Earl Strickland

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Many comments are made about Earl and his eccentricities. He was visiting across from the AZ room and I stopped him in the hallway and engaged him in conversation about "Elizabeth" and until I started talking about Elizabeth, I sensed he was apprehensive about my intentions.

I enjoyed Elizabeth's sharp wit and insight into Earl as some of you did and was interested in many things about Earl so I asked and he responded, very candidly about everything I asked about.

His bridge arm is weighted to help keep his arm down and stable. He uses the tape on his fingers to help him cradle the butt of the cue to give him better control over his stroke. I think he explained how this occurs and I will probably be trying it out. Earl spends lots of time trying to turn back the hands of time and apparently is succeeding in many ways. He is obviously not just one of the best players in the world but in without a doubt, the most innovative player in the world. I'm sure he will continue to try new methods to extend his ability to play at world class levels.

Earl is eccentric as many world class athletes often are. That doesn't bother me one bit. I do hope he learns how to cope with the detractors that seem to be everywhere. I was watching Earl play another TOP PLAYER and another sweater and I were extremely close to his table. As Earl began his final stroke on the cue ball, the sweater in front of me and no more than 6 feet from Earl's head, quickly raised his coca-cola bottle high in the air, drinking a quick swig and of course Earl missed the shot. Earl complained rather nicely that it was a bad time for the sweater to be taking a drink. The sweater merrily smiled and said nothing. A little while later, maybe 15 minutes, the other TOP PLAYER came over to the sweater and chatted for a few minutes. You think maybe the sweater was trying to get Earl hot (BTW, Earl was winning). I would get pretty steamy if an A**Hole did that to me and I am a pretty calm guy.
JoeyA
JoeyA
 
cuejoey said:
Who is Elizabeth ?
Click to expand...

That would be Randy "Macho Man" Savage's lady. :D Couldn't resist.

On topic though, I met Earl at the Lexington All Stars about 6 or 7 years ago. My wife and I caught up with him about a half hour before his match started. He was out in the waiting area walking around. No one else was out there. I asked for an autograph, because I mainly went there to see him play, and told him that we were from Japan. He got real excited and told us how much he loves coming to Japan. Turns out that we have mutual acquaintances over here. For all the bad stuff that people lay on Earl because of his hot headed attitude at the table he really deserves to be praised for his actions off the table. I don't know if it was just because we were from Japan or not but he was as friendly as could be. Sat with us for like 20 minutes or so talking about all kinds of stuff. At no point did he seem like he wanted to dash away. He was really really cool. I can not say enough good things about how nice he was to us. Made the whole trip worth it.
MULLY
he went on to lose his match against that guy that runs Accu-Stats....Pat????
 
JoeyA said:
Many comments are made about Earl and his eccentricities. He was visiting across from the AZ room and I stopped him in the hallway and engaged him in conversation about "Elizabeth" and until I started talking about Elizabeth, I sensed he was apprehensive about my intentions.

I enjoyed Elizabeth's sharp wit and insight into Earl as some of you did and was interested in many things about Earl so I asked and he responded, very candidly about everything I asked about.

His bridge arm is weighted to help keep his arm down and stable. He uses the tape on his fingers to help him cradle the butt of the cue to give him better control over his stroke. I think he explained how this occurs and I will probably be trying it out. Earl spends lots of time trying to turn back the hands of time and apparently is succeeding in many ways. He is obviously not just one of the best players in the world but in without a doubt, the most innovative player in the world. I'm sure he will continue to try new methods to extend his ability to play at world class levels.

Earl is eccentric as many world class athletes often are. That doesn't bother me one bit. I do hope he learns how to cope with the detractors that seem to be everywhere. I was watching Earl play another TOP PLAYER and another sweater and I were extremely close to his table. As Earl began his final stroke on the cue ball, the sweater in front of me and no more than 6 feet from Earl's head, quickly raised his coca-cola bottle high in the air, drinking a quick swig and of course Earl missed the shot. Earl complained rather nicely that it was a bad time for the sweater to be taking a drink. The sweater merrily smiled and said nothing. A little while later, maybe 15 minutes, the other TOP PLAYER came over to the sweater and chatted for a few minutes. You think maybe the sweater was trying to get Earl hot (BTW, Earl was winning). I would get pretty steamy if an A**Hole did that to me and I am a pretty calm guy.
JoeyA
JoeyA
Click to expand...



Joey....I too have had the great pleasure of having the opportunity to sit and talk to Earl many times. I am probably one of his biggest supporters out there. I have said many times that Earl is the most misunderstood player out there. Is he eccentric, yes, opinionated, yes, can he get down right rude. yes also... But please, if anybody that reads this does ever get the chance to sit and have a serious pool chat with Earl, Please do it and then give you honest opinion of earl. Not from what you see on tape or whatever....you will find that he is so passionate about this game that sometimes he wears it on his sleeve like a chip on one's shoulder.....mike
 
Earl Was And Is A Jerk

You guys all must be from planet Earl as he is rude, insulting, whining while he plays pool and representing our country. We do not know him from conversations in a hall, urinal or roomate in a nut-house; he is a pool player with talent galore who embarrasses himself, the sport, his country and Cuetec.

Let's not go back years as he is what he is despite chronologically maturing while acting like a spoiled child. Hopefully he will mature as a person and enjoy the rest of his awesome career. I have a great friend who says he is great playing golf but i watch him play pool not golf.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sjm
cueball1950 said:
Joey....I too have had the great pleasure of having the opportunity to sit and talk to Earl many times. I am probably one of his biggest supporters out there. I have said many times that Earl is the most misunderstood player out there. Is he eccentric, yes, opinionated, yes, can he get down right rude. yes also... But please, if anybody that reads this does ever get the chance to sit and have a serious pool chat with Earl, Please do it and then give you honest opinion of earl. Not from what you see on tape or whatever....you will find that he is so passionate about this game that sometimes he wears it on his sleeve like a chip on one's shoulder.....mike
Click to expand...

