My opinion about Earl and what he is doing to pool...

Hmmmm

cbi1000 said:
I'm sure he has, however if he has done so much then why doesn't he have 50 sponsors, why is this match not on TV where the big cash is, why isn't this bigger?

I believe with a different attitude he's world would be so much more.
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Dude, please get over your self and your simplistic reasoning. Here, chew on this for awhile, and I mean more than 2 minutes. Really soak it in.

Yeah, it's Earls fault pool is in its current state, and can't be part of olympics, or get TV rights, or get fans interested......

The NFL has this;

1. murderers
2. rapists
3. burglars
4. wife beaters
5. drug users
6. drug sellers
7. drug parties
8. hookers
9. gun toting thugs
10. Guy who drowned DOGS !!!!!

Yet, some how the NFL is a multi BILLION dollar business, sponsors galore, packed stadiums, guys earning 20 MIL per year, but Earl is holding pool back.. puhlease

Earl looks like a catholic school girl compared to this motley crew of NFL players !
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Dude, please get over your self and your simplistic reasoning. Here, chew on this for awhile, and I mean more than 2 minutes. Really soak it in.

Yeah, it's Earls fault pool is in its current state, and can't be part of olympics, or get TV rights, or get fans interested......

The NFL has this;

1. murderers
2. rapists
3. burglars
4. wife beaters
5. drug users
6. drug sellers
7. drug parties
8. hookers
9. gun toting thugs
10. Guy who drowned DOGS !!!!!

Yet, some how the NFL is a multi BILLION dollar business, sponsors galore, packed stadiums, guys earning 20 MIL per year, but Earl is holding pool back.. puhlease

Earl looks like a catholic school girl compared to this motley crew of NFL players !
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GREAT POST!!! I think all the Earl bashers gave him 20 games on the wire in this TAR match, so they are just venting:-)
 
justadub said:
I am not one to necessarily celebrate the bad boys of any sport. And I certainly don't appreciate playing in a sharking envirmonment myself. But I believe all this Earl bashing is a bit much. I think he adds some color and variety to something that can be quite boring to anyone who doesn't play the game. If you really want the sport to grow, you'd better hope we have more characters like Earl, or we'll be here in 20 years waiting for that growth.
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Yes Earl is a cheater! On National TV playing Charlie only a year or two ago Earl fouled a ball and when Charlie called him on it he said the ref didn't see it so it is a good shot. He KNEW he fouled, he knew he was trying to pull one over.

Then not soon after that you have John S. loose his first match at a big time tournament and instead of playing his second match on the B side he goes golfing.

Just saying if we had better examples setting the bar higher I think the game would be in a different place.
 
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Think that should about shut down the debate :O

ChicagoRJ said:
Dude, please get over your self and your simplistic reasoning. Here, chew on this for awhile, and I mean more than 2 minutes. Really soak it in.

Yeah, it's Earls fault pool is in its current state, and can't be part of olympics, or get TV rights, or get fans interested......

The NFL has this;

1. murderers
2. rapists
3. burglars
4. wife beaters
5. drug users
6. drug sellers
7. drug parties
8. hookers
9. gun toting thugs
10. Guy who drowned DOGS !!!!!

Yet, some how the NFL is a multi BILLION dollar business, sponsors galore, packed stadiums, guys earning 20 MIL per year, but Earl is holding pool back.. puhlease

Earl looks like a catholic school girl compared to this motley crew of NFL players !
Click to expand...
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Dude, please get over your self and your simplistic reasoning. Here, chew on this for awhile, and I mean more than 2 minutes. Really soak it in.

Yeah, it's Earls fault pool is in its current state, and can't be part of olympics, or get TV rights, or get fans interested......

The NFL has this;

1. murderers
2. rapists
3. burglars
4. wife beaters
5. drug users
6. drug sellers
7. drug parties
8. hookers
9. gun toting thugs
10. Guy who drowned DOGS !!!!!

