Earl Strickland's antics at the Mosconi Cup...

[DarkArtist]

The best part of watching Earl Strickland- Usuing a Jump cue. Something he hates the most in pool! He used it effectivily, but I really enjoyed it when he literally threw it in the corner (like throwing a piece of trash) where his chair was. Mike Gulassy must of been real proud of Earl!

Yeah, it was funny the couple times he had to resort to it. Almost like being a gay man who's a gynecologist. He was actually successful, but even when he was, he would walk back to his chair and throw the jump cue on the ground.

 

[DarkArtist]

I seen the video and thought Ralf did nothing wrong. He celebrated like most or all do then went to shake Earl's hand. I didnt think he was out of line. Now maybe if he gave Earl the "suck it" motion or something then went to shake his hand I could understand it. Most Mosconi Cup action I've seen if a fellow wins and is closer to the team than his opponent, he would celebrate with them for a brief moment then shake the opponents hand. But I dont act like I see it all either because I sure dont. IMO it was Earl being Earl once again. I've never seen Ralf act a fool on t.v., but once again I've never been there live and hear what he says or acts, etc.

Yeah, you're probably right, but being Earl, he's probably more sensitive to those situations.

 

[worriedbeef]

Have u seen Drago play snooker in his Prime?

i agree drago is a great player i'll say it again. but surely a person who can appreciate the talent tony has can see earl's got it in abundance too. no player ever in any discipline can scoff at earl's abilities with a cue. it's a different syle to a snooker cue action, but it damn ain't inferior. nobody strokes through a cue ball as sweetly as earl does, nobody. tony's ability lies in being able to play fast and make so few errors.

incidentally imagine if drago and strickland had came to blows lol. i would have to give drago the edge because man was he angry after that handshake incident!

 

[Boro Nut]

This is one ofthe most absurd statements that I have ever read on this forum (and there have many). Why not say that Drago can also kill Mosconi in 14.1. Willie has only been dead for what? 15 years.

It's easy to kick Earl now. Although he is still a great player (and I do not agree with his antics), Earl was in his prime in the 80's. To say that Drago has more talent than Earl ever had, I think that you have to compare their records when they are (or were) in their prime. When Drago wins his fourth (or eitghth) world championship in any discipline, then maybe we will start to compare his cueing ability to that of Strickland.

Until then, let him try to stay in third place to other cueists in England only.

Mike

Again you're talking about titles when the question was purely about talent. Talent. Natural ability. Gods gift. You aren't born with world titles. They are two entirely different things.

Who has more talent, Jimmy White or Stephen Hendry? Who has more talent, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Hendry? There isn't a person on the planet who would say it was Stephen Hendry, and that includes Stephen Hendry, in his own words, on numerous occasions. Stephen Hendry is (was) undoubtedly the greatest snooker player who ever lived and has more titles than the two of them combined. He is nowhere near as talented. Even Graham Dott has more world titles than Jimmy White. That says it all.

Boro Nut

 

[TheOne]

i agree drago is a great player i'll say it again. but surely a person who can appreciate the talent tony has can see earl's got it in abundance too. no player ever in any discipline can scoff at earl's abilities with a cue. it's a different syle to a snooker cue action, but it damn ain't inferior. nobody strokes through a cue ball as sweetly as earl does, nobody. tony's ability lies in being able to play fast and make so few errors.

incidentally imagine if drago and strickland had came to blows lol. i would have to give drago the edge because man was he angry after that handshake incident!

I sensible reply! I think Earl is extreemly talented, probably the greatest 9 ball player ever (ive said this many times before). I think people are missing my point, would it help if I said Drago is more naturally talented than Steve Davis (six time snooker world champion)? Maybe this will help my point because I think people are becoming defensive and taking it as a nationalistic issue. Make no mistake about it Drago is more naturally talented than Davis, and he'd probably admit it. My point has nothing whatsoever to do with titles or long races. If you've seen them both in their prime I would like to hear your opinion.

