A tribute to Earl Strickland

Bob Callahan

Bob Callahan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This isn't about his many records and well-known accomplishments--it's about his inventiveness and creativity. I know it's very fashionable to ridicule the many things his worn and tried, but it's amazing that a guy who could beat most of us with a house stick, is willing to try almost anything that might improve his game. And not just in private, where he's safe from prying eyes, but in in front of a very critical public, under pressure. Thinking about some of the things he's tried, they really have a reasonable basis. Maybe the driving glasses could improve contrast at a pool table, too. An extra-long stick might be more stable. A very long pro taper may increase stroke accuracy. Weights on an arm may help one's stroke stay straighter.

Well, you get the idea--maybe we've been too harsh on Earl. Maybe we are too traditional as a group, and should try a few more "crazy" things ourselves.

Disclaimer: I'm a tinkerer, too...so I may be a little prejudiced. More than once, my wife has said things like, "Are you about to use a hacksaw on that cue?!"

Anybody else here tinker?
 
No matter what he does, he'll always be one of my favorite players. Quite possibly the best 9-ball player ever lived.

If only it wasn't for that Cuetec cue, he'd have dominated the scene for another decade :D
 
I remember in one interview he publicly said that cuetec had destroyed his game... i think he told sammy?
 
I have tried most of his tricks over the years. Almost all of them...lol The longer cue thing is great. The glasses to avoid the UV light in the casino is a winner too.

He has been the best player alive for nearly 25 years now. Why wouldn't you listen to him? Top 10 players ever to play our sport. He might know something?

I think Earl is the coolest "pro" that plays our sport. If a guy like Earl was in any other sport they would not judge him so harshly. In fact I believe that most other sports would embrace their best player, even if he acted like Ali or Tiger. If we have an Ali or a Tiger in our sport it is Earl, and I support him 100%. I hope I am seeing him win in his 80's like Irving Crane.
 
SeanC said:
No matter what he does, he'll always be one of my favorite players. Quite possibly the best 9-ball player ever lived.

If only it wasn't for that Cuetec cue, he'd have dominated the scene for another decade :D
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Man you got that right.... who else could win 5 US Opens & 6 world titles with a Kmart cue.
 
SeanC said:
No matter what he does, he'll always be one of my favorite players. Quite possibly the best 9-ball player ever lived.

If only it wasn't for that Cuetec cue, he'd have dominated the scene for another decade :D
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That is pretty much BS. He won the 2002 world 9 ball with the Cuetec (along with many others), stopped using it and then failed to win a tournament for 10 years until he won the Mizerak. Earl played fine with the Cuetec, much better than he has played without it.
 
Earl expects so much from the Fans that at times I think it hampers his game. I'd like to see him play with an IPOD so he wouldn't have any acoustical distractions. He takes the game serious and since he plays Golf I think he really expects the same level of respect that those players enjoy but he doesn't see it but demands it.. A sport is measured by its viewers to a degree. Earl is without doubt one of the best ever at the table.
 
Earl brings a lot to the table when he plays, ass weights included........but most importantly Earl brings an entertainment factor. It's similar to what TO brought to the football field. Love him or hate him, people are going to want to see what he does next. It brings attention to the game which I think is a good thing. I'd bet that the TAR viewer numbers are higher during the Earl vs. SVB match than they were during the Alex vs. SVB match. Viewers want to see Earls crazy antics, sharking, whining, or whatever else might occur. Not only that, the man still plays at a tremendously high level and that alone is enjoyable to watch. I enjoy watching Earl play. Whether it be with a Meucci, cuetec, Gulyassy, ass weights, goggles, ear muffs, or a bee keepers outfit. The man brings a lot of entertainment to this game. If nothing else his crazy antics have definitely helped keep his career going as far as the entertainment aspect is concerned. The level of play he brings is just natural talent and more pool experiance than just about anyone in the world.
 
Bob Callahan said:
I know it's very fashionable to ridicule the many things his worn and tried, but it's amazing that a guy who could beat most of us with a house stick, is willing to try almost anything that might improve his game.

"Most"

I wouldn't be scared to lay 5 to 1 that Earl could be everyone on AZ with a house cue, much less most AZ players.
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There is a tournament and you are a spectator 25 tables going. You here Earl is playing on table 10. What is your next move. Enough said.
 
s'portplayer said:
Bob Callahan said:
I know it's very fashionable to ridicule the many things his worn and tried, but it's amazing that a guy who could beat most of us with a house stick, is willing to try almost anything that might improve his game.

"Most"

I wouldn't be scared to lay 5 to 1 that Earl could be everyone on AZ with a house cue, much less most AZ players.
Click to expand...

Hell, he could beat me using a broom stick and playing one handed. In my book, Earl is one of the the greatest players alive. I enjoy watching him play - fast and loose. Master shot maker with impeccable position play and cue ball control. The man has it all.
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I am working on a pool "Helmet" for Earl .
It will block out all those knockers and yappers in the audience and at the same time give him the superhero look.
Go Earl !
 
