BassBlaster

How ‘Bout That Denny-Jonathon Thing?

You talkin' to me? (B.A.S.S. photo)

Loved reading on Bassin’Fan about the conflict between Denny Brauer and “the other VanDam” (Jonathon). Here’s why:

1. Denny gets up on stage after day 3 and says he “won’t be applying for membership in the Jonathon VanDam Fan Club.” That…is…awesome, intimidation at its finest. Denny smelled the win, and wanted that water (more water) to himself on day 4. So he says that stuff to intimidate Jonathon and to maybe get some peer pressure on the young man. Great stuff.

Gotta mention that I’ve experienced that side of Denny. I’ve obviously never been an Elite Series competitor – they wanted me, man, and I was like, sorry, can’t do the travel…(lol) – nor to my knowledge has Denny had anything particular against me. But I’ve covered enough tourneys that I’ve seen the mid-competition “bear” side of Denny, and yes, it’s a force you can feel.

2. Jonathon gives Denny some space, but doesn’t back out of the area – which sounds a lot like a more-polite version of what KVD would do (I’m wondering if Jonathon asked his unc’s advice on that one….). BassFan quotes him as saying:

I haven’t done anything wrong and I have as much right to fish that spot as he does. It’s one of those deals where we both found the same thing in practice and it’s a big area back there. He’s chased off a number of guys, but the difference is that I haven’t backed down. [Chased off a number of guys! Who?]

And:

I feel like I’ve given him plenty of room. He throws out a buoy out and I don’t get within two cast-lengths of it.

Two cast-lengths! That takes cojones, mang!

THAT is pro bass fishing. Pro anything, for that matter. Which brings me to #3:

3. Loved the fact that BassFan still hasn’t gone totally “the bassin’ world is all rosy lollipops, la-la-la” or what seems to have happened everywhere else – the giant conspiracy to make the top level of the bassin’ world boring as heck. Sports is entertainment, folks, and attempted entertainment with no conflict would never fly in any book, movie or TV show, or any other sport.
_____

Props to Denny, Jonathon and Bassin’Fan for livening up an otherwise “just another” tournament.”

Have to add that I’m super psyched Denny won again.

And hey: Aaron Martens finished 2nd again!

21 Comments

21 Comments

  1. YankeeBasser

    June 14, 2011 at 12:02 pm

    Well done Jonathon. True sportsmanship. I’m surprised at Denny. Does he think that because he is a long time veteran and Jonathan is a rookie that he (Denny) is entitled to that water and that Jonathan should have to back off and give the veteran first crack at the fish? Or was he upset because Jonathan was outfishing him with his bread-and-butter flippin’ and pitchin’ technique?. I used to be a fan of Denny, but I guess I’ll have to start rethinking that one. At the very least I have lost some respect for Denny. Not a pro I would want to draw in a tourney, but I’ll take a spot in the back of JVD’s boat anytime!

    • Ryno

      June 14, 2011 at 12:23 pm

      In my own opinion as a tournament fisherman with alot of national events under my belt,I am holding the opinion that JVD made a very bad choice by not backing off the water after he zeroed on day one.For someone in his rookie year there in bassfishing as in alot of other things people have to pay their dues and he made a choice that was not very well taken by many of his fellow fisherman.It will be interesting to see when this comes back to bite him back,because it will no doubt about it.

  2. BryanT

    June 14, 2011 at 12:50 pm

    This happens every weekend on lakes all across the country. All it is, is mental warfare. I like it, I have been on both ends on a much smaller scale, but it is what it is. If this were a true issue, DB would have filed a protest, the fact he didn’t meant everything is fine and DB just wanted to instill fear in the little feller from MI. I like it, and it has a place in bass fishing. Always has and always will.

    Remember Byron Velvick and Aaron Martens, loved that too.

  3. Steve SAdams

    June 14, 2011 at 1:04 pm

    “Aaron Martens finished 2nd again!” Doooohh that hurts!

  4. Chad Keogh

    June 14, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    I think Denny didn’t file an official protest because usually guys who aren’t really close to winning the event, but are fishing the same area as the leader will back-off out of courtesy. And it is assumed, usually correctly, that if the tables are ever turned and the guys who backed-off is leading, that the same courtesy will be extended.

    Due to this, I think if JVD is ever leading, he just might get more anglers in his area than he bargained for… what comes around, goes around.

    • Rich Arnold

      June 14, 2011 at 1:25 pm

      Well stated Chad…what comes around goes around out there in tourney land. If you act like a jerk, you will be treated like a jerk. There is a fine line between standing up for yourself as a rookie and not being pushed around, but when you zero on day 1, the proper etiquette would be to give the tourney leader all the room he wants. The Martens vs. Velvick fight over water is well known, but someone should look into the Monroe vs. Elias fight on Falcon that same tourney…it’s even more juicy and didn’t get any coverage! Ish did the right thing, but it really pissed him off and got in to his head for over a season.

  5. tumblebug

    June 14, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    In the 06 Busch Shootout, on Tablerock, Swindel and Zell were fishing the Highway 13 bridge at different times. At one point when Swindel was fishing it and Zell showed up at the other end. Swindel went over and laid claim to the bridge and was not accepting the fact that Zell had been fishing it the day before after Gerald had left. The distance was so great that Gerald had to fire up the big motor to get in Zell’s face. Zell, like a gentelman, backed off. I thought less of Swindel after that.

