Best Earl Strickland Stories/Quotes

He was playing Mika in the US Open- Mika was winning and made a good shot and the crowd applauded. Earl turned to the crowd and said "What are you cheering for him for? He's a foreigner!"
 
vagabond said:
It is a natural response to such situation and his display of such anger is justifiable both legally & morally.
Click to expand...

The exact same thing happened to Johnny Archer several years ago at the Viking Tour Season Finale in Northfield, Ohio.

Johnny was playing Mike Davis, and the winner of this match would face Larry Nevel in the finals. The score was the infamous hill-hill, and the tension was so thick that you could hear a pin drop in the stands.

Johnny was proceeding to run out for the almighty win, getting ready to fire the 7-ball in the corner pocket. At the exact time he went to pull the trigger, a railbird snapped his picture, and not only did the camera make a loud noise, but the flash was brutally bright. Johnny missed the relatively easy shot and then stared at the railbird in disbelief before he returned to his designated chair. I know the railbird felt horrible about it, but because of the railbird's indiscretion and lack of etiquette, I believe it caused Johnny's loss. He ended up coming in third place in a tough field, and Larry Nevel won the whole shebang, with Mike Davis as the runner-up.

I enjoy my digital camera and take many pictures on the tournament trail, but I have never snapped a picture during the time when the players are competing. Even if I have my flash turned off, sometimes the sound of the click can be a horrible distraction to the competitors when they're engaged in the heat of the battle.

JAM
 

Attachments

  • JAM with camera.JPG
    JAM with camera.JPG
    14.2 KB · Views: 463
I think the same match Blackjack was talking about included the first pool shot ever shown on ESPN's Sportcenter.

Varner misses a ball and hooks Earl, and the crowd starts laughing. Earl's face gets all scrunched up, he looks pissed, and he says "I don't see nothin' funny" which kind of quiets the crowd down a bit.

Ear kicks two rails at a ball near a corner pocket, the ball goes about 8 feet down table and makes the nine. Earl yells "Look at this shot!!!" and starts fist pumping and yelling "Yeah! Yeah! That's Right!"

I thought it was the US OPEN from somewhere between 90-93 but could be wrong. I know you used to be able to buy it from accu-stats even though it was a ESPN broadcast.
 
bud green said:
I think the same match Blackjack was talking about included the first pool shot ever shown on ESPN's Sportcenter.

Varner misses a ball and hooks Earl, and the crowd starts laughing. Earl's face gets all scrunched up, he looks pissed, and he says "I don't see nothin' funny" which kind of quiets the crowd down a bit.

Ear kicks two rails at a ball near a corner pocket, the ball goes about 8 feet down table and makes the nine. Earl yells "Look at this shot!!!" and starts fist pumping and yelling "Yeah! Yeah! That's Right!"

I thought it was the US OPEN from somewhere between 90-93 but could be wrong. I know you used to be able to buy it from accu-stats even though it was a ESPN broadcast.
Click to expand...

That occurred during the same match. Definitely a classic encounter between two of the greatest and most dominant players in history. I believe it was the finals of 1991 World 9 ball Championships - Earl had won the year before in Germany, and defended his title in Las Vegas by winning this match.
 
Last edited:
Blackjack said:
That occurred during the same match. Definitely a classic encounter between two of the greatest and most dominant players in history. I believe it was the finals of 1991 World 9 ball Championships - Earl had won the year before in Germany, and defended his title in Las Vegas by winning this match.
Click to expand...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmNjGrifWzg&search=earl strickland
Here is the video of the last game where Earl wins it.

