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

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are two types of pool people in this world: pool purists and action enthusiasts.

It is interesting that today, as I write this, there is one producer and director busy working on a pool reality show, and believe or not, they are interested in the colorful players, ones who exude emotion and excitement, much more so than the emotionless robots.

This constant tension is a conflict in the pool world today. The pool purists and the action enthusiasts may never see eye to eye on what's best for pool's future. This division just may be what is harming the pool industry as a whole today.

It sure would be nice if there could be a happy middle ground that both sides agreed on.
 
But he's got a great product and at the end of the day that's the only thing that matters to a bunch of pool fans.
 
How to make him a good roll model and "sample example" professional player?

sjm said:
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.
Click to expand...

So what would be a fitting punishment for Earl and his past conduct? Prison, fines, detention, probation, lashes, banned, other?

What punishment {in your opinion} would correct his behavior and make him a good roll model and "sample example" professional player?
 
CJ Wiley said:
So what would be a fitting punishment for Earl and his past conduct? Prison, fines, detention, probation, lashes, banned, other?

What punishment {in your opinion} would correct his behavior and make him a good roll model and "sample example" professional player?
Click to expand...

I think, after a warning or two minor fines and suspensions from events would have made a huge difference along the way. There were never any consequences for Earl when he treated people abusively. In addition, he was never asked or expected to apologize to those he'd mistreated, and even that would have made a big difference.

Hard to imagine what punishing him now for past offenses would accomplish. He's a lost cause, and pool, which failed to dissuade his deplorable conduct, will have to tolerate him.
 
anyone that claims to have "figured it out" is potentially more dangerous than Earl

dorabelle said:
But he's got a great product and at the end of the day that's the only thing that matters to a bunch of pool fans.
Click to expand...

I guess none of us will ever know if Earl's acting out his own or someone else's Karma. As long as no one gets physically hurt there's a possibility that he's actually helping people......even if it's showing them how they shouldn't behave.

Life's complexly complicated and anyone that claims to have "figured it out" is potentially more dangerous than Earl will ever be.....no one will know for certain. 'The Game is the Teacher'
 
Earl is only happy when his matches are perfect. No-one gets a lucky roll, no fans speak, there is a decent shot after the break, no-one makes a mistake, the air temperature is 74.5 F, the balls are brand new and matched from 10 sets by size/weight.

He gets almost as upset if he gets lucky as when his opponent does. I have seen him miss or play a bad shot on purpose is he gets lucky or something else happens that favors him that he things is not "right".
 
Most Popular Player

As usual, AZBilliard members prove that Earl Stricklin is the most popular pool player in the United States. As long as everyone is talking about him, he is doing something right.


I see no discussions about any other player. Always Earl the Pearl.

Without Earl and Mike D., pool will be boring and die. Pool also needs the shot clock. The three foul rule is one of the worst rules in pool. You should always need to make the money ball to win.
 
poolguy4u said:
As usual, AZBilliard members prove that Earl Stricklin is the most popular pool player in the United States. As long as everyone is talking about him, he is doing something right.


I see no discussions about any other player. Always Earl the Pearl.

Without Earl and Mike D., pool will be boring and die. Pool also needs the shot clock. The three foul rule is one of the worst rules in pool. You should always need to make the money ball to win.
Click to expand...

Don't know about doing things "right". For example, Hitler did some things to cause people to talk about him, he is pretty much universally known, but I doubt he wanted to be remembered in the way that he is.

I don't think Earl acts the way he does in a calculated way to get people to talk about him.
 
In one of the many Earl threads, someone who is apparently close to Earl (Rick S.)
said he's actually been diagnosed and has tried 'thousands of dollars' worth of medication.
However Earl feels that the side effects of the medication don't allow him to play at his highest gear
and that's why he doesn't take them.

This does seem plausible. Guess we just have to accept Earl's antics if we want the privilege of
sweating that highest gear. In turn, Earl has to accept the criticism he'll get for acting the way he does.
He's made his decision.

I gotta say though, if someone jumps me with an unexpected touch, I'll sometimes bite their head off.
I don't need to be coming down off a loss or otherwise unstable... it's just a basic human reaction.
There are some things you just don't do out of simple common sense. I wouldn't sneak up on a stranger
and touch them, any more than I'd make a bomb joke at the airport.
 
JAM said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are two types of pool people in this world: pool purists and action enthusiasts.
Click to expand...