  6. Alex Voog

    June 14, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Gamesmanship. JVD trying to make a name for himself, and that will always come at a price, although pissing off Denny (good thing he won!) will make him persona non grata for a while. Respect your elders, but don’t let them mentally beat you. JVD would do well to extend an olive branch…..to his Strike King ‘teammate”.

  7. Flip 'N' Pitch

    June 14, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    I’ve defended DB steadfastly before but I’m on the fence with this one. Two cast lengths (which is debatable and subjective) was way more than I saw Matt Sphar give DB on a somewhat crowded underwater point at Guntersville in ’09. Skeet Reese was on the other side of it by not much more than a half of a cast. Sphar wasn’t far (Ha!) from being a Rookie but when his line crossed over where DB’s had just been pulled through DB let him have it bigtime! He asked Skeet what he thought of it and he just shook his head and laughed. Of course he wasn’t in the lead and I’ve written before about how DB had effectively camped out at that spot all day long while it seemed Sphar had just shown up so I don’t know how much those two variables sway the situation. Regardless, one of those three I mentioned isn’t on tour anymore…guess which one?

  8. Bass Pundit

    June 15, 2011 at 2:08 am

    I think a lot less of Denny because of this. Both JVD and and Brandon Palaniuk have more on the line in every tournament than Denny, who undoubtedly has all the money he needs and nothing to prove. Denny was just being greedy and ungracious.

  9. Chance C.

    June 15, 2011 at 6:31 am

  10. Flip 'N' Pitch

    June 15, 2011 at 6:55 am

    Yep, that article settles it for me. When Skeet, Horton, and others all say the same thing as they do in this article then Denny was in right and JVD was in the wrong. Besides, who are we as outsiders to question what the legends of the sport say is a no-no? It’s not the end of the world for JVD just something to learn and hopefully get better from experiencing.

  11. Brian

    June 15, 2011 at 10:07 am

    On the subject of drama and excitement. I know the whole Denny-JVD deal is getting all the attention from this event, and perhaps I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the bunch, but what are the odds (astronomical?) that KVD blows 2 tires at the same time on the way to morning launch?

    These guys pull 30,000+ miles a year, often without a single failure. I pulled a Triton and 2 Stratos’ around for a total of about 15 years and had a valve stem leak on me once out on the road. KVD is trying to pad an AOY point surge, while his nephew is ticking off Denny – and low and behold he comes burning into the ramp area throwing sparks on a pair of rims without tires???

    Anyone else buying the conspiracy theory?

  12. Chance C.

    June 15, 2011 at 11:37 am

    Another question is why would BASS publish an article about an unwritten rule about fishing in an area of the tourney leader? Wouldn’t that be like the MLB publishing an article about an unwritten rule on their site? It really doesn’t make sense to me and why would they really get involve like this? Are they trying to embarrass Jonathan or what? I mean the guy did zero, move up to make the final cut, catch the biggest fish and finish 6th. Not bad. If I could do that from a spot I also found I don’t know if it is right just to give it up because a guy is in first. He does have obligations to sponsors doesn’t he? I mean he does fish for a living!

    Still, why did BASS publish this story?

    • admin (mostly Jay)

      June 16, 2011 at 1:33 pm

      I’m going with “it happened” as the reason, no hidden agenda. That’s why I wrote about it!

  13. Jim Bassangler

    June 15, 2011 at 10:55 pm

    I’m on the fence about this too. I don’t like this unwritten rule nonsense. Either it is a rule or it isn’t. It’s the guys who have this set of unwritten rules that ruin it for everyone else.
    That said I do believe in etiquette. If JVD was casting over DB’s line that or casting next to his boat that’s one thing but if he stays two casts away from a marker buoy that’s totally something else. I think it would be easy to know if JVD showed up looking for a fish after zeroing like everyone wants to imply but if he did find the water himself he should be entitled to share it, leader or not… And anyone SHOULD take the high road like the professional they are supposed to be.
    Maybe the vets should choose where it is ok for the rookies to fish. Or maybe the real unwritten rule is that rookies have to donate their money to the “tried and true” pros until they are worthy of winning. And one more thing I think it was bad form for Bassmaster write that article about JVD are they trying to drive him out of the sport? I don’t know JVD but he seems like a nice kid. I just don’t get why they want to create this bad persona… I guess he has to be put in his place like Ike.

    • admin (mostly Jay)

      June 16, 2011 at 1:35 pm

      Don’t forget another important unwritten rule which is: A pro angler must get help!

      Sorry, couldn’t resist….

  14. Phil Pardue

    June 19, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    JVD messed up in my opinion. I saw the pictures and he was way too close. Plus, when I fish I don’t just sit in one spot all day. I move around the area. I’m not saying Denny owned the area but he did at least own a casting distance. If he did that to me he would have a carolina rig weight hole in the side of his cowling.

    • Bass Pundit

      June 23, 2011 at 4:56 am

      Did you ever think that the reason JVD was close to Brauer was because Denny moved closer to JVD. You can’t tell who moved close to whom from a picture and I heard JVD claim he kept his distance from Denny. By his behavior it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Denny moved in to crowd JVD.

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