Earl The Pearl

Earl ...

It's funny though, with all of Earl's quirks, I have noticed a couple of things:

1) Other than Efren, he is the most talked about Pool Player.
2) People love to watch him play. Even in the old matches on TV, when
Earl is on there, I find myself rooting for him to win .... lol

I would bet that the main source of his troubles lies in the fact that he himself has realized he has peaked as a player, and his divorce might have been a rude awakening of that fact. He seems like a egocentric type of person, which would not be easy to live with.

I think people kind of considered Earl as the 'The Great White Hope' of Pool, and some still cling to him because of that. I think that Corey Deuel is replacing Earl in that respect of being 'The great White Hope', but Corey really hasn't lived up to that the last 2-3 years. Earl is sort of like the Marciano of Pool.
 
I only met Earl once. Apparently some of you know him quite well. I'm sure there is a nice side to him that people behind the scenes see, and I'm sorry for his marital problems, but that's NO EXCUSE to publicly act like an a$$! When you are in a public forum, you are a representative of your sport. Act like a PROFESSIONAL! :eek:

I went through a divorce too, but I don't go around treating people badly because of it. I DEAL with it privately, and so should he!;)

My 2 cents!
 
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Ken_4fun said:
Something is a miss. I cant believe that he isnt on some kind of drugs, or has had some OD or similiar.

Or he truely, sadly, has a real mental problem.

I hope I am wrong and he just needs the $hit, kicked out of him.

Ken
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Evelyn Wanderone, after 44 years of marriage divorced because as his game went down so did their relationship and the person she loved. As Earls game continues its natural deterioration, Earls lover (the audience) will soon walk away, as will promoters. The writing is on the wall, the press just needs to ink it a little more, this year may be the year..........but it will come if not in 06, then 07....but it will.
 
All in act?

for some reason, when i watch earl blowup on television and yell at the crowds i can't stop thinking about Dennis Rodman. It just seems to me, someone who only knows Earl from seeing him play from afar, that Earl is trying to become the "Villian" of the pool world. Rodman did it with basketball and i think it heightened his popularity not to mention increased his fame andbank account. Does anyone else think its possible Earl is acting the way he does as a very well planned business decision. I mean think about it, the only reason we are on here talking about Earl is because of his explosive personality. it seems that Earl doesn't have to win to grab all the attention any more. His tirades make for good TV, which could in turn create ratings for the IPT and maybe, just maybe, put televised pool on the map as a spectator sport.
 
Earl

Call me weird...but i kinda enjoyed Earl being Earl...like he says he brings something different to the game, i watch all the pool they show on TV..and i kinda like Earls edge....I mean why do you think the IPT showed Earls match...what would have made it better if Nick would have been dishing it out as hard as Earl was..which i think if he had of ,he'd won the match..just my opinion...

Hardy
 
personally i find it hard to believe he's a bad person. too many people have said how he's great to talk to and is nice and polite to them when they approach him, and he has an incredible passion and love for the game. Coupled with the fact that he's probably the most naturally talented player ever and definitely the most delightful to watch, I'm prepared to forgive him!

besides, regarding the IPT incident with van den berg - van den berg acted just as immaturely by kicking up a fuss over a half arsed armshake with a man he knew very well would give twice as much back in a slanging match.

was a lack of eye contact in a handshake enough to justify making a fuss knowing what was likely to happen?

mind you i may be biased - I kinda liked that incident for the legendary line it created which is now in my signature!
 
Ken_4fun said:
Something is a miss. I cant believe that he isnt on some kind of drugs, or has had some OD or similiar.

Or he truely, sadly, has a real mental problem.

I hope I am wrong and he just needs the $hit, kicked out of him.

Ken
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He definitely needs medication and therapy.
 
