SUNDAY
Day Three - Classic Champ


Kevin VanDam came in 5th at the Bassmaster Classic.  He actually held First Place late into the weigh-in, but I think he knew it wasn't going to hold up.  Luke Clausen grabbed the hardware.  What a week.  I would like to thank KVD and Mark Zona for talking me into coming down here, and for making sure I was involved with everything that went on.  I went to Classic events and parties, plus got to meet a lot of great people here, including many of the fishermen.  I hope you check all the photos.  I am working with a new camera, so they aren't perfect.  Thanks for looking in, I had a blast. 

**** UPDATE:  I need to update you on what happened with my day on the water with Kevin VanDam on Saturday. I was the media person who was supposed to be in the boat with KVD.  However, when ESPN wants to send a camera person with a fisherman, they can do it.  So I was with KVD at the boat yard at 5 am, we then rode to the boat launch together, put it in the water, and got ready for the take off.  One minute to take off, a guy starts yelling at KVD that he needs to get in the boat, and I have to get out.  Kevin said he didn't know anything about it.  Well,  I had to leave and the camera guy got in.  So,  I had to ride in another boat all day following Kevin around with some redneck guy named Charlie.  He was more interested in firing up another smoke than what was happening with KVD.  I had to remind him to move a little closer than  200 yards, in case Kevin caught a nice one, so I could get a photo.  Well, I missed Kevin's 7 pounder thanks to Charlie.  I spent most of the day trying to look around him in the boat.  The camera man did switch with me around noon, and I spent one hour in the boat with KVD. I was hoping I would bring him some extra hometown mojo, but it wasn't meant to be.  However, hanging with KVD in the boat during the  Bassmaster Classic was one of the highlights of my life.  Thanks Kevin.

SATURDAY
Day Two - Classic

Well, today was the day I was supposed to be in Kevin VanDam's boat all day on Day Two of the Bassmaster Classic. Man did I get screwed over.  More on that later.  KVD did catch 14.15 pounds of fish today.  he is now 16 pounds behind the leader going into the final day Sunday.  It will be cold, windy, and maybe rainy.  I will not be going out on the lake with Kevin Wirth.  I'm staying warm and dry in the media center all day.  Right now though,  I'm headed to the House of Blues for some cold ones.  Check the PHOTOS  from Saturday.  Check out the chick at the boat ramp with the Budweiser sweatshirt on. She is excited.

FRIDAY
Day One -Classic

Well, it was a very long day, which is now ending.  Got up at 3:15, returned to the hotel at 8:15.  In between, I was in the boat with Edwin Evers, your third place guy after Day 1 at the Bassmaster Classic, I saw him catch a 9 pounder (check the PHOTOS), got to talk with too many anglers to mention, and someone thought I was Mark Zona again.  KVD didn't get any big ones, but that will all change Saturday when I'm in his boat all day with him.  He is in 25th after Day 1 with 14.02 pounds of fish..  The big story was the Day 1 DQ of Ike.  I have decided he is no longer good for the sport.  Early on in his career, his enthusiasm was a shot in the arm for the sport.  Now, after his "look at me" antics, I'm done with him.  He culled dead fish, and bent the boat light pole, all on camera.  The pole, by the way, had an American flag attached, and he threw it down after he ruined it.  That won't sit well with other anglers, fans, and it doesn't sit well with me.  He didn't catch any big fish anyway.  He thinks a 4 pounder is a giant, watch the video. 

We almost had a disaster in the lock in the morning, it was like a NASCAR race with guys literally on top of each other.  One boat ended up halfway up another on the way out, and somebody almost lost a hand trying to get them apart.  Gotta get up in 5 hours, so check the photos, keep rooting for KVD, and feel bad for me because my neck is sunburned.  Later.

