It's Earl again!

Maybe I have not seen that side of Earl come out as much as some people! I was only stating my opinion according to what I've seen, and apparently you guys have seen more than I have and put me in my place! That's okay, I have no problem admitting I might be wrong with some of my thoughts. But I do believe this, pool needs a boost of some kind in the US! There has to be something/one out there to put pool up in the spot light, at least up there with Tennis. Not necessarily with Golf or NBA, not yet anyway!

Zim
 
I am surprised that Charlie hasn't jumped in here to set you guys straight because at his last three events, where people paid to get in, he encouraged the fans to get involved with the players and cheer them on. The louder the better. And encouraged interaction between fans and players. Even rewarded the fans who made the most noise with raffle tickets. And I believe he has the right idea. He was trying to make it a show and let the fans enjoy themselves because he knows that the only way to make money in this game is to get people to fill the seats and pay for them. And every single player joked and interacted with the fans. At least the players who count and played on the front tables. Jake
 
I see a lot of similarities between golf and pool. For instance, in both sports, the player plays the course or the table and not the other player. Additionally, both sports are played by millions of people on a daily basis. In golf, when the other player is addressing the ball, it is expected that those around him keep the mouths shut, and that includes the fans. I believe most pool players feel the same way when they are addressing the cue ball. This is probably where the similarities end unfortuanately. The top golfers make millions whereas the top pool players make thousands. Golf gets major televison exposure at prime times unlike pool that is only on ESPN and at weird times. Golf gets live TV covereage and I don't believe pool ever has with the exception of the last US open, right? Therefore, I don't think Charlie is headed in the right direction. Instead of striving to become more like the WWF or reality TV, I think it would be wise to try to emulate golf. Clean the game of pool up and disallow behaviors such as Earl's. I really think that's the way to go in mho.
 
Maybe Earl has A.D.D.
I'm sure he's a nice guy but when he plays, he's just bitchy, does he have P.M.S. or something? Complains to much, and no one likes a complainer. He complains about jump-cues when he uses all these gadgets...wats up with the Finger extension? is there a rule on that? And wats with the sun-glasses? Is the light too bright for him? I think he used a mini handheld electric fan ones. Wonder wut else he has in is 'bag of tricks'.
I don't understand how some people try to defend his actions, why is it because he's a fellow American? Or maybe he won soo many titles. I could careless about the titles, if you act all bitchy all the time then it's not the title people will see or remember, but just the constant bitchin. In baseball, if you bitch all the time at the umpire you get tossed out. Maybe they should imply the same rule in pool.
 
DoomCue said:
I've seen Earl play many times in person, and there's always an incident. He's a habitual offender who has never had to suffer the consequence of his actions. In fact, he's rewarded by people kissing his ass, which just perpetuates his behavior. If it were anybody but Earl, this topic wouldn't even have presented itself. Is he supposed to be above reproach simply because he's a great player? Do rules and morality not apply to him? If we were talking about Charlie Williams committing these acts, people from this forum would want to lynch him. Why is the attitude different because it's Earl?

djb
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Who's fault is it if none of the tournament promoters, directors, or player organizations don't discipline the players? Earl is Earl, and he will always be Earl. That is a fact of life! Should we just ignore that the responsibility lies in the hands of the people that participate in his antics either passively by letting him get away with his outbursts, or actively by becoming involved in his transgression?
 
Originally posted by Rick W.:
"I recently watched a match between Morro Paez and Alex Pagulian at Hardtimes in Sacramento. Both players were perfect gentlemen. They were a pleasure to watch. I prefer to believe these players and players like them are the future of pool."

Originally posted by AzHousePro:
"Love them or hate them, Earl and Keither the Ether are the two players that the fans want to watch. They both played at the Open last year and everyone always wanted to know what tables they were playing on before they took their seats."

Originally posted by Rick W.:
"When Keith is playing and talking while he's playing, as far as I know, that's okay. I'm not trying to take all the drama out of this game. I just think the rules should be enforced consistently."

