While condemning “legend” talk, Gerald Swindle proudly let his inner “redneck” shine. The part that loves God, his country, momma and wife. The part that would give someone in need the shirt off his back. The part that cries when Old Yeller dies or when something fantastically good happens to him.
Sunday, the fast-talking country boy got all choked up, drawing a flood of tears from many across the country watching him take the 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Bass fishing’s clown prince needed several moments as the emotion of reaching the sport’s pinnacle – again – hit him hard. With his hat low over his eyes, the angler who always has something to say was rendered speechless … for a bit.
When he finally could, he talked of being blessed this season but added that he was mad at himself for not closing out the title in style. He came into the AOY Championship at Mille Lacs Lake with a huge lead. He only needed to finish 43 places ahead of Keith Combs in the 50-man field, yet Swindle hovered near the bottom of the standings the first two days.
“I’ve lost more sleep in the last two days over not catching than I have trying to chase that trophy,” he said. “I wanted to fish my best. Today I left it out there.”
Fishing scared and conservatively never won anything, so attacking his way on Sunday gained him 22 pounds and a couple spots in the event. That really didn’t matter, except for his pride, because Combs finished 30th.
Of the 20 anglers who have won the 47 AOY titles awarded since 1970, Swindle, who won his first in 2004, became just the 11th with more than one. An AOY pretty much guarantees superstar status, and two or more kicks that up to legendary. But Swindle wouldn’t have any of that.
“I don’t know if I’m legend,” he said, downplaying emcee Dave Mercer’s accurate assertion. “I don’t look at myself like that. This is what means a lot to me – some of my best friends are standing here watching me. To see Kevin (VanDam) and Skeet (Reese) hang around and watch … We grind it out day in, day out, they got your back. I’m just not a legend, guys.”
During his acceptance, his voice cracked, his eyes needed a Dude Wipe … scratch that, a shirt wipe. Actually, a couple. Later, folks from around the country posted to Facebook that seeing Swindle’s reaction made their eyes leak too.
Mercer again was right in saying that Swindle’s denial makes him even more of a legend. He had a pretty legendary season. Swindle cashed in all nine Elite events, reached an amazing six Championship Sundays, and topped it with a best finish of third on Lake Texoma. This came after a season in which he failed to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. Now he’s going to his 16th.
Swindle also closed in on $2 million in career earnings, climbing inside the top 20 of the all-time money winners in B.A.S.S. Pretty good for the Warrior, Ala., redneck whose next feat will be contemplating all this in a tree stand.
“It’s all I ever wanted to do is fish … and make money at it,” he said. “And I love it. I ain’t going to lie to you, I started fishing because framing houses sucked, and I made money fishing. I said, ‘I ain’t never going back.’”
And by the way, G, you are truly a redneck legend.
BEHIND EVERY AOY WINNER …
LeAnn Swindle receives plenty of credit from her husband. He’s called her the MVP of the Gerald Swindle fishing team.
“Me and her talk about it, it’s a real team effort,” he said. “I’m blessed and have a good job and make good money, but it takes both of us to run it.”
Asked earlier this summer to detail what all she does, Swindle ran down a list.
“She does everything in the office, all show promotions, booking flight arrangements, travel arrangements,” he said. “She books all the houses for me and Terry Scroggins and Britt Myers. She does everything but negotiate money with all my sponsors.
“She does all the contact points. She organizes it, sets the calendar up. She pretty much runs everything but fishing on the water. That’s my gig.”
What would you lack without her?
“Oh god,” he said, looking like he’d say sanity. “Organization. And she’s kind of the calm one. I can get wound up and she kind of calms me down.”
So, sanity. And she doesn’t even have to be next to him. Swindle has posted photos of the inspirational notes LeAnn writes on the sandwich bags she sends with him on the boat.
“Oh yeah, she gives pretty good ones, and some days you need them, too,” he said. “Some days they kinda hit home and kinda fires you back up.”
One example was from BASSfest, where he posted his best finish of the year. LeAnn wrote, “Lake Texoma is tough my darling but so are you!”
For Sunday, after Gerald struggled for two days on Mille Lacs, she pulled out the big guns: “If you’re gonna fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Ark … and it’s starting to rain.”
Both said there have been messages that moved him more than others, and some he would revisit throughout the day. When they’re good and work, LeAnn takes that as a sign.
“It means I have to improve every time on that message,” she said.
LeAnn, you seem to have helped write history this season pretty well.