Yet, some how the NFL is a multi BILLION dollar business, sponsors galore, packed stadiums, guys earning 20 MIL per year, but Earl is holding pool back.. puhlease

Earl looks like a catholic school girl compared to this motley crew of NFL players !
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Listen, i agree with you, for sports to get better you have to demand more from it's players. Our sport is pool, so why can't we demand more them them?
 
cbi1000 said:
Yes Earl is a cheater! On National TV playing Charlie only a year or two Earl fouled a ball and when Charlie called him on it he said the ref didn't see it so it is a good shot. He KNEW he fouled, he knew he was trying to pull one over.

Then not soon after that you have John S. loose his first match at a big time tournament and instead of playing his second match on the B side he goes golfing.

Just saying if we had better examples setting the bar higher I think the game would be in a different place.
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Really? Earl played on national TV last year? And that's how it went?

Curious. I think I might remember something like that having been a big deal here, were that to have happened. Maybe it did.
 
Neil said:
I've got to assume that you really aren't that naive, and are just taking another opportunity to bash Earl. So, since you have done so much more for pool than Earl has, why aren't YOU on t.v., and where are YOUR'E sponsors??
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Hmm, because i'm not that good....

It's just not Earl here, i'm saying we need more from the top players.

The players, including Earl, can't really be that naive, acting like that is doing what good for the sport? What good? I'm sure they could find many other ways to act to bring the sport further up.
 
justadub said:
Really? Earl played on national TV last year? And that's how it went?

Curious. I think I might remember something like that having been a big deal here, were that to have happened. Maybe it did.
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It happened....

I love pool. And i might be wrong here. Maybe if we had 30's guys acting like Earl there would be huge money dumping into the game. You never know.

I for one want to watch great pool, but missing a shot and yelling at the crowd, your opponent, breaking cues, is just flat at sharking and poor sportsmanship.

I just don't care to watch it.

I use to act in very similar ways, and it took me a long time to figure out that nothing good comes from it and i'm glad not to be that person.
 
I'm not a big fan of Earl's behavior either, but I'm not about to quit the game I love to play. At most I'd stop attending professional events, but probably I wouldn't even do that. Probably if Earl's match came on to the table I was sitting at and I didn't want to deal with him, I'd simply move to a seat at another table across the room. As great as he can be, Earl is not the only source for high quality pool.

And while I would also love to be able to watch the finals of a tournament LIVE in high def on TV every Sunday evening, the reason that isn't going to happen has nothing to do with players who behave like Earl does. The game as a spectator sport just does not appeal to non pool players. It also doesn't appeal to many who do play pool, judging by attendance at professional events that are held just down the hall from where thousands of amateurs are hanging out, or by the 100,000+ league players who couldn't even name 10 professionals. There just aren't enough of us left in the remaining population to make it economically realistic for TV. At this point in time anyway.

Simple as that. No more, no less.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
I'm not a big fan of Earl's behavior either, but I'm not about to quit the game I love to play. At most I'd stop attending professional events, but probably I wouldn't even do that. Probably if Earl's match came on to the table I was sitting at and I didn't want to deal with him, I'd simply move to a seat at another table across the room. As great as he can be, Earl is not the only source for high quality pool.

And while I would also love to be able to watch the finals of a tournament LIVE in high def on TV every Sunday evening, the reason that isn't going to happen has nothing to do with players who behave like Earl does. The game as a spectator sport just does not appeal to non pool players. It also doesn't appeal to many who do play pool, judging by attendance at professional events that are held just down the hall from where thousands of amateurs are hanging out, or by the 100,000+ league players who couldn't even name 10 professionals. There just aren't enough of us left in the remaining population to make it economically realistic for TV. At this point in time anyway.

Simple as that. No more, no less.
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Interesting, as the same time i read this I watching ESPN running the women's 9 ball on TV. Why are they there and not the men? Maybe they was the two genders handle themselves?

Not sure....
 
Aww-shucks!

JAM said:
I don't know, but I've been a member of this forum since 2004, been reading it since 2003

Never in the history of AzBilliards has there been a topic such as this recent Shane v. Earl match that has taken off like wildfire. One thread has 52,000-plus hits after two days, and it's still growing by leaps and bounds. This may be TAR's biggest match ever as far as sales and hits; subject to check, of course.

