I like Earl, but he'll always be a sore loser. Always has and always will.

Smart guy, that Earl Strickland.

CJ Wiley said:
Earl just had the misfortune to be one of the most talented people ever born, but born in the worst situation for a competitor. Many of your super talented sports celebrities have issues that other people cover for, make up for or they simply do the "task" for the person. PR Groups are hired to do this job and they do it very well for many of your top performers.

Earl didn't have this luxury and has to face life on life's terms which is difficult for someone that is brilliant, because there MUST be a balance - this is an unwritten law of human behavior.

I've spent a lot of time around Earl through the years playing tennis, golf, and of course playing and talking a LOT about pool. He was one of the co founders of the PCA with myself and George Breedlove and also did the most amazing thing in the history of pool - He RAN 11 RACKS for a million dollar prize annuity, and he did it on THE FIRST DAY.

Earl, like him or not is an exceptional human being with incredible eyesight, hearing, and he probably even "feels" more intensely than normal. I know he could see my golf ball 275 yards away and tell me how it lay on the ground (in a divot, on a hill, or sitting "up").....that's a fact, and I never would have believed it if it hadn't happened time and time again.

'The Game is the Teacher'
Click to expand...

Earl must be very intelligent, too. I was with Stevie Moore most of the day and he referred to Earl as a genius and now you say that Earl is brilliant. I'm starting to think Earl is a pretty smart fellow....lol.
 
poolmouse said:
Pool is nothing more than a game with a shady history filled with delusional misfits. Keep thinking Earl is helping the game of pool...he's doing nothing more than solidifying the game's reputation as a cesspool of desolates and chronic gamblers.

Pool is a circus and Earl is one of its clowns who has a handful of fanboys. I'd rather see him banned for life so the game "could have a legitimate chance". ;)
Click to expand...

poolmouse said:
If Earl has medical issues, it's his responsibility to manage it. He should see his doctor and get properly treated.

Oh. Wait. I forgot.

The *game* of pool doesn't offer health insurance. I wonder how the "profession" of pool is working out for him?

Quite honestly I can't understand how many people say they care for him but they do nothing to help him make that life altering decision. Retire the cue and get treatment.

There's nothing here for him, he really needs to move on.
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calvin_hobbes.jpg


What the.........................................?????
Geez. Maybe I'ts me. I just Dunno...............
 
You kinda have to respect Earl in the fact that, much like the honey badger, he truly does not give a shit.

Fans, sponsors, players, women, or children. Doesnt matter. Equal opportunity across the board. Its sad in some ways and perversely honorable in others.

After all the heat I have taken on my stance with working with Earl one of my favorite things in the world is seeing a die hard Earl fan be subjected personally to one of his outbursts/insults. The look on their face is seriously the funniest thing ever.

In the end I guess you just have to accept the guy for what he is.
 
accepting the guy for what he isn't

JCIN said:
You kinda have to respect Earl in the fact that, much like the honey badger, he truly does not give a shit.

Fans, sponsors, players, women, or children. Doesnt matter. Equal opportunity across the board. Its sad in some ways and perversely honorable in others.

After all the heat I have taken on my stance with working with Earl one of my favorite things in the world is seeing a die hard Earl fan be subjected personally to one of his outbursts/insults. The look on their face is seriously the funniest thing ever.

In the end I guess you just have to accept the guy for what he is.
Click to expand...

It's certainly easier than accepting the guy for what he isn't.
 
Guys I've never met that may have been a$$holes: (Cuz ya never know .......)

Albert Einstein
Michelangelo
Benjamin Franklin
Mother Teresa (OK, Not a Guy, .........Sue Me)
Nikola Tesla
Thomas A. Edison
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Terry Bradshaw
Earl Strickland
Tiger Woods

Personally, I appreciate all of their contributions.
The Dear Abby B.S. is irrelevant.

Just my too scents.........
 
JCIN said:
You kinda have to respect Earl in the fact that, much like the honey badger, he truly does not give a shit.

Fans, sponsors, players, women, or children. Doesnt matter. Equal opportunity across the board. Its sad in some ways and perversely honorable in others.

After all the heat I have taken on my stance with working with Earl one of my favorite things in the world is seeing a die hard Earl fan be subjected personally to one of his outbursts/insults. The look on their face is seriously the funniest thing ever.

In the end I guess you just have to accept the guy for what he is.
Click to expand...

One of the best post ever on this forum.
 
just doing the best he can with what he's been given.

Taco said:
Huh?

Logic, or some semblance of it, is the teacher.
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Yes, you got it...Earl's not a "bad" guy, just doing the best he can with what he's been given.



564808_522548571104517_2082458128_n.jpg
 
Rhale100 said:
Guys I've never met that may have been a$$holes: (Cuz ya never know .......)

