In the magazine GQ Ike was right behind Kobe Bryant as most hated athlete in sports? Is it me or the people on list like these usually  pretty good athletes, i think so.

I wish I was one of the top 10 most hated athletes.

Can you imagine the amount of free press Ike is going

to get because of this? This list will increase his name

recognition by 1,000 times.

Nice work Ike.

JT Bagwell

Your  right and Im sure he doesnt mind, laughing all the way

thats because of his role model attitude being the  way it is.  its the american way to follow the people who set bad examples.  lets name them....   rodman, mike tyson, darryl strawberry, anna nicole smith,  etc.  whatever happened to morals in our society?   i still couldnt believe bill clinton lying under oath and getting caught red handed and he is the most liked president  in a long time

I think its sort like NASCAR. There is always a driver you LOVE to hate. At the races they get boo'd almost as much as they get cheered. I feel sorry for the ones nobody even glances at. Boo's can be a good thing. Also it makes the sport better and more fun to watch. I am less concerned with Ike than someone like G swindle getting all ticked off about someone fishing 300 yards away, who In my mind had just as much right to be there as he did. So he has to rev on over there and make a stink. Its all fun and games until someone gets a hook in the eye.

I never thought I'd see a pro basser break-dancing on the bow of his boat in a tourney. Thats just hilarious. Come on now...you know you were laughing.

  "JT Bagwell"

Wish I was one of the top 10 most hated athletes.

Can you imagine the amount of free press Ike is going

to get because of this? This list will increase his name

recognition by 1,000 times.

Nice work Ike.

BULLSEYE!

Strange but true, controversial figures like Ike actually colorize the sport and ultimately raise the purse.

People will watch a fishing show just to see Ike, who have never watched a fishing show before.

It reminds me of what Mohammad Ali (Cassius Clay) did for the sport of boxing,

and what Bobby Fischer did for the game of Chess.

.....and to top it off,Keith Olberman on the Dan Patrick radio show says "Are bass fisherman even athletes?"

I am surprised there are enough people outside the fishing world who even know who Ike is!

Ike is one of the kindest most approachable pro's I have ever met. I met him at Bassmaster U and he is something else man . He treated me and everyone else who was there with respect and he stayed after to sign more autographs and to answer more questions. Ike is a great angler and a great role model.

it's ike Byron Velvick said on Basscenter this morning he's shure mike is estatic to be considered and athlete

I actually LIKE IKE... he seems like a really good guy, and I think he is good for the sort.... I just wish he would tone it down a bit.... catch a 10lb bass in a tourney and break dance on the bow all you want... catch a keeper and pump your fists a couple of times and maybe a woop... but dang you would think every fish was a lunker

AL

Before, I couldn't stand Ike!  Now, I can't help but to like him.  Don't know why.  I guess he just does his own thing without trying to fit in.  Actually, "going Ike" is a good stress reliever (if you don't mind the stares).

Ike is like the Dale Earnhart 3 you love or you hate him. 3 helped the sport and Ike will help fishing. Thanks Ike! I'm one of the one's who thinks Ike is great for the sport.

I am surprised there are enough people outside the fishing world who even know who Ike is!

My sentiments exactly.  Can you imagine???  A Bass pro making a GQ top ten list of ANYTHING is huge.

I was bass fishing when B.A.S.S. was in it's infancy.  We've come a long way baby  ;D

Hey. The Bass Pro's that don't like Ike feel intimidated and threatened by his talent.

Ike is like the Dale Earnhart 3 you love or you hate him. 3 helped the sport and Ike will help fishing. Thanks Ike! I'm one of the one's who thinks Ike is great for the sport.

Whooa now, Ike is like Earnhardt?   Easy fellas, easy.  

Dale didn't SAY, DANCE, SELF-PROMOTE a thing, he just WAS intimidating.

Tiger Woods does not say ANYTHING, he is intimidating.

Kevin VanDam says NOTHING, he is intimidating.

