Why KVD?

[nboucher]

That "mental static" in my mind is the lack of experiential knowledge to make deliberate decisions based on something other than emotion.

Ditto.

[Boogey Man]

I dare say that Clunn and Martin were at the top of there game in an era when the compition was of lesser quality. They just can't, and don't compare with with half or more of the top guys today. Martin retired before he embarrassed himself, Clunn, well he makes 1 cut a year maybe in between rambling like a senile old man on all his "zen" like crap. Take KVD, Ike, Skeet, or any of the other top guys and put them in the 1977 classic and the will smoke the field,even with the old time equipment.

If you ask me, Larry Nixon, Woo Daves, Paul Ellias, and Gary Klein (to name a few) are the best fisherman to come out of that era, they have at least been relevant in the last 15 years.

To me, there's no way to determine who really is the best of all times. If you put KVD back in that era, would he have done so well? Or if Martin and Clunn were in their prime right now, how would they fare? It's two totally different eras when you factor in the difference in tackle, electronics, etc. I think what has tarnished Roland's rep is some of the products he has endorsed. I think the greatest angler debate a few years back got it right when Clunn and Martin were the final two. When Skeet and Ike have 9 AOY's or 4 Classic trophies, maybe they can compare. Until then, I don't think so.

[Captain Obvious]

I may just be moving back someday.....

Why did you leave....but don't worry there will be more celebrating over the one lost Texan returning then the couple hundred thousand that did not go astray  ;D

[Bass_Akwards]

God I love this website. :)

[MtCarmelTriton20x]

Steroids...

I don't know about the steroids but I did hear he was spotted at GNC buying a huge bottle of Fish Oil. LOL

All jokes aside KVD is an amazing angler. Why? Most of us will never know how he can do what he can. I saw some say it was some degree of luck. Luck is when an average guy stumbles on a pattern and beats a more prepared one. There is no luck with KVD it is all a well executed plan.

Now to get to the "sport" argument, my grandfather used to say that anything you can do while smoking a cigar and drinking a six pack is not a sport. This rules out golf, bowling, fishing, and a few others we call sports. I am not saying I agree but he did have a little bit of a point.

[ww2farmer]

God I love this website. :)

Me too, I love to throw a rock at a hornets nest and see what happens.

[Paul Roberts]

A good book title on the subject of "greatness":

"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. He researches where the "greats" actually come from.

[UPS VT]

"Now to get to the "sport" argument, my grandfather used to say that anything you can do while smoking a cigar and drinking a six pack is not a sport. This rules out golf, bowling, fishing, and a few others we call sports. I am not saying I agree but he did have a little bit of a point."

I have played basketball with a beer in my hand, that does not mean that I was able to play my best   

[Mattlures]

If your fishing against top competition then you could not do it while smoking or drinking. If your fishing half a$$ed then you could smoke and drink. Heck I could throw a football with a bear in my hand and smoking.

Weak argument.

[Big-O]

For one of the best reads that will also answer all of the questions of WHY KVD.....pick up the latest issue of Bass Master Magazine, He's on the cover and turn to page 24 and read thru pg 27.

All of your questions will be answered and by all of his peers including our friend and mentor, Rick Clunn. As a tournament fisherman, you will learn plenty that will assist you in your indeavors to improve and as a fishing enthusiast you will be amazed at the amount of talent that is required to just hope to compete at that level.

I always thought I was right with my own personal opinion UNTIL I learned more from accurate information

Here's a link from Bass Master Magazine....

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/BassMaster/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=QkFTUy8yMDEwLzAyLzAy&pageno=Mjc.&entity=QXIwMjYwMQ..&view=ZW50aXR5

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Cableman]

Besides being the best fisherman, he also has the best info strike king can buy.

[MtCarmelTriton20x]

If your fishing against top competition then you could not do it while smoking or drinking. If your fishing half a$$ed then you could smoke and drink. Heck I could throw a football with a bear in my hand and smoking.

Weak argument.

Two words for ya "John Daly". While smoking on his way from tee to tee and drinking enough to get put in rehab he finished higher than he does now that he is "sober". Like I said not that I agree with it but it is not a physically demanding sport. Have you seen some of the well tuned bodies in these "sports". I think the pros are very talented at what they do and mentally they are as tough as they come but physically they are not fine tuned athletes.

