Strickland - The greatest ever

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twoslo4me

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They all got robbed in Houston back in the day because that's where the big dog's were...

Most of them folded like a dirty wash rag..
 
Efren is truly the man. Also, an undisputed gentleman. His late comeback in the "Color of Money" was incredible. His background of rotation, straight rail, balkline, and three cushion is the total package.
 
R u kidding me

Buddy Hall by far. He gave Louie Roberts the 7 when Louie was beating everyone and Louie got busted twice.. Buddy changed the whole game. They quit using 2 shot roll out on account of Buddy. Buddy has busted them all.
 
kybanks said:
Buddy Hall by far. He gave Louie Roberts the 7 when Louie was beating everyone and Louie got busted twice.. Buddy changed the whole game. They quit using 2 shot roll out on account of Buddy. Buddy has busted them all.
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I know Buddy Hall was a master of 2 foul, but does anyone know what specific things he did that broke the game and gave him such an advantage? Apart from play perfectly, that is. :D
 
Buddy beat Efren in a money match after Efren won the Reds tournament in Houston. This was Efren's coming out party (1984 or 1985). In one of the TAR podcasts, Efren joked that he never beat Buddy in a gambling match.
 
Nice ad for Earl, and nice responses in throwing out such names.

But Mike Sigel without a doubt. The pool world was just unlucky the sport was not financially able to hold his full attention longer than the early and later 80s.

But I can without a doubt in my mind say the Color of Money match would have been quite different with Mike Sigel not beating himself to death like Efren's opponent at the time.
 
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flyvirginiaguy said:
Nice ad for Earl, and nice responses in throwing out such names.

But Mike Sigel without a doubt. The pool world was just unlucky the sport was not financially able to hold his full attention longer than the early and later 80s.

But I can without a doubt in my mind say the Color of Money match would have been quite different with Mike Sigel not beating himself to death like Efren's opponent at the time.
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Sigel didn't have Earl's firepower, or Buddy's consistency. He's no doubt one of the all time greats, but not the greatest. And yes, Earl tends to mentally implode from time to time, but Sigel's records -or anyone elses for that matter- don't come close to his (in regards to 9b anyway)
 
macneilb said:
Sigel didn't have Earl's firepower, or Buddy's consistency. He's no doubt one of the all time greats, but not the greatest. And yes, Earl tends to mentally implode from time to time, but Sigel's records -or anyone elses for that matter- don't come close to his (in regards to 9b anyway)
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You can like Earl all you want. I do as well. But nahhh lol... Sigel was the better player.

You do not win over 100 major titles without firepower and consistency friend. Actually you really would not even be considered a straight pool player without consistency and firepower. And Mike was a world champion at that as well. As Irving Crane once said, probably the best at it. Mike had it all. Knowledge, Wisdom of the games, Safeties, Breaks, Shot making beyond belief, Made the toughest under pressure shots as good as anyone I have seen, and even lucky. :thumbup:
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
you can like earl all you want. I do as well. But nahhh lol... Sigel was the better player.

You do not win over 100 major titles without firepower and consistency friend. Actually you really would not even be considered a straight pool player without consistency and firepower. And mike was a world champion at that as well. As irving crane once said, probably the best at it. Mike had it all. Knowledge, wisdom of the games, safeties, breaks, shot making beyond belief, made the toughest under pressure shots as good as anyone i have seen, and even lucky. :thumbup:
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well said his record speaks for it self!! ;) many pro players say sigel was best tournament player back in the day.
 
Earl

in my humble opinion at least, while any 1 of the guys that have been mentioned in this thread might have beat Earl at one time or another, the fact is at least in 9 ball,

if your consider greatness and consistency of greatness against the highest level of competition, for the longest period of time, like him or not Earl Strickland is the man!
 
Earl Strickland is the greatest pool player ever!

Earl has out lasted every single great player of his era.

Alot of Earls opponents have been retired for over 20 years and Earl is still playing top level pool.