THURSDAY
Media Day

All 51 anglers for the Bassmaster Classic gathered in one spot on Media Day at the ESPN Club inside Disney World.  The brass from ESPN and BASS were there to shake hands and kiss babies too.  Some of the ESPN hosts were there as well.  The cool thing about the afternoon was that I was recognized twice.   Once by a fishermen who isn't in the tournament who I met in Mississippi during our hurricane relief trip. The other was by one of the BASS public relations people, Angie, who I also met during the trip down south.  I can't believe these people remember my face and name.  Marty Stone, who is in the tournament even remembered my name and remembered meeting me in Mississippi.  I talked with Edwin Evers who I will be with Friday for Day One of the Classic.  He told me to bring extra sunblock.  I briefly talked with KVD, even took a photo for some media guy who asked for one with KVD.  It's cool to watch how everyone else is so star struck around KVD.  To me he's just a guy who owes me $50.

Check the PHOTO page for shots of all the big boys. You'll see all the top anglers plus Byron Velvick and John Kernan who host Basscenter.  Check out ESPN and ESPN2's coverage of the CLASSIC this weekend, they'll have plenty of coverage, including LIVE stuff.  You may catch me in there somewhere.  If you see the taped story about how the locks work, I'll be in there.  Hope to finally see some big fish during the tournament.  Make sure to check back for the photos.    

WEDNESDAY
Practice Day

Man, what a day on the water with Gerald Swindle on practice day.  It started with my wakeup call at 3 am.  It involved me running through a toll booth because I didn't have the 75 cents exact change.  I'm sure they'll find me eventually. They had a camera at the booth, and I heard a loud security buzzer go off when I hit the gas pedal of the rented Nissan Sentra.  It continued with me hooking up with the G-Man at the boat yard at 5 am.  We drove to Lake Toho, and cranked it up at around 7.  In between, I got a chance to say hi to Davy Hite, who I had in the studio with me a couple of years ago on the radio, hang with Greg Hackney, and listen to Swindle do his impressions of some of the world's best fishermen.  The day included seeing half a dozen gators, a couple of bald eagles, and a bunch of gar pike.

Not sure why, but they had someone sing the National Anthem before everyone took off for the final practice day. It seemed a little out of place, standing in a boat, near a bait shop in the middle of Florida at 6 in the morning.  The day also included a couple of major bouts with bugs, since there wasn't any wind.  We didn't see any really big fish like I had hoped, but then again, Gerald didn't go to his main fishing spots. He did tangle with a 5 pounder before he let it get away.  It was practice after all.  Gerald threw a frog most of the day.  The day also included a run-in with my favorite ESPN Host, Mark Zona.  He did one of his taped stories for the Classic while we were in the lock between lakes.  Check out all the photos of the day.  Can't wait for the tournament to start Friday morning.  The official Media Day is Thursday, so I'll talk with as many guys as I can, and take some photos for the website.  Right now, I need to get some aloe vera on my skin and get some sleep. 
 

TUESDAY

Tomorrow is the last day of practice for the CLASSIC.  I'll be in Gerald Swindle's boat with him all day.  Picked up some things at the media center today and talked with some of the guys there.  Had a couple of beers with Mark Zona and his producer at ESPN while at the pool today.   Gonna be an early Wednesday.  3:00 am wake up call.  On the water at 6:30.  Finally some action.  Had a great lunch at the All Star Cafe in Disney today.  Found out they run old episodes of The White Shadow on NBA TV.  Cool.  Look for photos from the water Wednesday. 

MONDAY

Well, I left Kalamazoo this morning in the blowing snow and arrived in Orlando to sunshine and 75 degrees.  BASS cancelled the Tuesday Media Bass Tournament on Disney's Pond, so I won't be fishing on this trip.  It's gonna be hard being around all these guys, and this tournament, and not catching anything, except some sun.  Good news, the weather is looking great, and it's 80's the rest of the week.  That means the bass will be up on beds according to everyone I've talked with, and the bite will be on, and the big ones will be found.  Tuesday is going to be a lazy day.  Nothing at the CLASSIC starts happening until Wednesday. 

Side note:  people in Florida are on one speed - slow.  You never see anyone in a hurry to do anything.  How long have taxi cab drivers been screwing us over?  You get in a cab, sit down, catch your breath, look up at the meter, and it's already on $3.00.  What the hell?  The wheels have barely started turning.  Had a nice $45 ride for 15 minutes from the airport to the hotel.  If that's not literally highway robbery, I don't know what is.