Why Toho could define 2015 and beyond

Big Ish-ues for B.A.S.S., Poche and Monroe to come.

By now I'm sure that most of you have heard about the incident between Keith Poche and Ish Monroe that transpired at the first Bassmaster Southern Open, the opening event for B.A.S.S. in 2015.  Both anglers have recently issued statements (Keith's is here, Ish's is here) and to say that they each offer varying opinions on what transpired there in the lock would be an understatement.  Here's what you can gather from each statement:

• Keith's boat hit Ish's boat while in a lock, Keith was driving the boat under power of his trolling motor.
• A verbal argument ensued.
• Ish left his boat, and entered Keith's boat.
• Ish admitted that while he didn't strike Keith, he went over the line with an "unwanted touch".
• Both anglers ended up in the water.

In the wake of these statements, many fans and anglers have began offering opinions on each angler, and what they would do if in they had been in that situation.  Some of those responses have been incredibly disturbing, threatening physical violence and promising to hurt anyone who ever hit them, or entered their boat.  Here are some quotes from the internet:

"Way to go Ish...you just went up a couple places in my book."
"In a way you can't blame ish for jumping in Keith's boat Bc I would have to the same thing."
"Someone hits my boat they're meeting my fists.  Simple."
"DQ me, fine.  You hit my boat, I will F&%$ you up.  Period."

Seriously?

This is fishing, not football, not Ultimate Fighting.  There's no room for physical violence of any kind in our sport.  Kids of all ages are watching us all the time, reading about this, reading the responses of adults (some they know, some they don't) and being influenced by what they are seeing and reading.  It is crucial that this remain an isolated incident, and that each angler involved be held accountable for actions deemed inappropriate.  

To that end, I believe that B.A.S.S. needs to show all of us as anglers, and all of you as fans, that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.  If you leave your boat and/or enter someone else's during tournament hours with the intent to threaten harm or to inflict harm, either verbally or physically, on another person, fan or competitor, you should be forced to sit out a full 12 months of all B.A.S.S. sanctioned events.  If you are found to have done it a second time, you should be banned for life.  People are going to argue that punishments of that level are too severe, but what does it say by not making it severe enough?  I am aware that this is how many people make their living.  I am more concerned with the precedent that is going to set henceforth.  Violent behavior is often not treated with the respect that it deserves, and while this now looks like a situation that is leaving people to debate which of these two possesses a greater level of fault, we are fortunate that neither of them bumped their head or had some other fluke injury that caused serious injury or death.  That would be an outcome that I hope to never witness or read about.