Something ya'll can help me get past is this Elite BASS qualifying. In one of our past threads, it was accepted that Elite BASS Anglers were "PROS" and or that a qualifying stair step tour was a way to weed out the big money guys from buying their way in. If that was kinda in a paraphrase way of stating that idea, BASS sure ain't seeing it that way...at least for the guys that got in on the ground floor,last year.

Nothin at all against Harley,Ash, Brodeur, Eaker, Velvick, Merkin, and Lane, but they all got "IN"in 07 HOW? I was there! They finished well out and others coming up through the nothern and southern tour last year, that finished in front of all these guys at the wildcard didn't make it ! You can believe me when I say some would have said YES!

BASS during the breifing meeting at the wildcard did say they were going to cut the field of Elite's down to around 80 and they ended up with 108!

 Fair or Fare? Ash's lifetime winnings ain't 3 thousand, he's a nice guy, but what the .... , there's other nice guys waiting their turn too !  Tell me I'm all wet and I'll drop it!

Whatever B.A.S.S. says, you gotta take it with a grain of salt.  I have no respect for what ESPN is doing for B.A.S.S..

I wasn't at the wildcard, so I can't really comment, but I can't imagine how Velvick made it in the Series again next season.  The guy doesn't even make the Classic, but he qualified for the '07 Elite Series.  Strange.

I think in a few years, the Elite Series will vanish.  I think the entry fees will kill that Series.  The bottom feeders should just donate there money to the KVD's, Ike's and Clunn's of the world.  It's usually always the same guys in the top 50 money.  I believe Velvick made the top 50 once this whole season.  Yeah, he's a worthy qualifier.

Only 70 were to qualify from 2006 elites. The other came from other form of qualifing.      2007 Elite field is supposed to be 100. If some of the guys decided not to fish the elites that did qualify, the 38 guys who didn't qualfy are given opportunintes to stay with the ELITE Trail instead of re-qualifing.

I'd be willing to bet, that the ones who could ante up the $55,000 in entry fees are the ones who are in.       I think that some of the wild card finishers just couldn't afford to committ, so the next in line on the list got a chance to step up if they had the money.

Matt.