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Runnemede, N.J. – Earlier this week, several media sources announced that 2006 Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli had been nominated for an ESPY Award. The BASS ZONE got a hold of him to talk about what the nomination means to him as an angler, a business man, the sport, and to Mike, the boy who dreamed of being a bass pro.
Iaconelli stands to be the fourth angler to win the award for ‘Best Outdoors Athlete,’ an award won by Kevin Van Dam in 2002, Jay Yelas in 2003 and Women’s Bassmaster Tour pro Tammy Richardson last year. “It is a real honor to be nominated for this award,” the 35-year-old pro said. “Having anglers up for an ESPY award is a chance for the athletes of our sport to be given the same respect as some of the world’s best.”
As an angler, Iaconelli’s accomplishments are among the best of all time, in 107 total entries, he has finished in the money 72 times, including 29 top ten finishes, and five Bassmaster tournament wins, including the 2003 Bassmaster Classic. His 2006 season earned him the title of Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year, and his BASS earnings total more than 1.2 million dollars.
As a business man, Iaconelli remains focused on not only growing his brand, but he also wants to help bring new anglers in to the sport, and his own personal style continues to draw people from many walks of life. “The ESPY nomination is another way to keep bass fishing in the limelight,” he said. “It is a way to continually keep our sport in a place that we don’t normally go, if I win, I will follow in the footsteps of some great anglers.” |
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On the personal side, Iaconelli looks forward to being at the awards show in January for many reasons. “LeBron James and Jimmy Kimmel are hosting the show, and while I’ve met Jimmy before when I was on his show [Jimmy Kimmel Live] last year, I am really looking forward to meeting LeBron,” said the former Classic Champion. “Kimmel is a great guy, and he is a fisherman too, and people like him continue to show the universal nature of our sport.”
At this stage of the game, having won all of the major awards the sport has to offer, Iaconelli says the ESPY would be a great addition to his mantel piece. “I have to admit that it is really cool to be nominated,” Toyota Tundra pro. “But, that trophy would look really cool next to the Classic and Angler of the Year Trophies.”
But, apart from all of the thoughts of winning a major award like the ESPY, Iaconelli is still awed by his position in the sport. “I can still see myself at 12-years-old fishing on the banks of the Pocono’s dreaming of being a pro like my heroes in Bassmaster Magazine,” Iaconelli said, sounding like that young boy again. “I used to dream about it back then, but sometimes it’s hard to believe that I am here now doing what I’m doing; it’s amazing.”
To vote for Iaconelli to win the ESPY, visit the ESPY website at:
www.espys.tv
Or you can read more about Ike at his own website at:
www.mikeiaconelli.com
You can also read more about him and his fellow Toyota Tundra teammates at:
www.toyotafishing.com
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