Earl Grow Up!!

Scratch85 · Sep 16, 2020

ShootingArts said:
That sure reminded me we were entertainers and needed to try to send the fans home with something exciting to tell their friends about.

Hu

Good point. People attended to be entertained and the participants needed to entertain.

Earl is entertaining. I think he approached the event well. He came to entertain and interact with the crowd. He did both. His interaction deteriorated as his performance failed, which is Earl. However, he did interact. He also attempted impressive, "juiced up" shots. Two, late in the match, which caused him to miss a duck and get bad position after catching the side pocket tip. Cue ball movement impresses a crowd and it looked, to me, like Earl was trying to entertain.

Maniac · Sep 16, 2020

ChicagoRJ said:
So I guess your kids were not allowed to watch tennis, football, NBA, MMA, boxing? But hey, the world is mot only made up of only unicorn farts and fairy burns, lol

You keep mentioning sports where etiquette is NOT the norm.

When I was young, when a pool player missed a shot he went back to his chair, sat reasonably still, and kept his mouth SHUT if he wanted to keep his teeth. Back then, THAT was the norm. I'm not sure when it changed.

Ever notice that almost every single professional pool player's etiquette is the way it was when I was a lad?

Except Earl's.

An analogy: We try not to judge black people by the way the BLM movement riots and loots during their "protests". There are so many more wonderful black people out there that the rioters do not represent, but I am very certain that there are people out there that lump ALL black people into the same mold because of the disgusting actions of the very few of them.

Same with pool. Earl's actions, and any other pool player with negative etiquette towards the game (and there are a few), give the game of pool a bad representation and all pool players can be lumped together into one mold by fans/prospective fans of the game.

It's a damn shame, really. I for the life of me do not understand why Earl's a**-kissers keep trying to convince people like me that his behavior is acceptable. If I were his opponent and he started that sh*t with me, I'd challenge him right then and there to go out to the street and settle it like men (and not crybabies).

Simply put....it's just not fair to his opponents for him to be able to act that way when nobody else is doing that.

That said....if Earl's playing Dechaine, then let 'em go and enjoy the fiasco. LOL

Maniac (still has all his teeth)

MattPoland · Sep 16, 2020

Earl just needs to get over complaining.

Telling the crowd they are stupid and don’t know when to cheer, because they clap when Johnny sinks the money ball after a game that included misses and lucky rolls. Telling them they shouldn’t cheer that. And whining the table is wet. And whining a ball skid when it’s clear he just missed it. And loudly whining someone is making noise in the crowd, while Johnny is shooting (making him more of a distraction than anyone in the crowd). And whining that Johnny took too long racking the balls for him. And whining that Johnny plays with luck and Earl plays with skill. And whining Johnny is mud racking him. And raking the final rack of balls at a charity event.

It’s entertaining. But in the same way watching former child stars struggle with rehab on reality TV is entertaining.

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Maniac · Sep 16, 2020

Buckzapper said:
You can criticize Earl after you've won 5 US Open titles, 6 world titles and over 58 other championships. If you don't like his behavior, don't watch. If refs had any guts at all, they'd disqualify lots of players for unsportsmanlike conduct....and we'd all cheer.

I can criticize Earl all I want without winning a damn thing. Last I checked, we still live in a free country and opinions are still welcomed on a discussion forum. If you get butt-hurt by any criticism of Earl....maybe you shouldn't open threads about his behavior.

And FTR....I quit watching Earl play quite some time ago.

Maniac

Maniac · Sep 16, 2020

Scratch85 said:
Good point. People attended to be entertained and the participants needed to entertain.

So, we should expect to start seeing behavior like Earl's in chess matches pretty soon, eh?

If you don't get my point, let me explain it to you. Pool, like chess and a handful of other gaming endeavors, has always been played with a certain amount of etiquette. When did this change, and why did it need to? Because pool (like chess) is boring to watch? Hell, golf is boring as hell to watch and it is one of the most watched sports in America. And last time I fell asleep watching golf, THEY were still implementing etiquette as part of the game.

It's been fun to discuss, but I'm all out of breath. I'm done here.

Maniac

trob · Sep 16, 2020

A sport that glorifies the hustlers thieves and trash of society and then you want to talk about pool etiquette hahaha what a joke

Maniac said:
You keep mentioning sports where etiquette is NOT the norm.

When I was young, when a pool player missed a shot he went back to his chair, sat reasonably still, and kept his mouth SHUT if he wanted to keep his teeth. Back then, THAT was the norm. I'm not sure when it changed.