[90x]

kvd was born to fish

there will always be that select few of guys in a sport who just straight up do well. I dont know why or how. Who knows what KVD does out of the spotlight. Dude deserves it though. Humble and dedicated.

[dodgeguy]

kvd''s power of concentration is second to none.he is also the master of the reaction strike.kvd does not wait for a bite.kvd makes fish bite.

[Dalton Tam]

If you would have been at the Classic launch at anytime during the duration of the tournament you would have understood just how focused these guys get. I have pictures that I am working on posting of KVD and many of the other pros and you can see the seriousness in their eyes and faces. These guys are all great. KVD Slowed down and fished his area very VERY slow and well over the three day duration. He literally stayed in a 100 foot radius for three days and probably threw next to each peice of structure 100 or more times a day. That's what consistency is all about and that's why KVD won.

[bassinbob54]

He wastes very few seconds in non-productive actions. ..........that pretty much says it all and its why he outfishes everyone else

[RyneB]

To put in a little argument on whether fishing, golf, bowling, etc. is a sport. I have had many arguments on why golf isnt a sport. Here is my conclusion. A sport is something you do where you can make up lack of talent, with hussle. The rest are just games. Fishing on the other hand definately isnt a game, but for some it might be considered a sport. I love to fish, i consider it a hobby and a passion. If i had to invest time to look at maps, time for practice, time to change my line, check the sharpness of my hooks, and all the other minor things, some might consider that hussle. Im not on that level, so to me its just a hobby and passion.

[SirSnookalot]

As far as I'm concerned fishing is no more a sport than tournament chess.  An argument can be made on golf, walking 4 days on a hilly U.S. Open prepared course requires stamina and concentration, 1 or 2 bad shots and you are history, a few wasted casts in fishing mean little on the overall picture.

As far as being dominant.......Pete Sampras or Roger Federer in tennis, now that's a real sport, cant' be an argument on this one.........4 days of 3-4 hour matches with non stop action and concentration, most mortals wouldn't last 5 minutes.

[Fishing Rhino]

When all else fails, read the directions, or, in this case, the dictionary.

Fishing, and hunting for that matter, may not fit "your definition of sport".  Yet, those who participate in both activities (notice, I studiously avoided using the word sports) are commonly known as "sportsmen".  Hmmmmmm.  See all definitions, but pay attention to number one.

Now if you want to argue as to whether or not fishermen are athletes..................................

sport[ch8194] [ch8194]/sp[ch596]rt, spo[ch650]rt/  Show Spelled[spawrt, spohrt]  Show IPA

noun

1.an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf,bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

2.a particular form of this, esp. in the out of doors.

3.diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.

4.jest; fun; mirth; pleasantry: What he said in sport was taken seriously.

5.mockery; ridicule; derision: They made sport of him.

6.an object of derision; laughingstock.

7.something treated lightly or tossed about like a plaything.

8.something or someone subject to the whims or vicissitudes of fate, circumstances, etc.

9.a sportsman.

10.Informal. a person who behaves in a sportsmanlike, fair, or admirable manner; an accommodating person: He was a sport and took his defeat well.

11.Informal. a person who is interested in sports as an occasion for gambling; gambler.

12.Informal. a flashy person; one who wears showy clothes, affects smart manners, pursues pleasurable pastimes, or the like; a bon vivant.

13.Biology. an organism or part that shows an unusual or singular deviation from the normal or parent type; mutation.

14.Obsolete. amorous dalliance.

adjective

15.of, pertaining to, or used in sports or a particular sport.

16.suitable for outdoor or informal wear: sport clothes.

verb (used without object)

17.to amuse oneself with some pleasant pastime or recreation.

18.to play, frolic, or gambol, as a child or an animal.

19.to engage in some open-air or athletic pastime or sport.

20.to trifle or treat lightly: to sport with another's emotions.

21.to mock, scoff, or tease: to sport at suburban life.

22.Botany. to mutate.

verb (used with object)

23.to pass (time) in amusement or sport.

