Does dominance help the sport?

[Shad_Master]

Well, by all accounts it looks like KVD has wrapped up another one, although it has been pretty exciting - waiting to see the weigh-in and the wrap-up show later this evening.  But can't help wondering, does having one angler totally dominate make you more or less excited about watching?

Not trying to take anything away from this guy, and untill they weigh-in, can't even be certain that he has it.  But I find myself among those waiting for the train wreck that you know ain't gonna come.

[broncoboxer]

I think having a dominant superstar helps in a fringe sport like bass fishing.  It provides a name, a face and a story for the average Joe to latch onto.

 

[Paul Roberts]

I think it helps: in drawing viewers, and in helping others learn the sport by having that kind of expertise around. You know, if it was simply random (catches and winning -and a certain amount of it is I believe) then anybody talking head would be offering advice that might be well off the mark. Fishing isn't physics, so someone that is doing more things right more consistently than others is shining some light on the path. Showing that there is more that can be done in making consistent catches. If bass fishing was entirely controlled by, say, fish activity --they are either biting or not-- then results would be much more random (and again they are to a degree). When top sticks show that there are fish to be caught everywhere they go under all conditions, that says something.

And I wouldn't say KVD dominates exactly. But he sure is the top contender. Maybe we could say he dominates one of the top 15 spots.

Just some thoughts.

[basscrusher]

I think it works on a curve. It helps for a while (like others have said...providing a name/face for newbies to latch onto), but then people get tired of the "same guy" winning all the time. Maybe I'm wrong. I see this in team sports...everyone loved the Lakers in early 2000s, then hated them and rooted for the underdog Pistons in 2004. People like the Pats, then turned against them. Same with the Yanks, and now even the Red Sox I think. Again, I could be wrong.

I don't think its necessarily bad, though.

[preach4bass]

It helps.  It's kind of like what Tiger Woods did for golf, Earnhardt did for Nascar, and Shawn White is now doing for snowboarding.  Basscrusher is right.  A lot of folks are attracted to a particular sport because of dominance, but end up sticking with the sport after they learn to love another team/player/angler.

[5bass]

KVD doesn't even win half the tournaments in one Elite schedule year. If he did, I'd call it dominance.

I will say that he's the most consistent angler on the Tour. It seems he's IN CONTENTION in every tournament. That says a lot, sure enough, but not dominant.

Consistent. He consistently makes better decisions than everybody else. He consistently makes less mistakes than everybody else. He consistently puts himself in contention.

Dont get me wrong. If I had to lay $100 on 1 angler in each tournament, it would be KVD. But at the end of the year, I'd be several hundred in the hole. If he was dominant, I'd be up a couple hundred.

[Shad_Master]

Yeah, your'e right - he doesn't really dominate

3 Classic wins

5 AOY

17 1st place

11 2nd place

16 3rd place

$4.1 million in earnings

Yeah, everybody's records look like that :

Besides, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds never struck out  and Tiger Woods never made a bogey.  Come on, the guy is dominant in this sport.  That's a given.  The question is what affect does it have on the sport?  Is he a hero to those comming up or does he make it less appealing?

[RobbyZ5001]

Yeah, your'e right - he doesn't really dominate

3 Classic wins

5 AOY

17 1st place

11 2nd place

16 3rd place

$4.1 million in earnings

Yeah, everybody's records look like that :

Besides, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds never struck out and Tiger Woods never made a bogey. Come on, the guy is dominant in this sport. That's a given. The question is what affect does it have on the sport? Is he a hero to those comming up or does he make it less appealing?

Now here is a nice guy!  :

There are a handful of guys making the top 10 or being in contention on a somewhat consistent basis. Whenever your dealing with nature nothing will be sure thing. I would agree that KVD is on top, but I also think there are a good group of guys on his heels.

[MtCarmelTriton20x]

I think it does help the sport. I agree there is usually a dominate player in all sports and whether people like them or not they show up to see them. Some want to see him win and some just want a close up of him falling on his face. I like KVD but if I were to pick a favorite it would have to be Skeet. So I guess I'm one that shows up to see him loose but man you don't get to see it often.

[RichF]

I think it helps. I think it gives others an intense drive to beat the dominator, it should anyway.