are we becoming a NATION OF WHINERS ?

my gosh, folks. first we had people complaining about moving the tourney to texas for a year. then, we had many fussing about the $150 entry fee (with some even implying that the pierces were doing it to “make money” off of their customers). that was followed by discontent over new lures on the market, and whether theyd be legal for use in the OI. next it was fishermen crying about the weather conditions during the tourney. now, we got a handful upset because the tournament had some “ringers” participating against a field of true amateurs. what next?….will some start to banter because they were in an 18 sabre with a 150hp while others fished from luxury of a 21 boat powered by 250s decked out with more electronic aids than the space shuttle?cmon guys….if its that big a deal, just dont participate.on that note, ive decided to try to REVERSE THIS DISTURBING TREND of crybabies by reminding everyone of the POSITIVES ive taken from the past few days.1. this was my first OI, after being in a cat for over ten years, now. it was possible BECAUSE bcb moved the lake location closer to my home, meaning i did not have to use my “family vacation” time and money to participate. i could simply sneak out for a few days and not be missed that much at the house.2. the entry fee for such an event was minimal when compared to the potential return on investment. heck, i just consider it a $150 raffle ticket to win a new boat (drawing prize), and the rest is gravy. seems like at least 20% of the field got more than their money back in some form of prize money, especially with the wild card and other payouts. heck, someone caught one fish that weighed barely over a pound, and he walked away with a pocket full of bucks! any fools that actually think the pierce family is making money off of this event really need to have their heads examined.3. weather is weather. tournament participation forces us to go out in fish instead of sitting on the couch as soon as the rain starts falling or the wind starts blowing. that said, one guy caught a fish that nearly weighed ten pounds in that nastiness on thursday. the tough conditions only make that fish more memorable, imo, to that angler. heck, there were many that had single fish that were bigger than my entire two-day stringer. my take is “its good to be humbled every now and then…it builds character!) on a side note…..my God im grateful that you didnt allow a-rigs. while i, personally, could care less about them, a civil war might have broken out in east texas by those passionate for/against them .4. ringers, semi-pros, local studs…..BRING EM ON ! anyone that fishes knows its possible (remotely, but still possible) to even beat kvd on a day when fortune blows your way and the fish are willing to cooperate. if winning is that important to you, then go fish against of bunch of kids in a local trout or catfish tourney. just be careful, as one of those children can whupp your butt if God chooses to smile on them that day.anyway, i for one just want to say THANK YOU BCB !!!! thanks to your family, your pro staff, and your employees. please dont let a handful of discontented boat owners make you think that the majority of us arent truly grateful for all you do in the spirit of customer service. maybe its just time you added a pair of “ROSE COLORED SUNGLASSES” to your clothing and accessory department !Last edited by cajun catter on April 6th, 2013, 3:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.