Thats all we need to know, Earl has out lasted every great player from his era and some!
 
gesan said:
in my humble opinion at least, while any 1 of the guys that have been mentioned in this thread might have beat Earl at one time or another, the fact is at least in 9 ball,

if your consider greatness and consistency of greatness against the highest level of competition, for the longest period of time, like him or not Earl Strickland is the man!
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I will give you a little advantage in the debate. Mike got out of pool around 89ish, when he signed on with Brunswick to do exhibitions etc... Earl's prime was early 90ish and into the 90s. So, go to Earl's prime years, and see what his record is against Mike Sigel. Even after a 5 year hiatus from pool, Mike's record against Earl is history, go discover it...

richiebalto said:
Earl has out lasted every single great player of his era.

Alot of Earls opponents have been retired for over 20 years and Earl is still playing top level pool.!
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That is really saying something. 20 years after Mike basically retired from pool, Earl still is not the most winningest player in pool, Mike Sigel is. You could say Mike spotted him 20 years heh... Besides pool really does not pay enough to hold the attention of some of the great players, so that certainly is no way to judge who is the best. Also, you got a long road to haul to consider Earl's career wins against Mike's career wins, in what suppose to be "Earl's" game, 9 ball. 9 ball is not even Mike's best game, yet he has the better record. If we bring straight pool into the mix, it would be a slaughter...
 
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flyvirginiaguy said:
I will give you a little advantage in the debate. Mike got out of pool around 89ish, when he signed on with Brunswick to do exhibitions etc... Earl's prime was early 90ish and into the 90s. So, go to Earl's prime years, and see what his record is against Mike Sigel. Even after a 5 year hiatus from pool, Mike's record against Earl is history, go discover it...



That is really saying something. 20 years after Mike basically retired from pool, Earl still is not the most winningest player in pool, Mike Sigel is. You could say Mike spotted him 20 years heh... Besides pool really does not pay enough to hold the attention of some of the great players, so that certainly is no way to judge who is the best. Also, you got a long road to haul to consider Earl's career wins against Mike's career wins, in what suppose to be "Earl's" game, 9 ball. 9 ball is not even Mike's best game, yet he has the better record. If we bring straight pool into the mix, it would be a slaughter...
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Sigel was the best period among his competitors in tournaments, many agree. just look at this way he won over 107 titles in all categories of pocket billiards! a boat load in 9ball and for big money tournaments he won or was there at top. Guy is from another planet. Watched many tournaments in the 80s and captain hook was the man like it or not at all games! nobody liked to play mike & when they did red flag went up!
 
RADAR said:
Sigel was the best period among his competitors in tournaments, many agree. just look at this way he won over 107 titles in all categories of pocket billiards! a boat load in 9ball and for big money tournaments he won or was there at top. Guy is from another planet. Watched many tournaments in the 80s and captain hook was the man like it or not at all games! nobody liked to play mike & when they did red flag went up!
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We certainly agree.

I have been playing and watching pool since around 10 (now 39), and I have never since Mike's time seen anyone so powerful in their game. When it was big money on the line, there was NO other I would have put my money on. Playing the toughest shots in pool like they were hangers for the big cash. The more money and prestige on the line, the better he played, period. There was no beating himself up, throwing attitude, whimpering, he just won.

One also should know, if Efren thought so much of Mike Sigel's game, it was for very good reason. So many should just go ask Efren who he would have rather not faced in their prime for the big bucks.

And don't let time fool you, Mike still did very well at one of the latest 14.1 championships against the modern players (even playing pool as a hobby really). And there is not a doubt in my mind if he went back into it with full compassion, no one would like it much at all, even today.
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
We certainly agree.

I have been playing and watching pool since around 10 (now 39), and I have never since Mike's time seen anyone so powerful in their game. When it was big money on the line, there was NO other I would have put my money on. Playing the toughest shots in pool like they were hangers for the big cash. The more money and prestige on the line, the better he played, period. There was no beating himself up, throwing attitude, whimpering, he just won.

One also should know, if Efren thought so much of Mike Sigel's game, it was for very good reason. So many should just go ask Efren who he would have rather not faced in their prime for the big bucks.

And don't let time fool you, Mike still did very well at one of the latest 14.1 championships against the modern players (even playing pool as a hobby really). And there is not a doubt in my mind if he went back into it with full compassion, no one would like it much at all, even today.
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you are correct ya i have been watching little longer than you at 49. rempe was a tough bird for a while too many dont know of his tounament wins in the 1970s. what a force he was as well into the 90s. sigel had alot of respect for jim!
 
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