Earl Strickland Snubbed by HOF - again.

J

jjinfla

Banned
Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that the HOF voters are people in the industry who join the BCA and pay their $250 yearly dues.

If this is so then why in the world would they not vote for the man who can help the industry the most? These are business people. Are they really that stupid?

Surely they understand that Earl's achievements are head and shoulders above everyone else. That he is like a magnet for the fans. Yet they don't vote for him. Instead they elect two former, self-admitted, reformed, drug addicts. (Inside pool, April issue).

I guess that is what it takes. Earl has to start using drugs, take the cure, find Jesus, then everyone will love him.

Jake
 
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Great post, Jake. So many drug abusers, all guilty (whether arrested/convicted or not) of a serious crime known as possession, are given a free pass in our society. Though he has indulged in some truly ridicuous behavior at times, Earl Strickland has never broken the law. Earl's only "crime" has been failure to patronize and worship the BCA to the extent that those at the BCA would like.

Jake, as you suggest, there is a double standard here. Politics has replaced sanity in the selection process, and until that changes, the BCA Hall of Fame will lack credibility as a supposed institution for the celbration of pool excellence.
 
Any HoF for pool that does not include Earl or give him his due are simply hurting themselves and their own credibility. I do not recognize any hall of fame that would act as they have and not include the most recognized and successful player of the last 20 years. Earl is still hugely important to the sport, successful, and recognized for his accomplishments by the pool community at large. It is the BCA HoF that on the other hand looks bad and lack credibility due to his omission.

Earl is in the HoF already in the eyes and the minds of the fans, and that means alot more then a corrupt establishment such as the BCA HoF members who are clearly not following a proper mandate for a "Hall of Fame" for this sport and only make themselves seem like petty little people who are simply corrupt with their little bit of "power" that I would have hoped they would instead see as the responsibility it truely is. It is not their own little baby to use as they see fit to make a point or make people toe their own line. I would hope someone simply removes all those acting like little aristocrats in their little glass tower and kick them to the curb so that people who can do the job right can take their place.
 
Earl certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame based on his accomplishments alone. It is awfully smug however to claim that Earl has never committed a "crime", i.e. taken a drug or been in possession of "illegal" drugs.

It is pointless to debate whether someone should be allowed in the Billiard Hall of Fame based on how they lived their lives. Billiard Hall of Fame membership is granted by a small group of people in an insulated industry. It means almost nothing to the rest of the world. Only BCA members get to vote - it's not American Idol.

I get so tired of people demeaning the ones who did get in when their favorites didn't. Earl deserves to be in but his actions have also hurt pool in the eyes of sponsors and fans several times in recent history. Mike Massey, in contrast, has tirelessly promoted pool and the enjoyment of pool to the farthest reaches of the globe. Robin Dodson is a classy and talented player who influenced a whole generation of young players and continues to be an inspiration. Both of these people deserve their membership in the Billiard Hall of Fame.

John Barton
 
I may be wrong but I thought I read on here that Earl had withdrawn his name from being considered for the HoF.
 
Drugs 4 HoF?

jjinfla said:
Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that the HOF voters are people in the industry who join the BCA and pay their $250 yearly dues.

If this is so then why in the world would they not vote for the man who can help the industry the most? These are business people. Are they really that stupid?

Surely they understand that Earl's achievements are head and shoulders above everyone else. That he is like a magnet for the fans. Yet they don't vote for him. Instead they elect two former, self-admitted, reformed, drug addicts. (Inside pool, April issue).

I guess that is what it takes. Earl has to start using drugs, take the cure, find Jesus, then everyone will love him.

Jake
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Darn, this is the crazy world of pool. People get banned for life in any sport for taking drugs, but in pool it gets you to the HoF? :)

No wonder this sport is getting nowhere.

"Change is the only thing constant and it starts in youself."
 
onepocketchump said:
It is awfully smug however to claim that Earl has never committed a "crime", i.e. taken a drug or been in possession of "illegal" drugs.
John Barton
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Im sure the writer meant that Earl's actions in Public, which have at times been extremely objectionable, have not been criminal.

I think he rush posted that on the way out the door as there are also two uncharacteristic misspellings/typos.
 
Actually people do NOT get banned for life for taking drugs in other sports. People do get punished for doing whatever is against the policies of the sports governing bodies.

No one is testing X-Games participants for cannibis - that would probably be the end of the sport.

