Barone’s best of the Classic

A look at the 2013 Bassmaster Classic through the eyes of B.A.S.S. writer Don Barone.

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<p>It's why the 53 anglers have come here...</p>
It’s why the 53 anglers have come here…
<p>...to the Bassmaster...</p>
…to the Bassmaster…
<p>...Classic circa 2013 in...</p>
…Classic circa 2013 in…
<p>...Tulsa, Oklahoma...</p>
…Tulsa, Oklahoma…
<p>...meet Tulsa, a city of old...</p>
…meet Tulsa, a city of old…
<p>...and new...</p>
…and new…
<p>...a city that a pretty cool road runs through...</p>
…a city that a pretty cool road runs through…
<p>...buckle up and get your kicks on RT 66 in this...</p>
…buckle up and get your kicks on RT 66 in this…
<p>...an all original 1963 Corvette Sting Ray...it was on my bucket list to drive...</p>
…an all original 1963 Corvette Sting Ray…it was on my bucket list to drive…
<p>...but then I gave the keys to paradise to Gene and let him drive the vette down RT 66 instead of me...Gene has been helping B.A.S.S. set up Classic Expos for 24 years and is retiring after this one. Gene dude Thanks for all you have done for us for the last two decades. Enjoy man, enjoy. Shout out to the guys at Gene Larew for making it happen.</p>
…but then I gave the keys to paradise to Gene and let him drive the vette down RT 66 instead of me…Gene has been helping B.A.S.S. set up Classic Expos for 24 years and is retiring after this one. Gene dude Thanks for all you have done for us for the last two decades. Enjoy man, enjoy. Shout out to the guys at Gene Larew for making it happen.
<p>53 men came in hopes of raising the Classic trophy, including Alton Jones...</p>
53 men came in hopes of raising the Classic trophy, including Alton Jones…
<p>...local Oklahoma dude, Tommy Biffle...</p>
…local Oklahoma dude, Tommy Biffle…
<p>...Marty Robinson and KVD.</p>
…Marty Robinson and KVD.
<p>Meet a working stiff going to work...</p>
Meet a working stiff going to work…
<p><br /> ...Cliff Prince..this is a sport of working stiffs...luck doesn't win championships, hard work does...</p>
…Cliff Prince..this is a sport of working stiffs…luck doesn’t win championships, hard work does…
<p>...hands used to work...</p>
…hands used to work…
<p><br /> ...the family Prince...they both own and WORK at their family business called, A Dire Need...a Port-A-Potty service in Florida.</p>
…the family Prince…they both own and WORK at their family business called, A Dire Need…a Port-A-Potty service in Florida.
<p>What other sport would take you from this...working in a mine 7,000 feet below ground...</p>
What other sport would take you from this…working in a mine 7,000 feet below ground…
<p>...to the top of the world and fishing in the Bassmaster Classic...</p>
…to the top of the world and fishing in the Bassmaster Classic…
<p>...none...<wbr>and B.A.S.S. Nation Western region winner Andy Bravence was pretty humbled and pleased by it all, while also rememberin<wbr>g his working stiff roots, "db even if I win the Bassmaster Classic I have to punch in for work in the mine on Wednesday.<wbr>"</wbr></wbr></wbr></p>
…none…and B.A.S.S. Nation Western region winner Andy Bravence was pretty humbled and pleased by it all, while also remembering his working stiff roots, “db even if I win the Bassmaster Classic I have to punch in for work in the mine on Wednesday.”
<p><br /> Another working stiff...my Bassmaster-dot-com editor...Chris...none of what you are reading would be possible without the very hard work of Chris and the dozens of folks behind the scenes at Bassmaster-dot-com. They are people you never hear about but should because it is their talent that makes this whole internet thing work.</p>
Another working stiff…my Bassmaster-dot-com editor…Chris…none of what you are reading would be possible without the very hard work of Chris and the dozens of folks behind the scenes at Bassmaster-dot-com. They are people you never hear about but should because it is their talent that makes this whole internet thing work.
<p><br /> And then there's this little guy...a mogul in the making...13 year old Joshua Manuel...he came up to me at a Triton sponsor event and handed me his BUSINESS CARD...</p>
And then there’s this little guy…a mogul in the making…13 year old Joshua Manuel…he came up to me at a Triton sponsor event and handed me his BUSINESS CARD…
<p><br /> ...for Joshua's Lawn Service...the dude has 80 customers at $35 a head...dad, standing behind him is very proud...and happy...since Joshua is already looking at colleges, "...especially the ones with big lawns."</p>
…for Joshua’s Lawn Service…the dude has 80 customers at $35 a head…dad, standing behind him is very proud…and happy…since Joshua is already looking at colleges, “…especially the ones with big lawns.”
