What did you think of E.S.P.N'S coverage of the classic

[Ray L.]

I watched it this morning and Like I thought Ike was the top story but after that I thought it was good overall. I enjoyed the on the water coverage of many of the anglers and also the use of Google Earth to track the fishermen.

[BigJeff]

The weigh in yesterday sucked. They showed the main BASS guys instead of showing two guys who weighed in 29 lb sacks. They are really working on trying to market their annointed guys. Today was a little better so far

[GRNBASS]

Ever since ESPN bought BASS, the action we as anglers want to watch is fewer and is getting less televised. I remember the action we viewed years ago before ESPN bought the BASS was so much cooler and awsome to watch. It feels like watching a pre-game show that repeats story after story with no action. I totally feel ESPN needs to start showing us some raw action the way it was in the past.
Manny Bruno

[mark poulson]

*NM*

[GRNBASS]

Exactly!!!

[Bassinsj]

My only fault with "ANY" espn bass coverage is that they seem to forget 7am is 4 am on the west coast. Gotta tape my Basscenter, and scott martin every weekend.

Specific to the Classic.. I honestly wish they would :

1: drop the running leaderboard while the guys are on the water. We'll see the weigh in.

2: show all the weigh in, not a chopped edited version. I want to see everyones catch.

3: What the hell happened to the story of Anre Devillers? They focused on Ike having his breakdown, but this guy was busting his butt to get a US visa to become a pro in our country, and they didnt even talk about him after the launch. He was one of the "Big Drama Human interest" stories of the event.

On Iaconelli.. I'd hate to face his sponsors if I were him. But I do agree with the DQ, while at the same time I can empazise with the guy.. you lose your catch and some jerk with a camera is standing 2 ft away looking over you shoulder asking you whats wrong are the fish dead? Then when you give up and youre ready to scream he keeps the camera right on ya.. give the guy a chance to decompress.. were talking 1/2 a million on the line.

[mark poulson]

Just shows that T.V. will put anything on to make ratings. ESPN looks like it's willing to sacrifice one of their "stars" just to make their show more "interesting". They think like T.V. people, that everyone want to see a car crash.
I hope the PAA gets together with BASS, and forces some kind of editorial supervision. Not censorship, just common sense and a little decency. Like not sticking a mike and camera in someone's face as their tournament is going down in flames.
It's like putting cameras in the locker room of the losing team. At least give them a moment to compose themselves.
And if the camera man records everything, someone in the booth should have the sense to edit it, put it in perspective and context, and not run it as the main theme of the Classic's first day.
As it was, Clausen's big first day bag, and the other guys who did really well, all got lost in the glare of the spotlight they put on Ike's screwup. That didn't need to happen, and I, for one, don't think it added anything to the show.

[foolishone]

PLEASE BRING BACK FISH FISHBURN! THE MC SUCKED. WAY TOO HOLLYWOOD FOR A GUY FROM TENNESSEE. NOT ENOUGH FISHING COVERAGE. FLW ON FOX MADE THIS LOOK LIKE POOR CABLE. THE TWO GUYS ON WILDBOYZ COULDA DONE A BETTER JOB.

[Noluk]

My main thoughts was DAMN there were alot of the same commercials over and over and over. And like lots of them. @ minutes of commercials, 1 anglers weighs in.. back to commercial. The super six part was a bit better.

[SKTR 20i]

I thought the coverage was much better last year in Pittsburg! They had a lot more actual fishing instead of dialogue.

I really liked Denny Brauer's take on the Ike story yesterday "He finsihed 51st, we don't need to discuss him anymore". Denny is a class act!!! On Staurday when they (Tommie & Denny) were talking to Trip it sounded like Denny wanted Ike DQ'D from the whole event.

John.

[BigJeff]

I think they did the knowledgeable fan a disservice by not acknowledging Luke Clausen as a grand slam champion. When they went up to Velvick, Shaw and the other guy Velvick said Luke has won a big event before but you could clearly see that the letters F.L.W. were off limits.

BASS had an opportunity to send off some of the anglers going over to FLW with class. I wouldnt expect them to acknowledge guys leaving to the competition, but they wronged us by not talking about Clausen's accomplishments.

And Luke is only 27. WOW! Congrats on winning another big one. And he has a tour event on Wednesday now

[Ray L.]

If you have ever watched an F.L.W. Event on t.v. you always see them saying the total winnings of an angler and they include B.*** winnings and they even mention B.*** as the other tour. B.*** is acting like a 5 year old who won't get in the sgower when you tell him to.The 1 bright spot in the whole telecast was Denny Brauer and the way he treated the whole Ike situation. He is a class act and knowing B.*** they will probably not have him as a color comentator again because you could tell he wanted to get on to the fishing and not dwell on the contraversy.
I can really see why so many top names are leaving B.***. There are too many holes in the ship and it is starting to sink quickly.

[Root]

To much talking and not enough from the anglers on the water!!! and Ike.....Ike....little Ike. What the heck's wrong with that guy? Does he have a skrew loose or what, ok he yells at fish....I guess I answerd my own question