Actually Jen, there are a LOT more types of people in this world than the two you mentioned. Let me give you an example of two more:

1.) The type that thinks it's okay to use abusive language towards someone (children included, or at least in the presence of them) for what are often VERY small etiquette infractions committed by overly zealous fans and/or fans in attendance that haven't a clue as to what proper pool etiquette even is.

2.) The type that understand and abhor the unnecessary use of words and/or actions that are deemed improper in a decent society.

The key point in the OP is the language that Mr. Strickland used in the verbal confrontation between himself and the fan that patted him on the back. It could have (and SHOULD have) been handled with a bit more tact in the presence of what was probably several (at least) decent and upstanding human beings. The problem is, today's society tolerates way too much of this type of behaviour. It isn't necessary. It isn't proper. Let's leave Mr. Strickland's abilities out of the equation and focus more on his shortcomings in the public relations department, which I believe is what the OP intended.

Here are a few examples of Mr. Stricklands misguided direct assaults over the years I've either read/heard about or seen firsthand:

1.) IPT tournament. Proceeded to not only verbally abuse Nick VanDen Berg during a match, but just for the full effect, proceeded to tear into Nick's family (who were sitting way up high in the stands) with a very classless display of verbal name-calling.

2.) Once tore into somebody sitting in the stands during one of his matches for making too much noise eating from a bag of Potato Chips, as if to blame that person for his problems during that match. Really??? When he plays pool in the poolhall (as he's done countless times), is it always in a church-like atmosphere???

3.) While standing outside of the building after a match that he just lost a few minutes earlier, gave a verbal tongue-lashing to a father (with his young son beside him) who had asked for an autograph.

4.) Seen him go on full-tilt (including some verbal abuse) on a fan of his opponents just because the fan was encouraging his favorite player during his walk up to the table.

5.) The countless times I have watched one of his matches not going his way turn into a classless display of whining/moaning about how lucky his opponent is all the while his opponent sits in his chair demonstrating proper table-side manners (even when Mr. Strickland himself gets a lucky roll or two).

These are just a few examples of what I would hazard a guess to say were several in MANY instances of classless behaviour exhibited by Mr. Strickland over the years. I am not always siding with his fans because yes, there are those times when he should not have been approached before a proper "cool down" period was allowed, but we do not know all the facts in these cases and what knowledge these otherwise good and decent human beings had of any pre-existing circumstances or knowledge of proper etiquette.

Bottom line is: He could have just handled a LOT of past issues with a bit more class, the kind of decency that most simple followers/players of pool deserve.

We tend to tolerate too much these days from classless people, especially when one has a skill in a given fan-based sport.

There seems to be those on here that think anything he does is okay because they know him. That opinion is certainly biased. Not saying it is wrong of those to think that way, but it cannot be argued that it is not biased.

Since this is a public forum and everyone is giving (and is entitled to) an opinion, here is mine: Talent does NOT give a free pass for unprofessional/classless behaviour.

That said, I hope and pray that Mr. Strickland finds a way to overcome his "demons" without sacrificing his abilities. If you can't agree that he has problems, then you're too close to the man to see the true picture. It's obvious.

Tony "Maniac" Metz
 
Cracktherack said:
My apology for a pat on the back could include you being shoved to the floor. That's if I'm having a nice day. Keep your hands to yourself.
So you belong to the Earl bashing club. If you don't like Earl, don't watch his matches. To whine about his behavior and say he's never going to change, is to repeat what other idiots have said, back about 20 years ago.
Click to expand...

You sound like you need a hug, or to get laid. A lot of your post have this same attitude.
 
JAM said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are two types of pool people in this world: pool purists and action enthusiasts.

This division just may be what is harming the pool industry as a whole today.
Click to expand...

Really? Is that all there is?

Funny, as I was walking around SBE for a couple days I saw thousands of cues made by dozens of makers. I suspect that the overwhelming majority of these cues will never land in the hands of either pool purists or action players. The amateur market and league play comprises 99.9% of the pool industry, and most of them could care less about Earl.

I was standing in line to get some food and got talking to some guy about the event. He was an older guy playing in the senior tourney. He said something like, "I hear they even have a couple pros here someplace." I blinked a few times, then I said, "Yeah, there's 64 in the men's 10-ball alone."

I rattled off the names of some of the best players to ever play the game. This guy never heard of Earl, Efren, Daz, Mika, Bustie, Archer, or even our current superstar, SVB. He said, "Yeah, well we don't give a shit about those guys. They're pros, how are we gonna play against pros?"

So, over 1000 entrants in five separate divisions, and they're all off in their own little world, having a ball competing amongst themselves. I find the same thing locally.