Anybody see Earl's match against Danny Harriman in the 2004 World Summit of pool? I've never EVER seen better nineball. He played like a wizard. Harriman played spectacularly the whole match, made no mistakes, and earl nailed him. He definately has a few problems with public relations, but his confidence and presence at the table when he is playing at his peak are unmatched. BTW, 2004 wasn't so long ago and I have a feeling he's got a lot more in him.
 
2006 US Open

jay helfert said:
Earl didn't come on the scene until the early 80's, starting with his big win over Steve Mizerak at Caesar's Tahoe. I was working a lot of tournaments back then and Earl was not a particular problem, until well into the 90's. His earliest tantrums I can remember were directed at the filipino players, questioning their right to play (and win) on U.S. soil. This was in the early and mid 90's.

At first I thought he was kidding, but when I realized he was serious, I knew he was a little cuckoo. What began as a desire to be the best tournament player (and he was along with Mike Sigel), slowly dissolved into an obsession, bordering on mania. Earl was already exhibiting signs of erratic and troubled behavior during the PBT in the 90's. No one can forget when he walked out during the Finals against Corey Deuel in Milwaukee.

It was a packed house, and a major Camel Tour event. Earl didn't like the way Scott Smith was racking the balls and just quit in the middle of the match. This one act, more than any other, spelled the end of Camel's involvement with professional pool. His strange behavior only worsened from there, including one famous episode in Cardiff in 1999 at the World Pool Championships. Earl was loudly castigating an opponent who had just undergone stomach surgery prior to the tournament. He was admonishing him for playing slow (he was in pain).

The crowd turned against Earl and then he unleashed his fury at the audience. I was the TV commentator at the time and used the words "embarassment" and "disgrace" to describe Earl's behavior. At the conclusion of the match Earl burst into the pressroom and lashed into me, screaming epitaths and vindictives. Naturally the British press made this outburst the headlines in their reports about the tournament the following day. "American Cue Star In Row With Television Commentator" was the headline.

During this same time frame in the late 90's, Earl began to regularly chastise the audience for not applauding at the appropriate moments, and worse yet, horror of horrors, rooting for his opponent. His behavior has deteriorated in the ensuing years. It's impossible to predict what he will do next, but it probably won't be good. Earl is totally unpredictable and could self destruct at any time. Fans come to watch him now, just to see what will happen. Like racing fans waiting for a crash. And he rarely disappoints them.
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I was at the 2006 US Open all week this year and when I saw Earl was playing CJ Whiley on the TV table at 9:00pm I couldn't wait to see the match. CJ was one of my favorite players who hadn't played in a tournament in 8 years and he was playing great going up against Earl (one of the all time greats in pool). It sounded like one of the best matches of the tournament. What a let down when the match finally started. I was sitting ring side and I witnessed everything and I can't understand what happened other than Earl needs some serious help. Barry Berhman shook CJ's hand and tried to shake Earl's hand before the match started and Earl refused and just looked at the floor. When Scott Smith introduced CJ he waived at the crowd and smiled and then Scott went into Earl's intro (which is unmatched by any 9 ball player) and he just looked at the floor and didn't smile or acknowledge the crowd as they applauded him.

When the match started CJ won the first 2 games and Earl appeared to give up. He hit shots too hard, banged his shaft on the side of the table and the floor, and walked around the table staring at the floor. I was sitting there trying to understand the man. With his fire power no lead is safe and he wouldn't even try. It was a disgusting display and quite a let down to the fans who wanted to see a highly contested match. That wasn't the first time I witnessed Earl just quite in a match and I was hoping that he would play and make it interesting for the spectators, but he didn't play at all. He lost miserably to CJ.

Next he played Stevie Moore and he intimidated Stevie when the match started and he ran right through him, but then a little later he ran into John Schmidt and when he tried to intimidate John he failed because John wasn't having any of Earl's tactics at disrupting his game. John told him to sit down and shut up while he was shooting and act like a gentleman like he did when Earl was shooting. John beat Earl without much trouble and he was playing great obviously since he won the US Open. John was ready for Earl's tactics and he took care of the problem as well as anyone i've seen play Earl.

