(Bassmaster.com photo)
Everyone see the article on Bassin’Fan titled, “Brauer Hints At Retirement…”? Was shocked to read this Denny quote:
We (he and wife Shirley) built a second home on Lake Amistad this year and we’ve been down there since December,” he said. “I’ll be honest, I’ve been having so much fun fishing down there that it was really hard for me to pack up and head to the Classic. I don’t know, maybe I’m losing some of that competitive edge and it’s time to just relax and have fun.
Now we all know Denny’s been at this game a long time, but he’s not just in the game – he’s still winning. As he said in the next paragraph of the article:
It gets tougher every year to get up and compete against these guys. Then again, I won an event last year (at the Arkansas River) and that makes you think you can still hang in there.
Zactly! Plus, I saw Shirley at the Classic and asked her whether Denny still got grumpy when he had a bad day. She’s too nice to have given me a flat yes, but reading between the lines that’s what the answer was.
I take that as a good sign, competitively. In otras palabras (amigos), he’s not just happy to be there. He wants to win.
But then he said to Bassin’Fan:
This sport’s been so good to me. Why press it too much longer?
Sure we’ll all respect whatever decision he makes whenever he chooses to make it. Just was kinda – I don’t know…sad, maybe – to read it. Have loved covering Denny over the years, a true competitor.
When he does retire, I bet he wins a bunch o’ tournaments on Amistad.
5 Comments
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Chad Keogb
March 6, 2012 at 7:00 pm
I met Mr. Brauer at the last Bassmaster University held in Toronto. He is a great ambassador for both his sponsors and the sport of bass fishing. I hope he does whatever makes him happiest in the future.
Drummaster
March 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm
J.V.D. would be heartbroken.
Bass Pundit
March 6, 2012 at 10:10 pm
I lost a lot of respect for him over the J.V.D. thing, handled it with neither class or grace.
Flip 'N' Pitch
March 7, 2012 at 8:17 am
Oh no, here comes the JVD debate again! On one level, he may just be plugging Amistad while trying to fill some “media coverage time”. I mean, how many hundreds if not thousands of questions do you think you could answer before you just started repeating canned responses to “what’s your favorite color?”, “who’s gonna win the Classic?”, “what jig question haven’t you been asked yet?”. On another level, he (and his surgically repaired back and neck) can’t fish all over the country at the highest level of competition forever. Nor does he have to in terms of finances (my guess) or his BASS Legacy (no doubts there). Especially when he can chill out with Mrs. “Greatest Flipper and Pitcher of Jigs of all Time” at Amistad at his (and her;) discretion. The competitive “fire in the belly” may not be dwindling but why not do it on his own terms while he still can?
paul zuest
March 7, 2012 at 11:15 pm
always thought denny was a class act. wish him well whatever he does. PZ