League players in general don't give two craps about the pros, much less how they carry themselves in competition. I know at least a couple APA 7s that could give me the orange crush and rob me doing it (only they never gamble), but they don't know who Earl is, and they don't care to know. They have a blast shooting on Valleys with their McDermots and Vikings for a point a ball and two on the nine. That is the industry AFAIC. We diehard enthusiasts - both purists and action players - are just a fringe element in a much larger picture.
 
Sloppy Pockets said:
Really? Is that all there is?

Funny, as I was walking around SBE for a couple days I saw thousands of cues made by dozens of makers. I suspect that the overwhelming majority of these cues will never land in the hands of either pool purists or action players. The amateur market and league play comprises 99.9% of the pool industry, and most of them could care less about Earl.

I was standing in line to get some food and got talking to some guy about the event. He was an older guy playing in the senior tourney. He said something like, "I hear they even have a couple pros here someplace." I blinked a few times, then I said, "Yeah, there's 64 in the men's 10-ball alone."

I rattled off the names of some of the best players to ever play the game. This guy never heard of Earl, Efren, Daz, Mika, Bustie, Archer, or even our current superstar, SVB. He said, "Yeah, well we don't give a shit about those guys. They're pros, how are we gonna play against pros?"

So, over 1000 entrants in five separate divisions, and they're all off in their own little world, having a ball competing amongst themselves. I find the same thing locally.

League players in general don't give two craps about the pros, much less how they carry themselves in competition. I know at least a couple APA 7s that could give me the orange crush and rob me doing it (only they never gamble), but they don't know who Earl is, and they don't care to know. They have a blast shooting on Valleys with their McDermots and Vikings for a point a ball and two on the nine. That is the industry AFAIC. We diehard enthusiasts - both purists and action players - are just a fringe element in a much larger picture.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Let me rephrase my thoughts.

There are three kinds of pool people in this world:

1. Pool purists
2. Action enthusiasts
3. And those who don't give a hill of beans about what interests Nos. 1 and 2.

There, I fixed it. :)
 
CreeDo said:
I gotta say though, if someone jumps me with an unexpected touch, I'll sometimes bite their head off.
I don't need to be coming down off a loss or otherwise unstable... it's just a basic human reaction.
There are some things you just don't do out of simple common sense. I wouldn't sneak up on a stranger
and touch them, any more than I'd make a bomb joke at the airport.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with it, but high-profile people such as athletes, movie stars, music entertainers, and other similar celebrities have basically given up their right to what normal, everyday type of human beings have, in the form of privacy, etc. They have to KNOW that they are a sought-after commodity, not having the same circumstances as a normal person in a public setting. It goes with the fame/glory. People touch their "heroes/heroines" all the time when the're in a public setting. Fans just "feel the need" to touch them. You can find in the Bible that Jesus himself had this same issue.

Once again, I am not saying this laying-on of hands is right, I'm just saying that it is what it is and MOST high-profile people just accept it and don't make a big deal over it.

Cussword-laced tirades or physical altercation is not the way to handle this sort of problem. There are classier ways to take care of it. Mr. Strickland chose his way, whether voluntary or involuntary, we don't know.

Maniac
 
Maniac said:
Actually Jen, there are a LOT more types of people in this world than the two you mentioned. Let me give you an example of two more:

1.) The type that thinks it's okay to use abusive language towards someone (children included, or at least in the presence of them) for what are often VERY small etiquette infractions committed by overly zealous fans and/or fans in attendance that haven't a clue as to what proper pool etiquette even is.

2.) The type that understand and abhor the unnecessary use of words and/or actions that are deemed improper in a decent society.

The key point in the OP is the language that Mr. Strickland used in the verbal confrontation between himself and the fan that patted him on the back. It could have (and SHOULD have) been handled with a bit more tact in the presence of what was probably several (at least) decent and upstanding human beings. The problem is, today's society tolerates way too much of this type of behaviour. It isn't necessary. It isn't proper. Let's leave Mr. Strickland's abilities out of the equation and focus more on his shortcomings in the public relations department, which I believe is what the OP intended.

Here are a few examples of Mr. Stricklands misguided direct assaults over the years I've either read/heard about or seen firsthand:

1.) IPT tournament. Proceeded to not only verbally abuse Nick VanDen Berg during a match, but just for the full effect, proceeded to tear into Nick's family (who were sitting way up high in the stands) with a very classless display of verbal name-calling.