Well said, Mike. I, too, have met Earl and had the opportunity to chat with him, and he is always polite. I also like the way he presents himself. He dresses well, even after being eliminated. I believe his passion for his sport is every bit as great as you suggest. He has a sense of pool history, and deeply admires the legends of the game. He is, quite clearly, one of the all-time greatest pool players.

The problem, though, is that you are asking people to judge him on how he conducts himself away from the table, and that is not a reasonable request. He must be held accountable for all of his actions and, at the table, he is a many time repeat offender when it comes to poor decorum and sportsmanship. To overlook this is to misunderstand him.
 
sjm said:
The problem, though, is that you are asking people to judge him on how he conducts himself away from the table, and that is not a reasonable request. He must be held accountable for all of his actions and, at the table, he is a many time repeat offender when it comes to poor decorum and sportsmanship. To overlook this is to misunderstand him.
Click to expand...

sjm.... i guess i will have to agree with you on that. But i have also seen him play in a few tournaments here in the Northeast, ie:,,Springfield Mass. mike X's old place i have also seen him play in a few of the now defunct BC tournaments in Binghamton NY and at Classic Billiards in Rochester NY. Never in or during any of those tournaments did he ever act up or get out of line. I still feel, and will continue to do so, that the breakup of his marriage and other personal problems is what has led him to where he is today.....mike
 
cuejoey!!!!!!!!!

Elizabeth is Earls most loyal an radical fan that occasionally posts here in Earls defense. I think I know who Liz is some think it is Earl but I believe it to be a lady.
Pinocchio
 
Elizabeth

OK,OK I CONFESS, I AM A ROTATING TRANSVESTITE WHO USES THE NAME ON ODD NUMBER DAYS AS WOMEN ARE ODD. EVEN # DAYS I AM DABABE!!!!!!!!!!

WHO IS EARL?:confused:
 
Dababe!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you play onepocket? If so I'd like to play you some I've never beat a
transvestite before.
Pinocchio
 
I have to admit that I have lost alot of respect for Earl over the last few years. He used to have somewhat legitimate reasons for his outburts. I was in Atlanta for the Camel Tour once and he refused to play his match because his opponent did have his shirt tucked in and the Tour rules stated that you must have a collared shirt tucked in....It just seems that latley, his outbursts are more of a sharking technique rather than a passion for the game. And ever since I saw him commit that foul on the 5 ball when he blatently moved it and said its not a foul because the ref. didnt see it, My respect for him has dropped immensely! He has won so many titles and for years claimed he didnt get the respect he deserved and now he just makes an ass out of himself everytime he comes to the table. Its really sad.

Southpaw
 
Pinocchio said:
Elizabeth is Earls most loyal an radical fan that occasionally posts here in Earls defense. I think I know who Liz is some think it is Earl but I believe it to be a lady.
Pinocchio
Click to expand...
Thanks have a nice nite:)
 
DABABE said:
You guys all must be from planet Earl as he is rude, insulting, whining while he plays pool and representing our country. We do not know him from conversations in a hall, urinal or roomate in a nut-house; he is a pool player with talent galore who embarrasses himself, the sport, his country and Cuetec.

Sorry to disappoint you DABABE... but my chats with earl never took place in the places you mentioned. Most if not all were held while sitting at a table having a coffe or some other beverage. Who in the world would be moronic enough to try to have an extended chat with someone in a bathroom.....mike
Click to expand...
 
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heres one for some of you Earl bashers. Guess who came by the AZB room for a photo shoot with those present. His name starts with E an it wasn't Efren. Thats right it was Earl the Pearl.
Pinocchio
 
Earl has outbursts but c'mon, some of them are warranted. If someone is crunching on potato chips just within earshot when he's shooting he has every right to tear them a new one. When he starts getting hot and some A$$ in the crowd starts heckling him, damn straight he should let them have it. He may go a bit overboard at times but hey, that's life. A lot of people see that as an embarassment to the sport but I see it as color. Some hate him and some love him. Personally, I think he's the man.
Earl Rules!!
MULLY
 
About the crowds i believe you have a great point..Billiards is not football..the audience should be quiet out of respect...i have seen many old pics i mean like 1930's and older of tournaments..all the people are sitting very still and quiet respectful of the game and the players..many old pics show men in suits in the halls playing...i guess this all relates to manners and respect.i think all of you get what i am trying to say..
 
I have know idea about this guy. I know that he is a professional player, and I may have seen him on TV once or twice (not big on the whole TV billiards thing), but from your comment of he has a right to get upset if someone is crunching on potato chips within earshot....c'mon, really? I guess I'll have to pay more attn. to some of the TV tourneys....they need DEAD SILENCE like some of the pro golf prima donnas? Had no idea....LOL. I'm going to have the plug pulled on the jukebox on league night!!!!! :)
 
mullyman said:
Earl has outbursts but c'mon, some of them are warranted. If someone is crunching on potato chips just within earshot when he's shooting he has every right to tear them a new one. When he starts getting hot and some A$$ in the crowd starts heckling him, damn straight he should let them have it. He may go a bit overboard at times but hey, that's life. A lot of people see that as an embarassment to the sport but I see it as color. Some hate him and some love him. Personally, I think he's the man.
Earl Rules!!
MULLY
Click to expand...

It is the Tournament Director's or ref's job to take care disturbances or distractions around a tournament table, not the player's responsibility.

If a player has a problem with a specator he should tell an official and let them handle it. This takes the player out of the loop and lets him do what he came for, to play pool.

I've done it many times at my events to the point of removing those people from the playing area.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top