilarious.

i would venture a guess that at least in the southeast right now, a lot of this animosity is fueled by the low water situation.  it has taken us right into winter w/o a good fall bite... its rough out there, low water = limited activity from the fish = limited resource for us...

so if im on a "spot" im tight-lipped, if you are coming into my spot (literally into it, not just somewhere in the area) i may fish a little defensively...

having said that, i have great interaction on the water w/ guys that are fun-fishing, i dont crowd them, i chat it up and have a good time...

the percentages of jackasses on the water that are fun-fishing is as great as the tourny guys that are...

but pray for rain, more water = less whining...

[bocabasser]

;D

so much love for tournament fisherman! you guys are hilarious.

i would venture a guess that at least in the southeast right now, a lot of this animosity is fueled by the low water situation. it has taken us right into winter w/o a good fall bite... its rough out there, low water = limited activity from the fish = limited resource for us...

so if im on a "spot" im tight-lipped, if you are coming into my spot (literally into it, not just somewhere in the area) i may fish a little defensively...

having said that, i have great interaction on the water w/ guys that are fun-fishing, i dont crowd them, i chat it up and have a good time...

the percentages of jackasses on the water that are fun-fishing is as great as the tourny guys that are...

but pray for rain, more water = less whining...

well said warmer. i feel your pain because i too tournament fish in florida and the low water has a lot of people "on edge" so to speak. when i find fish, i am tight lipped because i sure would hate it if someone was on my spot come tourny morning. with that said, i also fun fish and could care less who is near me. most of the guys that complain are non tournament fisherman and many of them are stars in their own mind. you know internet stars.

[sodaksker]

There is nothing better than thanking those chest beaters for their donations as you walk away with the cash.

I like being the quiet one they fear.

Me Too.  I just have to win some, so they have some fear :-[