Earl Strickland - Behind the line

[spktur]

The only place I have played where the cueball has to be completely behind the string is the Derby City. It's one of there rules. The house always rules.

 

[Luxury]

I noticed during the Strickland/Van Boening match that Earl once again gave his opponent a hard time about the cueball placement on the break. If you recall, he also gave Efren a hard time about it during the Hong Kong Challenge, which prompted many youtube comments (yeah, I know) stating that Efren cheated in the match by placing his cueball over the line when he broke. It seemed that Earl was going by the edge of the cueball rather than the base of the ball.

As someone who has always understood the "behind the line" rule to be applied using the base of the cueball, I became curious about other players' understanding of the rule. I forgot about it for a while, but when re-viewing this 8-ball match between Archer and Reyes, I was reminded when Billy I. states that the rule in that tournament was applied by the base of the ball. You can hear his explanation of the rule at 6:45 in this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exa48jT7t-A

I then consulted the WSR on the BCA website, and they also state that the rule is applied by the base of the cueball, which can be seen in section 3.10 on this page:

http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_gen.shtml

So I guess I'm just curious about other AZB'ers experience with this rule, specifically regarding controversy over how it's applied. I personally have always gone by the base of the ball, and I have played in over 30 different states and have never experienced controversy over this rule. What is your experience and/or opinion on how the rule should be applied? Also, if the general consensus is that it is applied by the base of the ball, how do you explain Earl's behavior? I have heard people say that we should go by the edge of the ball because it's easier to see; is Earl just a proponent of that application of the rule, and thus trying to enforce that as the new standard, or was it just a move?

Thanks,
Aaron

You went from "it seemed", then to asking whether Earl was trying to enforce a new standard or was he making a move.

Are you going off of what it looked like on the stream from an angle that wasn't directly on the head string? I sure hope not.

 

[cuesmith]

I noticed during the Strickland/Van Boening match that Earl once again gave his opponent a hard time about the cueball placement on the break. If you recall, he also gave Efren a hard time about it during the Hong Kong Challenge, which prompted many youtube comments (yeah, I know) stating that Efren cheated in the match by placing his cueball over the line when he broke. It seemed that Earl was going by the edge of the cueball rather than the base of the ball.

As someone who has always understood the "behind the line" rule to be applied using the base of the cueball, I became curious about other players' understanding of the rule. I forgot about it for a while, but when re-viewing this 8-ball match between Archer and Reyes, I was reminded when Billy I. states that the rule in that tournament was applied by the base of the ball. You can hear his explanation of the rule at 6:45 in this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exa48jT7t-A

I then consulted the WSR on the BCA website, and they also state that the rule is applied by the base of the cueball, which can be seen in section 3.10 on this page:

http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_gen.shtml

So I guess I'm just curious about other AZB'ers experience with this rule, specifically regarding controversy over how it's applied. I personally have always gone by the base of the ball, and I have played in over 30 different states and have never experienced controversy over this rule. What is your experience and/or opinion on how the rule should be applied? Also, if the general consensus is that it is applied by the base of the ball, how do you explain Earl's behavior? I have heard people say that we should go by the edge of the ball because it's easier to see; is Earl just a proponent of that application of the rule, and thus trying to enforce that as the new standard, or was it just a move?

Thanks,
Aaron

It's more often played "base of the ball" but it is played both ways. Almost every players meeting I've ever been to addressed this issue explaining the rules that were in play at that particular tournament.

 

[sde]

Consistency

The base of the ball determines where a ball is spotted on the foot spot or on the center string, when spotting balls in 14.1 or 1P.

The base of the ball determines if a ball is pocketed. I can almost hear it now, the leading edges is over the pocket, I made that ball. lol

So, the base of the ball should also determine if it is over the head string line.

JMO

Steve

 

[Black-Balled]

We've always played the base of the ball determines where the ball is.....

Where do you rack the balls? Edge of the head ball on the center of the spot?
Or is it the base or center of the ball that is the determining factor?

Depends on where they want to be racked and if I can make a ball or 3 from there.

Believe me...there is about 1.75 inches that is gonna get eplortated on that spot.

 

[Black-Balled]

... 1/2" isn't going to make a difference and they are probably going to lose anyway.

If this bothers you, so will chalk upside down on the rail.

If I was to draw Earl in a tournament, I'd steal his joy by breaking 10" off the back rail.

