Earl Strickland

jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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Over 4700 views in four days on a thread simply entitled Earl.Strickland. That should tell you something. I saw Earl at his peak and he was awesome. I officiated at many of his greatest triumphs and there was little hint of any bad behavior or poor sportsmanship. He was too busy running racks and playing great pool. For me it's sad to see what he's become and how he's tainted his legacy among the all time greats.
 
SLIM

SLIM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jasonlaus said:
fact is the room is still filled with people watching earl.....even when alex, corey, etc are playing in the same room.
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often when earl is at an event with many other players he does attract a lot of spectators.
Some for his talent & some to see him implode when things don't go his way.
However, earl does not attract a lot of spectators when he is in a stand alone match.
I counted the attendees this past weekend when he played darren.
Less than 60 on friday night
less than 75 on saturday night.
Less than 30 on sunday night.
Each night, many of the few that did attend left long before it was over.
By the time it was down to the last game on sunday at around 8:30 there weren't even 20 people there.
I had heard, so i cannot say for a fact that there were about 600 pay per view viewers.

this is a shame.

slim
 
erhino41

erhino41

AzB Silver Member
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jay helfert said:
Over 4700 views in four days on a thread simply entitled Earl.Strickland. That should tell you something. I saw Earl at his peak and he was awesome. I officiated at many of his greatest triumphs and there was little hint of any bad behavior or poor sportsmanship. He was too busy running racks and playing great pool. For me it's sad to see what he's become and how he's tainted his legacy among the all time greats.
Click to expand...

I believe the reason people are so passionate about this subject lies in what could be not in what is. The man is capable of doing things on a consistent basis things others only dare to dream about. Knowing that he is still physically capable of doing it but knowing that he is holding himself back is hard to watch at times.
 
A

AtLarge

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SLIM said:
... By the time it was down to the last game on sunday at around 8:30 there weren't even 20 people there. ...
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Actually, the match ended a bit before 7:30 pm. So, as I think you imply, it certainly wasn't late hours that kept people from watching.

Edit -- and the ending times were about 10:15 on Friday and 11:00 pm on Saturday.
 
PocketPooler

PocketPooler

...............
Silver Member
SLIM said:
often when earl is at an event with many other players he does attract a lot of spectators.
Some for his talent & some to see him implode when things don't go his way.
However, earl does not attract a lot of spectators when he is in a stand alone match.
I counted the attendees this past weekend when he played darren.
Less than 60 on friday night
less than 75 on saturday night.
Less than 30 on sunday night.
Each night, many of the few that did attend left long before it was over.
By the time it was down to the last game on sunday at around 8:30 there weren't even 20 people there.
I had heard, so i cannot say for a fact that there were about 600 pay per view viewers.

this is a shame.

slim
Click to expand...

I look for Earl's name on the bracket first. Always have, no matter how well he is or usnt playing. He is entertaining. Running racks or running his mouth; he is entertaining.
 
ENGLISH!

ENGLISH!

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erhino41 said:
I certainly am capable of empathy. Where earl goes is beyond quirky or misunderstood. I can understand your point of trying to see it from his perspective,I just can't come up with a justifiable reason to behave as such. Your wife's cousin, though misunderstood by your wife, probably wasn't running around acting like a total doucher, just saying.
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Actually she does act very much like a doucher sometimes & that is what gets to them... but knowing what I learned they now have a better understanding. Besides a very hard life, some of which they knew, she is also bipolar & getting meds to work right at the right times is a challenge unto itself & the hard life makes matters worse. I may as well say that it was rape by a step 'father' & multiple suicide attempts of which they did not know.

Only Earl knows Earl & maybe a doctor... or two.
 
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S

sciarco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Earl is still a great player if he can only keep it together but something always flies off the shelf unbelievable.
 
SLIM

SLIM

AzB Silver Member
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pocketpooler said:
i look for earl's name on the bracket first. Always have, no matter how well he is or usnt playing. He is entertaining. Running racks or running his mouth; he is entertaining.
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sure it's entertainin for a while at an event when you can walk away after a little while.
But i can tell you from experience it gets really old when you have to listen to it for hours on end for several days.

Slim
 
S

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
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SLIM said:
sure it's entertainin for a while at an event when you can walk away after a little while.
But i can tell you from experience it gets really old when you have to listen to it for hours on end for several days.

Slim
Click to expand...

The problem isn't Earl. The problem is having an event that tries to keep people's attention for hours and hours on end for several days.
 
SLIM

SLIM

AzB Silver Member
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(((satori))) said:
the problem isn't earl. The problem is having an event that tries to keep people's attention for hours and hours on end for several days.
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are you serious?
I go to every pool event that a can.
When two great players match up even for long sets, i have no problem wtching the entire thing.
Without the childish drama it's much more enjoyable though.

Slim
 
S

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
SLIM said:
are you serious?
I go to every pool event that a can.
When two great players match up even for long sets, i have no problem wtching the entire thing.
Without the childish drama it's much more enjoyable though.

Slim
Click to expand...