Albert Einstein
Michelangelo
Benjamin Franklin
Mother Teresa (OK, Not a Guy, .........Sue Me)
Nikola Tesla
Thomas A. Edison
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Terry Bradshaw
Earl Strickland
Tiger Woods

Personally, I appreciate all of their contributions.
The Dear Abby B.S. is irrelevant.

Just my too scents.........
Click to expand...

I can vouch for Poor Richard he was not considered an ass.I would be very surprised to learn that Mother T was a jerk either.Terry Bradshaw is still the same you can see him on T.V.
 
smoooothstroke said:
I can vouch for Poor Richard he was not considered an ass.I would be very surprised to learn that Mother T was a jerk either.Terry Bradshaw is still the same you can see him on T.V.
Click to expand...

Hence the "May Have Been" statement .................

I don't know, and neither do you. It's amazing what we accept as truth without first hand knowledge.
 
IMO Earl is an Idiot Savant (look it up if you don't know what that means, although I think most of you do). He is absolutely brilliant at playing pool, one of the best ever. But off the table he has trouble most of the time (not always, I will grant him that) relating to other people. He is also probably bi-polar and in need of medication. I do know he used to take meds to calm himself down. I don't know if he still does or not.

I don't think all the apologizers for Earl are doing him any favors. There is no question in my mind that he needs professional help, not some nut-huggers telling him how great he is. I've also spent a lot of time around Earl, going back many years. I've seen his deterioration and it hasn't been pretty to say the least. Regardless of what Earl and others may think, I truly wish him well and hope that somehow he can overcome the demons that seek to consume him. I'm a realist though and I doubt that will happen unless Earl gets the help he needs. I don't think he wants to, and is probably in denial about his maladies.

Many on here probably will disagree with me and may be upset that I would write this on here. But I'm not one to pull punches, never have been. One thing I will say is that Earl has a huge following, like him or not. This thread is evidence of that. And people still flock to see him play, although I think many are hoping to see a meltdown. Some people just enjoy seeing a train wreck or a car crash. I've seen one too many in my lifetime. I don't need to see any more. I'm not amused by his antics and he knows he better toe the line if I'm working a tournament that he's in. That's the best I can do for him.
 
jay helfert said:
IMO Earl is an Idiot Savant (look it up if you don't know what that means, although I think most of you do). He is absolutely brilliant at playing pool, one of the best ever. But off the table he has trouble most of the time (not always, I will grant him that) relating to other people. He is also probably bi-polar and in need of medication. I do know he used to take meds to calm himself down. I don't know if he still does or not.

I don't think all the apologizers for Earl are doing him any favors. There is no question in my mind that he needs professional help, not some nut-huggers telling him how great he is. I've also spent a lot of time around Earl, going back many years. I've seen his deterioration and it hasn't been pretty to say the least. Regardless of what Earl and others may think, I truly wish him well and hope that somehow he can overcome the demons that seek to consume him. I'm a realist though and I doubt that will happen unless Earl gets the help he needs. I don't think he wants to, and is probably in denial about his maladies.

Many on here probably will disagree with me and may be upset that I would write this on here. But I'm not one to pull punches, never have been. One thing I will say is that Earl has a huge following, like him or not. This thread is evidence of that. And people still flock to see him play, although I think many are hoping to see a meltdown. Some people just enjoy seeing a train wreck or a car crash. I've seen one too many in my lifetime. I don't need to see any more. I'm not amused by his antics and he knows he better toe the line if I'm working a tournament that he's in. That's the best I can do for him.
Click to expand...

Thank you Jay for telling it like it is. I thought that was a good post.
 
he needs a Pharmacist, an Alchemist, a Physiatrist, an Ambulance, and a Priest

jay helfert said:
IMO Earl is an Idiot Savant (look it up if you don't know what that means, although I think most of you do). He is absolutely brilliant at playing pool, one of the best ever. But off the table he has trouble most of the time (not always, I will grant him that) relating to other people. He is also probably bi-polar and in need of medication. I do know he used to take meds to calm himself down. I don't know if he still does or not.

I don't think all the apologizers for Earl are doing him any favors. There is no question in my mind that he needs professional help, not some nut-huggers telling him how great he is. I've also spent a lot of time around Earl, going back many years. I've seen his deterioration and it hasn't been pretty to say the least. Regardless of what Earl and others may think, I truly wish him well and hope that somehow he can overcome the demons that seek to consume him. I'm a realist though and I doubt that will happen unless Earl gets the help he needs. I don't think he wants to, and is probably in denial about his maladies.

Many on here probably will disagree with me and may be upset that I would write this on here. But I'm not one to pull punches, never have been. One thing I will say is that Earl has a huge following, like him or not. This thread is evidence of that. And people still flock to see him play, although I think many are hoping to see a meltdown. Some people just enjoy seeing a train wreck or a car crash. I've seen one too many in my lifetime. I don't need to see any more. I'm not amused by his antics and he knows he better toe the line if I'm working a tournament that he's in. That's the best I can do for him.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting post, Jay, however, a bit confusing from a medical perspective....hmmm, if I was a doctor how would I diagnose this situation?

