Earl now vs. earl back when?

Is Earl better now or when he was younger ?

  • Younger

    Votes: 42 87.5%

  • Older

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Now

    Votes: 2 4.2%

  • Neither

    Votes: 4 8.3%
  • Total voters
    48
bobroberts

bobroberts

Pool player
Silver Member
Last edited:
IMO his peak playing ability was right around the time that he played Efren in the Hong Kong Challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPOusCAcvP0

I am currently watching the match, and watched the 1st day race to 35. Earl showed a WAY higher gear then Efren in that first day. Earl when he catches the top gear in that match shoots like an absolute monster and Efren cannot keep up. If you keep an eye on the luck and the rolls they did not go to Earls favor in that first day at all. Earl still ends up ahead after the first days race to 35.

Earls problem, even at this time is his head. He breaks like a monster from the upper right corner, but he starts screwing around and going to other places in the match despite already having found the break and it costs him alot of games. He blows a few easy shots due to a lack of concentration, but still, in that match he puts some packages together making multiple shots in each run that most players today never even attempt. I mean, one of his early packages starts with a full cue jump bank shot, he also starts playing hard caroms, long corner bank shots, and the hard shots he is rarely ever missing. He is an offensive powerhouse that no player today compares to.

Plus keep in mind he is playing the Hong Kong match with a Cuetech he was finacially obligated to use.

I don't know how Earl shot in the Mizerak tourney he won. You would have to show a video of that one to really get a good idea on Earl then vs Earl now. From what I have seen lately and in that video you showed Earl was not even close to as focused as he is in the HK challenge match. I see that alot now, he does not really bear down and get that fired up focus going. And while he does talk abit in the HK challenge mostly he just shoots pool, and shoots it at a level at times that IMO no other player has ever played it at.
 
What does the "Older" choice mean? Older than now, i.e., in the future? Maybe his best is yet ahead of him!
 
AtLarge said:
What does the "Older" choice mean? Older than now, i.e., in the future? Maybe his best is yet ahead of him!
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I would doubt that his future will be better then his past. Time is not our friend.
As you age you gain more knowledge but it wont make up for keen eyes, endurance, determination and all the other things that happen after the 50 year mark. If it was any other sport he would of been done years ago. Look at Brett Farve, stayed to long and now is something of a joke. Sad. Face it in any sport youth always wins out.
 
Earl still is a great player but he was the best when he was younger. He's not the best player now. While talent will always progress I don't think the present Earl could beat the younger Earl in his heyday.
 
Earl makes good use of the power of positive thinking. In the end, after one acquires the mechanical skills of pool, the rest comes from one's mind, self-confidence, belief in one's ability to win. The will to win is a strong one.

That said, I personally realize that I gamble with my heart more often than I do with my brain. When I go to the horse track, I bet my daughter's birthday, a dollar-triple box, my brother's birthday, and any horse that has a name that hits me close to home. I don't read the tout sheets and racing forms, and I win just as much, I think, as those who do.

In the end, Earl Strickland has made pool his life and may never enjoy the amenities that non-pool champions do. It is his choice, and if he wants the almighty win bad enough, well, he has a good track record of achieving his goal. :wink:

Earl will be 50 years old on his next birthday in June. After 50, one's health does diminish a wee bit. That is when my 20/20 eyesight resulted in me wearing glasses to read. I hope nobody ever calls Earl a "has-been." I'm sure he wouldn't like it very much, considering pool has been his life.
 
JAM said:
Earl makes good use of the power of positive thinking. In the end, after one acquires the mechanical skills of pool, the rest comes from one's mind, self-confidence, belief in one's ability to win. The will to win is a strong one.

That said, I personally realize that I gamble with my heart more often than I do with my brain. When I go to the horse track, I bet my daughter's birthday, a dollar-triple box, my brother's birthday, and any horse that has a name that hits me close to home. I don't read the tout sheets and racing forms, and I win just as much, I think, as those who do.