Yep I'm serious. The NBA wouldn't even be able to keep a crowd for a game that lasted hours on end for several days. What was it, like 5 hrs a day, 3 days in a row? The NBA playoffs don't put on games for 5 hrs a day and they even have way more entertainment to keep a live crowd happy. And did I mention that the fans are allowed to have way more fun when they attend an NBA game? Yes, I'm serious. Earl is not the problem. Expecting lots of fans to watch the match for 5 hrs (maybe more) a night is the problem.

Btw, If Im not mistaken you stayed for all of the Earl match too right?

#hardcorefan
 
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jasonlaus

jasonlaus

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(((Satori))) said:
Yep I'm serious. The NBA wouldn't even be able to keep a crowd for a game that lasted hours on end for several days. What was it, like 5 hrs a day, 3 days in a row? The NBA playoffs don't put on games for 5 hrs a day and they even have way more entertainment to keep a live crowd happy. And did I mention that the fans are allowed to have way more fun when they attend an NBA game? Yes, I'm serious. Earl is not the problem. Expecting lots of fans to watch the match for 5 hrs (maybe more) a night is the problem.

Btw, If Im not mistaken you stayed for all of the Earl match too right?

#hardcorefan
Click to expand...

Think you're on to something here. Nope, I KNOW you're on to something
 
K

KissedOut

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
(((Satori))) said:
The problem isn't Earl. The problem is having an event that tries to keep people's attention for hours and hours on end for several days.
Click to expand...

Snooker seems to manage it.

Pool used to manage it Some of the greatest matches in history took place over weeks in multiple venues. Mosconi met Caras in a match that lasted two months and took place in 10 cities. There once was a 32 man round robin for the world championship in which each player played each other player 32 times!! Took 6 months. (and, by the way, a lot more people watched all of these matches than if you added the live audience plus the PPV audience of almost any modern pool match).

Pool hasn't always been the way it is and it doesn't have to be the way it is. But it is.

But I agree with you that the problem isn't Earl. The problem is that pool has never overcome its sleazy roots, which I don't think has anything at all to do with Earl. Look at the two biggest pool booms in recent memory - each built on a movie that associates some of the worst human traits intimately with pool. So we get a little boom because it appeals to our inner bad boy, but since it turns out that the game is hard, most of the boom peters out because it was build on a corrupt foundation - wannabe hustlers, not people entranced by the game itself. And so it goes - until the next movie and the next cohort of wannabes.
 
S

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
KissedOut said:
Snooker seems to manage it.

Pool used to manage it Some of the greatest matches in history took place over weeks in multiple venues. Mosconi met Caras in a match that lasted two months and took place in 10 cities. There once was a 32 man round robin for the world championship in which each player played each other player 32 times!! Took 6 months. (and, by the way, a lot more people watched all of these matches than if you added the live audience plus the PPV audience of almost any modern pool match).

Pool hasn't always been the way it is and it doesn't have to be the way it is. But it is.

But I agree with you that the problem isn't Earl. The problem is that pool has never overcome its sleazy roots, which I don't think has anything at all to do with Earl. Look at the two biggest pool booms in recent memory - each built on a movie that associates some of the worst human traits intimately with pool. So we get a little boom because it appeals to our inner bad boy, but since it turns out that the game is hard, most of the boom peters out because it was build on a corrupt foundation - wannabe hustlers, not people entranced by the game itself. And so it goes - until the next movie and the next cohort of wannabes.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about snooker. If snooker fans stand or sit and watch a match for 5 or more hours straight then they are lunatics imo.:) Just kidding of course but I will say that from what I have seen of snooker they have some great promoters behind them. Lots of media connections with professionally produced shows and entertainment to keep fans excited and entertained well beyond when some event ends and before the next one begins. Tell me because I don't know... would Earl be a superstar if he were a snooker player getting that kind of media coverage? Had he not already made his mark on Europe through his Mosconi Cup appearances, and had he been born and raised a snooker star I would have to think he would be in the news damn near daily with tons of fans that love him and a ton also who don't, and they would be talking all about it. I would imagine the media and the promoters would love the attention he just naturally brings though.

As to your point about a 32 man round robin... I have said before that shorter events that tie together are much better than one off events. Leave the audience wanting more. You said Caras/Mosconi covered 10 cities? That is much better than trying to fit their event into one city, playing hours at a time ____ days in a row, with the same limited number of fans in that city as your target market.


Shorter events, better advertisement, let the fans have fun at the events, leave the fans wanting more at the end of the day, the days event shouldn't be monotonous either... same two players playing race to nine 10 ball for hours and hours. The Mosconi cup is the best event pool has and it has been for a while.
 
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M.G.

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
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PocketPooler said:
I look for Earl's name on the bracket first. Always have, no matter how well he is or usnt playing. He is entertaining. Running racks or running his mouth; he is entertaining.
Click to expand...

To you Americans maybe - we Europeans don't like this kind of "entertainment" at all.
We think it's appalling and embarrasing and we get "douche chills" for him.
You can and should have emotions, but don't go blasting around.