Maybe, just maybe, his demons (who need medication) are bi-polar, which cause a reaction that could be diagnosed as being an idiot servant by the antics that aren't amusing which lead to car crashes and meltdowns, however, he's in denial about these "maladies". Hmmm, this indeed sounds complex.:groucho:

I guess the obvious diagnosis is he needs a Pharmacist, an Alchemist, a Physiatrist, an Ambulance, and a Priest :thumbup:

That to me isn't even the amazing part, despite all these "maladies" he still beats the best players in the world playing pool any given day on a 5/10. :eek:
 
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CJ Wiley said:
This is an interesting post, Jay, however, a bit confusing from a medical perspective....hmmm, if I was a doctor how would I diagnose this situation?

Maybe, just maybe, his demons (who need medication) are bi-polar, which cause a reaction that could be diagnosed as being an idiot servant by the antics that aren't amusing which lead to car crashes and meltdowns, however, he's in denial about these "maladies". Hmmm, this indeed sounds complex.:groucho:

I guess the obvious diagnosis is he needs a Pharmacist, an Alchemist, a Physiatrist, an Ambulance, and a Priest :thumbup:

That to me isn't even the amazing part, despite all these "maladies" he still beats the best players in the world playing pool any given day on a 5/10. :eek:
Click to expand...

Best post in the thread. Thank you, C.J., for telling it like it is. It's a shame that others can't recognize the obvious and refrain from poking fun at a sick person.

I have a niece who is bipolar, and she went through a bunch of meds until they found the right one. She's 40 years old today and is on SSI. She can't hold a job.

I will say that this "bipolar" word is only a mere label that medical professionals use a lot today. I'm not sure what ails Earl, but he does suffer from something, and it should be looked at with sadness, not ridicule.

FWIW, on a field of green, one thing nobody can take away from him is his 5-time Open titles and other championships.

His legacy may not be everybody's cup of tea, but he's a one-of-a-kind player. And the man's still got game! :cool:
 
Earl is a big fish in a small pond. He gets away with bad behavior in a small pond. Put him in a pond with the big guys, like Nike or any other top level sponsor, and watch how fast he straightens out.

What it comes down to is that we don't have the power to force him to behave.

How I wish we did.
 
he could control his behavior if he was forced to by Nike

FranCrimi said:
Earl is a big fish in a small pond. He gets away with bad behavior in a small pond. Put him in a pond with the big guys, like Nike or any other top level sponsor, and watch how fast he straightens out.

What it comes down to is that we don't have the power to force him to behave.

How I wish we did.
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That's interesting as well, so you, Fran, believe he could control his behavior if he was forced to by Nike?

The plot of "Earl's diagnosis/prognosis" thickens. ;)
 
As a competitor, Earl is one of the greatest that ever played pool. He will be remembered as a dominating force over the green felt.

Nonetheless, I've surely watched him play live on over 100 occasions, and he's done each of the following on multiple occasions in my presence:

a) treated his opponents disrespectfully during a match
b) refused to shake an opponent's hand after a match
c) treated referees disrespectfully
d) treated fans disrespectfully unprovoked
e) treated other competitors disrespectfully

Earl is a product of a sport that chooses not to police itself, and that's part of why he has disgraced it so often. He has never been faced with a possible loss of income due to his appalling conduct. In any sport other than pool, he'd have been disciplined and suspended on countless occasions.

In baseball, the evidence against Shoeless Joe Jackson in the 1919 Black Sox scandal was far from conclusive, but he was banned and ended up in the dry cleaning business in Georgia. St Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire, one of the all-time greats on the baseball field, was never caught for using steroids, but he continues to be denied induction to the Hall of Fame for having disgraced his sport. Golfers who behave objectionably on the course are fined and suspended.

In pool, every player that drags down the image of his sport has hundreds of apologists on this forum who prefer to view them as colorful. If that's colorful, then would-be sponsors, some of whom long ago turned their backs on our sport, don't want colorful.

Pool itself is, in part, responsible for the numerous outbursts of poor conduct that Earl has produced, and its lack of concern with its own dignity is not only disheartening but is also a turnoff to would-be investors in the sport.

It is easily argued that Earl is a product, not a cause, of pool's lack of self-esteem. He is a negative role model in so many respects for up and coming players and his competitive excellence doesn't erase that. Far too many pool players have been known to say "show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." My late father used to say "if you conduct yourself like a loser, win or lose, you are a loser." Guess I see it my dad's way.

I wish Earl everything good in competition and in life, but will never count myself among his apologists.
 
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