<p><br /> Two other working stiffs...Jerry McKinnis, one of the owners of B.A.S.S. on stage left...and Elite angler Byron Haseotes who after a year away from the tour will be suiting up once again this year...and who is also with his wife, Tiffany, expecting a baby sometime soon.</p>
Two other working stiffs…Jerry McKinnis, one of the owners of B.A.S.S. on stage left…and Elite angler Byron Haseotes who after a year away from the tour will be suiting up once again this year…and who is also with his wife, Tiffany, expecting a baby sometime soon.
<p><br /> Hate to say goodbye to this working stiff...a bricklayer who became a champion...and a real good friend of mine...Denny Brauer...retires this year after 32 years in the game. The sport will be less without him in it, and I will miss all the time I spent with Denny and his wife Shirley...miss you guys...have a great retirement, you've earned it my friend.</p>
Hate to say goodbye to this working stiff…a bricklayer who became a champion…and a real good friend of mine…Denny Brauer…retires this year after 32 years in the game. The sport will be less without him in it, and I will miss all the time I spent with Denny and his wife Shirley…miss you guys…have a great retirement, you’ve earned it my friend.
<p><br /> Just a reminder...none of this...not this sport, or any sport would be possible here in America without these guys...the young men and women serving in the armed forces. Take a minute now and say a prayer for their safety.</p>
Just a reminder…none of this…not this sport, or any sport would be possible here in America without these guys…the young men and women serving in the armed forces. Take a minute now and say a prayer for their safety.
<p>Ready...</p>
Ready…
<p>...set...</p>
…set…
<p>...GO! One by one...</p>
…GO! One by one…
<p>...the anglers took...</p>
…the anglers took…
<p>...to the stage...</p>
…to the stage…
<p>...all in hopes of being crowned the Bassmaster Classic champion.</p>
…all in hopes of being crowned the Bassmaster Classic champion.
<p><br /> Saturday...was cut day...a day of ups and downs for the 53 anglers...</p>
Saturday…was cut day…a day of ups and downs for the 53 anglers…
<p>...my roommate Shaw Grigsby moved up the board and survived the cut to 25...he would fish on Sunday...</p>
…my roommate Shaw Grigsby moved up the board and survived the cut to 25…he would fish on Sunday…
<p><br /> ...but my good friend The G-Man, Gerald Swindle did not...but he did stay around to help out...</p>
…but my good friend The G-Man, Gerald Swindle did not…but he did stay around to help out…
<p>...Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona...two other working stiffs who manage to take the chaos around them and make it interesting and easy for everyone to understand along with...</p>
…Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona…two other working stiffs who manage to take the chaos around them and make it interesting and easy for everyone to understand along with…
<p><br /> ...our host, and another great friend, Dave Mercer...whether on stage...</p>
…our host, and another great friend, Dave Mercer…whether on stage…
<p><br /> ...or in the crowd Dave is a class act, a friend to both the anglers and the audience and one of the hardest working stiffs in the business. A shout out to you dude, you deserve it.</p>
…or in the crowd Dave is a class act, a friend to both the anglers and the audience and one of the hardest working stiffs in the business. A shout out to you dude, you deserve it.
<p>Love to see this, Collegiate B.A.S.S., you want to see the future of this sport you only need to look...</p>
Love to see this, Collegiate B.A.S.S., you want to see the future of this sport you only need to look…
<p><br /> ...right here...to the colleges who one day will produce a Bassmaster Classic Champion.</p>
…right here…to the colleges who one day will produce a Bassmaster Classic Champion.
<p>Comes Sunday...</p>
Comes Sunday…
<p><br /> ...sweetness...as this is the day a new champion will be crowned...</p>
…sweetness…as this is the day a new champion will be crowned…
<p>...just about everyone...</p>
…just about everyone…
<p>...showed up...</p>
…showed up…
<p><br /> ...including one of the best outdoor photographers in the business, and my co-author on a book, James Overstreet, who is normally very quiet and humble without a very big head.</p>
…including one of the best outdoor photographers in the business, and my co-author on a book, James Overstreet, who is normally very quiet and humble without a very big head.
<p><br /> One by one they came for the final weigh-in...</p>
One by one they came for the final weigh-in…
<p>...the young...</p>
…the young…
<p>...the not so young...</p>
…the not so young…
<p>...and all those in-between, and the crowd was on fire...</p>
…and all those in-between, and the crowd was on fire…
<p><br /> ...as they watched...who made it and...</p>
…as they watched…who made it and…
<p>...who did not.</p>
…who did not.
<p>In the end my friend, Cliff Pace won, and everyone saw that on stage...but behind the stage...for those who didn't quite make it...it was a lonely place...where phone calls were made to loved ones...and dreams started again anew...dreams for Bassmaster Classic 2014!</p>
In the end my friend, Cliff Pace won, and everyone saw that on stage…but behind the stage…for those who didn’t quite make it…it was a lonely place…where phone calls were made to loved ones…and dreams started again anew…dreams for Bassmaster Classic 2014!