I agree with your feelings towards Phil and all of the duck commanders. I am not a fan and like many in our society they are making money and using religion as part of thier game. I am not agianst relgion and have my own. I actually heard the "story", of Phil's life on a religous radio station on my way to Iowa last week to visit family. It was a moving story and if true, i applaud his success. But I do beleive it is out of control and now they have gone overboard with thier want of more and more fame and wealth. I do think there has been some good as they have increased the number of young hunters, which we do need as there has been a ong-term decline in hunter recruitment; however, he has done no favors to us older tride and true hunters that were raised by fathers, uncles, friends that also taugh us - ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILTIY FOR THE RESOURCE AND OTHER HUNTERS! I have never seen (very few) or heard of a single show where he actually dicsussed hunting ethics or responsibilty for the resource or other hunters. For example, it is not quite common for a bunch of young hunters in the latest gera and face paint to show up and set up down wind of me 60 yards, shoot my swinging birds and call thier heads off at every bird that flies by and those that are working me. They also have no idea about duck ID and regularly skybust. It really is dissapointing. Fortunately, I have two children (Claire-10 & Nova-7) that I take hunting and teach them ethics and respect for the resource - so I do have hope. People like Phil and wildman Ted Nugent are actually doing us no favor. Most people are indifferent to our pursuit; however, when exposed to such in-your-face, down-your-throat actions of these guys, many of these people turn against hunting and help strengthen the anti-hunting community.
Every time I go home to visit my folks and have a chance to watch satelite tv and see the many distasteful hunting programs and the other reality show junk, it reinforces my proper choice not to have tv at home. I will say I did see one neat show called meater-eater, not a fan of the name, but the show was very interesting - not worth having tv though!!
Thats my two-cents worth!!