i210mfu said:
...Imagine a money match between Keith (with his style and his antics his hard childhood etc etc) against Earl (with his unsurpassed temper
for some large money. All of this with the players are presented with backgrounds, the good and the bad stories etc... Kiek boxers.. Then people could start identifying with these guys..You either love or hate them but at least you will be in ones camp at least...
Keith and Earl have competed often in the past, but it was during an era when the two-shot/push-out rules were in effect for the game of 9-ball. Keith said that the East Coast guys couldn't beat the West Coast guys, and so they had to change the rules. He said when the rules were changed, 9-ball became more a game of luck, than a game of skill.
I personally have only seen Earl and Keith match up once in a tournament setting, and it was the finals of a Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour event in Rochester, New York. Somebody recorded the match, and I saw it for sale on eBay.
It was standing room only, and the place was packed. Sitting on the rail, I was a Nervous Nellie when the match commenced, but right from the get-go, Keith wasn't going to allow Earl to get upset. When Earl first arrived, he was a man on a mission, brandishing his game face, his piercing blue eyes fixated on the designated finals table.
Keith, on the other hand, was loose as a goose and, shall we say, feeling no pain. He was waiting for Earl, holding his one and only cue stick, looking like a tribal spear. The crowd was happy.
A few games into it, Earl Strickland looked as if he was actually enjoying himself. He and Keith both exchanged some funny quips. It was actually hard fought to the finish, though, and Keith gave Earl a good fight. He was one game away from clipping Earl's wings. Keith met up with Earl on the double hill, and it was Keith's break, not one of his strong suits.
The crowd was on their feet. Keith broke the balls and pocketed a couple, and then old whitey decided to take a turn for the worse and scratched. Earl couldn't get to the table quick enough to run out the remaining balls, and in the end, it was the mighty Pearl who triumphed.
Diana Hoppe was there and took some excellent group shots of the whole event at Classic Billiards in Rochester, New York. I think they can be viewed on AzBilliards Picture Section on the Main Page of the website. Those were some good times when I really did enjoy attending pool events.
Valley Forge is still up in the air with Keith, Marcus, but if we do go, I will most definitely see you at the action table pit!
Picture of Earl Strickland, Diana Hoppe, and Keith McCready below.
JAM
