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fti
Guest
Earl's attitude sucks. He's got incredible talent. But his attitude sucks.
HIS attitude sucks? Not always, friend.
Earl is high strung. So what?
When you have that much talent, and it's all curled up inside and your trying so hard not to let you friends or yourself down, most anything will bother you. So WHAT?
Play him some 9-BALL, and see how you take the hecklers and take the heat when you dog it, [or just miss a ball and someone laughs at you].
HOW WOULD YOU ACT??????
Earl, can gripe, bitch and do whatever, it's a BLAST to watch him run out and out and out...........and he's done it to all of them..................
blud
Earl is high strung. So what?
When you have that much talent, and it's all curled up inside and your trying so hard not to let you friends or yourself down, most anything will bother you. So WHAT?
Play him some 9-BALL, and see how you take the hecklers and take the heat when you dog it, [or just miss a ball and someone laughs at you].
HOW WOULD YOU ACT??????
Earl, can gripe, bitch and do whatever, it's a BLAST to watch him run out and out and out...........and he's done it to all of them..................
blud
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fti
Guest
Yep he's a good player allright, no doubt about it.
But let's not forget what being a professional is all about. As a professional you have to be able to stand up to pressure, hecklers and all. Like it or not.
fti
But let's not forget what being a professional is all about. As a professional you have to be able to stand up to pressure, hecklers and all. Like it or not.
fti
F
fti
Guest
Weak poll, granted.
Sure, let's compound the issue of Earl's attitude with 9-11. How refreshing it is to tell people to shut up whenever something doesn't suit them.
Sure, let's compound the issue of Earl's attitude with 9-11. How refreshing it is to tell people to shut up whenever something doesn't suit them.
i used to feel the same way. i thought he acted like a jerk. but i got a chance to watch him in atlantic city and,,,,,he is dedicated, concerned about getting things right, and just overall more intense about the game of billiards that others. i respect that. he is most concerned about seeing that the game is performed at its highest level.
of course, he won't get away with his attitude in world competition. they'll shut him up and never invite him again.
of course, he won't get away with his attitude in world competition. they'll shut him up and never invite him again.
Earl is a very complex person. He will be respected for his game hundreds of years from now. He is one of the finest pool players in the history of billiards. This forum is not here to bash anyones game and not for nasty insults from sour people. I hope it is pulled off the site.
You go Gremlin! Another award winning picture!
Eydie Romano
You go Gremlin! Another award winning picture!
Eydie Romano
Earl's rotten attitude usually only exists in the minds of small men who are jealous of his talent. Everybody gets PO'ed when things are not going exactly their way. But compared to baseball players Earl is mother theresa. His banter with the crowd is his shtick, and he is good at it. he's the Don Rickles of the pool crowd. And if you can't take it go back to your sewing. Jake
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jjinfla, couldn't have said it better!
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fti
Guest
Didn't mean to piss people off. So my humble apologies for the weak poll.
fti
fti
Notice how its "always" the europeons" that are getting money from the UN and the USA when they need help?
And, did you ever notice how much the "europeons" help other countries?
And, did you ever notice that Pool Players always bitch about never getting a 'roll'?
Somethings never change.
If I am to be called an 'elitist american' its got to be better than being called a 3rd world country.
I am so lucky I live in the USA.. where I can play pool. Anytime, Anywhere and not be attacked by 'europeon' railbirds..
And, did you ever notice how much the "europeons" help other countries?
And, did you ever notice that Pool Players always bitch about never getting a 'roll'?
Somethings never change.
If I am to be called an 'elitist american' its got to be better than being called a 3rd world country.
I am so lucky I live in the USA.. where I can play pool. Anytime, Anywhere and not be attacked by 'europeon' railbirds..
It's not that you "pissed anybody off", but Earl has posted on this forum before and has been very polite and respectful to everybody. He is by far the greatest 9 ball player of the past 25 years and desreves the respect that comes with that accomplishment. Everybody has character flaws, nobody is perfect. How would you feel if others judged you according to one aspect of your personality and then created an internet poll about it? Chances are that you would be less than thrilled about it. I'm sure if you met Earl Strickland got to know the man away from the table, you would definitely change your stance concerning his attitude. Earl Strickland is a winner, plain and simple. When you understand the drive that is behind that fact, you will understand Earl Strickland and see that what you are calling a "bad attitude" is actually undying determination.
Attachments
Adanac67 said:
I'm wondering if Earl was from Canada, if this statement would still be posted?
Earl Strickland is a champion pool player and has an attitude. So what? This isn't anything new in the world of sports.
Once in the public's eye, sports champs are always picked on. Maybe just for something to talk about.
I would be very proud to ask Earl into my home. Away from the pool table Earl is one fine human being.
At the pool table.. he is DOOM..
Tom In Cincy said:
Strickland is indefensible whether he be american, Canadian, French, Iraqi whatever. A waste of skin is a waste of skin. Nationality has nothing to do with it.
