Bill Lowen isn't sure how his name got dragged into the controversy surrounding the disqualification of Rick Morris' day-1 weight at the Smith Mt. Bassmaster Elite Series. But the 2nd-year pro from Ohio contacted BassFan over the weekend to proclaim that he had no role in it whatsoever.
After the penalty had been handed down by BASS following the day-2 weigh-in, Morris told BassFan: "My (day-1 co-angler) Brandon Pedigo rooms with Bill Lowen and he's buddies with Jeff Kriet. Obviously, he went back and ran his mouth and twisted the story all around and bass fishermen are like wolves. If they can bite you off at the ankles they will, and I'm aware of that. It's just that way. We're all in high competition, and these guys get in these little cliques and get mad when you're sitting on one of their holes, and when they get a chance to do something like that (protest you), they will."
Lowen said he's never roomed with Pedigo. In fact, he wouldn't be able to pick his photo out of a police-style array.
"I don't know him at all, unless it's just by sight," he said. "But I couldn't put the face with the name, and I don't talk to Jeff (Kriet) that much either."
He said he knew nothing about the entire Morris incident until he learned of the DQ on Friday night.
