What Really Happened With Earl at SBE

i was also in the room but not as close as you were . first thing i would like to know , how did you take picture when we were not allowed to . only the media was allowed to ? archer and williams were playing their match at the same time alex and earl were . i think archers match was over when that happen .archer and williams had just finished their match
 
I keep saying this, Earl is a sick man and has been one for a very long time. It is both sad and bewildering to have to deal with him as a TD. You must be part therapist, part TD and part parent to even attempt to reason with him most of the time. The fact that some of the time he is not a problem is only another indication of his infirmity. Being married to a therapist, as I was for years, I think she would diagnose him as bi-polar. And an extreme case as well. I only wish he would get the help he so obviously needs. His brilliance is only outshone by his turbulence. Very sad for Earl and for pool.
 
Last edited:
Catch 22

I keep saying this, Earl is a sick man and has been one for a very long time. It is both sad and bewildering to have to deal with him as a TD. You must be part therapist, part TD and part parent to even attempt to reason with him most of the time. The fact that some of the time he is not a problem is only another indication of his infirmity. Being married to a therapist, as I was for years, I think she would diagnose him as bi-polar. And an extreme case as well. I only wish he would get the help he so obviously needs. His brilliance is only outshone by his turbulence. Very sad for Earl and for pool.


Jay,

Unfortunately most or all of the fixes require medication. Medications that take the edge off of competitive spirit. I suspect that Earl's choices come down to compete well without med's if he can control himself or compete at less than his best with medications and then the med's only might prevent an incident. There really isn't a good choice to make, or so I suspect.

Hu
 
Brian, that was a great description of what happened. Just by the detail, you can tell it was an accurate account.

I'm sorry to say that this "illness" of Earl's goes back as far as I can remember. I recall at least 20 years ago when he was playing in Europe against Efren, and the crowd was outwardly cheering for Efren, Earl was reported to have yelled to the crowd, "Why are you all cheering for him? I'm the white guy here!"

Or maybe that isn't the "illness" that people are referring to now. Maybe there is some newly diagnosed "illness" that makes him act the same way he did for the past 20 years.

He's getting worse? Well, yeah. He's getting older. They say we all get worse in one way or another as we get older.

I'm so sorry for him if it's chemical. I really am. I also think that every player who enters a tournament has a right to a fair match without being intentionally sharked, even if it's by someone with a pathology.
 
Last edited:
Brian, that was a great description of what happened. Just by the detail, you can tell it was an accurate account.

I'm sorry to say that this "illness" of Earl's goes back as far as I can remember. I recall at least 20 years ago when he was playing in Europe against Efren, and the crowd was outwardly cheering for Efren, Earl was reported to have yelled to the crowd, "Why are you all cheering for him? I'm the white guy here!"

Or maybe that isn't the "illness" that people are referring to now. Maybe there is some newly diagnosed "illness" that makes him act the same way he did for the past 20 years.

He's getting worse? Well, yeah. He's getting older. They say we all get worse in one way or another as we get older.

I'm so sorry for him if it's chemical. I really am. I also think that every player who enters a tournament has a right to a fair match without being intentionally sharked, even it it's by someone with a pathology.

A couple months ago a female pool player from Detroit saw Strickland outside the tournament hall. This woman thought of him as a pool god. She approached him and started telling him how great it was to finally meet him. She made the mistake of saying he was her hero. Earl's response was, Lady shouldn't Tiger Woods be your hero. The woman was African-American.

People want to call his problem a medical disorder. OK, if it makes you feel better.
 
A couple months ago a female pool player from Detroit saw Strickland outside the tournament hall. This woman thought of him as a pool god. She approached him and started telling him how great it was to finally meet him. She made the mistake of saying he was her hero. Earl's response was, Lady shouldn't Tiger Woods be your hero. The woman was African-American.

People want to call his problem a medical disorder. OK, if it makes you feel better.
I appreciate most of your posts and opinions on things. On this one you are wrong. Don't play the race card on Earl. There are few of us who know him very well and know that race isn't intentional there.
Other than that its hard for me to defend him too much. In all the threads that are out there right now there is a lot of truth to all of them. Just sayin.
 
...Don't play the race card on Earl. There are few of us who know him very well and know that race isn't intentional there.
Other than that its hard for me to defend him too much. In all the threads that are out there right now there is a lot of truth to all of them. Just sayin.

Thank goodness for those who know the truth. Those who have hang-ups about sex, race, and religion usually think everybody feels about these subject matters the same way they do.

As an example, those who are sexually inadequate usually talk about sexually related topics with all people they meet. Meanwhile, the reason they keep talking about it is because, sadly, they suffer from a sexual inferiority complex.

Considering Earl's recent years, the thought of him being a racist is almost laughable, if you think about it. :p

One may label Earl a variety of names, but "racist" is most definitely *not* one of them. :wink:

Now, I will say that Earl is extremely patriotic, which may sometimes be interpreted as exhibiting jingoism. :embarrassed2:
 
Maybe Earl has an undiagnosed issue, maybe he doesn't. But if every person who acts like an unprofessional as*hole needs to make a medical appointment, there are gonna be a lot of full doctors' offices out there.
 
Wow. That's totally bizarre. How dumb am I? I never even made the connection that Earl was playing a Filipino player (Alex)! I would have written the exact same post if Earl was playing Cory Deuel instead of Alex. My point was that his behavior for 20-plus years has always been over the top --- whether the comment was intended for a particular opponent or audience member, or two people on the next table who were supposedly conspiring against him --- And that's a stone cold fact.



