Should Earl be in the 2017 Mosconi Cup?

Should Earl be in the 2017 Mosconi Cup

  • Total voters
    223
  • Poll closed .
skip100 said:
Earl just scratched and raked 8 balls against Corey Deuel with Corey needing only 2 games to win the match.

Anyone who pulls that kind of stunt as often as Earl does should not be on the Mosconi Cup team.
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This is exactly why I voted no. I understand that Earl has gotten himself into great shape. There are one or two people here who seem to believe he has turned over a new leaf emotionally, but I suspect that is largely from watching him win the recent bar box tourney in MD. Well, it is easy to look like you have your emotions under control when you are winning.

The Mosconi Cup is a ridiculously high pressure situation and with the US's losing streak, it is amped up even more. We need players who will look for any possible way to win when the chips are down. We need players who can take their emotions and funnel them in a way that make them, and the team, better. Raking 8 balls after a scratch on the break is just looking to lose. Giving up the last 5 is just giving up. I would venture a bet that neither of those actions were done while sporting an attitude of "I'm under control" as well.

As much as I respect Earl as a player for everything he has done, he needs to create a new, long pattern of demonstrating he is in control of his emotions before he is considered for any team like the Mosconi Cup, where there are wild swings in short sets, every ball matters and every team member needs to behave in a way that brings the team together.
 
BassMasterK said:
This is exactly why I voted no. I understand that Earl has gotten himself into great shape. There are one or two people here who seem to believe he has turned over a new leaf emotionally, but I suspect that is largely from watching him win the recent bar box tourney in MD. Well, it is easy to look like you have your emotions under control when you are winning.

The Mosconi Cup is a ridiculously high pressure situation and with the US's losing streak, it is amped up even more. We need players who will look for any possible way to win when the chips are down. We need players who can take their emotions and funnel them in a way that make them, and the team, better. Raking 8 balls after a scratch on the break is just looking to lose. Giving up the last 5 is just giving up. I would venture a bet that neither of those actions were done while sporting an attitude of "I'm under control" as well.

As much as I respect Earl as a player for everything he has done, he needs to create a new, long pattern of demonstrating he is in control of his emotions before he is considered for any team like the Mosconi Cup, where there are wild swings in short sets, every ball matters and every team member needs to behave in a way that brings the team together.
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You bring up some good points.

Here's my thought. Competing in a tournament where players are allowed to concede balls on the table to their opponents is commonplace in local and regional tournaments.

Not so in Mosconi Cup. Earl won't be raking balls up in the Cup. He will fight tooth and nail to the last pocketed ball. You can't compare the Maryland 10-Ball Championship or the Don Coates Memorial Tournament to the Mosconi Cup. Two completely different venues and competitions.

That said, I'm grateful to have both the Maryland 10-Ball Championship and Don Coast Memorial Tournament on the East Coast. We need more tournaments like this for the pool peeps.

To not have Earl Strickland at the Cup with a European coach, to boot, is just not right. Johann does seem like a very wonderful person, with a lot of talent. I just think Earl would help balance things. Our American players don't have a rapport with Johann -- yet -- though I hope they develop one. How can they have a rapport when we don't even know who the Team USA members will be?

Put Earl Strickland on Team USA! He belongs there!
 
Chuck Fields said:
Love Earl as a person and as a player, Ive admired his game for years. :thumbup:

To answer the question though, no, he should not be on the team.

Is he still capable of getting it on, damn right he is. But that is a gamble that should not be taken IMO.
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Actually, a "gamble" is exactly what we need. The last 7 years or so were not pretty. At this point, something needs to change. I still like to watch, but if Earl plays, I'm flying in for VIP seats :)
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Actually, a "gamble" is exactly what we need. The last 7 years or so were not pretty. At this point, something needs to change. I still like to watch, but if Earl plays, I'm flying in for VIP seats :)
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And I'll be sitting right there with you. I'll be driving, though, since I don't fly.

I will drive 4 days each way from D.C. to Vegas to see Earl in the Cup. :cool:
 
skip100 said:
Now Earl just conceded the 5 balls left on this table to lose the match. Who's to say he won't do the same thing when dozens of European fans are heckling him at the Mosconi Cup?

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Earl's chances of making team USA were slim and none to begin with......slim got raked across the table .
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Actually, a "gamble" is exactly what we need. The last 7 years or so were not pretty. At this point, something needs to change. I still like to watch, but if Earl plays, I'm flying in for VIP seats :)
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Actually, we already took a gamble on Earl in 2013.

We lost 11-2 in case you forgot.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Actually, a "gamble" is exactly what we need. The last 7 years or so were not pretty. At this point, something needs to change. I still like to watch, but if Earl plays, I'm flying in for VIP seats :)
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I agree 100 percent. I remember how well Shane played with Earl too. They seemed to be the only two that had some sort of bond that year. They actually looked like they were having good time too. :)
 
JAM said:
I agree 100 percent. I remember how well Shane played with Earl too. They seemed to be the only two that had some sort of bond that year. They actually looked like they were having good time too. :)
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Shane and Sky played a fair bit as partners this year and did great and seemed to have good chemistry. Honestly I'm much more excited about getting our younger players on the team. I'd take Thorpe over Earl any day of the week to be a better team player. I'd take Archer over Earl if we are looking for an experienced leader. I just dont see anything Earl will add that cant be handled by someone else and without all the potential drama and distraction.
 
pt109 said:
Earl has the best record of the USA team.....
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AtLarge said:
... Earl's winning percentage is the best for the players with a lot of apperarances on Team USA, but it isn't the best of all the players. Jeanette Lee and Vivian Villarreal have both participated in 5 Mosconi Cup matches (1994) without a loss = 100%. :smile:

[And some other players who have participated in just a small number of Cups might have good percentages.]
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I did some more digging on this Mosconi Cup question.