A. No 1p for you either, eh?!
2. see A. absurd comparison
First of all: won't matter!

 

[JamisonNeu]

Consistency

The base of the ball determines where a ball is spotted on the foot spot or on the center string, when spotting balls in 14.1 or 1P.

The base of the ball determines if a ball is pocketed. I can almost hear it now, the leading edges is over the pocket, I made that ball. lol

So, the base of the ball should also determine if it is over the head string line.

JMO

Steve

Thing is the ball falls I don't have to trust the guy I am playing...Which in my vast experience I am still looking for the guy to trust..

What I am trying to say that is the ball falls we both see it we agree the ball is over 50% well we will never agree about that...

 

[brandoncook26]

You went from "it seemed", then to asking whether Earl was trying to enforce a new standard or was he making a move.

Are you going off of what it looked like on the stream from an angle that wasn't directly on the head string? I sure hope not.

I could see very well from where I was sitting and they were playing base of the ball. Before the start of the second day, I helped Mike G draw a head string line on the table. I can't say if it was Shane or Earl, but after drawing the headstring you could see there were burn marks from breaking in front of the line.

I'm not saying that it wasn't a move by Earl to keep getting up and looking at it, but the fact is that there were some breaks beyond the headstring by someone.

 

[Underclocked]

Shouldn't the rule be (whatever rule is finally settled upon) equally applied to both the cue ball and the object balls?

If an object ball is partly inside the kitchen due to overhang, it is in according to the 100% rule. The cue ball in the same position would be out?? Huh?

 

[radge69]

Maybe Earl likes The Big Lebowski

 

[Black-Balled]

Shouldn't the rule be (whatever rule is finally settled upon) equally applied to both the cue ball and the object balls?

If an object ball is partly inside the kitchen due to overhang, it is in according to the 100% rule. The cue ball in the same position would be out?? Huh?

eggg
zakly.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Many years ago I was watching a match between Mark Tadd and some jerk (I forget who, but it would have been a name player). Every time Mark put the cue ball down on the head string to break this jerk would get up, walk over, pick up the cue ball and smack it back down on the table maybe 1/8 inch back from where it was, saying "behind the line!" This happened time after time after time - obviously the jerk was trying to get into Mark's head.

But each time Mark just calmly picked up the cue ball again and moved it forward a fraction of an inch - never a word or even a glare, just moved the ball back. This back-and-forth might go on four or five times for each break. Pretty soon the jerk had red ants in his skull and had lost the match, but he learned a valuable lesson about shark repellent.

pj
chgo

 

[cuesmith]

Shouldn't the rule be (whatever rule is finally settled upon) equally applied to both the cue ball and the object balls?

If an object ball is partly inside the kitchen due to overhang, it is in according to the 100% rule. The cue ball in the same position would be out?? Huh?

If you play "base of the ball" this is true. If you play "any part encroaching the line" there's actually a "no mans land" where neither is legal.

 

[BasementDweller]

I could see very well from where I was sitting and they were playing base of the ball. Before the start of the second day, I helped Mike G draw a head string line on the table. I can't say if it was Shane or Earl, but after drawing the headstring you could see there were burn marks from breaking in front of the line.

I'm not saying that it wasn't a move by Earl to keep getting up and looking at it, but the fact is that there were some breaks beyond the headstring by someone.

That's really interesting. Well, maybe not REALLY interesting, but somewhat interesting. I have never really thought about what causes these burn marks. Does the burn mark always occur directly under the base of the ball? Can someone tell me in simple terms (no dissertations here) what causes these burn marks?

 

[Black-Balled]

That's really interesting. Well, maybe not REALLY interesting, but somewhat interesting. I have never really thought about what causes these burn marks. Does the burn mark always occur directly under the base of the ball? Can someone tell me in simple terms (no dissertations here) what causes these burn marks?

friction of ball accelleration on the break...

 

[Lock N Load]

Hey CueJo,

We've always played the base of the ball determines where the ball is.....

Where do you rack the balls? Edge of the head ball on the center of the spot?

Or is it the base or center of the ball that is the determining factor?

You put it where they could get it. The mention of where the balls are racked at did the trick!
Regards,
Lock N Load.

 

[BasementDweller]

friction of ball accelleration on the break...

That's what I thought.

So will the burn mark always be directly under the base of the ball or could it be just in front of the base? At any rate, players should utilize these burn marks like tennis players use the ball marks on some courts. You know, have the ref come over after every break and inspect the burn mark to determine if the break was legal or not. Maybe this could be incorporated into Earl's next match. That would be fun to watch.

I can see it now.