Thank goodness for those who know the truth. Those who have hang-ups about sex, race, and religion usually think everybody feels about these subject matters the same way they do.

As an example, those who are sexually inadequate usually talk about sexually related topics with all people they meet. Meanwhile, the reason they keep talking about it is because, sadly, they suffer from a sexual inferiority complex.

Considering Earl's recent years, the thought of him being a racist is almost laughable, if you think about it. :p

One may label Earl a variety of names, but "racist" is most definitely *not* one of them. :wink:

Now, I will say that Earl is extremely patriotic, which may sometimes be interpreted as exhibiting jingoism. :embarrassed2:
 
Last edited:
Wow. That's totally bizarre. How dumb am I? I never even made the connection that Earl was playing a Filipino player (Alex)! I would have written the exact same post if Earl was playing Cory Deuel instead of Alex. My point was that his behavior for 20-plus years has always been over the top --- whether the comment was intended for a particular opponent or audience member, or two people on the next table who were supposedly conspiring against him --- And that's a stone cold fact.

I agree, Fran. I have witnessed the same thing myself.

I have had a conversation with Earl about audience members rooting for non-American players in an American-run tournament like the U.S. Open. I think it does bother him to think that American audience members are pulling for a European, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, or Australian player instead of rooting for the home team.

That is why I mentioned the jingoism. It's not that he's exhibiting a prejudice against race, but rather it's a form of patriotism, though some consider it jingoism. Jingoism, however, is something I have been accused of as well. You know, USA all the way, baby! :thumbup:
 
Jen, By a long shot ---- you are quite different from Earl. :)

As for Earl, I think that many of his fellow country men and women stopped cheering for him when he stopped acting like a gentleman. There is absolutely nothing wrong with appreciating great play from a player from another country while still cheering for your own. But once a player starts complaining about it and showing sour grapes, he actually snowballs that effect.



I agree, Fran. I have witnessed the same thing myself.

I have had a conversation with Earl about audience members rooting for non-American players in an American-run tournament like the U.S. Open. I think it does bother him to think that American audience members are pulling for a European, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, or Australian player instead of rooting for the home team.

That is why I mentioned the jingoism. It's not that he's exhibiting a prejudice against race, but rather it's a form of patriotism, though some consider it jingoism. Jingoism, however, is something I have been accused of as well. You know, USA all the way, baby! :thumbup:
 
Waiting for report on Earl
Also want to know how you did..
...and how many cues you bought

Hey pt;

Still playing catch up since arriving back home. I will post another thread on the other (non-Earl) aspects of sbe, asap, no later than tomorrow morning.

Best,
Brian kc
 
Earl is a freethinking guy. He calls it as he sees it. If there are rank and file players that get in his way, he lets people know. Whether or not it is good sportsmanship, who knows? I just know if people are trying to have some fun, shooting pool, making a career while they are still young they should be entitled to that right, without Earl's condescending remarks. Some of Earl's comments better suit him as a career counselor than a competitive pool player.

What does Earl know about being an immigrant and having to play pool for a living? For him to see newer and younger and better players on the tour it probably drives him crazy thinking about how good he was at that age, and how much better today's younger players are. Compound that with the fact he has to compete against a whole field of them, it would make sense he gets jittery.

As for the speculation against Earl well if he can dish it out then he should be able to take it in right. I mean what does that old guy know, it seems like he just don't want the newer players cutting into his piggy bank tourney fortune. Out of all the possible things to do in life, pool is a great industry and people just need to work cooperatively to uplift the lives of the individuals that help it stay afloat. I mean look what Kevin Trudeau did, and then look at pool today, sure it is a dollar short and a few events cheaper but still changes are happening. KT got the exposure, he got the promotional elevation, he elevated the prize money. Every aspect of the pool tournament was elevated to new peaks when KT hit the scene.

Earl could've done that but that is what the newer players are trying to do and Earl doesn't support that.
 
Last edited:
I keep saying this, Earl is a sick man and has been one for a very long time. It is both sad and bewildering to have to deal with him as a TD. You must be part therapist, part TD and part parent to even attempt to reason with him most of the time. The fact that some of the time he is not a problem is only another indication of his infirmity. Being married to a therapist, as I was for years, I think she would diagnose him as bi-polar. And an extreme case as well. I only wish he would get the help he so obviously needs. His brilliance is only outshone by his turbulence. Very sad for Earl and for pool.

Even after quitting, "speed" use causes damage to dopamine receptors and oxidative stress and is most likely permanent. In humans, oxidative stress is involved in many diseases. Examples include atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, fragile X syndrome[1] and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Don't know. Just saying. Maybe the shoe fits. During his brilliant years, most players I knew felt that was part of his pre-game routine.
 
Thanks

The article was worth the wait. Good read!!!!! Rep to you.
 
.
I'm sorry to say that this "illness" of Earl's goes back as far as I can remember.

Fran,

Your comments on here are greatly appreciated as they shed some light on how long this behavior by Earl has been going on. I am very curious if you know yourself or know someone who can actually pinpoint when this behavior actually started showing up at pool tournaments or other facets in his life. I remember the little, skinny, long-haired Earl that use to hang with the Rempe, Sigel, Hall, Hopkins, etc. crowd but I don't remember the antics that we see in him today. Did this start in his teens years? 20's? 30's? Maybe there was a stressor in his life that caused him to start exhibiting these behavioral signs. I don't know. It would be nice if people "in the know" could shed further light onto this subject so that we may be better able to understand him and his problems. It's truly a sad story.

I hope he overcomes whatever it is he needs to overcome.

Maniac
 
Back
Top