39 players have competed for Team USA in the 23 Cups played so far (1994-2016).

26 of the players have made only 1 or 2 appearances in the Cup. In terms of the winning percentage for the matches in which they were involved, 6 of those 26 players have higher percentages than Earl.

13 of the players have appeared at least 3 times, and Earl is the highest among those 13. Seven of those 13 have been on the winning side of at least half the matches in which they were involved:

  • Earl Strickland (14 appearances) -- 43-26 (winning percentage of 62%)
    Kim Davenport (3 appearances) -- 9-6 (60%)
    Corey Deuel (9 appearances) -- 27-20 (57%)
    Charlie Williams (5 appearances) -- 12-9 (57%)
    Johnny Archer (17 appearances) -- 50-41 (55%)
    Jeremy Jones (7 appearances) -- 17-17 (50%)
    Jim Rempe (3 appearances) -- 7-7 (50%)

The other 6 players who have at least 3 appearances are below 50%:

  • Dennis Hatch (4 appearances) -- 11-12 (48%)
    Rodney Morris (10 appearances) -- 27-30 (47%)
    Nick Varner (4 appearances) -- 8-11 (42%)
    Shane Van Boening (10 appearances) -- 25-35 (42%)
    Justin Bergman (3 appearances) -- 6-10 (38%)
    Mike Dechaine (4 appearances) -- 5-16 (24%)

Note that the order might be a bit different using the other measure I like to post -- the numerical contribution each player has made to the overall Mosconi Cup match scores (counting a full point in a singles win or loss, half a point in a doubles win or loss, etc.). I'll add that at some point.



[PS, pt -- I found an error in my info for Earl: he was 2-0 instead of 1-1 in trebles matches in 2006. So I edited post #63 to correct that.]
 
AtLarge said:
I did some more digging on this Mosconi Cup question.

39 players have competed for Team USA in the 23 Cups played so far (1994-2016).

26 of the players have made only 1 or 2 appearances in the Cup. In terms of the winning percentage for the matches in which they were involved, 6 of those 26 players have higher percentages than Earl.

13 of the players have appeared at least 3 times, and Earl is the highest among those 13. Seven of those 13 have been on the winning side of at least half the matches in which they were involved:

  • Earl Strickland (14 appearances) -- 43-26 (winning percentage of 62%)
    Kim Davenport (3 appearances) -- 9-6 (60%)
    Corey Deuel (9 appearances) -- 27-20 (57%)
    Charlie Williams (5 appearances) -- 12-9 (57%)
    Johnny Archer (17 appearances) -- 50-41 (55%)
    Jeremy Jones (7 appearances) -- 17-17 (50%)
    Jim Rempe (3 appearances) -- 7-7 (50%)

The other 6 players who have at least 3 appearances are below 50%:

  • Dennis Hatch (4 appearances) -- 11-12 (48%)
    Rodney Morris (10 appearances) -- 27-30 (47%)
    Nick Varner (4 appearances) -- 8-11 (42%)
    Shane Van Boening (10 appearances) -- 25-35 (42%)
    Justin Bergman (3 appearances) -- 6-10 (38%)
    Mike Dechaine (4 appearances) -- 5-16 (24%)

Note that the order might be a bit different using the other measure I like to post -- the numerical contribution each player has made to the overall Mosconi Cup match scores (counting a full point in a singles win or loss, half a point in a doubles win or loss, etc.). I'll add that at some point.



[PS, pt -- I found an error in my info for Earl: he was 2-0 instead of 1-1 in trebles matches in 2006. So I edited post #63 to correct that.]
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Well, looky here. Earl has the HIGHEST winning percentage. :cool:

That's what I'm talking about! He does give 100 percent. He won't be sightseeing. He won't be indulging in any of the other Vegas distractions. He will be there to play pool and give it his all.

Put Earl Strickland in the 2017 Mosconi Cup!

 
PoolBum said:
Looks like this poll is gonna go hill-hill.
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JAM said:
The infamous double hill! :thumbup:
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Lots of responses to this poll....all things Earl gets attention.
Earl is still a pool icon.
He is like an open book....everybody knows how he feels.

I've said before, I consider Earl our Van Gogh....and I like him 86% of the time....
...but the game would be far poorer without him.

Earl's worth far outweighs his faults.
 
No hope

If anyone wants to see why Earl will never be a mosconi cup player again..........go watch 2013 mosconi cup on youtube. Absolute disgrace to USA , at one point he says " I give up " , his own words . Earl has gone from world beater, to biggest quitter, whiner, cry baby, bad sport in the game .
 
JAM said:
Well, looky here. Earl has the HIGHEST winning percentage. :cool:

That's what I'm talking about! He does give 100 percent. He won't be sightseeing. He won't be indulging in any of the other Vegas distractions. He will be there to play pool and give it his all.

Put Earl Strickland in the 2017 Mosconi Cup!
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BAM. Game, Set & Match. No further witnesses are called. Please see Exhibit A. JAM and I officially "rest our case".
 
trophycue said:
If anyone wants to see why Earl will never be a mosconi cup player again..........go watch 2013 mosconi cup on youtube. Absolute disgrace to USA , at one point he says " I give up " , his own words . Earl has gone from world beater, to biggest quitter, whiner, cry baby, bad sport in the game .
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Watch that again....and do some reading on it.
 
trophycue said:
Listen to the commentary........
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Scott Lee said:
The commentators didn't know that the "fix" was in, and consequently were in the dark. Earl refused to participate in the sham (and his behavior was very pointed)...so did Shane...but Shane's not one to speak out much. The other three...not so much. THEY were the disgrace. :angry:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
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