Wow, what a great thread. The World Pool Championship was great, too. I hope Earl is enjoying his win to the top four. If it couldn't be Earl, I was hoping to see Alex win first place because, although he is a Canadian, he attends a lot of U.S. tournaments and this young man has charisma, he's funny, and he is probably one of the most talented players in the world today.

The quoted posts above remind me of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but which of the above-referenced players are the good, the bad, and the ugly? (PLEASE, NO PLAYER BASHING in forming your conclusion.)

I hope Earl is out there celebrating his win. He really is a decent human being, in case any folks think otherwise. There can be a lot of mitigating circumstances at venues, unknown to the TV or tournament audience, i.e., unknown rules enforced on Rodney for laying his cue on the table at the World Pool Championship and losing a game.

I hope tournament directors, promoters, and tour admin folks read forums like these and realize the importance of adherence to existing rules, and if a rule like mum pool is needed, if this is REALLY what the pool public wants, then these rules should be mandatory and strictly enforced. Unfortunately, rules are bent for some players, but where do you draw the line? I, for one, don't want to watch mum pool.

Good or bad, Earl is an American living legend, and I will still look for Earl's table when he is competing at a tournament coming to my town.

ManlyShot
 
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Mr Joseph............

"Does Earl bring in the fans?" Your quote was " I DOUBT it."

Did you say that??



Are you friggin' CRAZY????



Man, what rock did you grow up under?

And you try to sell sticks??

Cut your OWN throat, why don't ya'??

Atleast I have heard about Earl, ....Joseph cues........I'm wonderin' about!

How in the world could you make such a statement??


Ask ANY of the promoters, and I think they all will tell you EARL is number 1 on their list. BIGGEST DRAW on the PLANET!

Give the guy his credit, and quit ramblin'!!!!!!


Rixxx
 
I'm glad to see a little more views on this whole matter. When I had posted a couple of days ago putting Earl down, all I got was negative feedback. In summation Earl may have his problems but he is American (so that made it ok), he's a great player (so that makes it ok), Europeans always complain (so Earl can do anything), attitude is refreshing in the post 9-11 world (so Earl should be forgiven since thousands of innocent lives have been lost)..... I had started to lose hope. Thanks to DoomCue and the like, this discussion is starting to center around the REALL ISSUE - POOL!

Notice how all the arguments above had nothing to do with pool except for Earl being a great player.

I am all for a strict enforcement of the rules. The game of pool is far bigger and more important than Earl. It'll be around long after he retires. We're priveledged enough to be able to see the game we love grow, internationally and not just in the States. It's pretty much up to this generation of pool enthousiasts to elevate the game to the appreciation and recognition we know it deserves.
 
I am devoting way too much time on this but I do think it is important to articulate my point clearly. In sports that are way more successful than pool, golf for instance, behaviors exhibited by some pool players, Earl being one of them, are simply not tolerated period! Is this difficult for some of you to understand? And, when there are rules established to ensure this kind of behavior doesn't occur, why would anyone condone it? Am I writing this understandable english? I love to debate and would love to do so with a few of you face to face but you have to be armed with some kind of logic. I haven't seen a logical argument defending Earl other than he draws people to the tournaments. My rebuttal to that is, what fans? Just how many fans are we talking about here? Do any of you think any tournament could fill any professional football stadium? Think about any tournament you've been to and compare the crowd to any major sporting event. Your argument doesn't hold water. Find another argument worthy of debate and I'll be happy to debate with you. Earl is a great pool player, no doubt about it. But, he exhibits behaviors when he's playing that are patently unacceptable, and not just by me but also by the rules that govern those tournaments. Debate that!
 
Hey Rick W

RULES?

What specific rule are you talking about? Tell me.............


I can tell you never have never attended a touny with Earl playing in it. "Some" of the fans (The ones drinking the 40 oz) can sure get on him. They know they are going to get a response from him. And they continue until they do.

