NPAA and PWT

[Hold On]

With there being no PWT Championship for the 2008 season in 2009 in the NPAA Touring Pros who fish only the PWT will no longer be eligible to be NPAA Touring pros.

The rules say you must fish a circuit with a championship to be eligible.

[good point]

That's a good point...I hadn't thought about that. I'm sure the NPAA will just change the rules.

[maxxum]

Yikes! ttt.

[maxxum]

Yikes! ttt.

[Hold On]

It'll be tough to acually change the rules. Since the organization is a legal corporation full of by-laws, etc., they would need an attorney to rewrite them after getting some sort of membership vote I'm sure.

Weird stuff.

[Hold On]

It'll be tough to acually change the rules. Since the organization is a legal corporation full of by-laws, etc., they would need an attorney to rewrite them after getting some sort of membership vote I'm sure.

Weird stuff.

[chadk66]

I would think the board of directors can change the rules with a single meeting.

[chadk66]

I would think the board of directors can change the rules with a single meeting.

[Juls]

No, they can't. They can offer it up for a vote, where the top 100 then vote on it, but they can't change the rules on a whim.

I've always thought that they should do away with the top 100, and make it one membership fee across the board. The top 100 numbers will mean no more than the last 100 numbers, or the numbers inbetween.

Everyone would be equal. You wouldn't be required to fish a circuit with a championship then either, and that would work for the PWT anglers who are only fishing that circuit.

I think it's the only way to make the NPAA successful and help it grow. Egos should not be allowed in the NPAA. Everyone should be working toward one goal...united.

But hey, that's just me and my .02 cents worth. :)

Juls

[Juls]

No, they can't. They can offer it up for a vote, where the top 100 then vote on it, but they can't change the rules on a whim.

I've always thought that they should do away with the top 100, and make it one membership fee across the board. The top 100 numbers will mean no more than the last 100 numbers, or the numbers inbetween.

Everyone would be equal. You wouldn't be required to fish a circuit with a championship then either, and that would work for the PWT anglers who are only fishing that circuit.

I think it's the only way to make the NPAA successful and help it grow. Egos should not be allowed in the NPAA. Everyone should be working toward one goal...united.

But hey, that's just me and my .02 cents worth. :)

Juls

[Hold On]

Folks you've got to understand it is a legal non-profit corporation. You can;t just legally change the rules or by-laws on a whim.

[Hold On]

Folks you've got to understand it is a legal non-profit corporation. You can;t just legally change the rules or by-laws on a whim.

[Juls]

>Folks you've got to understand it is a legal non-profit
>corporation. You can;t just legally change the rules or
>by-laws on a whim.

I believe that's exactly what I said. :confused:

Juls

[Juls]

>Folks you've got to understand it is a legal non-profit
>corporation. You can;t just legally change the rules or
>by-laws on a whim.

I believe that's exactly what I said. :confused:

Juls

[well....]

...you can change the rules as you see fit in a non-profit within the constraints of the provisions of the by-laws. If there by-laws state that the by-laws can be changed with a vote at anytime, then that is what they can do.

[well....]

...you can change the rules as you see fit in a non-profit within the constraints of the provisions of the by-laws. If there by-laws state that the by-laws can be changed with a vote at anytime, then that is what they can do.

[chadk66]

exactly. And even if it would require the top 100 to vote, that would take what, a week if they really wanted to. I do however agree with what Juls said in regard to throwing out the top 100 deal. The NPAA needs to start treating everybody in the organization on an equal basis. That's the way any successful organization does things. You don't see the NFL players union telling the players that only the starters get to vote on issues.

[Hold On]

There aren't even 100 in the Top 100. More like 80. I don;t think the NPAA has more than 20 of it's Touring Pros (what have been called Top 100) vote on anything in the last few years.

The reality is that apathy has set in over the last two years, frankly since Kavajecz left the president spot.

[Doc Johnson NPAA 15]

If you attended the annual NPAA meeting in Jan., all of the aforementioned comments in this post were discussed and action will be forth coming on these issues. Pat Ney, NPAA president, is aware of all these issues and they will be addressed shortly. I attended this meeting and have the facts. Did any of you attend?

Doc Johnson
NPAA #15

[anotherview]

My bet is that the NPAA B.O.D will decide that the "angler of the year" title is in itself a form of "championship" as it is decided by a points system earned through fishing regular season events and that this will satisfy their justification to keep the "touring pro's" core group and status as it is now. Can't say whether I agree or disagree with this logic as I won't give it that much thought but it may be their way around this issue that they are presented with.

