Phil Bloom
Mike Iaconelli, the flamboyant professional angler from New Jersey, finally said too much.
He said it too loud, he said it with too many of the wrong words, and now it’s costing him.
In case you missed it, Iaconelli had a meltdown on the opening day of the recent Bassmaster Classic on Lake Tohopekaliga near Kissimmee, Fla., after discovering some of the bass he caught had gone belly up in the boat’s livewell.
Iaconelli has gained notoriety in bass fishing circles both for his success as a tournament angler and for his penchant to scream at the top of his lungs when the TV cameras are on.
This time an ESPN camera was on, spectators were nearby, and Ike went off the charts with his behavior.
He screamed, he swore. He swore a lot. Then he kicked and bent one of the boat’s safety light poles, picked up the damaged light pole and threw it and the American flag that was attached to the pole.
All if this earned him a disqualification because Bass Angler Sportsman Society officials said he violated the organization’s sportsmanship rule.
“Once we saw the videotape, it didn’t take long to make a decision,” tournament director Trip Weldon told BASS News.
Iaconelli was everything but contrite based on accounts posted on ESPN’s BASSInsider.com.
He says he was just frustrated (no kidding) and that he had no regrets for the tirade. He said he didn’t understand why he was being DQ’d. He said he was being “targeted” and “sabotaged.” He called the punishment “ridiculous.”
Oddly, several posters on BASSInsider.com’s message board defended Iaconelli.
But some of BASS’s old guard had to be snickering. While they respect Ike’s fishing skills (he’s won a Classic title, five other tournaments on the BASS or Forrest L. Wood tours and more than $1 million), they are annoyed when ESPN, which owns BASS, uses Iaconelli’s antics to promote tournament fishing.
Anyway, Iaconelli started over the next day with no weight and a long way to go to make the cut for Sunday’s final round. He ended up in last place.
On Tuesday, two things happened. It’s not clear which was first.
•Ranger Boats pulled its sponsorship agreement with Iaconelli.
•Iaconelli apologized.
“My frustrations and anger were in no way purposely directed toward damaging safety equipment or degrading the American flag,” he said in a prepared statement. “I love this country and I love everything that the flag stands for.”
A personal observation here: Having interviewed Iaconelli for a feature article last summer, it seems there are two Ikes – the well-mannered and likeable one off camera, and the one who acts wild and crazy because that’s what his fans expect.
He now says he regrets his actions and intends to move forward having learned from the mistake.
Let’s hope so.
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Phil Bloom has been outdoors editor for The Journal Gazette since 1991. He can be reached by e-mail at pbloom@jg.net; phone, 461-8257; or fax 461-8648. To discuss this column, go to the “Phil Bloom” toic of “The Board”" at www.journalgazette.net.
Mike Iaconelli, the flamboyant professional angler from New Jersey, finally said too much.
He said it too loud, he said it with too many of the wrong words, and now it’s costing him.
In case you missed it, Iaconelli had a meltdown on the opening day of the recent Bassmaster Classic on Lake Tohopekaliga near Kissimmee, Fla., after discovering some of the bass he caught had gone belly up in the boat’s livewell.
Iaconelli has gained notoriety in bass fishing circles both for his success as a tournament angler and for his penchant to scream at the top of his lungs when the TV cameras are on.
This time an ESPN camera was on, spectators were nearby, and Ike went off the charts with his behavior.
He screamed, he swore. He swore a lot. Then he kicked and bent one of the boat’s safety light poles, picked up the damaged light pole and threw it and the American flag that was attached to the pole.
All if this earned him a disqualification because Bass Angler Sportsman Society officials said he violated the organization’s sportsmanship rule.
“Once we saw the videotape, it didn’t take long to make a decision,” tournament director Trip Weldon told BASS News.
Iaconelli was everything but contrite based on accounts posted on ESPN’s BASSInsider.com.
He says he was just frustrated (no kidding) and that he had no regrets for the tirade. He said he didn’t understand why he was being DQ’d. He said he was being “targeted” and “sabotaged.” He called the punishment “ridiculous.”
Oddly, several posters on BASSInsider.com’s message board defended Iaconelli.
But some of BASS’s old guard had to be snickering. While they respect Ike’s fishing skills (he’s won a Classic title, five other tournaments on the BASS or Forrest L. Wood tours and more than $1 million), they are annoyed when ESPN, which owns BASS, uses Iaconelli’s antics to promote tournament fishing.
Anyway, Iaconelli started over the next day with no weight and a long way to go to make the cut for Sunday’s final round. He ended up in last place.
On Tuesday, two things happened. It’s not clear which was first.
•Ranger Boats pulled its sponsorship agreement with Iaconelli.
•Iaconelli apologized.
“My frustrations and anger were in no way purposely directed toward damaging safety equipment or degrading the American flag,” he said in a prepared statement. “I love this country and I love everything that the flag stands for.”
A personal observation here: Having interviewed Iaconelli for a feature article last summer, it seems there are two Ikes – the well-mannered and likeable one off camera, and the one who acts wild and crazy because that’s what his fans expect.
He now says he regrets his actions and intends to move forward having learned from the mistake.
Let’s hope so.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Phil Bloom has been outdoors editor for The Journal Gazette since 1991. He can be reached by e-mail at pbloom@jg.net; phone, 461-8257; or fax 461-8648. To discuss this column, go to the “Phil Bloom” toic of “The Board”" at www.journalgazette.net.