Anybody that reaches the top of any sport is probaly not operating under what we'd call "normal" conditions in their heads. I've seen Earl go off, and truth was he had good reason to. People would bet against him at the Bicycle Club and then make noise and move in his sightline during matches. A true professional, in my mind, rises above all this, but taking my first statement into account, I think we have to try to give players the benefit of the doubt. I mean we are talking abot a man who got 20 or 30 games (correct me on the exact number) ahead of the "best player that ever lived" in Hong Kong. Yes, he lost that, but even in itself it is an accomplishment beyond compare.
Earl actually amassed a 17 game lead over Efren in The Color of Money Challenge; I think the number was like 110-93 in a race to 120.
Earl would have beaten anyone else on the planet in that set, but Efren found a gear that he hadn't shown in a long time to steal it.
If any of you guys haven't seen this yet, you really should:
http://www.1vshop.com/Accu-Stats/store.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1037042013&PNAME=Hong+Kong+Series+%28DVD%29