(Note: This is part 2 of a multi-part interview with FLW Outdoors chairman Irwin Jacobs.)

BassFan.com: People see you as a real personality, however accurately or inaccurately. It's almost as if they know you. Part of the reason for that appears to be that you take some things personally, for example the letters back and forth with Jeff Coble and the well-known, allegedly heated dockside conversation with Rick Clunn. The question that occurs to me is: For someone in your position, why even bother with that kind of stuff?

Jacobs: If you knew me well enough you would know that when there's something that needs clarification or that I believe in, it isn't measured based on a dollar or on how important it is to other people. It's how important it is to me. I really do get in the trenches in my businesses and in my relationships. It isn't necessary for me to be at all of our FLW tournaments. I don't have to be there. But I have taken a personal interest in the tournaments, and have been very much involved and responsible for many of the decisions that have been made there. I would not run away from that or avoid that.

The point is, I can tell you that (FLW Outdoors) has evolved, but has evolved a lot based on what I wanted to have happen to it. In order to do that, I can't do it from a distance through other people's eyes or ears. I have to be there to see and touch it.

When it comes to Jeff Coble -- a man that complains when you give him $100,000 -- it was kind of hard to sit there and listen to him. And when it comes to someone like Rick Clunn, who was taking our money and badmouthing us in the media, that was kind of hard to take. Because frankly, if I would run these tournaments as (Clunn and others) say we should run them, it's important to understand that you can't have it two ways. You can't sit there and be a professional (athlete) and badmouth the sport that you're involved in. You'll get thrown out or fined. You can't sit there and say, "Why don't you run it like all other sports do?" (because) if we did that (Clunn) probably wouldn't be fishing (the FLW Tour) today.

(Editor's Note: Clunn recently decided to stop being a "thorn in the saddle" of the FLW Tour, a decision he made independent of Jacobs' comments. For more on that, click here.)

BassFan.com: Could you briefly explain to BassFans the reason for the FLW Tour's sponsor logo requirements in the final two rounds of competition?

Jacobs: When I started the (FLW Tour), I knew I could never make it -- pay the purses and grow this -- based on the fishing tackle industry. And I also knew that the people and the sponsors of the size and nature that we have today could find a lot of places for their money. Fishing was not something about which their advertising agencies were saying, "You have to get on board with this thing."

I knew I had to offer something that would be unique and different, and with a consistent profile. (He didn't want sponsors to worry that in) "racecar driving, for example, sometimes you don't get to see your sponsorship on a racecar unless it hits a wall. In our case, the way I did this and committed to Wal-Mart, was that we would profile (sponsors) in their parking lots with tents, lights, cameras and everything else. The investment to do this was so large that in order to be consistent to our sponsors I made a commitment to them that they would never be overwhelmed by a competitor, where they're writing the check and (an angler) is saying thank you in a competitor's hat, jacket or whatever it may be.

I know people are saying it's not (that way) in other sports, but that's not true. It's in most sports today. And if you look at things like baseball, football, tennis -- the Nikes of the world will fine you today if you're a player and put on the wrong headband or socks or whatever the case may be. (Editor's Note: That is true of the leagues as well as of corporate sponsors.) These are people who make mega-millions a year, remember. These are not people who are just getting by in their lives. They are told what they can do and can't do. (FLW's logo policy) is very consistent with that.

Now, it hasn't happened (before) in the sport (of bass fishing). That's why people look at it and question it. They say, "I have a sponsor and this (being on TV wearing that sponsor's logo) is my way of paying them back." Frankly, I say to them that I respect them incredibly for even thinking that way. But no one is forcing anybody to fish in our tournaments, you understand. And in order for us to support our sponsors with the kind of money they're allowing us to pay out, with the kind of show we're able to put on and with the ambience of our Fun Zones where everything is given away free -- everything -- it would be pretty disheartening to have 10 fishermen get up on the stage with none of them wearing (any FLW sponsor logos). So it's really pretty straightforward.

- End of part 2 (of 5) -