His chalking gets really annoying. :o :o
 
I dunno Earl but from what I've read and seen on media he is the only American player everyone likes. Some may like to hate him but everyone knows him And can't wait to see him. Thats a player. :cool:
 
Blackjack said:
One year in the finals of the World 9 Ball Championships, Earl was playing Nick Varner. Earl was playing great all week, and he got a big jump on Nick and was up 8-4 in a race to 9. Earl ends up with no shot on his last break, misses executing a safety and Nick starts his comeback. Nicks edges closer and then misses a tough cut shot on the 2 ball, which brings Earl back to the table with 7 balls separating him from the World Championship. Earl runs up to the six ball, and just as he strokes the shot, some idiot in the crowd blinds him with a camera flash. It was one of the most deliberate sharking incidents I had ever witnessed. Earl was pissed. He came up short in his position for the 7. He went on and on about how the guy blinded him purposely and went into a semi-tirade. True to the champion that Earl is, he banked the 7 cross-side like a rocket as if he was unphased. He ran out and won the world championship.

This is my favorite Earl story because it brings up the fact that though Earl has his temper, there are those that purposely try to ignite it for their own entertainment. Earl is by far the greatest 9 ball player of my lifetime. Earl has more fight and determination in his little finger than most players have in their body and it shows in his accomplishments. As others have said already, there is another side of Earl that doesn't get the press. It's too bad that everybody focuses on his episodic outbursts instead of who he really is.
Click to expand...

Well, it didn't happen exactly as you described (someone put the video of the game up in this thread) but close. He seemed to handle his upset very well at the time and after commenting he got down and made a stop shot on the 7and banked the 8 cross side.

It suprised me he played for the cross side because he had an angle on the 7 where he could have followed two rails for a straight in 8 ball in the side. I guess it just looked good to him at the time.
 
how many times has he looked at the fans and said, "you're glad I missed that shot" "you were hoping I would miss".

Jake[/QUOTE]


Earl is one interesting guy that's for sure. He let's the little things bother him way too much. Earl, You got the game to drill em all so do just that and you will have your revenge. Why would you care about the guy in the stands who can't even make a ball? You give yourself a reason to lose. Focus my friend.
 
jay helfert said:
That's what I used to call him when we were buddies, because he would come in early to practice for his matches.

What I've observed about Earl is that when he wins he's not so bad. When he loses or is losing he is a holy terror. I could fill a book with Earlisms that are neagtive, but he has a good side that is rarely talked about.

I was there when Earl ran the eleven racks (he made three Nines on the break). In fact, I racked the balls for the last five racks (No Nines). After the match was over, everyone wanted Earl's autograph. He sat at a small table and took out a big stack of new publicity photos he had just gotten. People lined up across the poolroom to get his autograph.

Earl signed every photo "To so and so, The night I ran eleven racks. Earl Strickland". He wrote this along with the persons name on every one. It took him over two hours to sign them for everyone who wanted an autograph. Earl kept looking up and saying "Anyone else?"

Finally he was done. There wasn't a soul in the place that didn't get a signed photo, except maybe me. He stood up and asked about getting a ride to the hotel. CJ said the shuttle was waiting for him, so I went with Earl back to the hotel. He didn't say a lot on the ride over, but on the elevator I asked him what he was thinking when he shot that long, off angle 1-9 combination to win the tenth game, and make the ten racks required to win the million dollars. It was not an easy shot, and he studied it for some time before shooting.

He looked at me and said "Jay, I just wanted to give it a legitimate chance." I'll never forget that one comment by Earl.
Click to expand...

Yeah, He is a great guy when he thought he was getting a million dollars. What a sweetheart!!
 
5ballcharlie said:
Billy Incordona asked earl "earl, why do you let your emotions out? Is it because it pumps you up and helps you get into gear or does letting it out help you forget about it" Earl replies "No, there was a guy cheering when I MISSED and I didnt like that. Thats like cheering at a funeral at someones demise"
Click to expand...

MOSTLY accurate, that wasn't exactly Billys question, He was asking about "RELEASING ENERGY" (Billys favorite topic). And Earl didn't say anything about a funeral. It was the match against Corey. He said [in Earls voice]...

"NO, there was a guy up there cheering when I missed...and I don't like that. I want the fans to appreciate us both, and its not very courteous to cheer at another guys demise. Thats what gets me"
 
Last edited:
bud green said:
I think the same match Blackjack was talking about included the first pool shot ever shown on ESPN's Sportcenter.