 

[Mike Templeton]

Have u seen Drago play snooker in his Prime? Do you know what I mean by natural talent? From your statement it doesn't appear so.

I know what natural talent is. I'm not sure if I know what you mean by natural talent.

One thing that I do kow is that Tony Drago will never accomplish 1/10 of what Earl Strickland has.

Mike

 

[Mike Templeton]

Again you're talking about titles when the question was purely about talent. Talent. Natural ability. Gods gift. You aren't born with world titles. They are two entirely different things.

Who has more talent, Jimmy White or Stephen Hendry? Who has more talent, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Hendry? There isn't a person on the planet who would say it was Stephen Hendry, and that includes Stephen Hendry, in his own words, on numerous occasions. Stephen Hendry is (was) undoubtedly the greatest snooker player who ever lived and has more titles than the two of them combined. He is nowhere near as talented. Even Graham Dott has more world titles than Jimmy White. That says it all.

Boro Nut

I think that "natural talent" is wasted if you can't reign it in to tangible success. Otherwise it is opinion and speculation.

 

[TheOne]

I think that "natural talent" is wasted if you can't reign it in to tangible success.

OK so you are saying Drago has wasted more talent than Earl, that statement you might be correct in!

 

[CTYankee]

So does this mean that Drago is the Jeff George of cue sports?

 

[bigskyjake]

So does this mean that Drago is the Jeff George of cue sports?

More like Ryan Leaf

 

[Boro Nut]

I think that "natural talent" is wasted if you can't reign it in to tangible success. Otherwise it is opinion and speculation.

Natural talent is almost always wasted Mike. Surely you've noticed that. When the likes of Stephen Hendry were beavering away solidly on their weaknesses Tony Drago's idea of practice would be bladdering balls in from all angles making other players look like mugs until he got bored. I've seen it hundreds of times even at local league level. Talented players are ten a penny nowadays. They are great when their tails are up but there will always come a time when your talent takes a sicky and the bloke who put the hard work in walks away with the trophy every time. Talented players don't think they need to do any work. That's their problem. You have to be Jimmy White to get away with it. Last time I looked there was still only one Jimmy White.

Boro Nut

 

[ribdoner]

Natural talent is almost always wasted Mike. Surely you've noticed that. When the likes of Stephen Hendry were beavering away solidly on their weaknesses Tony Drago's idea of practice would be bladdering balls in from all angles making other players look like mugs until he got bored. I've seen it hundreds of times even at local league level. Talented players are ten a penny nowadays. They are great when their tails are up but there will always come a time when your talent takes a sicky and the bloke who put the hard work in walks away with the trophy every time. Talented players don't think they need to do any work. That's their problem. You have to be Jimmy White to get away with it. Last time I looked there was still only one Jimmy White.

Boro Nut

Wonder if CD, JA, etc.,etc., ever read this site?

 

[gpeezy]

I for one think of Earl as one of the best players in the entire world. It is a shame that everyone does take each of his actions and use them to tear down his character. Earl is one thing for sure and thats real. He wears his emotions on his sleeves and I for one applaud him for it. He is one of the many pool "characters" out there. He may rub some raw at times but should not be beaten down for it. One of the things I love and hate the most about pool is the personalities. Take Earl for what he's worth and thats one of the very best rotation players of all time and quit dwelling over him blowin up and showing his ass a little. He just being himself. It may help some others if they blew of some steam. Maybe they wouldn't be so worried about what everyone else is doing.

 

[Jaden]

Again you're talking about titles when the question was purely about talent. Talent. Natural ability. Gods gift. You aren't born with world titles. They are two entirely different things.

Who has more talent, Jimmy White or Stephen Hendry? Who has more talent, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Hendry? There isn't a person on the planet who would say it was Stephen Hendry, and that includes Stephen Hendry, in his own words, on numerous occasions. Stephen Hendry is (was) undoubtedly the greatest snooker player who ever lived and has more titles than the two of them combined. He is nowhere near as talented. Even Graham Dott has more world titles than Jimmy White. That says it all.