That's what's wrong with pool! The promoters should kick people out, after the FIRST outburst. Not warn them, and wait for another episode to begin. Or another IDIOT to start in. Usually they will try to warn them once, and wait for another episode before 86 ing them.

That was the case for the 2002 U.S. Open. First one drunk started whistling when Earl missed a shot. Earl confronted the guy (while playing) By that time seeing the guy got away with it, some more people chirped in. (All behind the lights of course!)


When we have drunks and bums deciding the outcome of the tournys, it's a shame!

Rick S
 
Re: Hey Rick W

Rick S. said:
RULES?

What specific rule are you talking about? Tell me.............


I can tell you never have never attended a touny with Earl playing in it. "Some" of the fans (The ones drinking the 40 oz) can sure get on him. They know they are going to get a response from him. And they continue until they do.

That's what's wrong with pool! The promoters should kick people out, after the FIRST outburst. Not warn them, and wait for another episode to begin. Or another IDIOT to start in. Usually they will try to warn them once, and wait for another episode before 86 ing them.

That was the case for the 2002 U.S. Open. First one drunk started whistling when Earl missed a shot. Earl confronted the guy (while playing) By that time seeing the guy got away with it, some more people chirped in. (All behind the lights of course!)


When we have drunks and bums deciding the outcome of the tournys, it's a shame!

Rick S
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But why is it that the 'drunks' just pick on Earl then....there must be a reason for that.
 
a few people are bringing up patriotism. i root for great pool. i root for players who's charisma lies in the game they play, not in what they have to say.

i root for efrem and busta. their style and presense at the table is intoxicating. i root for alex cuz that little guy can friggin' shoot. i like oliver when he's strokin'. and mika's got a beautiful stroke that engages me into playing some pool.

earl's style is too bland for me. i don't get jazzed about playing after i watch him.
 
Quote Cardinal Syn: But why is it that the 'drunks' just pick on Earl then....there must be a reason for that.
_________

You need an excuse to explain anything drunks do? they are simple minded idiots and should be shown the door. In their drunken stupor they think they can play better then a pro and are jealous of his skill. And do anything to ruin his game.

But Earl is the target just because he is so good. It is the old American Way to root for the underdog.

Jake
 
"RULES?

What specific rule are you talking about? Tell me.............


I can tell you never have never attended a touny with Earl playing in it. "Some" of the fans (The ones drinking the 40 oz) can sure get on him. They know they are going to get a response from him. And they continue until they do."


Rick S,

Rules? Well, I don't know if you've ever been to the Reno Regency Sands tournament or not but I have on many occasions, and so has Earl. Just a couple of the rules state that when your opponent is shooting, you are suppose to sit in one of the chairs provided and keep your mouth shut. I haven't been to any big time tournaments in Arizona so I don't know what your rules are. I would be amazed if they are not similar. The rules I mentioned above have been broken by Earl at least once or twice, if not more every time he I have been there. Like Cardinal said above, Earl has a reputation that doesn't help when drunks are around while he's playing. He's become a target and it is mostly the cause of his own doing.

If you read my posts on this, I think you'll see that I'm fairly consistent. I think Earl is a great and gifted player. I would love to see him stop his negative behaviors and just do what he does best, shoot great pool. And, I'm not singling him out on this. I think anyone who acts out in a negative way should suffer consequences. These consequences should be consistently applied to anyone who breaks the rules.
 
RickW said:
"I would love to see him stop his negative behaviors and just do what he does best, shoot great pool. And, I'm not singling him out on this. I think anyone who acts out in a negative way should suffer consequences. These consequences should be consistently applied to anyone who breaks the rules."

Well said. I am a fan of earl's amazing talent as well, and it is because of his contributions to the game that makes his outbursts all the more unbearable. If he was some meteoric player of no consequence I think no one would care so much. But he is a legend, and as such represents the game with every word out of his mouth, appropriate or not.

