If he wasnt considderd in this debate then people would want to know why. Then BASS couldnt tell them why cause it would look like slander or bashing of one of its legends. It would take away credibility of the sport.

I doubt he even paid them. I know a guy who brauer called a few times and fished with a time or 2. It was all a prestiege thing bragging to his buddies that he got to fish with brauer or he called me tonight.

Roland wasnt the only one that done it. he was just the most blantant from what I understand.

If he wasnt considderd in this debate then people would want to know why. Then BASS couldnt tell them why cause it would look like slander or bashing of one of its legends. It would take away credibility of the sport.

Good point.

Clunn and Martin would be my top 2 and Nixon and Brauer would be my next 2. Dance doesn't even belong in the top 10, him and his "I catch 5lbers on every sponsor product"show. Put him on competitive waters and watch him struggle to catch keepers

          I think that Rick Clunn should get the award. He was great years ago and he is still great today.  Bill Dance will probably win because of him being the most known of and popular among the general public. The GAD on Bass Saturday is very interseting. The GAD in Bassmaster also cleared some things up for me.

        I won't be too upset if Bill Dance wins. He is a great guy and has improved our sport.

I do not like Roland Martin and I don't profess to have any knowledge about his getting help before tournaments. However, he still has to go out and catch those fish.

But the overriding factor, in my opinion, is his longevity. Here he is in his mid-60s, and still competitive 35 years after starting to fish BASS. That longevity, in addition to his wins and high finishes, demands that he be on the list of finalists.

I wonder who is next to get the boot this week.

If you want to play the money game here is the top 10

1) Denny Brauer $1,889,176.71

2) Rick Clunn $1,627,544.53

3) Larry Nixon $1,579,658.58

4) KVD $1,450,108.33

5) Jay Yelas $1,312,607.00

6) Shaw Grigsby $1,259,855.23

7) Gary Klein $1,239,343.97

8 ) Ron Shuffield $1,047,521.00

9) Roland Martin $1,038,067.16

10) George Cochran $1,018,121.30

AOY From 1971-2005

Roland Martin 9

Bill Dance 2

Larry Nixon 2

Hank Parker 1

Denny Brauer 1

Gary Klein 2

Mark Davis 3

KVD 3

Jay Yelas 1

Jimmy Houston 2

I just thought this was interesting

I would like to see Bill Dance named the Greatest Angler just to watch Skeet Reese squirm in his seat and whine for the next 10 years about it. That guy is such a joke...what a baby. He's just upset that Gary Klein wasn't ranked higher.

If I was to just pick the ones I felt deserved it just based on competitive angling production...in no order it would have to be Martin, Clunn, KVD, and Nixon or Davis.

If you go by who popularized the sport and made it what it is today...made it something worth having this debate about. Without question Martin, Dance and Parker and maybe even KVD.

If I was to just pick the ones I felt deserved it just based on competitive angling production...in no order it would have to be Martin, Clunn, KVD, and Nixon or Davis.

Heck yeah

Is this the greatest angler debate or the most popular angler debate---I think the Latter!!!

Ray Scott has a pretty good piece in this month's BASSMASTER magazine. He sums it up pretty well, the Greatest Angler debate really boils down to Roland Martin and Rick Clunn.

I'm still voting for Bill Dance.

Yeah I read that. I thought it was pretty good. Even though he is a pompous jerk. :

Rick Clunn is too fruity for me, too much Philosphical crap(I misspelled it didnt I). Roland Martin is too cocky. I would pick Brauer or Nixon, they seem humble and their great fisherman.

I dont tournament fish so I have no idea what it takes to be the greatst angler on those terms.If we judged people by how much money they made then Miles Davis,Muddy Waters,Professor Longhair,Ernie Banks,Duke Snider,Joe Nammath,Muhamed Ali,Jim Valvano and John Thompson and Oscar Robertson would be on nobodys list based on todays money standards.Yet all those guys changed their music and sports forever and were visonaries So in that respect can we not include Al Linder,Bill Dance and Tommy Mann whose were the first names I ever was able to associate with greatness in the ealy days of BASS I know I still learn a lot reading or viewing reruns of material from these men

Dance shouldn't even be considered.  He is such a poser.  I don't know who he greased to keep him on the air.  

I heard he does his entire season of shows in 2 weeks on his private pond!  whew--boy you are good!

I am with Gobbledog and Alandis- down with Dance!  

Next time you see one of his shows, watch how he plays his fish...he's got the rod behind his head ???

I agree with Roadwarrior...the piece on Clunn and Martin this month is Bassmaster is worth the one page read.  I have posted my thoughts on this topic before (somewhere above).

But to hear the news this morning having KVD now out and ranked #5?  Come on man, it is officially what we all knew in the outset...a lot of people voting on ESPN that know nothing of the sport, and I would now not be shocked if Bill Dance does win the vote.   Martin, Clunn, and Van Dam...the top three...now another spot is open at the top for the rest left.  Probably now Martin, Clunn and Dance, and wouldn't bet against Dance now taking the vote.

Yeah, to even consider that Dance is better than KVD totally absurd. ABSOLUTELY RIDUCULOUS! :

Alandis, I pretty much agree with your list. The only thing I may switch is Van Dam. I think he needs to fish another 10 years to be included as an all time great. He is awesome, just needs more time. IMHO.

If it was up to me here is my top 6

1) Roland Martin

2) Rick Clunn

3) Denny Brauer

4) Larry Nixon

5) KVD

6) Mark Davis

Brauer out?!?!?!?!?!?

I think Dance sold his his soul to get this high on the rankings.

This debate is a joke.

Dance out! FINALLY! :

  I really like chris's pick's.But there is no way I could put them in any order.BUT! If i had to pick one ,it would be Brauer! I love pitchin' and a flippin'.Brauer has a couple of video's that i learned alot from.KVD also has an awsome pitchin' and flippin' video through BPS.

                                flippin4it