Ever notice that almost every single professional pool player's etiquette is the way it was when I was a lad?

Except Earl's.

An analogy: We try not to judge black people by the way the BLM movement riots and loots during their "protests". There are so many more wonderful black people out there that the rioters do not represent, but I am very certain that there are people out there that lump ALL black people into the same mold because of the disgusting actions of the very few of them.

Same with pool. Earl's actions, and any other pool player with negative etiquette towards the game (and there are a few), give the game of pool a bad representation and all pool players can be lumped together into one mold by fans/prospective fans of the game.

It's a damn shame, really. I for the life of me do not understand why Earl's a**-kissers keep trying to convince people like me that his behavior is acceptable. If I were his opponent and he started that sh*t with me, I'd challenge him right then and there to go out to the street and settle it like men (and not crybabies).

Simply put....it's just not fair to his opponents for him to be able to act that way when nobody else is doing that.

That said....if Earl's playing Dechaine, then let 'em go and enjoy the fiasco. LOL

Maniac (still has all his teeth)

CaptainBly · Sep 16, 2020

The it's for the children shit is getting old. Why must we ruin every adult activity so that the children aren't offended? Maybe that's why children used to be banned from all the halls?
Adults shouldn't live their lives constantly worrying about what some child is going to think of their actions.
God I really hate that argument.
Personally I like Earl and what he brings to the game. Sure, he is cringe worthy at times but oh well, put on your big boy pants and realize not every person on the planet is the same.

Nostroke · Sep 16, 2020

CaptainBly said:
The it's for the children shit is getting old. Why must we ruin every adult activity so that the children aren't offended? Maybe that's why children used to be banned from all the halls?
Adults shouldn't live their lives constantly worrying about what some child is going to think of their actions.
God I really hate that argument.
Personally I like Earl and what he brings to the game. Sure, he is cringe worthy at times but oh well, put on your big boy pants and realize not every person on the planet is the same.

and tear down the jails too-We have to learn to accept alternative behaviors of humans! There is no right and wrong. Get with it!

alstl · Sep 16, 2020

trob said:
A sport that glorifies the hustlers thieves and trash of society and then you want to talk about pool etiquette hahaha what a joke

When I moved from St Louis to Columbia a man named Phil Spudich set up my table. Phil was a good guy who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and died a few years ago. He asked me who set up my table previously in St Louis and when I told him the name he said that guy did several years in prison for being a drug dealer. I had that guy in my house not knowing his past.

Earl is eccentric but I would trust him ahead of a lot of pool players.

troyboy30 · Sep 17, 2020

he just gets wrapped up in the game

DelawareDogs · Sep 17, 2020

CaptainBly said:
The it's for the children shit is getting old. Why must we ruin every adult activity so that the children aren't offended? Maybe that's why children used to be banned from all the halls?
Adults shouldn't live their lives constantly worrying about what some child is going to think of their actions.
God I really hate that argument.
Personally I like Earl and what he brings to the game. Sure, he is cringe worthy at times but oh well, put on your big boy pants and realize not every person on the planet is the same.

Agreed here.

Johnny knows Earl very well, they are friends. He knows what he's like and what could happen, they've been doing the same thing all across the country for years.

Some of what Earl does is a bit uncouth. I've watched him play, as an adult as well as a child, that's how long he's been around. He's generally a nice person, the game gets people worked up sometimes...

My Dad just used to turn to me and say "don't be like that, be like Efren....."

MattPoland · Sep 17, 2020

troyboy30 said:
he just gets wrapped up in the game

I’d say that’s half of it.

“He just gets wrapped up in the game” AND THEN starts petulantly acting out in a manner unbefitting a professional athlete nor mature adult.

Perhaps that’s semi-excusable when you’re a current world champion contextualized partly as a misunderstood genius and partly as an idiot savant. But as he continues his trek into “has been” status, it just contextualizes as sad and embarrassing.

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xianmacx · Sep 17, 2020

DelawareDogs said:
Agreed here.

Johnny knows Earl very well, they are friends. He knows what he's like and what could happen, they've been doing the same thing all across the country for years.

Some of what Earl does is a bit uncouth. I've watched him play, as an adult as well as a child, that's how long he's been around. He's generally a nice person, the game gets people worked up sometimes...

My Dad just used to turn to me and say "don't be like that, be like Efren....."

I like this point. Johnny has probably played more pool with earl than any other touring pro. They have played for 30+ years, including these 2 man tours. If Johnny doesn't care, why do we?

