Chico State Bassers Getting Zingged

Seems like every time you turn around these days everyone’s talking – or at least issuing press releases about – college bassin’. But it ain’t all glory for these younger folks. Case in point is bassers at Cali’s Chico State. Excerpts from this article:

> Chico State has a bass fishing club, and despite a lack of recognition and support from the university, they are ranked No. 7 in the nation.

> “We’re in a position to take in members,” said Tom White, a senior sociology major. “University of Florida has over 80 members. Us, maybe 10. Other schools get taken care of.”

> The club has raked in more than $70,000, and almost $40,000 of it has gone to the school, White said. “The money that the school gets should be spent on getting more college bass fishermen,” Moran said.

> College Fishing by FLW…oversees the tournaments and is in charge of where the money goes, White said. The clubs get to keep 75 percent of the earnings, while the school gets 25 percent. It used to be 50-50.

> The sport is exploding and other universities are helping their clubs with traveling expenses and giving scholarships to high school students who are good fishermen.
Chico’s fishermen have no idea what happened to the money that went to the school, Moran said.

> “I called Zingg several times and sent him emails with no response,” said Parker Moran, a Carmel native and graduate in entrepreneurship, about his attempts to communicate with Chico State President Paul Zingg. “They don’t care and weren’t responding as we’re sending them $10,000 checks. It’s a sticky situation and they definitely don’t want to work with us.”

> The club made $36,000 at a weekend tournament in October and by the next Monday, half of it was already in the hands of the school, while the club never heard a word, White said. “He could take the money but recognition would be nice,” Shaw said. “Even a thank-you.”

> Zingg was unavailable for comment.
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C’mon Zingg. Lose the bow tie, take a break from sipping wine at fund-raisers and give these hard-workin’ bassers a call back. Or were manners not in the requirements for that gig?