Question for Earl Strickland

MikeJanis said:
1st of all, I don't hate Earl and would never bash/snub him. Earl has been one of the most contriversial and greatest players in our sport and I don't hate him for it. In fact, I love it! However, I do think Earl should be more respectfull to his sopponents. Earl has probably been passed over in the hall of fame because of his disrespect for his opponents and his attitude during match play.

If you beat Earl, he should congratulate you because you practiced as hard as you could and you out-ran the nuts. Earl should should not ridicule you because you played by the current rules and overcame a big deficit. He needs to continue to work on this.

Earl, I have seen you as a gentleman and an A-hole. The gentleman suits you better. Please understand that all any palyer wants is to beat you, and you should respect them for that. They have to try very hard to get there.

Mj
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Every professional athlete isn't a candidate for the Bobby Jones award, and you have players like Earl throughout ALL sports. Any reason why your words of advice couldn't have gone in a PM or eyeball to eyeball conversation?
 
Blackjack said:
(snip)

I have never understood alternating break as anything more than a stopper for guys like Earl or Johnny. I know what its like to sit in the electric chair watching them run a 6 pack on you, and its no fun. But hey, to me that's just pool. I watched Danny Medina back in 1989 string 8 & 9 packs together (back to back) on a bar box at the Huebler tournament in Colorado Springs, I saw Earl's Million Dollar match against Nick Mannino at CJ's, and I'd love to start seeing stuff like that happen again on the tours. That's the stuff that makes our players legends. Why prevent that from occurring?
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Why? Because that, too, can be boring. Especially if I've come to watch BOTH players play a match. If I want to see continous runouts, I'll gamble or watch a great player practice....or watch myself--lol.

I know you've got much more experience in pool than I, so I'm talking from an average sports spectator's viewpoint.

Think of any other sport. What if...what if everytime a basketball team made a basket they would get the ball back again so the fans could see them string together a 6 pack, or whatever. Or imagine the Super Bowl with the scoring team getting the ball right back to try to score again. Would this make those games better for the fans? I think not.

The only fair and spectator friendly method is for loser to break. Let me see a match, not a practice session.

Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
Think of any other sport. What if...what if everytime a basketball team made a basket they would get the ball back again so the fans could see them string together a 6 pack, or whatever. Or imagine the Super Bowl with the scoring team getting the ball right back to try to score again. Would this make those games better for the fans? I think not.

The only fair and spectator friendly method is for loser to break. Let me see a match, not a practice session.

Jeff Livingston
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OK, I've thought of a couple other sports. Boxing, extreme fighting, and olympic style wrestling.

Sure, you might tune in or go to see it live expecting two people to do battle with each other like in pool. However, one combatant might just be too strong, too fast, or too skilled and the other one can't hardly do a thing and gets pummeled. So what...that's part of the sport also and those blood letting matches can be equally as exciting. It's not horrible to see one opponent totally dominate another in a match. Otherwise...watch tennis or ping pong where you can see them go back and forth. (did I leave out badminton?)
 
drivermaker said:
OK, I've thought of a couple other sports. Boxing, extreme fighting, and olympic style wrestling.

Sure, you might tune in or go to see it live expecting two people to do battle with each other like in pool. However, one combatant might just be too strong, too fast, or too skilled and the other one can't hardly do a thing and gets pummeled. So what...that's part of the sport also and those blood letting matches can be equally as exciting. It's not horrible to see one opponent totally dominate another in a match. Otherwise...watch tennis or ping pong where you can see them go back and forth. (did I leave out badminton?)
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Yeah, nothing like sitting down with a bag-o-chips and a beer to watch a boxing match, e.g., and then have it end in the first round before the beer is half drunk. Exciting....NOT!

It's great if it's YOUR guy doing the pummeling, but it ain't great for spectators as a whole. And for anyone who hasn't been paying attention: spectators (ergo, money) are what's missing from pool.

OK, I won this argument, so it's my turn again to post. You just sit there quietly in your chair until I'm done posting.

Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
Yeah, nothing like sitting down with a bag-o-chips and a beer to watch a boxing match, e.g., and then have it end in the first round before the beer is half drunk. Exciting....NOT!

It's great if it's YOUR guy doing the pummeling, but it ain't great for spectators as a whole. And for anyone who hasn't been paying attention: spectators (ergo, money) are what's missing from pool.

OK, I won this argument, so it's my turn again to post. You just sit there quietly in your chair until I'm done posting.

Jeff Livingston
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I was thinking more in terms of a multiple round pummeling, although the one round knockouts do occur. In Mike Tyson's heyday he was knocking them ALL out in 1-3 rounds and it didn't hurt attendance. That's actually what they came to see. It was disappointing to see it drag on.

There are a wide variety of reasons why spectators are missing from pool other than winner breaks.

Are you sure you won that round? OK...I'll sit it out anyway...let me have your beer. :D
 
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sniper said:
Blackjack, that first picture of Earl is awesome! Where did you get it?
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I can't remember where I got that picture. Its been two years since I posted it. Probably from this site. Great picture though, isn't it?
 
sniper said:
Blackjack, that first picture of Earl is awesome! Where did you get it?
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That surely is from the Matchroom site. Some beer company sponsored the WPC the year Earl won (2002 IIRC) when he won the final against Bustamante.
 
You think that picture is great you outa see the one of Earl taken 15 minutes later when the glass was empty~
 
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