Open Letter to Outdoor News and Joe Fellegy.

Brian, Fair enough question.

You are correct in saying this should have been resolved with a phone conversation, e-mail or other correspondence right away. What you have not seen here in the open forums are the repeated requests for ON to back up the story. Name the accuser and event or state the article was fictional. If not, retract and apologize. Myself and anyone else who has sent a message to ON has been blown off. ON apparently feel that if they just ignore the problem here it will go away. I can assure ON that is not going to happen.

From the IDA perspective. Any IDA field staff or pro staff member found to be a tournament cheat or law breaker will be immediately removed from staff. All staff members sign on to that basic agreement. Any and all accusations directed toward an IDA staffer will be investigated. In this case IDA did not find any credibility in the accusations and we will defend our fellow staffers vigorously. You better have your story straight if you come gunning for any IDA staff member. They are all top notch fishermen and great people.

From my personal perspective. Don’t screw with my friends. And don’t blow me off like I’m some kind of idiot!

-J.

I think it does matter how you respond. An opposing viewpoint can add perspective to whatever topic is being discussed. Your point of view may not be that of the majority but Referring to IDA members as a gang just waiting to jump on you may be just a little out of line. We don’t operate that way and if someone attcked you, their post would be deleted.
The MTT did not have any protest for the tournies in question, end of story.

If you win tournaments…..somewhere along the line it will be suggested that you are cheating.

Its kind of like….Hollywood stars will be followed by the papparazzi.

No reputations have been ruined. The MTT will go on. Outdoor news will continue to be printed. Joe Fellegy will stay on as one of the most popular writers. This all makes for some interesting reading…but outside of the guys hinted about and their friends….nobody else really cares.

Joe Fellegy is my favorite Outdoor news writer. Mainly because he is not politically correct and will write about topics that others shy away from. I read his article first. I understand the way that he writes and do not take his opinions as fact.

SLee,

I received a few PM’s that mirror your post. “What the big deal” “Just an article” “No one got hurt” That kind of stuff. Joe Fellegy has probably crossed the line plenty of times. I don’t know. I don’t really care. I do know that this time he certainly did.

If Joe Fellegy’s articles are intended to “Rock the Boat”. Fine with me. However, they are not presented as fictional writing. It’s one thing to say that it’s your opinion there was cheating at a tourney, it’s another to make or pass on false allegations. Both Joe Fellegy and the Editor, Rob Drieslien have a responsibility to get it right. Either it’s fact, opinion or fiction. Joe Fellegy came right out and called these guys thieves. That article was not an opinion piece.

If this article was indeed just a fictional “Story”, why no response from either? Why, because they both stepped over the line. And I’m calling them on the carpet for it.

For most of you guys this is a Monday/Tuesday topic. For me, this is going on week number 3. Am I rocking the boat? Yep! And I dam good at tipping them all the way over too!

-J.

Since it is IDA staffers, who as noted above were identified on IDA, that is the reason to get all bent out of shape? Seems a little disengenous to me. I do not have “a dog in the fight”, but shoddy journalism does not get my subscription dollars. That is why I allowed my O.N. subscription to lapse a long time ago.
Does this mean that Joe Fellegy is also off base in his columns in the ML Messenger in re: to the reservation boundry / sovereignty issue?
I had a very competitive 20+ year run as a pointing dog field trialer. You are always going to have “whispers” when you go to get the award. That is just human nature. At least in fishing tourneys (I only fish my union tourney at this time.) you weigh in for placements vs the subjective judgement in trials.

Seriously. Everyone knows Fellegy is an ornery old {censored}. He’s like the Andy Rooney over there. How can you take his rants that serious?? I don’t even recall any names being mentioned?? This paper is the weekly pulse of Minnesota outdoorsman. I can’t imagine not getting this paper with all the usefull information it provides. Sometimes the letter to editors miff me. So what. I can’t believe people are cancelling subscriptions and depriving themselves of this icon publication. I’m keeping mine.

“icon publication”

Yikes, thats a little strong.

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“icon publication”

Yikes, thats a little strong.

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I suppose your right, that was funny, but where else can you get such current and useful local (Minnesota) information sent to you weekly? I say the good outweighs the bad substantially.

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but where else can you get such current and useful local (Minnesota) information

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IDA?

Seriously,

If you are chasing fishing reports from the ON, you are getting there a week late and $1.25 short. Sorry. I honestly have not opened up that paper in at least 5 years. I have one here on my desk and chuckle that the photos for Steve Carney and Gary Clancy (and others) are the same one’s used 5+ year ago. The back page fishing lake has to be recycled. I swear I have read it before… Anyway…..Back to the dog fight.

-J.

