Forum sports columnist Mike McFeely reports, rants and raves on the world of sports.
The McFeely State of Mind

Get while the gettin's good

Becker County, Minn.

I believe the title of last year's blog entry pertaining to catching some spring crappies was, "Why We Love Spring."

Different year, same idea.

We took a day off Friday to see if the crappies have moved into shallow water in Minnesota lakes country yet despite the cold spring and the answer is: Yes, but not in big numbers.

But some have moved in, and so have bluegills and largemouth bass (the latter in a big way ... but the season has not yet opened for bass, so when you catch them incidentally while fishing for crappies you have to immediately return them to the water).

Here is my first open-water crappie of 2008 (a friend who was supposed to go with me bailed out, so every photo includes my own hand):

If you like the outdoors, this is a great time of the year. Pick a day and get out to enjoy spring.

Better yet, if you have children (especially young kids) take them with you. Spring crappie fishing is a great way to introduce little kids (or anybody who isn't experienced) to fishing. It's simple, the action is usually fast and you have the chance to catch some really plump crappies like the one pictured above.

All you have to do is find a spot on your favorite lake that is a small, shallow bay (or even a shallow bit of shoreline that has some old emergent reeds from last year -- dark, soft-bottomed areas are always best) and drop an anchor nearby. Rig up a rod with a plain hook, a small splitshot sinker and a bobber 18 inches or so above the hook and, voila, you're ready to go. Hook a crappie minnow or smallish fathead minnow through the tail area so it can swim and cast it out to the edge of the dead weeds. Then let it sit for a few minutes. If you don't catch anything, reel in and cast to a different spot. If crappies or other fish are nearby, the bobber will not be above the water for long.

It's a fun way to fish for inexperienced folks and kids because you catch all kinds of fish -- crappies, bass, sunnies, even a northern and sometimes an oddball like a dogfish. Lots of activity, lots of fun. And if you can find the right spot, you can even fish from shore if you don't have a boat. (I think the area near the Minnesota DNR office in Detroit Lakes on Lake Sallie is a very popular shore fishing area).

Give it a try. There is still lots of good shallow-water fishing left this spring because of the cool weather. Usually the Minnesota walleye opener (Saturday) is the peak or end-of-peak for spring crappies, but judging by the way things went for me Friday, we haven't hit the peak yet this year. I'd say we've got two good weeks left of shallow-water fishing.

Note to boss: I'm taking next Friday off, too.

Note to wife's boss: She is, too.

Note to daughter's teachers: She is, too.

Couple of other fish caught Friday:

Posted by: Mike McFeely on 5/10/2008 at 8:48 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink

It's a killer

We've been delinquent in our blogging duties the past few days because, well, we've been doing real work. But we're back at it today with a painful, painful topic: The price of gas.

Stop the presses: It's really high.

And I must say, for the first time the price is high enough that it will affect my summer recreation and vacation plans. Judging by the column I wrote in today's paper after talking with a couple of hard-core Fargo-Moorhead walleye fishermen, I'm not the only one.

Ron Sahr of Fargo and Scott Stillwell of Moorhead both said they'll change their fishing plans this year because of the current $3.50 price for a gallon gas. Most telling line in the column: Sahr figuring out that filling Stillwell's pickup and boat would cost $283.50. If you figure a guy like Stillwell might drive to, say, Garrison, N.D.,to fish Lake Sakakawea for three days -- counting the round trip and buzzing around that huge reservoir for a few days -- just the cost of gas for those three days might exceed $600. Wow.

How about you? Do you see your summer plans being affected by gas prices? Have you cut back on a fishing or golf trip because the cost is too high? And how about those who have kids in traveling sports like soccer or basketball ... is there any thought of cutting back on tournaments or travel because the price is just too steep?

Let's hear it. I know when I fill up my little S-10 pickup's 18-gallon tank and it costs $63, I've already decided that even my handful of day fishing trips to Minnesota lakes country are going to be cut way down.

Have at it ......

Posted by: Mike McFeely on 5/07/2008 at 10:18 AM | Comments (8) | Permalink

The PGA Tour 'grind?' Puh-leeze

Caught a "news story" on the Golf Channel the other night (that phrase is in parentheses because news and TGC don't go together; there is zero journalism practiced at the network) that intimated Jim Furyk would be refreshed for this week's Wachovia Championship because he recently spent three days fishing to get away from the PGA Tour grind.

To be fair: It was not Furyk saying this, it was The Golf Channel talking head. But we've all heard this before from PGA Tour types -- sometimes the golfers just have to get away from the grind of tour.

Excuse me while I go off:

The grind of the PGA Tour? What, you mean driving those Mercedes Benz courtesy cars just wears you out? Flying those private jets from Dallas to Charlotte just beats the hell out of your body? Does walking around a golf course for 4 hours a day leaving you black and blue?

C'mon, boys. Please don't insult our intelligence, limited though it is.