Boro Nut

If you think that anyone is born with the ability to play pool, then you are a fool, and I was a strong feel player before I let a bad relationship screw with my mental game about 12 years ago. It comes down to dedication to the game, fundamentals (in most cases) and more practice than any man should consider normal....

It also doesn't hurt to be born to a father or mother who also dedicated themselves to pool excellence and to have excellent visual spatial acuity. That last one is about the only thing that you can be born with and it is almost a must for any successful pool player.

 

[JustPlay]

After all of the antics on both the US and Europe teams, the boo's and cheers, all of the name calling and in the end the trophy lifting. This is what will keep me comming back to watch the Mosconi Cup here in the US. It provided all of the excitment a fan can enjoy and express in one event. I may even travel across the ocean next year!


Thanks!

 

[Boro Nut]

If you think that anyone is born with the ability to play pool, then you are a fool, and I was a strong feel player before I let a bad relationship screw with my mental game about 12 years ago. It comes down to dedication to the game, fundamentals (in most cases) and more practice than any man should consider normal....

It also doesn't hurt to be born to a father or mother who also dedicated themselves to pool excellence and to have excellent visual spatial acuity. That last one is about the only thing that you can be born with and it is almost a must for any successful pool player.

So there's no such thing as natural ability, but you were lucky enough to inherit some. Good point.

Nobody needed to tell me how to make a ball go in a pocket. I could do it from day one. I was in a youth club. I was about 9. It was a 6 foot snooker table with balls like peas. I probably potted the first ball I ever shot at. It was obvious. So was holding the cue correctly to make the cue ball go where you wanted. Maybe I'd just played more marbles than you. I couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

Of course I refined it and changed it to make it more reliable and repeatable, but there was something there from the very start. Stephen Lee had a 38 break on a full size table the very first time he ever picked up a snooker cue. Many people are born with all sorts of natural abilities, even obscure ones like poking a stick about to make round things drop down holes.

Boro Nut

 

[Boro Nut]

After all of the antics on both the US and Europe teams, the boo's and cheers, all of the name calling and in the end the trophy lifting. This is what will keep me comming back to watch the Mosconi Cup here in the US. It provided all of the excitment a fan can enjoy and express in one event. I may even travel across the ocean next year!

Spot on.

Boro Nut

 

[DarkArtist]

I for one think of Earl as one of the best players in the entire world. It is a shame that everyone does take each of his actions and use them to tear down his character. Earl is one thing for sure and thats real. He wears his emotions on his sleeves and I for one applaud him for it. He is one of the many pool "characters" out there. He may rub some raw at times but should not be beaten down for it. One of the things I love and hate the most about pool is the personalities. Take Earl for what he's worth and thats one of the very best rotation players of all time and quit dwelling over him blowin up and showing his ass a little. He just being himself. It may help some others if they blew of some steam. Maybe they wouldn't be so worried about what everyone else is doing.

I attended all four days of the Mosconi Cup and it was interesting talking to some of the other fans, American and those visiting from other countries. Although Earl was bellyaching the entire time he was on the stage and many fans booed and heckled him all throughout, the fans I talked to seemed to appreciate Earl's talent at the same time accepting his antics. Whenever his name came up we all smiled and laughed and agreed, love him or hate him, pool is much more fun and interesting with him.

 

[av84fun]

Spot on.

Boro Nut

How can you say "spot on" when you are one of the main whiners about the booing and name calling etc. that is what he said would motivate him to travel to Eurpope to SEE MORE of it??

LOL

And re: your "natural ability" how many national/world championships have you won with it??

Just curious about how far natural ability can take someone who (allegedly) has it.
(-:

 

[av84fun]

I attended all four days of the Mosconi Cup and it was interesting talking to some of the other fans, American and those visiting from other countries. Although Earl was bellyaching the entire time he was on the stage and many fans booed and heckled him all throughout, the fans I talked to seemed to appreciate Earl's talent at the same time accepting his antics. Whenever his name came up we all smiled and laughed and agreed, love him or hate him, pool is much more fun and interesting with him.

RIGHT!!!!

(-: