KVD 2010 AOY

[Big Tom]

Wow.  Just saw it live on ESPN3.com.

[rubba bubba]

I feel really bad for Skeet.

[mainebassin650]

I wish I could have seen it. ESPN is at a disagreement with my ISP, so it wouldn't let me watch. I guess I'll be canceling my BASS Insider subscription.

But, congrats to KVD for making an amazing comback throughout the season!

[Captain Obvious]

Two things

1. Skeet Reese is feeling so low right now its not even funny

2. KVD is a freak of nature, move over Tiger there is a new guy who total dominates his sport.

Amazing!!!!!!!!

Capt.O

[Glenn]

Here's the story: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/bass-alabama-river1-10.html

[rowyourboat]

i dont really feel bad for skeet.... professional bass fishing is now like every other sport; it has a post season. teams, or in this case, fishermen, have to be playing their best when it counts..... KVD did that. hes the best, period. i honestly feel lucky to be around to watch his dominance

[zero]

kvd cannot be beat

he is like machine from last to first place wow

2 titles bassmaster/aoy i'm impressed with him

[basscrusher]

The postseason format is complete BS. A guy finishes top 5 in 6 of 8 events, including 2 wins, and isn't top for the year? The format is flawed. Just like in NASCAR when Kyle Busch won 13 races and didn't win the points title. It detracts from the credibility of the title.

Someone said KVD can't be beat? Check his finishes prior to Kentucky Lake. I'd say he can be beat.

Right now KVD should have 4 AOY titles and Skeet 3. Yes, KVD might be the best right now. But anyone who says he dominates is out of their mind. If anything, Skeet dominates more than KVD according to this year's finishes. And the gap between KVD and Reese is too narrow to call it "domination."

Another thought: you cannot compare fishing's "postseason" to, say, basketball's postseason. In team sports, it is a head-to-head competion with elimination. That does not exist in fishing except on UMF. So the analogy of "you have to be playing/fishing your best at the end of the season" is only topically analogous.

[jdw174]

I'm no fan of Skeet's, but I can feel a bit for what happened to him.  That said, he had the same chances as every one else but failed to come through at the end.  As Reese said, he peaked early and KVD peaked late.  Is the post season format fair?  That will be debated forever.  You either don't see a problem with it or you hate it.  Either way, for the time being that's the way BASS wants it so that's the way it is.

We'll see what transpires next year.  There won't be any "west coast swing" for Skeet, and KVD won't have Kentucky Lake.  Should be interesting. 

[CFFF 1.5]

The postseason format is complete BS. A guy finishes top 5 in 6 of 8 events, including 2 wins, and isn't top for the year? The format is flawed. Just like in NASCAR when Kyle Busch won 13 races and didn't win the points title. It detracts from the credibility of the title.

Someone said KVD can't be beat? Check his finishes prior to Kentucky Lake. I'd say he can be beat.

Right now KVD should have 4 AOY titles and Skeet 3. Yes, KVD might be the best right now. But anyone who says he dominates is out of their mind. If anything, Skeet dominates more than KVD according to this year's finishes. And the gap between KVD and Reese is too narrow to call it "domination."

Another thought: you cannot compare fishing's "postseason" to, say, basketball's postseason. In team sports, it is a head-to-head competion with elimination. That does not exist in fishing except on UMF. So the analogy of "you have to be playing/fishing your best at the end of the season" is only topically analogous.

This reason right here is why you need a post season in every sport. Yeah the Cleveland Calaviers may have had the best record in basketball this year but they didn't win the NBA Championship. Kevin Van Dam know how to step it up when he needs to. Certain people have it and certain people don't KVD has it.

[basscrusher]

The postseason format is complete BS. A guy finishes top 5 in 6 of 8 events, including 2 wins, and isn't top for the year? The format is flawed. Just like in NASCAR when Kyle Busch won 13 races and didn't win the points title. It detracts from the credibility of the title.

Someone said KVD can't be beat? Check his finishes prior to Kentucky Lake. I'd say he can be beat.

Right now KVD should have 4 AOY titles and Skeet 3. Yes, KVD might be the best right now. But anyone who says he dominates is out of their mind. If anything, Skeet dominates more than KVD according to this year's finishes. And the gap between KVD and Reese is too narrow to call it "domination."

Another thought: you cannot compare fishing's "postseason" to, say, basketball's postseason. In team sports, it is a head-to-head competion with elimination. That does not exist in fishing except on UMF. So the analogy of "you have to be playing/fishing your best at the end of the season" is only topically analogous.

This reason right here is why you need a post season in every sport. Yeah the Cleveland Calaviers may have had the best record in basketball this year but they didn't win the NBA Championship. Kevin Van Dam know how to step it up when he needs to. Certain people have it and certain people don't KVD has it.

