CLUNN OR MARTIN, WHO’S THE GREATEST ANGLER?

Voting is Open for the Fans to Decide

And then there were two.

Mark Davis, Gary Klein, Jay Yelas, Hank Parker, Larry Nixon, Kevin VanDam, Denny Brauer and Bill Dance were worthy adversaries, but in the end no one could match casts, CITGO Bassmaster Classic championships or CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year awards with Rick Clunn or Roland Martin.

Beginning Saturday, June 4 on Bassmaster.com (keyword “Vote”) bass fishing fans worldwide have a chance to settle ESPN’s Greatest Angler Debate presented by John Deere.

The debate started with a list of 35 top anglers from the world of competitive bass fishing. It was pared down to the sport’s 10 best in January. Fan voting began in January and ended in March. The process ranked the pros third through tenth. The two finalists face-off in a second round of voting that began June 4 and continues through July 17.

For many fans, the debate will revolve around Martin’s nine Bassmaster Angler of the Year awards versus Clunn’s four Classic titles. It’s akin to the question, which is more important, winning the most valuable player award (Angler of the Year) or getting that championship ring (the Classic)? The first reflects an exceptional ability to succeed over the course of a long season while the other may be the test of the sport’s biggest “money player.”

Now it’s time for the fans to decide.

Either Martin or Clunn will take home the title of Greatest Angler at the Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburgh, July 29-31.

Fans can check out stats and stories on the Greatest Angler Debate presented by John Deere in the pages of Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times, Bassmaster.com and on the weekly ESPN Outdoors radio show.

For a chance to fish with one of the 35 greatest anglers of all-time plus have a walk-on role in an ESPN Outdoors show, sign up for the ESPN Greatest Angler Debate Sweepstakes at http://r.espn.go.com/espn/outdoors/gad/.

Since its inception in 2001, ESPN Outdoors has strived to inform and entertain anglers, hunters, campers and people of all ages who enjoy the outdoors. ESPN Outdoors is committed to increasing awareness of outdoor activities, a direction best exemplified by daily television programming totaling nearly 1,000 hours annually on ESPN and ESPN2.

For more information, contact ESPN Outdoors Communications at (407) 566-2208.