Earl wins Mosconi Cup MVP...And speaks

[Kyo]

P.S. I don't know if you remember. However a few years and at the US OPEN (I am talking golf here) Sergio Gracia put his PAINFULLY slow play on display. The GALLERIES actually started SCREAMING "Hit the F**KING Ball". THAT was funny!!

I think they actually put a penality for him and since then and it has forced him play a lot faster particularly when he putting. I think it the constantly hand regrips that was doing everyone's head in. He would on average regrip his putter around 30 times before attempting to swing.

 

[Gerry]

Sergio can play slow, but it did'nt really bother me too much. The guy is SO fun to watch, and has an engaging personality, so He's more or less forgiven by alot of people. I think the problems start when it gets nasty or personal or threatening...........Gerry

 

[Mr. Wilson]

People want to fight it out instead of making a report and complain how subjective the rules are.


If you don't like something that is offensive, report it. Give the opportunity for us to address it.

If you jump into the fray, suddenly you're part of the problem, not the answer.

So, what do we want? Tight, heavy handed control and no mercy or should we expect adults to act like adults and work within the system?



Follow common sense rules and give us room and time to work.

It's that or much heavier moderation.

So what do we want people?

 

[NaClBandit]

All he said about Souquet's game was "he plays to slow". I have the UPA championship on tape where Deuel said the EXACT same thing about Kid Delicious. In fact he said "it is like wacthing paint dry". Why didn't Deuel get the same venom as Earl.

I recall his comments being more extensive and disrespectful than you describe.

I remember the Deuel/Basavich match (and interview) you're talking about. I don't think that comment was meant to cut down Danny; it was more of an colorful observation. Also I believe those two get along fine. Earl has a history of disparaging remarks towards Ralf's game, and it's personal with Earl.

Have we forgotten that the very next day, Earl came back to win 8 straight matches on the losers side. And on the final day, was the ONLY american still standing. He finished fourth. All without incident. I would say that he tried pretty damn hard!!! And save ONE match, did his sponsor proud!!

Don't you think Janet Schimmel (sp?) of Cuetec Cues, who was there spectating, gave him an earful after his atrocious performance? I do.

 

[vagabond]

All he said about Souquet's game was "he plays to slow". I

Fleece-this response is to the other posts
Nothing wrong with that.He,infact,has the right to complain about the slowplay.Istead of scapegoating him,one should be condeming/censoring the people who actually are the wrong doers and sneaky.The way earl reacts to these situations make him look like a bad guy.

 

[catscradle]

To get back on topic: men who "batter" women apologize to their victims after they calm down, this doesn't make it right or acceptable behavior. Earl has a serious problem that should be dealt with.

Dave

Thanks to everyone who felt as I did about "con's" comment.

What serious problem. He gets his hair up in competition sometimes and acts like a jerk. So what, it happens in the heat of battle in every sport. He's not whacking anybody with a pool cue or getting in physical confrontations, he just babbles on like a fool.

BTW, I agree the "jewed" expression was inappropriate at best.

 

[The Doctor]

I'm a big fan of Earl, because I think the man is pure entertainment. I can fully understand why people don't like his attitude but consider his antics from the perspective of someone who doesn't understand the finer points of the game. Over in the UK we are privilaged to get a fair bit of live pool on Sky sports and it reaches a lot of people who don't know anything about the game. These people are not entertained by the skill of a table length draw shot, but they are entertained by a man getting all worked up about something as silly as pushing balls around a table. I have subjected many of my friends to pool watching over the years and what is the name of the player they all remember? Earl. Because he entertained them. At the end of the day isn't that what its all about. Of course I wouldn't want pool to go the way of professional wrestling, but I feel a little bit of Earl is a good thing for the game. There are planty of players who play fantastic pool in a somber and respectful manner, variety is the spice of life.

Remember Alex 'The Hurricane' Higgins. The WPBSA fined him and banned him and hated him. His antics at the table (much in the same way as Earl's) brought the game into disrepute. Mr Higgins is now credited with being the catalyst which created the multi million pound sport that is now snooker. Without him the game would not be what it is today. Nowadays the WPBSA has completely changed direction and needs to promote snooker bad boys as much as possible. It needs the interest from the general public as snooker is in decline following years of bland tea drinking snooker professionals.

Pool has some wonderful characters, let us embrace them for their entertainment value. But maybe if we took away the people who complained about them these characters would no longer be controversial and no longer entertaining.

 

[Fleece3]

I remember the Deuel/Basavich match (and interview) you're talking about. I don't think that comment was meant to cut down Danny; it was more of an colorful observation. Also I believe those two get along fine. Earl has a history of disparaging remarks towards Ralf's game, and it's personal with Earl.

There in lies the problem. We/you are trying to interpret what a person MEANT when thay say something. You see Earls comments as being vindictive, and Corey as begin benign. What about Ralf calling Corey an "a**hole" in the same event. Was that just a "colorful observation"? Where was the outrage for that? And this proves my point, we LOOK for Earl to explode, and when something appears to support that we run with it. Earl had ONE bad match at the open. And that is all we hear about. Not, he won 8 straight matches on the losers side. Not he was the last American standing. Not he finished 4th. Instead, all we hear is "did you see the Ralf match". He didn't call a foul on himself at the skins, fair enough. However, we all saw Karen do the same thing on ESPN, and it did not warrant 6 pages of comments up here. Lets just be consistant

 

[Bobby]

There in lies the problem. We/you are trying to interpret what a person MEANT when thay say something. You see Earls comments as being vindictive, and Corey as begin benign. What about Ralf calling Corey an "a**hole" in the same event. Was that just a "colorful observation"? Where was the outrage for that? And this proves my point, we LOOK for Earl to explode, and when something appears to support that we run with it. Earl had ONE bad match at the open. And that is all we hear about. Not, he won 8 straight matches on the losers side. Not he was the last American standing. Not he finished 4th. Instead, all we hear is "did you see the Ralf match". He didn't call a foul on himself at the skins, fair enough. However, we all saw Karen do the same thing on ESPN, and it did not warrant 6 pages of comments up here. Lets just be consistant

You made some good points there. It's true that
everyone ignores bad behavior from other players
but bash Earl for the same behavior. I'm a huge
Earl fan but I admit he sometimes goes a little
bit too far but so do a lot of players. No one
ever mentions Mika Immonen refusing to shake
Larry Nevel's hand after a match at the U.S.
Open a few years ago, on Accu-stats no less! I
don't even recall any kind of incident during
the match that would warrant Mika's behavior.
I guess Earl's the guy evryone loves to hate...
but he'll always be my favorite player.


Bobby