Earl is a great player, but he has some mental problems and I hope he can get some help one day. I've enjoyed watching him over the years when he's playing well because nobody plays 9 ball better than Earl......
 
What about Bob?

cueball1950 said:
poolcuemaster said:
Apparently got lots worse after D_I_V_O_R_C_E must need someone to help keep his stuff together[/QUOTE

You hit the nail right on the head. People who don't take the time to actually sit and talk with Earl can say what ever you wish. But myself and alot of other people who have taken the time to sit and get to know Earl personally will tell you that everything started with his divorce. Oh, By the way... Earl will sit and talk with just about anybody that wants to sit and talk. He will talk about the state of pool in this country. Or talk about politics even. The impression i have gotten from earl is that he has such a passion for this game we all love that you cannot believe. He had the same passion for his marriage and his beautiful house he had on the golf course that he also lost in the divorce.. So i would say this about Earl. He wears his heart and passion of this game on his sleeve. And heaven help all these players out there if Earl decides to go back to gambling. That i would even pay to see..So please cut earl some slack unless you have walked in his shoes for awhile and felt the pain he has felt lately.............mike
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Everyone has a right to their own opinion and thinking (except I suppose me after people read this), but I have to say I couldn't disagree more with your sentiment. If a guy named Bob is in a gang all of his life and he walks up to someone and shoots them dead, you don't just say "There's Bob, he's being Bob. Bob has had a rough life, so you'll have to excuse him". Or if someone is mentally deranged and threatening to kill people, you don't just excuse his behaviour, you tell someone that can deal with it.

I'm tired of watching the "Macenroe" tantrums on TV. If these people want to be on TV mentoring your children (and children do look up at these people like gods), there should be some thought in to who can be on TV. Social responsibility is all but gone with all of the gangsta rappers and tantrum-throwing sports icons.

If Earl has problems (and he obviously does) he needs to get help. Sometimes getting help starts with a friend telling the person they need help. If Earl doesn't like himself when he acts this way, he knows it is wrong, he just needs help dealing with it. Someone please tell Earl to get counseling, you'd be doing him a big favor for his personal life and his pool life.

I do not think people should judge Earl for his antics or hold a grudge because of the way he treats people. If he gets help, then it should be over and people should cheer for his good shots. However, knowing society, this may never be let go.

We all make mistakes and sometimes start heading down the wrong path. It is how you deal with the mistakes and bad path that are your legacy.

FLAME ON!!!

Brian
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I saw him the other day on Versus too. He was playing Efren and was immediately, from what I can tell, surly and not very sporting. You'd figure after so long playing that you wouldn't let games get to you like it seems to get to him. I was just watching him and saying to myself, "This guy is a Hall of Famer?" It just wasn't a very good game all in all. Efren spanked him.
 
Inzombiac said:
I saw him the other day on Versus too. He was playing Efren and was immediately, from what I can tell, surly and not very sporting. You'd figure after so long playing that you wouldn't let games get to you like it seems to get to him. I was just watching him and saying to myself, "This guy is a Hall of Famer?" It just wasn't a very good game all in all. Efren spanked him.
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Saw that match too. Another classic Earl match. After the match when they where signing the paperwork. Earl says to Efren, you got some lucky rolls there. Efren says something to him in broken english and Earl just waived his hand at Efren as a dismassal as Efren walked away.
 