Varner misses a ball and hooks Earl, and the crowd starts laughing. Earl's face gets all scrunched up, he looks pissed, and he says "I don't see nothin' funny" which kind of quiets the crowd down a bit.

Ear kicks two rails at a ball near a corner pocket, the ball goes about 8 feet down table and makes the nine. Earl yells "Look at this shot!!!" and starts fist pumping and yelling "Yeah! Yeah! That's Right!"

I thought it was the US OPEN from somewhere between 90-93 but could be wrong. I know you used to be able to buy it from accu-stats even though it was a ESPN broadcast.
Click to expand...
World Championship. It was te 4-ball.

Fred
 
Blackjack said:
Earl runs up to the six ball, and just as he strokes the shot, some idiot in the crowd blinds him with a camera flash. It was one of the most deliberate sharking incidents I had ever witnessed. Earl was pissed. He came up short in his position for the 7. He went on and on about how the guy blinded him purposely and went into a semi-tirade.
Click to expand...

HUH? Did I miss something

I just watched the video (thanks to the link posted here). He made ONE comment about the flash, and NEVER said anything about the guy doing it purposely. Is this the occurance that you were talking about or is there another
 
Fleece3 said:
HUH? Did I miss something

I just watched the video (thanks to the link posted here). He made ONE comment about the flash, and NEVER said anything about the guy doing it purposely. Is this the occurance that you were talking about or is there another
Click to expand...
Maybe the tape is edited. Johnnyt
 
Here is a classic sequence of posts from a 5 year old thread on RSB. I'm just removing the authors and any personal references, if you'd like to find the thread look back to about 9/18/01. Anyway, in my opinion, this sums up how I feel about the Pearl.

Earl also bad-mouthed Mika on sunday when Mika was destroying him.
Mika never said a word to Earl and Earl went off about the slow break
Mika was using. Said something along the lines of 'That thing you do
with the break is just disgusting to watch. Makes me sick'.

Late in the match when Earl has pretty much figured out that he is
done, he tells Mika loud enough for everyone to hear. 'I want you to
win. I want a foreigner to win'. When the crowd started booing him he
looked in the stands and said 'You are the ones making me say it. Not
me'.

Late in the match, Mika is getting up to break and the crowd is
cheering him on with 'Come On Mika' and Earl speaks up with 'Yeah,
come on Mika'.
Click to expand...

LOL. Wish I had stayed for that. When confronted with true
sportsmanship and class, Earl reverts to his trailer-park mentality.
God, I wish pool were more popular, I'd love to see Earl on Jerry
Springer. :)
Click to expand...

Please...There is no reason to insult people in
trailer parks. Earl is in a class all his own.
Most of the people I know in trailer parks have
much better manners than Earl Strickland.
Click to expand...
 
Earl the Pearl

He compares in my mind to the late great Dale Earnheart,without them competing there is a void . I love to watch Earl and have seen many pros choke when they play Earl instead of the table, he's going to give a good show with his antics or play fantastic about every match, and if you think about players like Archer picking lint what Earl says about nobody could beat me with a 15 or 20 second shot clock sounds right to me.
 
poolcuemaster said:
Earl says about nobody could beat me with a 15 or 20 second shot clock sounds right to me.
Click to expand...

Earl does not need 15-20 seconds.He can consistently beat any pro with 10 second shot clock.
Tony Chohan also can play fast 9 ball & one pocket provided he can drag his mass from the chair to the table quickly.I do NOT think Luc salves can beat Earl in fast speed 9 ball eventhough Luc is known for his fast speed.
:cool:
 
vagabond said:
Earl does not need 15-20 seconds.He can consistently beat any pro with 10 second shot clock.
Tony Chohan also can play fast 9 ball & one pocket provided he can drag his mass from the chair to the table quickly.I do NOT think Luc salves can beat Earl in fast speed 9 ball eventhough Luc is known for his fast speed.
:cool:
Click to expand...
Luc is too inconsistent to play good fast pool....
________
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top