24.to spend or squander lightly or recklessly (often fol. by away).

25.Informal. to wear, display, carry, etc., esp. with ostentation; show off: to sport a new mink coat.

26.Archaic. to amuse (esp. oneself).

Idiom

27.sport one's oak. oak (def. 5).

[Flukeman]

I think Ike may be as good if not better then KVD. KVD does seal the deal better then Ike, but look at Ike's finishes in the last couple classics and the FLW championship. He is very consistent.

He's not even close and won't be. Kevin's focus is 100% fishing and being the best when he retires. Ike already knows he can't be the best, thats why his focus is on fishing, showmanship, and other business interests. If your focus is spread out over many things its not possible to be the best at one thing. That's been proven through out all sports through out history.

You can see it in every TV showing of the two when it comes to time usage on the water. Ike wastes a lot of time to promote himself and his image. Kevin does too, but his is called fishing!

it's just two guys making different choices about their career.

[Glenn]

Wow Flukeman, never have I heard such bold statements from somebody who has never even met them!

I have - several times - and have been friends with Ike for over 11 years.  Been fishing with him several times in fact.  I'm not bragging, just letting you know that I know him quite well.  And I can tell you wholeheartedly that you're way off base about Ike.

If you don't like him, which it sounds like you don't, that's fine.  Knock yourself out.  But please refrain from making blanket statements and assumptions about somebody you've never met.

[etommy28]

Wow Flukeman, never have I heard such bold statements from somebody who has never even met them!

I have - several times - and have been friends with Ike for over 11 years. Been fishing with him several times in fact. I'm not bragging, just letting you know that I know him quite well. And I can tell you wholeheartedly that you're way off base about Ike.

If you don't like him, which it sounds like you don't, that's fine. Knock yourself out. But please refrain from making blanket statements and assumptions about somebody you've never met.

Glenn hit it on the head, I have no where near the amount of time around him you do but ihave talked to him a few times and did for a while at the classic. I think he gets a bad rap for what people see on TV, at least when i have been around him he has been 100 percent different and acually one of the calmer pros i have met. and as far as what flukeman said about doing so many other things, every time i turny on VS i seem to see KVD in either a comercial or on the Bass Pro show. I think Ike and KVD are on about the same level and some times people need to rethink what they say before they right it. i have been guilt of that in the past.

[Matt Fly]

Why KVD?   He knows the food chain.

   KVD for the most part, uses baits that simulate the food source.    Find the bait and find the bass!!   

   

    

    

   

   

[J Francho]

Wow Flukeman, never have I heard such bold statements from somebody who has never even met them!

I have - several times - and have been friends with Ike for over 11 years. Been fishing with him several times in fact. I'm not bragging, just letting you know that I know him quite well. And I can tell you wholeheartedly that you're way off base about Ike.

If you don't like him, which it sounds like you don't, that's fine. Knock yourself out. But please refrain from making blanket statements and assumptions about somebody you've never met.

I think Jeff has seen enough competitive bass anglers to recognize the differences between Ike and KVD without having met him.  And since when is opinion policed here?  It isn't hard to dislike what we see in Ike's on camera behavior, its often uncomfortable to watch, all the fist pumping, fish shaking, screaming, spitting, throwing gear around, breaking equipment.  I've seen Ike outside this arena, and what you say is true, he is calm, cool, collected, and seems like a pretty decent guy.  KVD isn't immune to being overcome by the spirit of competition either.  His comment, "I think Squirrel just dropped a nut!" came as a little surprising and out of character to me.  Bottom line, its pretty easy to jump to the same conclusion as flukeman.  Look at the results, and look at the footage.  And not for nothing, I noticed a bit of a change during the classic in Ike's demeanor, and for the better.  I'd like to see him do well, and stay focused, even in discouraging circumstances.  The guy is so versatile.  He certainly has the raw materials.

[Tin]

I really like Ike and have met and talked with him on numerous occasions. He is no-doubt a great fisherman and a great ambassadeur for the sport. But he will never be as great and dominate like KVD. Forget the Classics and look at the AOY titles, overall winds, anyone remember what KVD did in the Elite 50 series? lol 

I will say the only thing I believe Ike is better at is marketing.