His behavior has deteriorated in the ensuing years.[/QUOTE said:
Jay is 100% correct. I have been watching Earl ever since I got back into pool in 1991. During the week or so that I was waiting for my first table to be delivered, I saw Earl play Nick Varner in the 1991 WPA World Championship on ESPN. He was a bit volatile, but not over the top at all. I became an instant fan. Every year since 1992, I have watched most of his matches at the US Open (including his wins in 1993, 1997, and 2000). And, sad to say, I've seen the slow, downward spiral. IMHO, back in the early to mid 90s, his relatively minor antics (and PLAYFUL banter with his opponent and the crowd!) actually helped his play. Boy, that was fun to watch!! But over the years, I believe his pool genius has been overpowered by true mental illness. The "antics" no longer help his play -- quite the contrary. He loses many matches now because he actually gives up. What a pity.
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Earl vs. Efren at 1995 US Open

This thread reminded me of a bizarre match I saw at the Open in 1995. This was back when they used to hold it at the Holiday Inn. The match started just before midnight on Friday and there must have been 500 people jammed around that one table. They were cheering for both players, but they were cheering louder for Earl right from the start. Efren was using a fairly soft break, getting great results, and getting out over and over. He was just playing beautifully. After one such break, Earl stood up and shouted, "Break like a man!" He continued such antics and began to show his displeasure with the crowd having the audacity to acknowledge Efren's superior play with applause. Slowly, the crowd began to turn against Earl and began to cheer Efren vociferously. At that point, Earl stood up, pointed at the large American flag hanging on the wall, and shouted "We might as well just burn that flag!" because spectators were cheering for a "foreigner" over an American at the US OPEN. It was so loud in there that half of the crowd only heard the "burn the flag" part and the large throng started to surge forward toward the table. My friends and I were standing at the top of the bleachers taking this all in and boy were we glad we weren't any closer. There was a real sense that mob rule was going to break out and Earl was going to get hurt -- and bad. Somehow, after a couple of really tense minutes, the crowd calmed down just enough to allow the match to continue. Efren calmly broke and ran the rest of the set, beating Earl 11-2. Efren was amazing throughout the match. None of this bothered him in the least. No matter what happened, he just kept going about his business. It reminded me of those old Colt Malt Liquor ads where the guy sits down to have a brew while all around him is chaos. Efren is shark proof. I wish this one was on tape!!

That was the first time I saw Earl out of control.

Does anyone else remember this match?
 
Earl vs. Efren in the 1997 US Open Finals

Then there was the 1997 tournament finals -- Earl vs. Efren again. This was Efren's fourth straight appearance in the finals (a pretty amazing feat in and of itself). Anyway, just before the match, Earl was out showing off for the crowd. He was having fun, joking with everyone, and performing wing shots. He made 8 wing shots in a row in VERY quick succession (and I mean he was rolling 'em down the table FAST). Then on the ninth ball, he rolled it a bit slower and made the shot from behind his back. The crowd erupted and it was obvious he was going to win. And win he did in short order 11-3.

To my mind, the GOOD Earl showed up that day. During the 1995 match from my previous post, the BAD Earl showed up. When GOOD Earl shows up, very few players have a chance. But when the BAD Earl makes an appearance, he ain't gonna win against anyone even close to his speed -- PERIOD. Unfortunately, BAD Earl comes out almost every match nowadays.

Again, what a pity.
 
same thought

chipper8828 said:
for some reason, when i watch earl blowup on television and yell at the crowds i can't stop thinking about Dennis Rodman. It just seems to me, someone who only knows Earl from seeing him play from afar, that Earl is trying to become the "Villian" of the pool world. Rodman did it with basketball and i think it heightened his popularity not to mention increased his fame andbank account. Does anyone else think its possible Earl is acting the way he does as a very well planned business decision. I mean think about it, the only reason we are on here talking about Earl is because of his explosive personality. it seems that Earl doesn't have to win to grab all the attention any more. His tirades make for good TV, which could in turn create ratings for the IPT and maybe, just maybe, put televised pool on the map as a spectator sport.
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I have thought that could be, too, especially when I've heard Earl himself that he needs to be on TV for more exposure, being the "colorful" person he is....but I read all the posts by people who say there's something mentally awry, and it seems just as likely.......
 