You completely missed the point of what I was saying. The Cleveland Cavs did not have to play against 11 other teams at once, so comparing the postseasons is not logically sound. Following that line of thought, there is no need for a postseason at all in BASS, or in NASCAR for that matter. Let the accumulated points determine the winner.

team sports need a postseason. For example, the San Diego Padres could end up with the most wins in baseball this year. If so, they might do so because they were able to beat up teams in a weak division, or for that matter, possibly by beating up the weaker NL, some would say. Yankees fans would cry foul, deservedly so, pointing to the fact that Ny played in a division with Tampa and Boston, so they beat each other up. That's why we have a postseason in team sports -- to account for any statistical outliers, irregularities, anomolies, etc that could provide a false champion. The game is predicated on head-to-head competition, so that is how it is settled.

Fishing is NOT predicated on head-to-head competition. Therefore, in the absence of a head-to-head playoff system, the best way to determine a champion is to measure accumulated points. Skeet Reese had the most points. He should have been champion. At that point, BASS REFORMATTED the system to give the other 11 postseason qualifiers an ADVANTAGE! In what other sport does it become easier to catch the leader??? And that's what happened. BASS, by narrowing the field to 12 anglers and changing the points system, made it easier to catch up with Reese. In other sports, the top-seed enjoys an advantage, from home-field to playing a much weaker opponent. Skeet's only advantage going into the postseason was the points lead he had already built, BUT the value of that lead was diminished when BASS changed the scoring system AND narrowed the field. With a smaller field, it's easier to catch the leader, because no matter how poorly you fare, you can't finish more than 11 spots behing the leader! So BASS managed to take a lead, virtually insurmountable under real fishing conditions, and render it completely meaningless.

[basscrusher]

There would be only one way to make a BASS postseason that produced a true champion, and here it is:

It would somewhat follow the match fishing format, but not exactly. BASS would take the top 4, 8, or 16 points leaders, and make a bracket playoff elimination system. Skeet would have been the 1 seed, Evers, 2 seed, and so on. They would NOT fish out of the same boat like on the UMF show. It would be totally head-to-head, but otherwise just like a tournament fishing day. Here's the catch: the higher seed fisherman in EACH match would get to pick his lake (to mimic home-field advantage) and his opponent would fish against him on that same day, same conditions, etc. Just those 2 on that lake. The second seed would play the second-lowest seed, and in that match, again, the higher seeds chooses lake/river. THAT would make a head-to-head contest! The higher seed would have a big advantage (like higher seeds are supposed to) and if there was an upset, woe to the conquered. The winner moves on, taking on another winner from the first round, with the higher seed choosing site.

This, of course, would never work, because theoretically if you took, say, the top 16 points leaders, that's 8 fishing matches going on at possibly 8 different lakes at the same time. BASS couldn't cover it all, and would not have enough turnaround time to set up the weigh-in, TV coverage, etc for the next round. But that's the only way to make it fair. So if you can't do that, then just have ONE SET OF RULES AND SCORING SYSTEM AND CROWN THE CHAMPION BASED ON THAT!!!!!!!

[Grey Wolf]

There would be only one way to make a BASS postseason that produced a true champion, and here it is:

It would somewhat follow the match fishing format, but not exactly. BASS would take the top 4, 8, or 16 points leaders, and make a bracket playoff elimination system. Skeet would have been the 1 seed, Evers, 2 seed, and so on. They would NOT fish out of the same boat like on the UMF show. It would be totally head-to-head, but otherwise just like a tournament fishing day. Here's the catch: the higher seed fisherman in EACH match would get to pick his lake (to mimic home-field advantage) and his opponent would fish against him on that same day, same conditions, etc. Just those 2 on that lake. The second seed would play the second-lowest seed, and in that match, again, the higher seeds chooses lake/river. THAT would make a head-to-head contest! The higher seed would have a big advantage (like higher seeds are supposed to) and if there was an upset, woe to the conquered. The winner moves on, taking on another winner from the first round, with the higher seed choosing site.

This, of course, would never work, because theoretically if you took, say, the top 16 points leaders, that's 8 fishing matches going on at possibly 8 different lakes at the same time. BASS couldn't cover it all, and would not have enough turnaround time to set up the weigh-in, TV coverage, etc for the next round. But that's the only way to make it fair. So if you can't do that, then just have ONE SET OF RULES AND SCORING SYSTEM AND CROWN THE CHAMPION BASED ON THAT!!!!!!!

If you haven't noticed , we all have to play the hands we're dealt by the powers that control us in our great society and one thing is very evident. "LIFE IS NOT FAIR."

[senile1]

I'm not crazy about the postseason format either, but it is fair. These were my feelings before the first season that it was used.  Anyone who happens to be leading at the end of the season can be beat if they aren't on their game during the postseason tournaments. It just happened to be Skeet the last two years. The rules apply the same to every angler. KVD has a gift for being hot when he needs to be hot. You have to give him his props for one amazing comeback this year. Skeet wasn't hot when the pressure was on.   