I side with Jon on this one although I have no dog in the ring here either but,ON was wrong and all anyone is asking is for an appology. How hard is it to say, sorry guys I wrote something on rumors not facts and I apologize for narrowing it down to one tourney and a select couple in that tourney? Or I am sorry as the editor of the magazine this one slipped by me with no notice on my part I apologize on behalf of my magazine and writters and will strive harder in the future to keep this from being an issue in the future? Not to hard if you ask me..

I would have agreed with you until I listened to the radio show a few times.
Now it’s just a paper without any compatition to speak of. When was the last time you saw something new in there? The only thing new is Robs political views, which are slanted the way he wants them viewed.
Which by the way is OK since he runs the thing.

My personal opinion of the paper doesn’t matter anyway. It’s all personal choice on how we spend our dollars.

Now if you want “icon” publications…………..
Playboy
Penthouse
Hustler

them is icons.

Hye Jon, sorry to highjack your thread……….

Glenn wrote”
“How hard is it to say, sorry guys I wrote something on rumors not facts and I apologize for narrowing it down to one tourney and a select couple in that tourney? Or I am sorry as the editor of the magazine this one slipped by me with no notice on my part I apologize on behalf of my magazine and writters and will strive harder in the future to keep this from being an issue in the future? Not to hard if you ask me.. ”

Glenn you may be right it shouldn’t be hard. But you have a better chance of Barry Bonds turning out to be a good human being.

I actually never follow the fishing reports. Dont even read them. I also skip over Fellegy and Carney most of the time unless I’m really bored but there is much more. Just this week I found out Eagles delisted, woodcock numbers stable, Red Lake limits to increase,Kirtland Warblers in Wis, current fishing tactics, etc. Even pics of proud kids with fish. Lake of the week can be interesting too. I like all of that enough to renew. While you guys are busy fighting I’ll just sit back and enjoy the ON.

I read Joe’s article the week it came out in ON. I thought about Joe’s comments, but I never posted or said anything about it until I saw the IDA tourney thread. I fished that MTT tourney. I know the guy’s in (supposed) question (by Joe/ON). I also posted on the Walleye Tourney thread about this too.
I agree Joe was wrong, but I also agree with Suzuki and BrentR. Someone here likened Joe to Andy Rooney. I agree. Joe’s been on that kind of page for a long-long time. So,…. Considering the source, I’ll let it ride and not blame ON for Joe’s comments.
Splitshot

I agree the paper does have some key points as stated with the updated fishing or hunting changes on limit,laws ect. also the weekly pics are fun to check out as well. Without a doubt it is the most up to date on changes for the DNR ,but like stated as well being totally blown off about the false reports is wrong in “my opinion”. Even a simple appology of any type or response would make many move on but nothing has been done and shrugged off and does show what the readers opinion means to them in my eyes. Like I said I have about a month left before it runs out and if something is said or explained about it than I more than likely will keep it so I still have my toilet reading but if not my dollars can and will go elsewhere just a simple fact. So the ball is in there court now and there actions will make the decisions for some and does not mean a thing to others everyone has there opinions and ways, but going behind someones back like said a million times already is just wrong plain and simple and is something that gets under my skin easily! Like I said obviously some do care less about it and some do all Jon is doing is getting the word out and trying to make a point to ODN that an appology is wanted and necessary. I appreciate the work your putting into it Jon cause the last thing I need to spend my money on is uneducated opinions and gossip, and expect a fair share of others to and/or feel the same about the situation.

Wow! Isn’t fishing supposed to be fun? This thread tells me that tournament fishing is really not too much fun. I was in a tournament back in the 90’s and after being in second place after the first day being off 2 lbs. from first place I did not help my partner the next day and have felt bad about that to this day. No big deal but I decided that for me this was not a good exerience. I have more fun just fishing and not worring about what this thread is all about! This is just my take.

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This thread tells me that tournament fishing is really not too much fun

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This thread has nothing to do with tournament fishing and being fun – it’s about bad journalism.

Its also about people you respect and admire getting slandered. But I guess that just makes a lot of people want to

dd

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Shame on you Joe Fellegy for making up and printing such a slanderous story. A story accusing 2 teams in a walleye tournament of cheating. No evidence what so ever to support your claims. A story that has damaged the reputations of four men. A story that could cause future financial and career damage to two of these guys. A story that has all four of these men still shaking their heads in total shock and disbelief!

Jon Jordan
St Paul, Mn.

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If this is true your friends (not you) have a civil case
against Mr. Fellegy and Outdoor News. Prove that financial and career damage had taken place and the court will surely side in your favor and award damages. In America thats how you win, sad to say. For you Jon your just another guy who’s P.o.’d about what some moron wrote
that had no validity but yet was printed. Happens everyday and then some. If O.N. were to give you what your asking for they would be admitting guilt and make themselves liable. The most you will get is a disclaimer
as to Mr. Fellegy’s opinions. You Jon can not win this
fight. O.N. will go on, they have been around since 1968
and will continue publishing there paper. so in the business world a simple apology can make you pay thats
why it’s not coming!