not the only time

LowRight said:
This thread reminded me of a bizarre match I saw at the Open in 1995. This was back when they used to hold it at the Holiday Inn. The match started just before midnight on Friday and there must have been 500 people jammed around that one table. They were cheering for both players, but they were cheering louder for Earl right from the start. Efren was using a fairly soft break, getting great results, and getting out over and over. He was just playing beautifully. After one such break, Earl stood up and shouted, "Break like a man!" He continued such antics and began to show his displeasure with the crowd having the audacity to acknowledge Efren's superior play with applause. Slowly, the crowd began to turn against Earl and began to cheer Efren vociferously. At that point, Earl stood up, pointed at the large American flag hanging on the wall, and shouted "We might as well just burn that flag!" because spectators were cheering for a "foreigner" over an American at the US OPEN. It was so loud in there that half of the crowd only heard the "burn the flag" part and the large throng started to surge forward toward the table. My friends and I were standing at the top of the bleachers taking this all in and boy were we glad we weren't any closer. There was a real sense that mob rule was going to break out and Earl was going to get hurt -- and bad. Somehow, after a couple of really tense minutes, the crowd calmed down just enough to allow the match to continue. Efren calmly broke and ran the rest of the set, beating Earl 11-2. Efren was amazing throughout the match. None of this bothered him in the least. No matter what happened, he just kept going about his business. It reminded me of those old Colt Malt Liquor ads where the guy sits down to have a brew while all around him is chaos. Efren is shark proof. I wish this one was on tape!!

That was the first time I saw Earl out of control.

Does anyone else remember this match?
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It's not the only time I've heard he said something like this to an opponent....Seems when he was playing a Japanese opponent who was about to use his jump cue, he said, "shoot it like a man"......However, in this instance the opponent let it bother him enough that he lost the match....and I've also seen Earl play up the "patriotic card" by waving his arms and shouting, "USA...USA...USA....and looking like he embarrassed Efren in the process.........Sadly, I do believe now that he does many of these antics to "shark" his opponents.....I just don't think a man of his talent and championship caliber should have to resort to this in order to ensure a win...
 
wahcheck said:
It's not the only time I've heard he said something like this to an opponent....Seems when he was playing a Japanese opponent who was about to use his jump cue, he said, "shoot it like a man"......However, in this instance the opponent let it bother him enough that he lost the match....and I've also seen Earl play up the "patriotic card" by waving his arms and shouting, "USA...USA...USA....and looking like he embarrassed Efren in the process.........Sadly, I do believe now that he does many of these antics to "shark" his opponents.....I just don't think a man of his talent and championship caliber should have to resort to this in order to ensure a win...
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You are right. I didn't say that was the only time. Earl has had many xenophobic outbursts over the years. I'm just saying that was the first time I saw him engage in such a thing. He has gotten worse and worse to the point that now he is unwatchable IMHO. I did watch his match with CJ at this year's Open (mostly because I missed seeing CJ play). But, he came out laughing, joking, and making full-table, jacked up shots and drawing back for position during warm up. He looked like the Earl of old! So much so that I bet my friend 50 beans with 3 on the wire for Wiley. BIG MISTAKE! As soon as Barry came out to do his schtick, Earl bowed his head, refused to acknowledge Barry or the crowd, and proceeded to quit before the match even got started. What the *&^$%^$%?? He lost 11-3. I heard DD talking to some players afterward and he just kept saying "He didn't even try!" I don't know why he was so surprised since this has been Earl's MO for at least the last 4 years.

I think his past antics helped him and could very well be viewed as sharking. But now, he is so out of control, they hurt him most of the time. I mean, what the *%#$%#%^ was that against Wiley? And there wasn't even any reason for it -- imagined or real. He just all of a sudden switched off during the opening comments by Barry and decided not to play. I guess that's what happened. Who knows what's going on in his head? Who really WANTS to know?? If I didn't know better, I'd say he must have had a piece of my friend's action. HA HA! ;-)
 
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