Roger
 
here's a question to ponder.......

would earl shoot like earl if he shuts up? would he shoot better? or would he shoot worse?

for instance, i think vivian would shoot worse if she changed her animated style at the table because it's just part of her personality. and i think jeanette would shoot better if if she didn't play to the crowd because it's all part of an act.
 
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jjinfla said:
Quote Cardinal Syn: But why is it that the 'drunks' just pick on Earl then....there must be a reason for that.
_________

You need an excuse to explain anything drunks do? they are simple minded idiots and should be shown the door. In their drunken stupor they think they can play better then a pro and are jealous of his skill. And do anything to ruin his game.

But Earl is the target just because he is so good. It is the old American Way to root for the underdog.

Jake
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that's not my point...i'm wasn't trying to give excuses to the drunks. How come i don't see anyone bugging Efren or any other players wether drunk or not. My point is most people hates Earl and he did it to himself by continously acting inappropriate/unproffesional all the time. You're telling me that i gives drunks excuses at wut they do? Why is it that people keeps giving Earl excuses, why it's because he's won countless titles is that it, or is because he's American. Seems to me that it's mostly if not just the Americans that's giving excuses to Earls actions. If a fellow Canadian acted like that or a Filipino i wouldn't be ignoring it nor be giving excuses. I would be embarass.
 
bruin70 said:
here's a question to ponder.......

can earl shoot like earl if he shuts up? can he shoot better? or will he shoot worse?

for instance, i think vivian would shoot worse if she changed her animated style at the table because it's just part of her personality. and i think jeanette would shoot better if if she didn't play to the crowd because it's all part of an act.
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yeah but when those people do it it's fine and it's in a more professional manner. THey ain't bitchin all the time nor telling the crowds to shut up. They are enjoying it. Unlike Earl he's always moody, does he have P.M.S.? You never know if he's gonna clap if his opponent makes a good shot or start complaining about something.
 
I just have a few quick things I'd like to ask. One being Earl has played this way at the professional ranks for what?, something like 24 or 25 years? If his attitude was such a detriment to the game why is he still playing? If his "attitude" was so bad for the game don't you think that someone would have addressed it way before now offically? To me it seems that somewhere the powers that be(and there seems to be a lot of them with the number of tours and leagues that are around) would have addressed this issue by now but haven't for the simple fact that he draws needed attention to the sport. What percentage of draw would be lost is you started banning him from play or kicking him out of tournements because of the way he plays and even if there are those that think that the percentage would be small, how much of a percentage could an already small drawing sport take. I look at it this way, let the man play the way he plays. I actually believe 100% without a doubt that if Earl ever crossed the line to the point where action needed to be taken it would, but he hasn't so there has been no action..other than on the table. And secondly, has any of the people in this forum actually played against this man? I personally would think I would have to be at the table stick to stick with the man to draw any kind of conclusion as to wether or not the way he plays bothers me. From a spectators view I think that if everyone played with no emotion or color and everone acted exactly the same the game would be black and white to me, dull. The eqivilent to watching grass grow, and since watching grass grow isn't high on my list of must do's I'm not sure if I would have that much interest in pool either.
 
Hey, Earl is a great player. I don't think anyone is disputing that. The fact that he is a great player gives tournament directors reason to pause before taking any negative action against him. That doesn't make it right though. As far as him being a big draw in a sparsly attended sport, maybe one of the reasons it is so sparsly attended is because of him and others like him. I compared pool to golf in an earlier post, perhaps you should read it. I enjoy watching Kieth play because Keith talks a lot of smack but he isn't tearing his opponent down. I've watched the Texas Tornado play too and I think she's teetering on the line but I haven't seen her tear an opponent down yet. To me, tearing your opponent down is crossing the line. That's what Earl has done and apparently continues to do on occasion. You said that maybe he needs to do that to play at the level he's been able to play at. Is that fair to his opponents? If it is, then his opponents should be able to engage in the same behavior. Can you see two players on TV tearing each other down when the other player is playing? I wouldn't want to watch that. It wouldn't take long for it to become a fist fight. We might as well be watching the WWF then.
 
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