MattPoland · Sep 17, 2020

xianmacx said:
I like this point. Johnny has probably played more pool with earl than any other touring pro. They have played for 30+ years, including these 2 man tours. If Johnny doesn't care, why do we?

Johnny called Earl a “F&@$ing crybaby b$#ch” during the match.

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xianmacx · Sep 17, 2020

MattPoland said:
Johnny called Earl a “F&@$ing crybaby *****” during the match.

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Ok. You hear way worse between high school athletes on a basketball court. I bet Johnny will continue to play these exhibitions with Earl. I wouldn't be shocked if they went to dinner the next day after the emotions of competition cooled.

I'm not defending Earl but if it really bothers the pros and TD that much, he will not be allowed to play. Johnny will stop with the challenge tour and TD will ban him.

MattPoland · Sep 17, 2020

xianmacx said:
Ok. You hear way worse between high school athletes on a basketball court. I bet Johnny will continue to play these exhibitions with Earl. I wouldn't be shocked if they went to dinner the next day after the emotions of competition cooled.

I'm not defending Earl but if it really bothers the pros and TD that much, he will not be allowed to play. Johnny will stop with the challenge tour and TD will ban him.

I’m not sure of your region. Anywhere I’ve lived if the crowd heard high school athletes talk that way during a live and/or broadcasted game, someone would take them aside and address that behavior.

Like you say, the behavior will have consequences for Earl...or it won’t. I suspect over the years it’s had many consequences. Mostly in the form of opportunities not presented to him. He could easily have become a worldwide brand ambassador for pool. The industry as a whole shows him a lot of grace that he himself doesn’t show at the table or in interviews. Match room was pretty generous to invite him to the World Pool Masters and he didn’t handle that very well.

So when you ask, “Why do we care?” It’s because we honor his accomplishments. It’s because we love pool. It’s because seeing him compete is interesting. It’s good for him and good for pool that we care. Because if we stop caring, it doesn’t help him or help pool any. If we stop caring, his opportunities will dry up even faster.

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couldnthinkof01 · Sep 17, 2020

MattPoland said:
Johnny called Earl a “F&@$ing crybaby b$#ch” during the match.

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I think part of that is that they are good friends.
There used to be a great video of Johnny and Earl
playing an exhibition on youtube, cant find it.
Earl goes to the bathroom and while he's in there
Johnny pulls out a duffle and equips himself
with weights, glasses, earmuffs, etc.

The audience is loving it. Earl seems to get a good
kick out of it.

Friends call each other out on their bullshit.
They have travelled together for years.
I'm sure there is mutual respect and understanding.

Johnny is known for getting a little amped up
at times too.

xianmacx · Sep 17, 2020

MattPoland said:
I’m not sure of your region. Anywhere I’ve lived if the crowd heard high school athletes talk that way during a live and/or broadcasted game, someone would take them aside and address that behavior.

Like you say, the behavior will have consequences for Earl...or it won’t. I suspect over the years it’s had many consequences. Mostly in the form of opportunities not presented to him. He could easily have become a worldwide brand ambassador for pool. The industry as a whole shows him a lot of grace that he himself doesn’t show at the table or in interviews. Match room was pretty generous to invite him to the World Pool Masters and he didn’t handle that very well.

So when you ask, “Why do we care?” It’s because we honor his accomplishments. It’s because we love pool. It’s because seeing him compete is interesting. It’s good for him and good for pool that we care. Because if we stop caring, it doesn’t help him or help pool any. If we stop caring, his opportunities will dry up even faster.

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Thanks for sharing your perspective Matt. I like your statement, the behavior is earls and so are the consequences.

Ian

dr_dave · Sep 17, 2020

I think this shirt sums it all up pretty well:

Some people are ugly on the inside.

pt109 · Sep 17, 2020

Maniac said:
So, we should expect to start seeing behavior like Earl's in chess matches pretty soon, eh?

If you don't get my point, let me explain it to you. Pool, like chess and a handful of other gaming endeavors, has always been played with a certain amount of etiquette. When did this change, and why did it need to? Because pool (like chess) is boring to watch? Hell, golf is boring as hell to watch and it is one of the most watched sports in America. And last time I fell asleep watching golf, THEY were still implementing etiquette as part of the game.

It's been fun to discuss, but I'm all out of breath. I'm done here.

Maniac

Earl quit gambling a long time ago...which may have been good for his health.
...but I like him in tournaments.
He just recently commentated on a tournament “Albin wants to kill himself..I know how he
feels...I’ve been there.”

Earl Grow Up!!

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