[chadk66]

that's kind of what I'm getting at. There are ways around virtually everything.

[Toddy]

And like Juls said whats the real point here.Lets start to be a team and have everyone involved. Like as if the NPAA will not allow the PWT to be part of because of No Championship.Give me a break when The NPAA was started everyone was PWT.Just change it and move on and your right Doc who was there not any of these guys.

[Why]

Is the NPAA still in existence? What does it do for the anglers. ASide from a terrific annual meeting, where 40-100 people attend, what does it do?

I can get the same insurance rate without being a member. Other than that I see no benefit anymore.

Now, if the NPAA was doing what the PAA is doing for the bass guys, million dollar tournaments, excellent website with professional writers, etc., I could believe in it.

Im a former NPAA member who believed in it when Kavajecz was at the helm.

[Juls]

"Why", or "Hold On" (whichever name you want to use)...tell me, if you're no longer a member, why it matters to you what the NPAA does?

Why do you have to bad mouth them, just because you became disallusioned with them?

I'm curious as to why you started this thread in the first place? What is your goal or purpose for it?

Juls

[Why Hold On]

Legit questions. Solid discussion. Instead of an answer you get upset.

Do you truly feel the NPAA is still a viable entity which offers any value to the world of professional walleye fishing other than their annual meeting?

I'm not speaking of the members, who in large are all terrific folks, I mean as a "professional association" where is their value to the anglers anymore?

I see no future for them. That is why I left.

What say you Juls?

[npaa member]

My membership renewal form is still on my desk, I've been a registered member for several years. I want to support our sport, and fishing tournaments in general so I'll probably grit my teeth and write another check. The personal webpage is useful and there are a few vendors who sell members merchandise at a discount but if your reason for joining is to get more back in $$$ than you put in you will probably be disappointed.

However, one thing that really aggravates me is the removal of the members only message forum. Somebody posted that they were removed because of spam. How does a password protected board gets spammed? If that is happening then have someone set the thing up properly, not delete it. How are members supposed to communicate on currrent events? Not everybody can just take off work to go to a once a year meeting in Minnesota. Deleting the forums creates less feedback from the members meaning that the opinions of a small group of members are the only ones being considered.

[Why Hold On]

I just can't justify supporting it any longer. The website hasn't been usable since October.

The wesite is totally unprofessional. Look at the PAA's site, www.proanglersassociation.com and see what a pro angler association should be doing.

I want the NPAA to mean something, but frankly since Kavajecz left the BOD didn't accomplish squat. Just read the meeting minutes. Everything was tabled for over a year.

We as a group are doing nothing positive through the NPAA. Sure the youth events are nice,but it does nothing for us as professionals except decent PR. We just keep saying the meeting is worth your membership, but not all of us can afford to go there every year.

It was a good idea, but it's done. Hopefully a new walleye anglers group will emerge and something positive can happen, like the PAA.

[Juls]

Well for one, I agree that the current website for the NPAA is horrible. But, that's no surprise to anyone. The NPAA thinks it stinks too! However, that's an easy fix if they can keep membership up.

If everyone drops out, where do you think the money is going to come from to pay someone to do the website? Especially one as good as the PAA?

Do you think those are free? Do you think this site is running for free? NO! It takes more money than you think. Where will the NPAA get the money if everyone thinks like you do? A bake sale? :confused:
Do you think the writers whos articles are on the PAA site are doing it for free too? Heck NO! Those people want to get paid too.

Instead of trying to ruin it, why not support it and help out where you can? There are committees you can get on to make sure those issues are worked out instead of "tabled" for a year. The reason they get "tabled for a year" is, because there is no one available to get anything done.

Yes, Keith and his BOD were great, but he finished his term and didn't run again.

I think Pat Neu who was just voted in will be just as good, if not better than Keith was, but we have to give him a chance.

I don't think bad mouthing the organization is going to do anyone any good, except make you feel better about your decision to stop your support of it.

I think the NPAA will eventually be what you imagine it should be, but it's going to take some time to get there. Changes are in the works as we speak, so it's just a matter of being patient and supporting it.

