Gone Fishing…….by Jim Shepherd 2-19-2010

Gone Fishing…..
Media Day for the Bassmaster Classic is one of those deals where the qualifying pros are penned up in an area and the accredited media is released on them. For three hours, the pros are questioned, stared at, photographed, handed things to sign and, generally reminded that there are some prices to be paid when you compete in the top rungs of any sport.Media Day 2010…three hours of fun for some; a full day’s work for others.
It’s also the day when you can really see the experience of the older professionals. No, it’s not their fishing techniques, it’s their methods of dealing with the media.

For example, Kevin VanDam, arguably the top angler in the world today, lives up to his “cyborg” reputation. He’s the icy professional, focused and willing to answer questions, but you’re not likely to get the impression he’s going to remember your name after the interview. That doesn’t mean he’s not capable of cracking a joke, smiling easily or fooling around - it just means that he’s a working professional.

Mike Iaconelli, on the other hand, is the smiling, joking, whatever-you’d-like pro who works the room. Watching him is a lesson in dealing with the media.

“Would you sign my…..” questions abound, despite the fact the room’s supposedly full of working media. Here, first-time Classic competitor Billy McCaghren’s signing a lampshade. Each of the competitors signed, demonstrating that outdoor pros are easily among the most approachable top-tier competitors in the sports world.
He seems more than willing to do almost anything you’d like for an interview, including pulling up his shirt to accommodate your microphone, stand squinting into the sun, or whatever. While you’re getting ready, his eyes are darting around and he’s totally aware of what’s happening all around him. Once the recorder is rolling, however, he gives an interviewer his undivided attention. He remembers their name, works it into one of his answers, and thanks them when they finish. He takes any question into careful consideration and gives an answer that - even if you’ve heard it given a dozen times - always sounds as if it was crafted on the fly to answer your extremely intelligent question.

For others, like first-time Classic competitor Billy McCaghren of Mayflower, Arkansas, Media Day’s a learning experience. Talking with him, I asked him if he’d had any really dumb questions. Smiling, he admitted that he’d really not had that many people interviewing him - despite his 2009 Rookie of the Year title.

And the dumb question? It didn’t come from Media Day, but the last day of practice. As he was fishing a point, he explained, a local TV guy came up in a camera boat and asked “what is your goal out here today?”

“I didn’t really know how to answer,” McCaghren said, “so I just said, I’m trying to find a place where I can catch some fish.”

There wasn’t a follow up question.

Today, all the silliness stops, because the fishing starts. From blast-off this morning until the final weigh-in Sunday evening, these same anglers will be wearing their game faces. After all, it’s their performance on the water that determines whether anyone will want to bother them will silly questions or not.

Although not many of them will admit it, they’re hoping to give the media a reason to pester them for the next three days.

We’ll keep you posted.

–Jim Shepherd