However, he didn’t feel comfortable with B.A.S.S. simply allowing him to rejoin the Elite Series.

“I felt that I was no different than any other guy who was trying to qualify for the Elites,” Hackney said. “I was fully the one at fault for making the decision to leave.”

I think its safe to say Hackney was good at BPT/MLF....

At the end of 2019 he found himself at a crossroads. He had fished with MLF the previous two seasons and had won one of their championships.

[quote=Mark Perry]

Correct, Mark. Batting .500 is good. He was really good in MLF and is really good in BASS.

BO: The guy can flat out fish and his success at MLF was obvious, but it’s also clear where his heart is, and that’s with BASS. Until he says anything close to what you’ve been claiming is true (and you may turn out to be right in the end) this doesn’t prove anything you’ve been saying about MLF for however long you’ve been a member of the TFF.

Several of the guys that have left, said they could get sued for talking negatively about the BPT. Ike said on one of his podcast (several months ago) that Duckett had sued him. No details why or what the cost was, so I suspect, nobody will were truly trash the BPT in public.

Also in one of Hackneys first interviews after qualifying for BASS again, he said, “I will never take being at BASS for granted ever again”.

I have no skin in the game, but it must have been more than a “I miss being at the originators”.

Red Crest is a stupid name and enough reason to leave.

I would not be surprised if there is all kinds of CYA clauses in the MLF NDA’s and contracts, including non-disparagement. I haven’t looked at the schedules to see all the conflicts with the opens, but it will be interesting to see how many MLF anglers fish them to try and requalify for the elites in 2022.

Several of the guys that have left, said they could get sued for talking negatively about the BPT. Ike said on one of his podcast (several months ago) that Duckett had sued him. No details why or what the cost was, so I suspect, nobody will were truly trash the BPT in public.

Also in one of Hackneys first interviews after qualifying for BASS again, he said, “I will never take being at BASS for granted ever again”.

I have no skin in the game, but it must have been more than a “I miss being at the originators”.

Red Crest is a stupid name and enough reason to leave.

I think its safe to say Hackney was good at BPT/MLF....

At the end of 2019 he found himself at a crossroads. He had fished with MLF the previous two seasons and had won one of their championships.

Pretty important context left off that snippet. He was talking specifically about requalifying and not taking a spot from someone else who had already qualified for the Elites because it was his decision to leave. He wanted to have to requalify to be fair to the rest of the BASS anglers.

Full context:



This isn’t the slam dunk you’re making it out to be. It’s clear he regretted leaving BASS for MLF. He had success at MLF, so it wasn’t that he couldn’t cut it. The entire article is about his love for BASS. If it was about him feeling bamboozled by MLF, fine, but it wasn’t.

“Our sport’s history begins with B.A.S.S.,” Hackney said. “I had worked hard to be a part of that and I didn’t want to give it up.”

That’s not the same as “they’re cheating people, they’re liars, sponsors didn’t want anything to do with me, it’s a house of cards, Boyd hurt my feelings” and everything else you keep saying is the real story. He prefers BASS, based on his own statements in the article. Helluva confession. Very brave to state his preference which has been pretty obvious to someone like me who barely follows the sport of professional bass fishing.

(I don’t fault him at all and enjoy watching him fish. Hope he has continued success.)

Big O’, you are a persistent mofo. Lol