2.) Once tore into somebody sitting in the stands during one of his matches for making too much noise eating from a bag of Potato Chips, as if to blame that person for his problems during that match. Really??? When he plays pool in the poolhall (as he's done countless times), is it always in a church-like atmosphere???

3.) While standing outside of the building after a match that he just lost a few minutes earlier, gave a verbal tongue-lashing to a father (with his young son beside him) who had asked for an autograph.

4.) Seen him go on full-tilt (including some verbal abuse) on a fan of his opponents just because the fan was encouraging his favorite player during his walk up to the table.

5.) The countless times I have watched one of his matches not going his way turn into a classless display of whining/moaning about how lucky his opponent is all the while his opponent sits in his chair demonstrating proper table-side manners (even when Mr. Strickland himself gets a lucky roll or two).

These are just a few examples of what I would hazard a guess to say were several in MANY instances of classless behaviour exhibited by Mr. Strickland over the years. I am not always siding with his fans because yes, there are those times when he should not have been approached before a proper "cool down" period was allowed, but we do not know all the facts in these cases and what knowledge these otherwise good and decent human beings had of any pre-existing circumstances or knowledge of proper etiquette.

Bottom line is: He could have just handled a LOT of past issues with a bit more class, the kind of decency that most simple followers/players of pool deserve.

We tend to tolerate too much these days from classless people, especially when one has a skill in a given fan-based sport.

There seems to be those on here that think anything he does is okay because they know him. That opinion is certainly biased. Not saying it is wrong of those to think that way, but it cannot be argued that it is not biased.

Since this is a public forum and everyone is giving (and is entitled to) an opinion, here is mine: Talent does NOT give a free pass for unprofessional/classless behaviour.

That said, I hope and pray that Mr. Strickland finds a way to overcome his "demons" without sacrificing his abilities. If you can't agree that he has problems, then you're too close to the man to see the true picture. It's obvious.

Tony "Maniac" Metz
Click to expand...

Tried to give you some rep, but I have to spread it around first.
 
CreeDo said:
In one of the many Earl threads, someone who is apparently close to Earl (Rick S.)
said he's actually been diagnosed and has tried 'thousands of dollars' worth of medication.
However Earl feels that the side effects of the medication don't allow him to play at his highest gear
and that's why he doesn't take them.

This does seem plausible. Guess we just have to accept Earl's antics if we want the privilege of
sweating that highest gear. In turn, Earl has to accept the criticism he'll get for acting the way he does.
He's made his decision.

I gotta say though, if someone jumps me with an unexpected touch, I'll sometimes bite their head off.
I don't need to be coming down off a loss or otherwise unstable... it's just a basic human reaction.
There are some things you just don't do out of simple common sense. I wouldn't sneak up on a stranger
and touch them, any more than I'd make a bomb joke at the airport.
Come on, people are hugely over reacting to this. If the fan grabs his arm or pushes him, then by all means I see a reason for him to get upset and/or whoop his ass. But for a consoling pat on the back?? Get real...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Sloppy Pockets said:
Really? Is that all there is?

Funny, as I was walking around SBE for a couple days I saw thousands of cues made by dozens of makers. I suspect that the overwhelming majority of these cues will never land in the hands of either pool purists or action players. The amateur market and league play comprises 99.9% of the pool industry, and most of them could care less about Earl.

I was standing in line to get some food and got talking to some guy about the event. He was an older guy playing in the senior tourney. He said something like, "I hear they even have a couple pros here someplace." I blinked a few times, then I said, "Yeah, there's 64 in the men's 10-ball alone."

I rattled off the names of some of the best players to ever play the game. This guy never heard of Earl, Efren, Daz, Mika, Bustie, Archer, or even our current superstar, SVB. He said, "Yeah, well we don't give a shit about those guys. They're pros, how are we gonna play against pros?"

So, over 1000 entrants in five separate divisions, and they're all off in their own little world, having a ball competing amongst themselves. I find the same thing locally.

League players in general don't give two craps about the pros, much less how they carry themselves in competition. I know at least a couple APA 7s that could give me the orange crush and rob me doing it (only they never gamble), but they don't know who Earl is, and they don't care to know. They have a blast shooting on Valleys with their McDermots and Vikings for a point a ball and two on the nine. That is the industry AFAIC. We diehard enthusiasts - both purists and action players - are just a fringe element in a much larger picture.
Click to expand...


I bet he knows who the Black Widow is...
 
Somebody diagnosed him as bipolar. If he is, how come we've never seen the other pole? The bright, happy one?
 
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