Juls

[chadk66]

Juls,
I have all the respect in the world for you, I really do. But these very same concerns and issues have been brought up for years on this site. And people that are tied very closely to the NPAA were saying then what you're saying now. But nobody has seen anything change over the past several years. I have absolutely no axe to grind with the NPAA or anybody else associated with them so my opinion is as unbiased as it could possibly be. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it. Until the NPAA reconfigures itself to become more of a players union and not an elitist organization it will continue to have these issues. There have been numerous times over the years that the NPAA could have stepped up and negotiated with the circuits over issues and they didn't. So I think that is where most peoples beef is.

[Juls]

Chad,
I understand what you're saying. The NPAA probably would have been "there" already if it hadn't of had bumps in the road, that caused it to pull over and "change a tire".

I can't go into detail on an open forum of what I think was wrong, but I can say for sure, that I think the future looks brighter than it has in couple years.

The frustration of its members is certainly understandable. I am one of those frustrated members. But, I am also trying to keep a positive outlook, because I know what it CAN "BE" if it's run right, and the membership grows.

"Hold On", is right about a lot of things, but his intentions are in the wrong place, and the reason I have been arguing with him.

Like anything in life, negativity gets nothing done. But, a positive attitude can change the world. ;)

Ok, I'm done with this topic now too. I've said enough.

Over and Out!
Juls

[Stacker1]

Hey Juls

Did You and Rick sell your NPAA Numbers you had up for sale yesterday? If so, that was quick.

Thanks

[chadk66]

I understand your not wanting to get into it on here. I really don't care to comment on it anymore either because it's really no concern of mine. But it just seems to me and I'm sure alot of people that the NPAA doesn't feel they need any advice or input from fisherman regarding their club. And I think that's one of the roots of the problem. With that said, I'm over and out also.

[Fish_on]

WHen the NPAA was first introduced I got on the bandwagon and signed up right away (I was #122) and I also signed a lot of other people up, handed out brochures, promoted the organization, etc. I was responsible for a LOT of new members.

But when I called on the NPAA to take action in a couple cases where they needed to come to the defense of tournaments and tournament anglers, nothing was done. All they had to do was make a couple phone calls or write a letter or two to make a big difference. They did nothing.

I still kept my membership up for a few more years, but finally let it go. Like Juls, I was still optimistic for a long time, but I have lost that optimism. The NPAA is irrelevent to tournament fishing right now.

[Why Hold On]

My intentions are pretty simple here Juls.

The NPAA is not working. Like any other business that isn;t working shut the doors and come back with a new one with a real business plan for success.

I know exactly what it takes to make these things happen. It doesn;t take a group of individuals who have seperate goals who place personal interest over the betterment of their "profession".

Unfortunatley this group started out with somewhat of the corrct direction and turned into a club not a professional organization. The focus was on discuounts etc. and not on professionalism.

When Kavajecz was there he helped turn the ship in the right direction. When he left as president the new leader helped to send it down to frustrated mess it is now.

Membership is down due to lack of reason for being a member.

Let's be honest, there aren't three hundred pro walleye anglers in the US and Canada. I'm talking pros, weekend tourney folks or part-timers who fish PWT, FLW and MWC. I mean pros. There may be 50 and half of them don;t make their entire living from fishing. So as it is today the NPAA is functionally useless.

Time to shoot the horse and put it out of its misery. After the deed is done reconfigure the association and have some direction.

It's supposed to be a professional association, not a club of pals who can't agree on a darn thing. It's the functional equivalent of the League of Nations in the early 20th century.

REwork it, improve it and come back strong. It just ain't working anymore, this wait and see baloney.

[Juls]

No, I removed that post, because it doesnt make sense to try and sell top 100 numbers, when, from what I have been told, the numbers aren't going to make a difference come 2009 anyway. How could I, in good conscience, try to get our money back out of them? I couldn't.

It will be a loss. :(

Juls

[Juls]

Why the heck didn't you just say it that way in the first place? LOL

I can't argue with anything in your last post, because that's all true enough.

Still, I'm hoping the new regime can turn things around... I'll give them one more chance.

That's about all I have to say on this.

Juls

[Doc Johnson NPAA15]

At the NPAA meeting the web site was discussed and it was made the #1 priority to rebuild it. NPAA member Bill Koehne has conducted the research on constructing a new and better web site. The current site has been destroyed by a virus and cannot be salvaged. As soon as the board of directors acts on Bill's recommendations the web site will be rebuilt.