Watching the Man when he is in gear is inspiring to me.

He is pure focus, like a machine with a single purpose.

How he has maintained the desire to keep firing those stupid balls into their stupid holes is unbeknownst to me. I can't pay attention for more than a couple years at a time and he has been a force for what, 30yr?
 
Innovation is programmed into him

I played a round of golf with him earlier this year, just the 2 of us. Note, he's been playing pool in my parts, on and off, for decades, so I know him to a decent extent. Anyway, golfing with him gave me an insight I'd never had. He discussed in minute detail the physics of just about every shot.

Sooo, he shows up with two bags full of "stuff", he's passenger on the cart, and lays 'em on the floorboard in front of him. Here's some recollections, close enuf for government work....

Hole 1: He rips into a new package of (I believe) some type of boxing sparring gloves.

Hole 2: No good... So he rips into a new pair of baseball gloves.

Hole 3: He's got a arm weight on his (I believe) lead arm, but only for the drive, because it helps him (insert dissertation).

Hole 4: He's got a weight on his back ankle, to (insert dissertation). By the back side he had 3 ankle weights on and I couldn't help but snicker watching him limp about from the weight.

Hole X: He's got the tennis tape out, oh my. He went through like 20 rolls of the sh1t ;). At one point I picked up his putter and could hardly wrap my fingers fully around it.

This went on and on. He shared every bit of his reasoning. Some folk would've perceived it as crazy. I wasn't fool enuf to think some of it didn't have merit. At the end his stance was so closed, it was well past 45 degrees. But he just kept striping it, a nice high draw down the pipe. He demanded we play the tips on a world class course, @ 7300 yards. I was a bit intimidated and distracted, that's my excuse, lol, as we pressed on the last hole and he edged me out for $30.

This was an opportunity for me to get inside the head of a genius innovator. He brings that thinking to probably everything in life. He's got a busy, scientific mind. He was a gentleman and a lot of fun. Thanks for the round Earl, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
 
s'portplayer said:
I know it's very fashionable to ridicule the many things his worn and tried, but it's amazing that a guy who could beat most of us with a house stick, is willing to try almost anything that might improve his game.



I wouldn't be scared to lay 5 to 1 that Earl could be everyone on AZ with a house cue, much less most AZ players.
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I found someone and I'll definitely take those odds! Matter of fact they will be playing Dec 2,3,4 I'll bet $200 on Shane(I think that's his name) and Earl can use what ever cue he wants.

Edit: No disrespect to Earl he is one of the best.
 

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KoolKat9Lives said:
I played a round of golf with him earlier this year, just the 2 of us. Note, he's been playing pool in my parts, on and off, for decades, so I know him to a decent extent. Anyway, golfing with him gave me an insight I'd never had. He discussed in minute detail the physics of just about every shot.

Sooo, he shows up with two bags full of "stuff", he's passenger on the cart, and lays 'em on the floorboard in front of him. Here's some recollections, close enuf for government work....

Hole 1: He rips into a new package of (I believe) some type of boxing sparring gloves.

Hole 2: No good... So he rips into a new pair of baseball gloves.

Hole 3: He's got a arm weight on his (I believe) lead arm, but only for the drive, because it helps him (insert dissertation).

Hole 4: He's got a weight on his back ankle, to (insert dissertation). By the back side he had 3 ankle weights on and I couldn't help but snicker watching him limp about from the weight.

Hole X: He's got the tennis tape out, oh my. He went through like 20 rolls of the sh1t ;). At one point I picked up his putter and could hardly wrap my fingers fully around it.

This went on and on. He shared every bit of his reasoning. Some folk would've perceived it as crazy. I wasn't fool enuf to think some of it didn't have merit. At the end his stance was so closed, it was well past 45 degrees. But he just kept striping it, a nice high draw down the pipe. He demanded we play the tips on a world class course, @ 7300 yards. I was a bit intimidated and distracted, that's my excuse, lol, as we pressed on the last hole and he edged me out for $30.

This was an opportunity for me to get inside the head of a genius innovator. He brings that thinking to probably everything in life. He's got a busy, scientific mind. He was a gentleman and a lot of fun. Thanks for the round Earl, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Click to expand...


Pretty good analysis-description...

It's the same way every time at the golf course. Always trying something to try an improve. New grip, new shoes, shorter club, longer club, weights, tape, gloves, lead tape, and adjusts all constantly during the round. Never using the same set up for 2 consecutive holes.

I've mentioned a few times that we should buy stock in Johnson+Johnson. (tape)

He's amazing.
 
Personally, I would LOVE to see Earl take the U.S. Open this year...what would that be--6 titles? Of all the guys of his generation going this year, he's the most likely to have a shot...any of those guys (Sigel, Davenport, Howard, Varner, etc.) catching some kind of gear and knocking off all the young guns would make a hell of a movie...but if Earl wins, what would that do to the Mosconi Cup this year???:rolleyes:
 
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