Apparently you haven't read many of my posts on him. Do I "excuse" him because he has the talent he has to accomplish what he has? No. However, I do give him more leeway than your average player because of that talent. This "sport" needs that kind of talent, and he sure has it!
Now, why do so many expect and demand that he act "normal" when they know that he is not "normal"? Sorry, but that is just ignorant. Earl is NOT normal. His behavior shows that he is most likely bi-polar. Always has been. It's a handicap that he has to deal with and has played stellar pool all these years in spite of it! So far, he has been the only one able to do that! For that, my hat is off to him! He not only got all those titles, he did it with a mental handicap that prevents all others with that handicap from being able to do it.
I have a friend that is bi-polar. He is just an average decent player. Will never get much better than he is because of his problem, and he knows that and has accepted it. He is the nicest guy you would want to meet. But, as soon as the pressure gets going, things dramatically change. That pressure can just be not playing to his normal speed. He won't gamble, and rarely will enter a tournament because of what happens to him.
He goes from a nice, easy going guy, to instant anger that he cannot control very well at all. He will snap a thousand dollar cue in half without thinking about it at the time! (and $1k to him is a LOT of money!) He will start yelling at everyone, throwing stuff, ect. He has learned over time that when that "switch" in his head flips, it's time to quit. Doesn't matter if he is in the middle of a game, he will guit and walk away so he doesn't have to deal with what he turns into.
Because of that, he will never be a "player", and he just tries to play for "fun". Tries to get what enjoyment he can out of the game. He doesn't HAVE to keep playing because pool is not his livelihood.
I believe Earl has the same problem. I also believe that he exerts a lot of self control over what he REALLY wants to say and do at the time that "switch" flips over. For that, I give him credit. If he were to take meds to control it, from everything I have heard about the meds, he will never be able to play at a pro level on them. He would be "nice", but never win anything. So, that route is out the window.
He has been this way for 30 years now. People have dealt with it and put up with it all this time. Now, that he is essentially 50, people want to say "enough is enough" and force him to give up the only thing he knows how to do. Just because THEY don't want to watch his antics! Who are THEY that they should have ANY control over his career???? If you don't like to watch him, then DON'T WATCH HIM!
But, more people watch him than anyone else! Not just to see a train wreck, but because he is one of the ALL TIME BEST! He doesn't act like he does because he WANTS to. He does because he can't help it! Sure, he has ticked off fans wanting autographs, and that is really a shame. But, when he is on "tilt" mode, that is bound to happen. He can't turn that switch on and off at will like "normal" people can. And, when on tilt, just like my friend, he will go off on ANYONE within range. He cannot control that hardly at all.
I'd be VERY surprised if that when he is on tilt, and he is sitting in his chair with his hands on his head, he is trying everything he can to get his head under control. Many of you act like he WANTS to act like that. He doesn't. And, I feel that all those in the stands that taunt him to see if he will go on tilt are far worse than he is. They are the same kind of people that will throw stones at a dog on a leash to watch him get mad and not be able to get them back for it.
Heck, Earl even went as far as look like a fool wearing that headgear just to try and keep things under control. And, for the most part, they really helped. He was not able to hear as much from the sadist in the crowd, and was more able to keep his head under control. Just for being willing to do THAT he gets a lot of credit from me.
So many wanted to get down on Earl for supposedly making fun of the handicapped. Well, just what do you all think he is? Do you really think his handicap is any easier to deal with than Shane's handicap? NO WAY it is
!But, because it's a "mental" handicap instead of a "physical" handicap, you (the fans) think he is fair game to mock. That's just plain WRONG!
Now, I'm not saying he never purposely sharks anyone, of course he does. They ALL do it to some extent. Even Shane was doing it by touching the rack EVERY single time, even after being asked repeatedly not to. It's part of the game, and it's not going to go away.Deal with it, or don't be a pro.
I'm NOT saying that Earl should get a free pass to act anyway he wants because of his handicap. But, everyone he plays knows he has it, so they should deal with it appropriately. Shane did a very good job of that, IMO. Others, not so much. Archer making the You-tube video that he did, in my opion, was very low class. He's going to go out of his way to upset a guy with mental problems. Yeah, that's real professional! He's going to do on PURPOSE what Earl can't help but do. You better believe that Johnny wants a ref there just so he has a very good chance of getting Earl disqualified, and thereby winning that way. Smart way to get the cash, but pretty low at the same time. Yet, I'm sure people will applaud Johnny if he can pull that off.
, and all the quotes. It was great entertainment.