Doc Johnson
NPAA #15

[john mannerino]

Thanks Doc. I also will give it one more year and only because there is some new faces there. I have been trying to update my bio for 2 years now and nobody seemed to care but my sponsers.

[john mannerino]

Thanks Doc. I also will give it one more year and only because there is some new faces there. I have been trying to update my bio for 2 years now and nobody seemed to care but my sponsers.

[npaa member]

Just curious, what do you mean by the numbers aren't going to make a difference come 2009?

NPAA, stop talking about it and fix the website including the members forum. It's been the way it is for months. You don't have to pay megadollars for a website design. There are a lot of people out there doing websites. If you are not a computer person a website may seem to be a very complicated thing to do but trust me it isn't. Check with the IT training area of a local College, you will find plenty of skilled young people who would be glad to redesign the website for a modest fee and the opportunity for a resume item. There are probably people in your own membership with these skills or the ability to help get it done.

If the NPAA is going to be big enough to have any clout you need to coop in the so called "part-time" Pros that are fishing the FLW, MWC etc as members. This idea that the only important people are those deriving all their income from fishing is going to leave you with a very small number of members.

Last thing, does anyone else hate the new logo? It looks like a lame ripoff of the MLB or NBA logo. The old one was just fine.


>No, I removed that post, because it doesnt make sense to try
>and sell top 100 numbers, when, from what I have been told,
>the numbers aren't going to make a difference come 2009
>anyway. How could I, in good conscience, try to get our money
>back out of them? I couldn't.
>
>It will be a loss. :(
>
>Juls
>
>

[npaa member]

Just curious, what do you mean by the numbers aren't going to make a difference come 2009?

NPAA, stop talking about it and fix the website including the members forum. It's been the way it is for months. You don't have to pay megadollars for a website design. There are a lot of people out there doing websites. If you are not a computer person a website may seem to be a very complicated thing to do but trust me it isn't. Check with the IT training area of a local College, you will find plenty of skilled young people who would be glad to redesign the website for a modest fee and the opportunity for a resume item. There are probably people in your own membership with these skills or the ability to help get it done.

If the NPAA is going to be big enough to have any clout you need to coop in the so called "part-time" Pros that are fishing the FLW, MWC etc as members. This idea that the only important people are those deriving all their income from fishing is going to leave you with a very small number of members.

Last thing, does anyone else hate the new logo? It looks like a lame ripoff of the MLB or NBA logo. The old one was just fine.


>No, I removed that post, because it doesnt make sense to try
>and sell top 100 numbers, when, from what I have been told,
>the numbers aren't going to make a difference come 2009
>anyway. How could I, in good conscience, try to get our money
>back out of them? I couldn't.
>
>It will be a loss. :(
>
>Juls
>
>

[Why Hold On]

The NPAA website has been useless for years. The only value was the ability to post press releases on the front page, but now there is no continuity. Whoever running the site is obviously above their skill set when it comes to this.

Bill Koehne proposed website help a couple of years ago and the board ignored him. Read the minutes.

I left the NPAA and after reading the same responses on this thread that the BOD has been spewing out since Kavajecz left has convinced me that its all talk.

I was going to throw my hat in the ring with them again, but not now.

It's a shame, it was heading the right way under Kavajecz.

[Why Hold On]

The NPAA website has been useless for years. The only value was the ability to post press releases on the front page, but now there is no continuity. Whoever running the site is obviously above their skill set when it comes to this.

Bill Koehne proposed website help a couple of years ago and the board ignored him. Read the minutes.

I left the NPAA and after reading the same responses on this thread that the BOD has been spewing out since Kavajecz left has convinced me that its all talk.

I was going to throw my hat in the ring with them again, but not now.

It's a shame, it was heading the right way under Kavajecz.

[Gary Bo Bowman]

I've been a member in good standing since the beginning. Give Cody and the new Officers and BOD a chance. Let's see what can happen. Cheers, Gary "Bo" Bowman #582

[Why Hold On]

Gary,

There was change, and good change at that, when Kavajecz was the President.

After he left it went downhill under that BOD leadership. Except for Pat Neu it's the same BOD.

There has been no change under Cody and he's been there since the start of October. He's simply the secretary for the NPAA performing administrative functions for the BOD. For example managing the website. He doesn't make any changes to the NPAA. It's up to the same old same old.