“These are the days of the endless summer…”
Dateline: Chesapeake
“If you stop at general math, you’re only going to make general math money.”
~Snoop Dog
‘Tis the season for, Math.
Elite Math.
Bassmaster Math.
“db, I think, THINK, that if I place 40 and above in one of the next two tournaments I’ll make the Classic….” ~Greg Vinson
That would be The Classic…one of two things that all Elite Math Equations lead to, the other is…
“…and once I know I’m in the classic then I’m going to swing for the fences and try to win Angler of the Year.”
That would be AOY, the other equation that all Elite Math leads to.
One of the best things about living with the Elite guys during the season is that they let me look over their shoulders, trust me I know more about fishing than you think I know.
Greg Vinson and I are in the hotel parking lot, and we are doing Elite Math on my reporter’s notebook paper.
“See db, in 2015 in the 6 tournaments so far I started out placing 20th in the first one, then 8, then 22, then 45, 60 and 72nd in Waddington.”
I look up from where his finger is pointing and say, “Are we going the wrong way here in the numbers.” I’m not good at math but I can see which way the arrows I drew are going.
“Add them up and divide by 6, db.”
I do that, my iPhone app says, “37.”
“Wow, that’s pretty close to my career average finish in tournaments.”
Huh.
“…these are the days the time is now…”
Step back a minute, we’re going to do some New Elite Math: Greg Vinson Classic Math.
“At the 2012 Classic I came in 2nd to Chris Lane, db it basically came down to one fish.”
I flip the phone sideways so I can type better, dial up Bassmaster-dot-com, Elite Anglers, Greg Vinson, Record, 2012 Classic…wait for Verizon to catch up…he caught on the Red River a little over 47 pounds total…dial up Chris Lane he caught a tad over 51 pounds…swing the phone around to Greg so he could see it.
“Yeah, missed by about 4 pounds.”
That 4-pound lead made Chris Lane, $500,000.00
Those 4 pounds not caught got Greg Vinson. $45,000.00
That was an $113,750 a pound fish.
Elite Math.
“…there is no past there’s only future…”
“To be honest, db, my goal every year is this, cash checks, make the cut as often as possible, then make the classic, if you cash enough checks the classic comes your way.”
So far Greg has made 4 checks this year, 4 out of 6, “Greg what’s the batting average of that…”
“Um, hmm, uh…”
Greg used to be a pitcher in college, thought he could do that off the top of his head, I was a Scriptwriting Major, I have no clue how to…
“You divide 4 by 6.”
Both Greg and I look up and over to the other side of his boat, “You divide 4 into 6 that will give you his batting average.”
“Uh huh, and you are…”
“Don, I’m a Marshal in the tournament, from Hagerstown, Maryland.”
“Really…what do you do in Hagerstown?”
“I’m an engineer.”
Both Greg and I look at each other and I immediately divide 4 by 6, Engineer…bingo.
Greg dude is batting (fishing) at .666. Not a good number so I swing the phone calculator where he can’t see it and say, “great man, batting right around 660…you know…give a few or so.”
“Back in 2010 when we first did a story together I knew I could compete, I just didn’t know if I could last…” Story is called Someday check it out.
“…but doing well these last few years I’m getting closer to thinking that I can last in this business.”
Today, and this number is a moving target, today Greg is in 11th place in the AOY race.
KVD is 9th.
Skeet is 10th.
Greg is next.
“If I would have won that classic I would have been able to fish as long as I wanted to fish as opposed to maybe grinding it out to fish a couple more years.”
And then, from across the boat, in a darkening parking lot, in a small voice comes this: “I came here to learn from you.”
“…there’s only here…”
Reality.
Don from Hagerstown: “I’m addicted to fishing, I’m pretty good at it but these guys, you, are the best in the world.”
Greg from Wetumpka: “Thank you, it’s humbling, I work hard at it, sir, work hard at it.”
Don was standing there for the entire interview, heard every word, saw all the numbers, I saw his eyebrows go up more than a few times.
I didn’t mind him being there, got nothing to hide, don’t mind if any of you want to tag along on a story with me, fine with me.
Don heard Greg talk about his 1,600 square foot house with no garage, “I have a shed out back I pull the boat under to work on my tackle.”
Don heard, “Without my wife’s bank job, I couldn’t do this, she’s the steady one, the steady earner, family healthcare, and I’m on the road so often she’s basically a single mother raising our son, Gaige.”
I once held an NFL player’s “Game Check.” They get paid weekly, 16 games, 16 weeks, 16 checks.
The check was for $1.6 MILLION Dollars.
Times 16.
Not Elite Math.
For many out here the season, and for some, their career, comes down to the next two regular season tournaments.
Eight days of fishing.
FORTY fish.
Elite Math.
No more is there win an Elite tourney and your in, every cast matters over these next two gigs.
Greg is 11 today but two weeks from now his season could be done, no The Classic, no AOY, done, sitting home.
Elite Math.
5 percent of those on the water this second, may not be here next year.
Elite Math.
I know these guys, know how hard they work, know how much they care, know how much is on the line.
And it ain’t just about the numbers.
Just ask Don from Hagerstown.
“…there’s only now.”
These Are The Days
Van Morrison
“Not everything that counts can be counted. Not everything that can be counted counts.”
~Albert Einstein