Drugs - Like ANYTHING else can become a destructive part of life. At times they are a neccesary part of life. Legality is fluid - what is legal today wasn't before and vice-versa. People self-medicate all the time. Sometimes it is purely recreational but more often it is to escape whatever pain is being felt. It is admirable for people to be able to stand before their families, friends and fans and be able to say that they have come out of the destructive cycle. It is even better that their lives are daily examples of that.

It is bullshit to claim moral superiority from the sidelines.

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Bushie's favorite philosopher. JC

John Barton
 
onepocketchump said:
Actually people do NOT get banned for life for taking drugs in other sports. People do get punished for doing whatever is against the policies of the sports governing bodies.John Barton
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That is true-Remember Steve Howe?
Must have been 6-7 times with him.
 
How does SJM know what Earl has "done" in "public" thoughout his life? I highly doubt that Mike Massey was hanging out on the street corner dropping acid in full view of everyone. I doubt Robin was either. I would bet that Earl has taken a pill or two in his life that wasn't prescribed to him, I would bet that he has smoked a joint sometime in his life. So what? He is also a five time world champion, and a four time US Open champion. He is also a world class flake with destructive tendencies.

I like watching him play. I won't pay to see him play because I don't agree with his antics or comments about and to fellow players. Would I vote for him to be inthe Hall of Fame? You bet. Would it matter to me if he took drugs? - not in the least. Would it matter if he was a hypocrite about it? - very much so. (not that I am saying he is)

John
 
The same moralistic thinking which deems drug users ineligible for the HOF, is that which denies Earl his deserved place among the Hall of Famers for improper behavior.

The yardstick for entry into the HOF should be excellence in the sport, regardless of what takes place in one's personal life. The latter should be left to judgement by courts of law and one's peers. Such things are beyond the jurisdiction of the BCA!
 
Captain said:
The whole idea of sports halls of fame is Mickey Mouse, IMO.

--AS
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I agree with Captain...they all lost my respect and me ever visiting one with the Pete Rose situation. They can let a blow hard like Ty Cobb or womanizer Babe Ruth in, but let a guy bet on something and he is out? Come on people, that was just a personal vendetta against Rose.

Shorty
 
If I remember correctly, Mike was slipped an acid "Mickey" without knowing it, and it almost cost him his life.

Troy
onepocketchump said:
I highly doubt that Mike Massey was hanging out on the street corner dropping acid in full view of everyone.
John
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I am sure Earl wont lose any sleep if he never gets into the HOF.
If you say because of his actions or reactions then just look at John Mcenroe.
It sure did not hurt hi or his carreeer by carrying on.
Actually it makes for good T.V. having Earl flip out.It gives the game some really needed personality.
Look at the matches today men and women.When one is shooting the other just sits looking real stoic.They should be trash talking.
And that my friends is jmho
 
onepocketchump said:
Actually people do NOT get banned for life for taking drugs in other sports. People do get punished for doing whatever is against the policies of the sports governing bodies.

John Barton
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The baseball commissioner now wants to suspend first time drug users for two years. 2nd time out for life.

Somehow I don't see them passing it though.

Jake
 
onepocketchump said:
How does SJM know what Earl has "done" in "public" thoughout his life? I highly doubt that Mike Massey was hanging out on the street corner dropping acid in full view of everyone. I doubt Robin was either. I would bet that Earl has taken a pill or two in his life that wasn't prescribed to him, I would bet that he has smoked a joint sometime in his life. So what? He is also a five time world champion, and a four time US Open champion. He is also a world class flake with destructive tendencies.

I like watching him play. I won't pay to see him play because I don't agree with his antics or comments about and to fellow players. Would I vote for him to be inthe Hall of Fame? You bet. Would it matter to me if he took drugs? - not in the least. Would it matter if he was a hypocrite about it? - very much so. (not that I am saying he is)

John
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You're right, OPC, I didn't really make it clear that I was just trying to note that Earl's best-known missteps, the ones so many of us believe largely explain his omission from the BCA HOF, are not criminal acts.

As you note, I cannot, and should not have, generalized in the way I did, and I am not, just as you suggest, able to comment on all aspects of Earl's public life. Some of my post was poorly considered, and I think you were right to point it out.
 
Sorry, not quite right

jjinfla said:
The baseball commissioner now wants to suspend first time drug users for two years. 2nd time out for life.

Somehow I don't see them passing it though.

Jake
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Actually the proposal is for a 50 game suspension for 1st offense, 100 game suspension for 2nd and lifetime ban for 3rd. 3 strikes your out. LOL

Isn't it ironic that if a baseball player bets on baseball he is banned but if a pool player bets on pool he is applauded.
 
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