I do not HATE Iaconelli.   BUT...

If you have peers/co-workers/friends that are NOT interested in fishing, they have always seen bass fishing as "good ol' boys" that were at least seen as bunkins that were well behaved, respectful, and respected others. (my experience)

I have people now asking me if people in bass fishing are "like the idiot that acts like a six year old"?  Yeah, that is the type of questioning now...."is that guy serious??"  

I am not judging Ike, but people that are now (who haven't before) are a lot of people that had NO judgement of bass fishing before.  Just a clue, the guy may be making money (mostly for himself, a bit for others), but those outside of the sport have a tendency to think LESS of the sport because of him.

but dang you would think every fish was a lunker  

Yeah-his "It's a giant!" is quickly moving into the same category as a Roland Martin 10-pounder.

The guy is doing something right so I doubt he cares. Plus free advertisement for a Bass pro in GQ? How can anyone not want that. They were even talking about him on ESPN radio yesterday and it wasn't the outdoor show. The guy fishes hard and shows a lot of emotion when he has success. What's wrong with that? Is it any different than a NFL player doing a TD celebration? No...it's just something no one has seen before so they stick their noses up at it.

Go IKE!! Don't change because of some haters!!

The wise  : folks at ESPN obviously think they have to show some kind of crap besides good fishing in order to boost their ratings.  I wish they didn't do this, but they do.  That being said, I would rather see Ike scream 100 times than the displays put on last year by the "troll under the bridge" and the "grumpy old man".  (That's Swindle and Bitter for those who didn't see the spectacles.)  Of course, I'd rather see none of it, but in comparison, Ike gets the nod.

I agree Roger.

I do not HATE Iaconelli.   BUT...

If you have peers/co-workers/friends that are NOT interested in fishing, they have always seen bass fishing as "good ol' boys" that were at least seen as bunkins that were well behaved, respectful, and respected others. (my experience)

I have people now asking me if people in bass fishing are "like the idiot that acts like a six year old"?  Yeah, that is the type of questioning now...."is that guy serious??"  

I am not judging Ike, but people that are now (who haven't before) are a lot of people that had NO judgement of bass fishing before.  Just a clue, the guy may be making money (mostly for himself, a bit for others), but those outside of the sport have a tendency to think LESS of the sport because of him.

2003 Bassmaster Classic Champion would be my answer...is that serious enough? The guys isn't just some hack.

Do other sports champions get critized because they spray champange on each other or dump gatorade on their coaches? That to me seems a little childish but I understand the emotion involved so I don't critize it.

Those outside the sport don't understand his antics because they have probably never caught a fish or it's nothing special to them. Those people see IKE and just think "geez...it's just a fish". But to bass anglers it's not just a fish. We put a lot of hard work into catching bass so to show some emotion is good. I wont beleive anyone who says their adrenaline doesn't start pumping when a big fish is on. When that happens...let it out man!!

Roger. Especially when a lot of money is on the line. I have seen a lot of other Pro's scream before Ike came along. He just gets pumped and enjoys what he's doing.

Ike was at my BMU class last year.  He was one of the nicest, most approachable guys there.  His class by the way was by far the most well prepared and organized.  He didn't even promote products like the other pros.  Misunderstood? Sure.  Disliked?  I guess, by misinformed people.

Ike was at my BMU class last year.  He was one of the nicest, most approachable guys there.  His class by the way was by far the most well prepared and organized.  He didn't even promote products like the other pros.  Misunderstood? Sure.  Disliked?  I guess, by misinformed people.

The problem is people judge him by the highlights which show no more than 1% of the fishing he does. They don't show all the hours spent searching for a bite so people don't get a good perspective on why he is going nuts. It's good to know he is a good person though.

I think that's great. He is a great guy and he opens up fishing to a whole other type of young fisherman. They can hate him all they want. I have talked in depth with him on several occations and I think he is a stand up guy.