Ike for an old guy’s prospective

Last night’s TV was pretty bad so I put a tape from 2000 in the player and low and behold Ike was fishing the BASS finals from the Potomac. What blew my mind was how different he was than. He was in the middle of the pack, and on his first run his motor broke down in front of a brackish water bay. While he was waiting for an alternate boat he caught 2 fish on camera, without the antics! The next footage of Ike was at the weigh-in where he told his story and used the fraise “never give up”. At the same time he respectfully thanked his mom and his wife for supporting him.

Today, most of Ike’s supporters point to his bringing new viewers, and I assume new bass fisherman to the sport. All’s well and good but what does that mean? If you look the target market based on who sponsors BASS it’s clear that middle age males are the target. Sponsors like Cialis and TheraSeed, a prostate cancer treatment, aren’t pointed young America. Many younger adults are paying off student loans, starting a household and facing big debt. They aren’t the ones buying Toyota trucks and Tritian boats. Weather we want to bring them in or not, the middle age buyer is the group that is spending the money. My question is if the market shifts who will be the new sponsors? Products like athletic shoes, jeans and zit medicine come to my mind. Will those companys come to BASS? They already have their tentacles in a lot of other markets. I’ll have to say the FLW seems to have a very different marketing scheme. FLW has sponsors that might match up better with Ike’s draw but after he burned his bridges with Ranger that door may be closed!

On the first post about Ike and Ranger splitting the thought was Ike wouldn’t have a problem getting a new ride. Here is what I see: I don’t think Trition wants Ike after her burned on their product. Skeeter and BassCat are from the bible-belt and probably have the same values as Ranger. Champion and Stratos are with Ranger in Genmar so I’m not sure if they want to business with Ike. The only major boat company that’s doing much promotion is ProCraft. I don’t think it will be easy for Ike to replace Ranger.

Let’s take a look at some of the other ways tournament fisherman are drawing positive attention. There is a group of the young guys like Skeet, Gerald, Steven Browning, Tim Horton and others that are going to children’s hospitals in the tournament city’s to visit sick kids. Is it PR, you bet but those kids could care less. Tim Horton has his own program to help mentally [censored] kids in his home area. Woo Daves has a program for mentally [censored] adults. Mike Worm try’s to go to the schools in the area and talk to the kids, I’m sure there are other that I’ve missed. George Cochran came to our St Jude tournament a few years back to help our cause. How about the 136 anglers that fished our tournament last year and raised $74,000 for St Jude!

Steven Browning presented a positive image by winning the outdoor survivor series Byron Valvic as the Bachelor although I not sure if that was positive or negative but it was exposure.

So here is my take. I like the old Ike and I think it would be the best for tournament fishing if we went back to 6 years ago. Let’s get our exposure with the positive things that the guy’s are doing. This is a sport that can do without the “bad guy”.

I have been thinking the same thing really. What kind of exposure do we want for this bass fishing we have. Do we need to have a bad dude to draw negative attention to the sport. What attention is that? Just people looking for a kick, something to gripe about? Will it bring more sponsors to the pro fisherman? Maybe. What is so wrong with the way it has been?
I know many of you are saying ESPN and BASS have created Ike. But are they really to blame? I don’t think so. I am sure they rewarded him with some attention and more sponsorship for his earlier celebrations but now I have noticed he has started to really get a bad attitude when losing. It wasn’t just the Classic where this has been shown either. He pushed it too far and I believe the public made it clear to his sponsors and whoever else they thought it was over board.
I also do not find any joy in his hardship right now. But IKE made his own bed here guys. Quit pawning it on to others.

Nitro could be another landing spot for Ike. I’m not so sure I would rule out Triton either.

Here’s my problem with deciding on Ike. Everyone I know that has met him thinks he is a heck of a guy in real life. I sometimes think he let his “character” of Ike take over the Real Mike Iconnelli.. Maybe he just needs to get back to being himself and not his public image self. Maybe I am wrong on that, who knows.

I do think the guy should get a 2nd chance. I also agree that bass fishing heading the way of other major sports will not work. Let’s face it, unless you really like fishing, watching people fish, and especially watching people weigh fish, is pretty damn boring. The target audience is different. I’m not sure if ESPN realizes it.

anyone know “why” the bass died in the livewell ? he’s been doing this long enuff, to know how to handle them. how would have anyone else responded in this scenario ? i don’t know. he sure beats jimmy houston, and his “deer hunts” in my book !!!

big g

What do you mean big g? He didn’t turn them on.

There is a BIG difference between Jimmy Houston shooting drugged deer in a cage in comparison to Ike having a brain cramp and not observing his fish in the livewell….

ESPN has had a lot of success with poker. The first time I saw poker on TV, I thought what the heck is this crap. Now you can find poker on at any time of the day. Now they are trying this with bowling and fishing. I remember them trying to pump up this bowler Pete Webber (PDW) because he was the only loudmouth and talked a lot of smack. They are now trying the same thing with Ike. They are hoping that people will turn in just to see if someone will blow up.

