The psychology surrounding professional anglers would provide great doctoral research material at institutions like Stanford or Yale, known for diving deep into the human mind.
They could start with 7-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Terry "Big Show" Scroggins. But they might be disappointed. Scroggins is anything but a head case. He's much the opposite. Scroggins looks for life's simpler, brighter side and is famous among friends for his favorite verbal expression - "It's All Good."
"This life we live is tough. It's full of mental, physical, and financial challenges - so saying 'It's All Good' is my way of always lookin' up," said the 41-year-old Floridian.
For example, when Scroggins showed up in Birmingham to practice for the Bassmaster Classic, three inches of snow and record-low lake temperatures greeted his sun-tanned hands. "Oh yea, that would have been easy to get down about, but I saw it as a positive. To me, that took the home-field advantage away from the eight or so guys that lived near Lay Lake," grinned Scroggins.
"Plus, if you're going to be dumb and make a living fishing in snow, you gotta be tough -- and part of being tough means having the right clothing. I came prepared with everything from Polartec clothing to a motorcycle helmet, so I knew I was as ready as the rest of them," said Scroggins, who, in 2008, caught the second-largest stringer in BASS history.
Next up in this crazy life, Scroggins will spend four full days planted alone in the front seat of his Toyota Tundra, driving 2,800 miles from Florida to doubleheader Elite Series tournaments in California. "What's good about that is I'll cruise hands-free from the cell phone using my Tundra's Bluetooth. It's a long, lonely trip across the Mojave Desert, but it's all good if you're getting business done while you drive."