Is it possible for someone to type up what was actually written?

I usually throw my issues away after I read them.

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” But you have a better chance of Barry Bonds turning out to be a good human being.

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This situation actually mirrors the unproven accusations, and tainting of Barry Bonds reputation breaking one of sports greatest records. Until you show me evidence of his cheating he is still one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. It’s funning how the jealous one’s would slander Barry with no proof and not even knowing the guy but would defend others accused of cheating but with no evidence available. Who gave you permission to judge someone you never met as to being a good human being or not?

I can’t stress enough the impact of good men doing nothing. Stuff that “happens all the time” doesn’t make it right and why is it that we’re so willing to be duped into complacency? For every “who cares?” I hear in this world, it’s just further permission to discard our integrities and watch silently as someone else gets run over……. yet again. We may cry holy terror when it effects ourselves, but how many are standing by, looking at you and saying, “who cares?”.

I don’t have any reason to get into this except for this one thing……. Jon obviously cares. If he’s so passionate about someone being wronged, why are we grilling him? Is it tactics? Is it third party?

It shouldn’t matter what it is. If you have something constructive to advise, do so. But I’ve had all the ignorance I can stand from those who’s embrace complacent philosophies. The roof collapses at some point in everyone’s life and everyone will get their turn. I ask, do you want a “Jon J.” in your corner when that day comes? I’m old enough to know that these kind of friends and loyalties are a rarity and getting scarcer by the day.

Jon, maybe everyone doesn’t agree with your “how”…….. but the guys you’re defending are darn lucky to have ya!

Speaking of “how”, I do think the accused need to be at the forefront of your efforts. If they’re not directly involved with this, and at a leadership level, I’m afraid the only thing you stand to gain is 10 more pounds of bitterness in your backpack. Have them assess the effects of the articles and call the local news. They don’t care if they step on their peers. They’re in the news business! In fact, 4, 5, and 9 seem to be having a contest on how many people they can bust a nut on. Fox just had some lady get ignored by Super Valu, the parent company of a battery maker, when the batteries were causing fires inside of her children’s toys. She wanted nothing but an explanation/apology and for a warning to be issued regarding this particular brand of battery. Well, the big company ignored this woman completely until she got FOX news on the story.

Also, if an apology from ON is enough to hurt the publication, it’s not as great a paper as we’d like to think it is. Remember, we’re conditioned to be complacent. We’d possibly be disappointed in them……. but only to forget about it shortly thereafter.

Stillakid you could not have worded it any BETTER about the whole situation!

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Also, if an apology from ON is enough to hurt the publication, it’s not as great a paper as we’d like to think it is.

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At this point to O.N. what happened has happened and charges of slandor have been leveled. Its no longer good
paper bad paper its about money. As I said if they apoligized they would be admitting guilt to slandor. in a year or so said slandored indivduals could bring suit
showing lost revenue as well as other damages.
which could easly be shown less, guiding trips and endorsments less income then prevoius years. and most likely win in court. Any attorney would advise O.N.
to keep there mouth shut. O.N. I am sure has dealt
with this before from Mr Fellegy and has a legal policy on
course of action most all business’s do. The court’s are
full of this but it is the only way to get real satisfaction. sad to say but to O.N. its now only about money! as i said the best you can do is a printed disclaimer from them separating O.N. from Mr Fellegy’s
opinion’s.

Who did they slander with no names given in the article.
No apology needed.

Wrong, anyone who fished that tournament or follows these tournaments knows who these guys are.

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Who did they slander with no names given in the article.
No apology needed.

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Thats a pretty small # compared to internet viewers and ON subscribers that don’t know.

If Joe Fellegy wants to make accusations that there was cheating in a river walleye tournament, he better be able to back those allegations up. So far he can’t. I don’t think he can because those allegations are false.
If Joe Fellegy wants to fill his column with a bunch of fictional crap, both he and the Outdoor News have the responsibility to label the column fictional.

-J.

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Thats a pretty small # compared to internet viewers and ON subscribers that don’t know.

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It does not matter how few, all it takes is for one fishing
industies exec. to put it together. and now not give these guys a fair shake on endorsments or pro staff positions.
which in turn is lost revenue. they will shy away true or false just so they won’t have to deal with it. That whats so sad about this whole thing. Free speech has a double edge sword. once its out there even false it can be bad.

I also do not have a Dog in this fight. One does have to stnad up for what they beleave is right and stick up for your friends. There are to many people ot there that will just lay down and go with the flow. Kept up the fright.