Don't mistake: Playing professional golf is not an easy thing, and we're not just talking about the talent level required. Playing for pay, week in and week out, is a brutal way to make a living. There are very few jobs available and you actually have to earn your paychecks, as opposed first-round NBA or NFL draft picks who have to prove exactly nothing before getting their retirement funded. It's hard work to be a pro golfer, not leisure, and competitive golf isn't like your Saturday regular foursome. It ain't easy to be a PGA Tour golfer. The line between success and failure is razor-thin, just like in every top-level pro sport. Nobody denies that.

But playing on the PGA Tour will never, ever be mistaken for a grind. Going to the assembly-line job you hate every day for short pay -- because your family has to eat -- that's a grind. Spending four hours hitting range balls and practicing three-foot putts -- with millions already in the bank, your own private jet and multiple homes around the country -- is the American dream.

Any golf-informed person knows that PGA players need an occasional week or two off to recharge the batteries, let the aches and pains subside and touch base at home. Fair enough. That's legitimate.

But let's look at Jim Furyk's schedule for 2007:

He played 23 tournaments.

He made $4,154,046. That does not include the endorsement money Furyk made, which is broken down here, with a nod to Golfweek magazine:

Deal breakdown
Heres a look at the endorsement deals of Jim Furyk. All logo deals are signed through 2009. Furyks Adidas contract is good through 2008, and his Srixon agreement concludes in 2010:

Hat: Ahead hats, 3 years, $75,000 (no logo); Marquis Jet (logo on side), 3 years, $1.5 million; Srixon logo on front as part of equipment deal.

" " "

Shirt: Chiliwear Apparel (logo on right sleeve), 3 years, $1.5 million plus royalties (on his line of shirt); Johnny Walker Collection (logo on back neck), 3 years, $2 million; Exelon (logo on chest/sleeve), 5 years, $6 million.

" " "

Equipment: Furyks arrangement with Srixon includes hat, bag, glove, irons and ball. The deal is for 5 years, $25 million and could be significantly higher over the term based on performance bonuses. Last year, such incentives netted him an additional $1 million. He had a banner 2006 season that included two victories, an improved world ranking to No. 2 and Ryder Cup appearance.

" " "

Shoes: Adidas, 3 years, $90,000

" " "

Other deals: Furyk serves as a spokesman for Aleve, American Express, Electronic Arts, Furyk Golf Design, Golf Magazine.

So, in summation, Furyk worked less than half the year (on tour) and made, what, about 36 bajillion dollars.

I don't care how tough the travel is, I don't care how many pro-am hacks Furyk has to play with, I don't care how bad his left wrist aches from all the range balls he hits .... nobody should ever, ever, ever call the PGA Tour "a grind."

Remember, at this week's Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, the players and caddies get Mercedes Benz courtesy cars, free lodging at an exclusive resort, all the gourmet food they can eat and the players' wives are taken by charter plane on shopping trips and mansion tours.

Yeah, if that was the life I led, I would have to take a three-day fishing trip to unwind, too.

Posted by: Mike McFeely on 5/02/2008 at 4:31 PM | Comments (9) | Permalink

It's a players' market

A local basketball expert made what I thought was an excellent point to me the other day. He said North Dakota State, while head and shoulders above other college basketball teams in the area, has yet to take a "next step" in terms of recruiting. He meant that the Bison have yet to add walk-on players (players who receive an offer to be on the team, but not initially receive a scholarship) who have a real chance of helping the team down the road.

The expert made his comments after Fargo's Jordan May and Devils Lake's Travis Mertens eschewed offers to walk on at NDSU, instead choosing to accept scholarships to UND. It's expected, too, that Fargo's Jordan Allard will follow his buddy May to the Sioux.

It's a valid point, although to be fair we'd have to ask how many walk-ons eventually contribute at mid-majors. But it does happen. NDSU's walk-on players last year included the likes of Nevin Lubarski and Matt Geiselhart, two guys who stood little chance of ever developing into contributing players (Lubarski has since left the team). The expert's thought was that the next step to NDSU's continuing development as a solid mid-major would be that a May or a Mertens (or a kid who takes scholarship money from a good Division II like Northern State, etc.) would pass up money from another school to take their shot at earning a scholarship and playing time at NDSU.

When might that happen? I wouldn't hold my breath. And that's simply for economic reasons. The expert's follow-up point was that it is a players' market right now in this region. NDSU, South Dakota State, UND and South Dakota will all have a full allotment of 13 scholarships. Then there are a bunch of fully-funded D2s like Northern, St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State Mankato. Even places like Minnesota-Crookston and, gasp, Minnesota State Moorhead have increased basketball scholarship resources. There is a lot of cash flowing out there.

So it would take a pretty special kid (and parents) to say, "No, thank you. I don't want a free (or reduced) education. I want to take the chance on walking on at NDSU and trying to develop my game and earn playing time, with no guarantee of ever getting one dime."

It will be awhile before you see a walk-on who has a chance to contribute with the Bison.

Posted by: Mike McFeely on 5/01/2008 at 9:56 PM | Comments (5) | Permalink

Surprise, surprise: RedHawks ticket sales up

A couple of tidbits out of Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks media day:

And that is all. And probably more information on the Northern League than most people wanted.

Posted by: Mike McFeely on 5/01/2008 at 12:22 PM | Comments (7) | Permalink