My latest subscription to Billiards Digest arrived today, and I read in it that Cuetec has fired Earl Strickland. Cuetc president, Jones Chang, said, "Earl has endorsed Cuetec from 1990 until 2007...He made great contributions to the game and to Cuetec. But when he loses, he loses himself. And that affects the Cuetec image. His behavior is detrimental to our promotion. We have stood by him in the past, but now it is time to end our relationship."
"Imperial [International, who recently acquired J-S, the Cuetec distributor] never liked me," Strickland said. "They were ready to boot me the first time I sneezed. I thik they pressured Cuetec into firing me. But Jones had it with me anyway."
...Strickland insisted that the production cue contributed to his poor play in recent years, which in turn contributed to his ornery behavior.
"I can't get any better with that cue anyway," Strickland insisted. "If they [Cuetec] made a better cue, I'd still be winning. But I was handicapped with that cue. I was at a 2-ball disadvantage against a guy like Mike Immonen playing with a good wood cue...And they never treated me right."
As for who would suffer more from the break-up, Strickland responded pointedly. "I made Cuetec," he said. "They didn't make me."
It's been like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
What do you think happens now? Any other sponsors gonna grab up Strickland? Or is the rest of the industry gonna stay away from him?
George in VA
"Imperial [International, who recently acquired J-S, the Cuetec distributor] never liked me," Strickland said. "They were ready to boot me the first time I sneezed. I thik they pressured Cuetec into firing me. But Jones had it with me anyway."
...Strickland insisted that the production cue contributed to his poor play in recent years, which in turn contributed to his ornery behavior.
"I can't get any better with that cue anyway," Strickland insisted. "If they [Cuetec] made a better cue, I'd still be winning. But I was handicapped with that cue. I was at a 2-ball disadvantage against a guy like Mike Immonen playing with a good wood cue...And they never treated me right."
As for who would suffer more from the break-up, Strickland responded pointedly. "I made Cuetec," he said. "They didn't make me."
It's been like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
What do you think happens now? Any other sponsors gonna grab up Strickland? Or is the rest of the industry gonna stay away from him?
George in VA