[basscrusher]

There would be only one way to make a BASS postseason that produced a true champion, and here it is:

It would somewhat follow the match fishing format, but not exactly. BASS would take the top 4, 8, or 16 points leaders, and make a bracket playoff elimination system. Skeet would have been the 1 seed, Evers, 2 seed, and so on. They would NOT fish out of the same boat like on the UMF show. It would be totally head-to-head, but otherwise just like a tournament fishing day. Here's the catch: the higher seed fisherman in EACH match would get to pick his lake (to mimic home-field advantage) and his opponent would fish against him on that same day, same conditions, etc. Just those 2 on that lake. The second seed would play the second-lowest seed, and in that match, again, the higher seeds chooses lake/river. THAT would make a head-to-head contest! The higher seed would have a big advantage (like higher seeds are supposed to) and if there was an upset, woe to the conquered. The winner moves on, taking on another winner from the first round, with the higher seed choosing site.

This, of course, would never work, because theoretically if you took, say, the top 16 points leaders, that's 8 fishing matches going on at possibly 8 different lakes at the same time. BASS couldn't cover it all, and would not have enough turnaround time to set up the weigh-in, TV coverage, etc for the next round. But that's the only way to make it fair. So if you can't do that, then just have ONE SET OF RULES AND SCORING SYSTEM AND CROWN THE CHAMPION BASED ON THAT!!!!!!!

If you haven't noticed , we all have to play the hands we're dealt by the powers that control us in our great society and one thing is very evident. "LIFE IS NOT FAIR."

Believe me, I'm one of the last people who needs to be told that.

[rowyourboat]

we can debate all day... but it is what it is.... and KVD stepped up when it counted.

[basser223]

I really cant stand skeet reece he thinks hes top dog and the best when really the true winner is showing

[Big Tom]

I really cant stand skeet reece he thinks hes top dog and the best when really the true winner is showing

I don't really get that vibe.  He seems pretty cool and a little crazy to me.  There is no doubt that he is one of the best on tour right now. 

[backpain...]

I think the post season setup totally ruins the whole notion of "Angler of the Year" which by definition should be a title that has been earned through the whole year.

Hats of to KVD though, I laughed earlier in the season when people were calling him washed up. I think he is laughing now.

[South FLA]

I think the post season setup totally ruins the whole notion of "Angler of the Year" which by definition should be a title that has been earned through the whole year.

Hats of to KVD though, I laughed earlier in the season when people were calling him washed up. I think he is laughing now.

I was one the one that stated he was all washed up and illustrated the point by posting the AOY points race at the time when everyone was asking what happened to KVD, I believe he was out of the top 25. To bad people didn't get the  or  ;D at the end of the statement!!

Nevertheless, he is the best professional angler today, FLW or BASS, but until he eclipses Roland Martin he is still second best of all time.  KVD is the Tiger to Roland's Jack!

[Matt Fly]

Didn't last year teach ya'll anything about the postseason?

Last year, Ike was 11th in points to start the AOY postseason run. He won the first event on Lake Jordan and moved to third with 225 pts.

Skeet held the lead with 249 and KVD had 233 going to the final event.

Alls Ike had to do was repeat his performance and he could have stolen the AOY title coming from 11th.

What did KVD do?

Went out and whipped the field by about 12 lbs, a beat down laid upon the 11 best anglers to earn the title AOY.

KVD said he didn't make the rules, and a  postseason format adds pressure to perform.

Ike showed it was possible last year. Don't get upset at KVD for doing what Ike almost did a year ago.

Anybody remember the 18-1 Patriots, just think, without a post season, New England would of been crowned at 16-0.

8-)

[DWG1984]

Bottom line, if Skeet would have kept performing there wouldnt be any debate to be had.

[Jake.]

Anybody remember the 18-1 Patriots, just think, without a post season, New England would of been crowned at 16-0.

Bass fishing isn't a team sport. The format is different then the NFL season. Comparing the Elite Series to the NFL is apples vs oranges.

[kikstand454]

well im somewhere in teh middle here.

i think the current "postseason" for AOY is a crock of poop. AOY is like MVP and should be given to the person who was the most consistant and predominant angler that year. going by the points system in place that was clearly skeet reese. he had a huge lead when the season ended.

if bass and more importantly espn want a post season to make money on (exactly as pointless as bowl games in the bcs) then it should be treated as such... with a totally different "Prize" to the winner. like a championship title or something of that nature.  but it shouldnt have anything to do with the points system of the regular season (other than maybe for qualifying...) because as illustrated the last two years..... the regular season standings dont count for squat in the post season and its basically a free for all.

why keep score in the post season when you change the way the score is levied? ignorant.

i think if they want to do a post season they should take the top twelve anglers and have two seperate two day events. opposite sides of the country... opposite types of lakes.  like kentucky and falcon.  finesse and power... no time to practice.... and then the total weight wins.

not only would that be more exciting for veiwers but it would be more challenging for the pros too. not to mention it would much more "fair" and also be less obnoxious as the currnet post season joke.

p.s.  maybe they could even go old school and not tell the anglers where they are even fishing till they fly them there. thatd be great.