If anything, somebody should follow Earl Strickland around with a professional video camera around the country and film a reality show. Call it "On the Road with the Pearl." It just might be the boost that pool needs, as evidenced by the sudden interest in this recent match with Shane and Earl on the 10-footer.

Earl can be abrasive, but so can Rodney Dangerfield and Red Foxx; however, people enjoy watching.

When you least expect it, The Earl Strickland Show just might be coming to a neighborhood pool room nearby real soon. Stay tuned.... ;)
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Well, now there is an original idea!!!

"Live, form Greensboro, N.C.,
It's Saturday Night with Earl!"
Yeah, that might even make money! I mean after all "Big Time Wrestling" does! The sad thing for me is, that was some fantastic pool Saturday night. If you wanted to convey the essentials of safety play to a new player, that session was the one to watch! Tonight is likely to be a shoot out, all guns ablazin!!Possibly a SLUG FEST!

But you know what Jam? It saddens me, that every one is still focused on something, other than their fantastic play on that 10 footer!

In the midst of this though, you,ve come-up with an entertaining, and witty idea ! Something almost useful, from within all this "smash Earl banter!":poke:
 
cbi1000 said:
Interesting, as the same time i read this I watching ESPN running the women's 9 ball on TV. Why are they there and not the men? Maybe they was the two genders handle themselves?

Not sure....
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Nah, the reason women are there is because they actually have (had) an active tour and the tour pays them for the air time, or at least pays the production costs giving ESPN free programming to put on whenver they have otherwise idle time slots. Plus the network probably figures at least some men will at least tune in between ball games and during half times to look at girls bending over something. :rolleyes: Please note the sarcastic smiley.
 
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Hey i am new so if this isnt in the right spot i am sorry... anyways. i have always looked up to earl, I was brough up on how to be ethical at the table and respectfull of the person you are playing. even if you are sharking. Also do all your talking with your cue and your abilities. this is were i think earl needs to grow up and maby get on some meds.. I still like him as a player, he plays great, can't fault him for that. hes just like a guy on my leauge team. he hears, and thinks everyone is out to get him for whatever reason. and they know he cant shoot when he is mad so they do it on purpus.

i think we need to look at the other side of it as well. if you are a fan of the sport then respect the sport. dont talk to players when they shoot, dont talk crap when they are shooting. and if people realy hated to see earl play all mad and crazzy they wouldent say a dang word while he is shooting or cheer louder for shane. so in my opinnion they like seeing him like that. i admit pool is not very exciting for some. i think earl does need to grow up bit. But still keep the game exciting, that is what will help the sport, and these head to head maches with the greats of the game. make it fun, fair and exciting. The big money games will help to.
 
What league?

cbi1000 said:
As i posted earlier, these other leagues take actions for someones poor behavior. They do so because they know the league will suffer if they don't. Sponsors will drop out. So they fine, suspend, or kick people out for acting like jerks or cheating.

Lets all be real for one second. Lets say that pro players had their crap together and acted like professionals. Lets say they had a actual league that had some true sponsorship. Earl and shane would not be playing on the internet betting their own money. They'd have this match covered by TV and have real money given to the winner. NO JOKE. Lets remember Willie and fatty, on TV and not needing to beg a backer to put up their cash. Hmmm, why is that?

And you are correct, there are many who bring in more $$ then i do, but if you times me by 10,000 or more other people who move on like i do then the dollar amounts add up fast.
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The big difference of course is that pool has no formal league. No commissioner to impose such a fine or suspension. Earl does more to keep pool off of life support than anyone. Remember this event with SVB is a "gambling" match/exhibition. Gambling is expressly prohibited in other sports. Oh the purity of the NFL, NBA and MLB what with steroid abuse, HGH, alcohol and cocaine. Not to mention gun offenses rampant in the NBA and the NFL. Earl behaves more like Bill Murray entertaining the fans during a golf tournament than the gun toting NBA and NFL guys who bring shame to the game.
 
I'll never quit playing pool until God decides my body cant take it anymore. With my spinal disorder I have to take alot of pain pills and muscle relaxers just to play sets with someone or by myself. I could play as long as anyone when I was healthy. Since then, 3 or 4 hour sets is as far as my pills can get me before the pain is too bad and I have to shut it down for good or atleast take 2-3 hour breaks in between.