Earl is NOT one fine human being. Earl has mental problems that he has needed to sort out for a long time and he isn't getting any better with age.
K
knudsenjj
Guest
I have read in here where a lot of people think that Earl Stricklands attitude is unprofessional. My two cents worth would be; what isn't professional about his attitude? So what if he blows off a little steam once in a while. Who wouldn't. Take a look at all of your professional sports and I don't think you can find one who doesn't have players that get emotional during play. I think what he does is nothing like what we see every day from professional athletes who get pampered and payed millions. Earl Strickland and the other Pro Pool Players that we enjoy watching play get payed penuts and you think they should be kicked out of a tournement because they get pissed off? What about holding the fans accountable when they get out of line? I haven't seen anyone think that the way the crowd treats the players was wrong. Well I do. I was pissed off myself while watching the quarter finals match between Strickland and Davis in this years WPC. Davis misses a really easy shot and yes Earl did jump up and yell out "He dogged it". The fact of the matter is that it wasn't during the shot and the table now belonged to him. So how do the courtious fans treat him? Someone actually had the nerve to yell out and call him a cheat. I about went through the roof. And that was just one example, the crowd was on Stricklands back from the start. How about showing some professionalism as a spectator and giving respect where its due. At the time Earl "The Pearl" Strickland was the World Champion. Is that how you treat a champion? Well I guess to sum it up, the way he acts during a match is just the way he acts. The same way we all do when something pisses us off or makes us happy. What makes him so bad for acting the same way we all have at one time or another. I sure know that as shitty as I play I have lost my cool a time or two.
Here in central Florida we get many Canadians come and visit us. The locals have a saying about them. They come here with a nice clean shirt and a crisp $20.00 bill, and while here never change either. Oh yeah, they pass off their coins for US coins which is out and out stealing.
When I play, the only thought on my mind when I am sitting in the chair is for my opponent to miss so I can get back to the table. If I would happen to be in the finals of a big match and it was hill hill and my opponent hung the case 9 in the pocket you would hear a shout of joy from me. Although my mind would be saying "be cool Jake, be cool". LOL I suppose you guys would say something condescending like, "gee, how did you miss that shot" or" thought you had me there". Or the real liberals would tell him to go ahead and take the shot over. LOL Yeah, right.
Saw Mika on TV jump up and run to the table when his opponent missed a shot. Almost pushed the guy out of the way. Even the commentators commented about how fast he went to the table.
That's pool guys.
Jake
When I play, the only thought on my mind when I am sitting in the chair is for my opponent to miss so I can get back to the table. If I would happen to be in the finals of a big match and it was hill hill and my opponent hung the case 9 in the pocket you would hear a shout of joy from me. Although my mind would be saying "be cool Jake, be cool". LOL I suppose you guys would say something condescending like, "gee, how did you miss that shot" or" thought you had me there". Or the real liberals would tell him to go ahead and take the shot over. LOL Yeah, right.
Saw Mika on TV jump up and run to the table when his opponent missed a shot. Almost pushed the guy out of the way. Even the commentators commented about how fast he went to the table.
That's pool guys.
Jake
Blackjack said:
Blackjack,
Earl has posted here and I've read some of those posts. He has said some nice things about tournament directors and I cannot disagree with what you said about his posts. However, I haven't read any peoples' posts describing any problems he may have with the way he posts messages in this forum. I haven't read anything about him being a lousy player either. I have seen Earl do some things in tournaments, though, that are not appropriate and some of those behaviors are contrary to the written rules of the tournament. His behaviors at many of the tournaments he plays are apparently inappropriate according to a lot of people posting. However, I do think that the people running the tournaments have some culpablility too. They should consistently enforce their rules irregardless of whose breaking them. I'm sure if this would happen, it would help change the way Earl, and others behave in tournaments. When I watch the women play on TV, the thing I notice that I don't usually see in the mens' tournamnents is the way the women act when the match is over. They hug one another or shake hands with a genuine look of friendship or good will. I saw Earl refuse to shake the opponent's hand after a televised tournament.
I'm sure that Earl is probably like many competitors in other sports such as John Mc Enroe, Eli Nastasse and others but that doesn't excuse their behaviors. I really think we as fans should expect that the officials of all sporting events run those events in such a way that inappropriate behaviors by the participants is deemed as unacceptable. There is nothing wrong with being competitive but there is something very wrong with the attitude of winning at any cost. I wouldn't want to win if I had to break the rules to do so. I get the feeling that Earl and others like him feel that winning at any cost is okay. Berating your opponent while they are playing just isn't acceptable. Someone said that if you could clone ten effrens, pool would have million dollar tournaments. I agree with that because Effren wins or loses with grace. Most of us have some of Earl's behaviors in us, I know I do, and I wish I could be more like Effren and less like Earl.