I must have watched this live 10 years ago, but forgot it. Thanks for linking it! I just watched 10 minutes of what you linked, followed immediately by the start of the soft break, and Earl walking off against it in the Camel final.
I recall at the time I was at Drexeline Billiards, which was the home room of Corey. I didn't know him, as he had just moved to Ohio when I started coming in there. But I recall the counterman was quite upset that Earl quit on Corey, on Corey's first televised event, in a finals. I kind of had the same opinion, (I guess his rubbed off on me...). Now, listening to Archer's side of the story, I can see why Earl walked off.