Now on Earl, yes his attitude and his baby like attitude I think hurts the game. Imagine if he broke his cue like he did in the Mosconi Cup (I think thats where he did it) big time sponsors would be embarrassed and pull out or just flat out not sponsor anything the next year. Your diehard pool companies wont go anywhere anyways, but the "outsiders" would not want to see Earl bickering with fans, slamming his cue, and almost coming to blows with opponents. I used to like Earl until he mishit a ball or something on ESPN one day and his opponent (might have been Mika, not really sure) jumped up to fuss to the ref about how Earl hit a wrong ball or something to the like and the TD asked Earl "did you do it" and Earl shook his head no and it was OBVIOUS! Thats when my hate towards him came. If I'm playing someone and double hit a ball before I get my cue out of the way I'll call it myself. I just cant cheat like that. Karma will come back to bite ya.
 
thought you guys get a kick out of my new pic.. and trying to see if it shows up sorry it off topic..
 
cbi1000 said:
So i read a bunch of posts about how people think Earl is good for the game, how earl generates interest in pool, how and why Earl should be on the cup team....

I KNOW Earl hurts pool, and he hurts it in the biggest spot, MONEY.
I have heard straight investors mouths that facts show people turn off the TV and stop attending events when participants act like Earl. Arguing with the crowd, cheating, confrontational with everyone, no concern for anyone in the room but himself...

Now there are some who will tune in to see this, but the majority do not.

In fact, i think I do more good for pool then Earl does.... Lets have a look:

What does Earl do good for the game:
1. Some people might tune in to see him lose
2.

What do i do that is good for the game:
1. I buy products. I but at least 4-6 cues a year. From production break cues to 5k customs. I have also helped friends and people new to pool spend they cash getting cues and cases.
2. I run tournaments, I encourage people to show up and play. And if someone starts acting like Earl i get them to calm down our out they go. Ive seen new players stop showing up due to azz's. So get rid of them and more players show up and pool grows.
3. I tune in. On TV and the internet.

Now things i see from Earl and other players who act like him has been pushing me to one thing, quit the sport and take up something else. Some might say go ahead and quit, no big deal. However people investing in billiards will care, i'm a 10k a year guy. If you take in the ripple effect that 10K probably goes upwards of 20k. There are lots of industries that would love my $$. I just entered my 40's and have some good years left on these tires. I do have to say 4 to 8 of my closest friends are getting very tired of how players like Earl act. So much so we are all considering selling off our gear and heading out to the golf course.

Just my .02

I do think if more professionals acted like professionals and not like Earl then the mens tour would be a lot further along then where it is now.

Watching Earl is embarrassing, as a pool player and a competitor.
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I can put everything you say exactly the same but the other way around and it works just fine, if not even better, I am not defending Earl or anything, its just the fact that his type of persona which can make more money in pool imo. people would bet more, laugh more, stay interest and keep watching if someone has a persona Like earl is on TV, not the other way around...

for example I get bored to death watching Ralf souqet play pool to the point where I either sleep on my chair, or maybe close the TV, but with Earl that never happens.

Think of it this way... in a perspective of a guy who doesn't know what pool is, or how to play it, just a viewer for a first timer, would he watch Ralf souqet play and bore him to death, or will he watch Earl, who makes comments, jokes, tense, drama, just think deep of this because that happened to me a couple of times with my father or friends who never watch pool before, They would really sit infront of the TV and watch Earl to see what he might do next.... but the same case happened to me on a match between Ralf and someone couple of months ago, My friends and my dad either ignore the match and chat, or just ask me to turn to another channel..... with Earl they never do this.... thats how you should see it, this is an evidence that a player like Earl can bring more audience to the game, a new audience that doesn't even watch pool, ergo brings more sponsor, ergo brings more money....


just like when you see couple of decades ago and how Alex was to tense into snooker, with his comments and all, it made snooker bigger game, same goes to golf with tiger woods, or with tennis and the player that swears to the referee all the time, Those type of people really made their game much bigger than what it really was.

therefore I disagree with all you said, put more of Earl into TV, and it'll be bigger sport.
 
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