I'd thrown him out with his 3rd hissy fit.

Over 4700 views in four days on a thread simply entitled Earl.Strickland....
Click to expand...

Of course. But you'll see a lot of them writing "he needs to stop" or "back in the day".
Or simply see a very good doctor.

All true. He WAS until 2000 or so.

Cheers,
M
 
Colonel

Colonel

Raised by Wolves in a Pool Hall
Silver Member
M.G. said:
To you Americans maybe - we Europeans don't like this kind of "entertainment" at all.

We think it's appalling and embarrasing and we get "douche chills" for him.

You can and should have emotions, but don't go blasting around.



I'd thrown him out with his 3rd hissy fit.







Of course. But you'll see a lot of them writing "he needs to stop" or "back in the day".

Or simply see a very good doctor.



All true. He WAS until 2000 or so.



Cheers,

M
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To you Europeans, Americans really don't care what you think. We've been showing you that since the 1770's when we tossed you from here. Not a sermon, just a thought.
 
BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
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(((Satori))) said:
I don't know much about snooker. If snooker fans stand or sit and watch a match for 5 or more hours straight then they are lunatics imo.:) Just kidding of course but I will say that from what I have seen of snooker they have some great promoters behind them. Lots of media connections with professionally produced shows and entertainment to keep fans excited and entertained well beyond when some event ends and before the next one begins. Tell me because I don't know... would Earl be a superstar if he were a snooker player getting that kind of media coverage? Had he not already made his mark on Europe through his Mosconi Cup appearances, and had he been born and raised a snooker star I would have to think he would be in the news damn near daily with tons of fans that love him and a ton also who don't, and they would be talking all about it. I would imagine the media and the promoters would love the attention he just naturally brings though.

As to your point about a 32 man round robin... I have said before that shorter events that tie together are much better than one off events. Leave the audience wanting more. You said Caras/Mosconi covered 10 cities? That is much better than trying to fit their event into one city, playing hours at a time ____ days in a row, with the same limited number of fans in that city as your target market.


Shorter events, better advertisement, let the fans have fun at the events, leave the fans wanting more at the end of the day, the days event shouldn't be monotonous either... same two players playing race to nine 10 ball for hours and hours. The Mosconi cup is the best event pool has and it has been for a while.
Click to expand...

The finals of the World Snooker tournament was a race to 18. It took approximately 14 hours to finish over a course of 2 days. The venue was packed and I believe they had over 300M viewers (mostly from China). Still, not bad for a game with a bunch of "robots"

The problem isn't Earl, it's not the gambling background of the game. The problem is the game. Pool is the problem. What the hell is pool? Ask someone on the street, and you'll get a variety of answers depending on who you ask. The even bigger problem is that all of the games we associate with pool are boring as hell to watch for a casual spectator. Not to mention there is no consistency when it comes to equipment. One tournament you're on 9' tables and the next you're on 7' tables.

Aramith makes a set of snooker balls for regulation pool tables. Why not make it the game over here? A lot of people have suggested playing on 10' tables, but that's not very cost effective. At least not as cost effective as simply purchasing ball sets. It's easy to follow and much more exciting due to you really never know who's going to win until the frame ball is made. So many times I saw a player up 60-0, only to miss the frame ball, and then lose the frame. The majority of the time in 8 and 9 ball you know if the player coming to the table with an open shot is going to win or not. There's rarely ever any back and forth unless you're playing one pocket, but good luck trying to keep the fans interested in watching that game. Even hardcore one pocket players won't watch that snooze fest.

/rambling
 
Bank it

Bank it

Uh Huh, Sounds Legit
Silver Member
BeiberLvr said:
The finals of the World Snooker tournament was a race to 18. It took approximately 14 hours to finish over a course of 2 days. The venue was packed and I believe they had over 300M viewers (mostly from China). Still, not bad for a game with a bunch of "robots"



The problem isn't Earl, it's not the gambling background of the game. The problem is the game. Pool is the problem. What the hell is pool? Ask someone on the street, and you'll get a variety of answers depending on who you ask. The even bigger problem is that all of the games we associate with pool are boring as hell to watch for a casual spectator. Not to mention there is no consistency when it comes to equipment. One tournament you're on 9' tables and the next you're on 7' tables.



Aramith makes a set of snooker balls for regulation pool tables. Why not make it the game over here? A lot of people have suggested playing on 10' tables, but that's not very cost effective. At least not as cost effective as simply purchasing ball sets. It's easy to follow and much more exciting due to you really never know who's going to win until the frame ball is made. So many times I saw a player up 60-0, only to miss the frame ball, and then lose the frame. The majority of the time in 8 and 9 ball you know if the player coming to the table with an open shot is going to win or not. There's rarely ever any back and forth unless you're playing one pocket, but good luck trying to keep the fans interested in watching that game. Even hardcore one pocket players won't watch that snooze fest.



/rambling
Click to expand...



So, pool is boring & snooker is exciting?
 
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