In the end, Earl Strickland has made pool his life and may never enjoy the amenities that non-pool champions do. It is his choice, and if he wants the almighty win bad enough, well, he has a good track record of achieving his goal. :wink:

Earl will be 50 years old on his next birthday in June. After 50, one's health does diminish a wee bit. That is when my 20/20 eyesight resulted in me wearing glasses to read. I hope nobody ever calls Earl a "has-been." I'm sure he wouldn't like it very much, considering pool has been his life.
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Your funny, i do the same at the track. I tout the ponies and read the results and their times but will bet the names and how they look.
I doubt that anyone would ever call Earl a has been. He is one of the greatest champions that ever was. I wish we has much more passion in the sport. Earl brings the passion.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
Earl still is a great player but he was the best when he was younger. He's not the best player now. While talent will always progress I don't think the present Earl could beat the younger Earl in his heyday.
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Especially the younger Earl on a Gold Crown table......I think Diamond tables are the best tables made today, but they won't accept some shots hit with power that a Gold Crown table will. Earl is a power player and the switch to Diamond tables hurt his game. His last win at the US Open in 2000 was on a Black Gold Crown table and he hasn't come close to winning the Open since they switched to Diamond tables (I think his best finish on a Diamond was a 3rd or 4th a couple of years ago). The older Gold Crown tables that played a little loose compared to the Diamond tables of today were Earl's forte. His break worked better and nobody ran out better than Earl on the older Gold Crowns.

James
 
bobroberts said:
Your funny, i do the same at the track. I tout the ponies and read the results and their times but will bet the names and how they look.
I doubt that anyone would ever call Earl a has been. He is one of the greatest champions that ever was. I wish we has much more passion in the sport. Earl brings the passion.
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Smorgie and my daughter have the same birthday, and I always play a dollar triple box on 1-2-9. It is amazing how often it hits. :grin-square:

Naw, nobody would ever call Earl a "has-been." I hope Earl reciprocates and respects his peers as well. I used to be an Earl kind of gal, but in recent times, well, let's just say he has disappointed me. If and when I ever see him in person, I will be sure to address my concern(s).

I sure as heck have listened to his damn concerns ad nauseum over the years. :eek::o:wink::(:smile:
 
i forget the exact stats on the hong kong match against efren, but who in the history of pool can/could get ~20 games (or how many was it at its peak?) ahead of efren when he was playing good, on asian soil? i dont think it is that difficult to say nobody in the history of pool could. but the thing is, earl didnt even win this match! the only thing that amazed me as much as his 9ball game, was his ability to self destruct at times. i think he would have been the nest 9ball player maybe ever if he was mentally strong.

as to old vs new earl.... has anybody seen these old matches? earl used to regularly jump over full balls with his playing cue length of the table in the finals/semi finals of huge tournaments, and pocket the ball and run out. i think hed rob most of the strong players of today.
 
Celtic said:
I don't know how Earl shot in the Mizerak tourney he won. You would have to show a video of that one to really get a good idea on Earl then vs Earl now. From what I have seen lately and in that video you showed Earl was not even close to as focused as he is in the HK challenge match.
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I watched 3 of his matches in his Miz win. The match against Daz was absolutely some of the best playing, if not the best, I've ever seen. His 1st match against Shawn was superb. The finals match was a little nervy and inconsistent though (by his own admission). There is little doubt in my mind that his stroke, experience, knowledge and ability is higher than it's ever been. I see him from time to time, and hear of his play regularly from mega year enthusiasts. He's stroking incredibly and his confidence is sky high. That leaves one element in question IMO. Can he mentally lock it down for a long match?

People mention his age, but history shows that "middle aged" players can perform at maximum speed, assuming their eyes and health are good. Some fella named Efren comes to mind.

I believe Earl is more dangerous today than he has been in a lonnnng time, perhaps a decade. We will be in for a treat of some of the best power pool ever. Those long bridging stroking geniuses on a 10'er? Fuhgetaboutit!
 
JAM said:
Smorgie and my daughter have the same birthday, and I always play a dollar triple box on 1-2-9. It is amazing how often it hits. :grin-square:

Naw, nobody would ever call Earl a "has-been." I hope Earl reciprocates and respects his peers as well. I used to be an Earl kind of gal, but in recent times, well, let's just say he has disappointed me. If and when I ever see him in person, I will be sure to address my concern(s).

I sure as heck have listened to his damn concerns ad nauseum over the years. :eek::o:wink::(:smile:
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It's obvious to me what your concerns are but either through medication or therapy, there seems to be more control now. I do like it when he goes off on occasion. Reminds me of Phil Helmuth. Both strive for perfection.
Plus i think its good for the game. Personalities add to the mystique. The last time i saw him was the last time i saw you in Orlando. He was okay then.
It doesn't matter he will go down as one of the greats of all time.
 
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