I loved watching Ike in the ’03 classic. I think that moment will always be one of the most remembered images in BASS history. ESPN took that and tried to run with it and totally over did it. Going “Ike” became about screaming hysterically for no reason instead of actually being excited and emotional. I think Ike could do just a good of job marketing himself without the antics. Those who have gotten the chance to actually talk to him, know that he is actually a genuine and down to earth individual who can catch the he11 out of fish. Hopefully something changes before he burns every bridge in the business for the sake of ESPN.

If ESPN thought that this year’s coverage was going to somehow get non-fisherman interested, they failed miserably. Look at the reaction they got from those of us who actually care about the sport.

Eron, i didn’t hear “why” i just seem him flippin out on his boat on espn. sorry.

big g

I agree that “going Ike” has gone too far. I did see the DQ episode last week and I am still not sure what actually happened. He made a comment about using something new or at least that is what it sounded like. Yes, he should have know how to work the livewell and he should have see if it was working and the condition of the fish since he had 3 or 4 in there at that time. My kids are young and love watching him but they don’t need to see him throw a fit either. Like a lot of sports, either you like it enough to watch it or you don’t and I guess in a way I can’t blame ESPN for trying but I think they could have done things differently to help promote the sport – maybe there was too much focus on the greenback but then isn’t that the way most things seem to be today?

Just my 2 cents.

Last year at the E-50 I could tell my 9 year old son was really drawn to the energy Ike puts out.I bought his book and had him sign it.He was very cordial.My wife overheard some of the camera guys talking,they didn’t sound too thrilled to be riding with him.I guess it’s just mixed signals,but sooner or later somebody had to draw the line.

John,

I agree…..you’re old.

Rick

Rick,

Touché

John. I think you are old too!!

J/k John.

I think there are some professional sportmans out there that take being famous differently. The stess from the sponsors and the fans not to mention doing well in the tournaments. Everyone handles stress differently. Ike seems to get frustrated and emotional when things go wrong. Not that we all don’t do the same or cuss when we loose a fish or break off. However. On camera in a big event, control of emotions is needed. Do I think Ike is a bad guy. Heck no. He is a great fisherman that made a mistake. I hope that if I or some of us make simular mistakes, that we will not beat up this bad. He is going to pay for his mistake and hopefully learn from it. I know that I have learned a lesson from this.

I can’t believe all the attention this guy is getting. Including yours, there are at least 3-4 posts regarding the “Ike” situation. I love fishing and get out about 80X per year, but am wondering why so many would pay so much attention to one Bass fisherman, albeit it is apparent the guy is darn good.

As for Ike, he reminds me of Terrell Owens, perhaps a short fishing career is ahead.

It’s really bigger than Ike, it’s where we think tournament fishing should go. I don’t want any Torrell’s in our sport.

John

2fishy4u. I hope atleast from my piont of view, we can discuss all of this and learn from it. I know I will!

And John. Your still old!!

Do you have something better to talk about? Post it if you do.

HI,

noted the Daniel’s Hardware, Winona note. My Dad lives on East Third Street and I keep my boat in the storage facility right across the tracks from the hockey rink.

I will stop by and introduce myself this spring. Not a bass thing but I do remember you guys had willow cats last year.

Guess not; there is nothing more important in my life to talk about then this guy throwing away a few dead fish.

Thanks for the reminder.

I do agree with the old guy.

I don’t believe he threw away a dead fish. I believe the reports said that fish he culled was alive.

Gary,

I am sorry, but everyone is talking about whether the fish was dead or alive, an the apparent fact he tossed the flag in the water, and on and it goes. Finally, whether this is a good guy or a bad guy.

My only comment to the other writer is I don’t think it is that big an issue, it has gotten overblown, and this is not the only post.

But, I do not know the individual involved.

There is all kinds of things in our lives to talk about. Ike has been one of them. Before Ike it was something else. Pretty soon something else. I guess when the thread dies, it dies and that will mean we are all sick of talking about it.
What Ike did or did not do, and what the punishments Ike has suffered for what he did or did not do is some of the most controversial news to the recent bass fishing world. Its not a huge deal if it is an active thread for however long. If this thread bores you, there is so many more(forums) on this great website to visit. So don’t sweat it.

What does the flag have to do with any of this. I saw on Bass Center Sat. that people complained that he threw the flag in the water. The guy got mad, he grabed the first thing he could and broke it, thats it (the flag just happened to be on the pole). Now the guy has to defend his patriotizum. I think BASS is trying to create controversy where none exists.

Does the term desecration mean anything to you?

Sure, if he did it (to the flag) intensionally.

Okay, we all know I am not a fan of Ike. But, I can almost guarantee he did not purposely “desecrate” the flag. He is quite spastic, but not somebody who would do something like that out of spite. I can totally see how he reacted in anger and grabbed or took a whack at the first thing in his path. Unfortunately, it was the pole with the flag on it. It happened and it is over and done. Nothing can be done to change it, so let’s move on with the next controvery