Strickland, love him or hate him...

[JB Cases]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLR9pAkGes4

In this video he uses a regular jump stick (right at the beginning).

Maybe he has finally given in?

What a video! Earl is such a character. Unreal. After all that controversy he still gets up and runs out like it's nothing.

I have always said that the marriage of Earl Strickland's talent and the increase in available shots a modern jump cue offers would be fantastic. Maybe Mike Gulyassy, as a fellow world class player, was able to convince Earl of the merits of modern jump cues.

Of course in the video he chucks his across the room after he shoots.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLR9pAkGes4

In this video he uses a regular jump stick (right at the beginning).

Maybe he has finally given in?

I am convinced Earl despises the jump stick. Whether he's used it a few times, used it sparingly, or used it for a short period and quit, I can't testify to.

All I know is, and like I mentioned in my original post, he had what I saw was a textbook shot to jump at the Open. He went to his "other" stick that he had out (I didn't pay attention to it - drats). He looked right down at it for a good 3 seconds and turned around and kicked the shot in.

If you were watching and paying attention there and then, Earl made his current viewpoint about jumpsticks abundantly clear. As a traditionalist in some regards, I agree in great part with him on this one.

 

[JB Cases]

I am convinced Earl despises the jump stick. Whether he's used it a few times, used it sparingly, or used it for a short period and quit, I can't testify to.

All I know is, and like I mentioned in my original post, he had what I saw was a textbook shot to jump at the Open. He went to his "other" stick that he had out (I didn't pay attention to it - drats). He looked right down at it for a good 3 seconds and turned around and kicked the shot in.

If you were watching and paying attention there and then, Earl made his current viewpoint about jumpsticks abundantly clear. As a traditionalist in some regards, I agree in great part with him on this one.

He does despise it. Irrationally so. I am sure he hates himself every time he uses a shorter cue to jump with. However even he can't deny that it offers better performance on that aspect of the game. I tried to get him to sign an autograph saying he loves jump cues (tongue in cheek) and he wrote "I hate jump cues" on it.

People call themselves traditionalists when there is no clear tradition. If pool and billiards display anything it's constant change. What other sport has so many variations and so many rule and equipment changes in so short a span of time?

SJM is right - people like Earl popularized the jump shot and so it was only natural for inventors to try and perfect a jump cue. Charles Mignaud popularized the spin shot with the introduction of the leather tip and inventors have been working on that one for over a hundred years. If Pat Johnson is right and spin is all in the tip should we then ban the "perfect tip" when we find it just because it allows people to apply spin to the cueball better than something that was used 50 years ago?

Should we go back to maces and grass bumpers for rails? Pool is a game of evolution. Those that seek to selectively ban certain innovations based on "tradition" are on thin ice with that argument. The only tradition pool has is that it's played with balls and a stick on a table.

 

[Craig]

Like or Hate the guy, past or present. He has/had more STROKE and run out ability than anyone to ever play the game.

Jay Helfert even said one time he made 9 footers look like bar boxes, at one time the guy was like a machine made balls from every where, he is the only person I have ever seen get out of line stay out of line and run rack after rack.

He truly had/has a gift from GOD to play pool. I wish I only had half his STROKE, pool friends you can't buy what Earl Strickland had/has that is the ability to play the game at the highest level of any human being alive.

If he would see a doctor and get his mind right he could and would still be a dominating player today. And this is just my opinion I mean nothing degrading by this.

I watch alot of his matches today versus yrs past and he plays much slower today than he did in yrs past there for I guess it creates BS in his mind, versus before he use to look like a race horse running around the table running out from every where, same as for Johnny Archer as well he use to run around the table running out from every where now he is like in slow motion.


All I can say Im glad I had the pleasure to see him play in his prime, and as long as he continues to play I will watch every match possible, some people including myself will never get the pleasure to know what it is like to play at the level Earl Strickland played at, at one time not even many Pro Players. The man has been a gift to the pool world.

 

[travisw]

great write up koolkat, earl is a great character and it jsut keeps gettting better. Pretty soon he is going to look like Brian Urlacher out there with all his padding

 

[suckershot]

Should we go back to maces and grass bumpers for rails? Pool is a game of evolution. Those that seek to selectively ban certain innovations based on "tradition" are on thin ice with that argument. The only tradition pool has is that it's played with balls and a stick on a table.

Probably the most sensible thing I've seen anyone post in a long time.

 

[ccshrimper]

Jump cues make it too easy IMO. In the old days, only people with pretty fair strokes could jump, control the cue ball and make the balls. Now, D players can jump a ball and never learn how to kick while improving. What really used to impress me about the pros was their kicking. Now, I see a jump shot and think to myself "Half the people in here could make that shot". It takes away the defense of the game alot because anyone with a $100 jump cue can get out of your safe.

 

[jay helfert]

Ya gotta watch him. I watched him play Wednes and Thurs. The match yesterday vs Franklin Hernandez was something f'g else. Here's my highlights as I saw them railside.

He enters the Convention Center and stops among us common folk and starts his schpeal on current affairs, mostly about the jump stick. "No player here has any integrity! They support the jump stick. It's a gimmick!" I say to him "It certainly has changed the game but ya gotta believe there's too much money being made on the jump sticks to ever outlaw it." Earl: "It's not a different game! It's a gimmick game with too much luck! Whatever happened to kicking?! And whadaya mean it's about money!? Pool is DYING! I'm the only player with any integrity! I wear my passion on my sleeve!" .......

Off to the table... Franklin wins the lag. Earl is talking away and Franklin backs off his break stance, shoots a "you're starting real F'g early" look at Earl. Franklin breaks, and starts off strong with the first rack. Then Earl gets the next and then rack #3. As he walks around the table to move his second "ball-bead" over he's chatting away to anyone and everyone. I see him mistakenly move Franklin's second ball! The crowd is thick for this match, thicker than ANY so far, by multitides. Every seat taken within view, and 4 deep standing behind the rail.

Anyway, I believe I see Franklin get a quick look at Earls' error, but it was impossible to tell as his glance was so brief. I look around the crowd and maybe a couple others notice. Anyway, the crowd is not apparently supposed to say anything and no one does. Earl is still yapping away. Maybe 45 seconds pass while Frankin is just sitting there, not moving to rack, allowing Earl to hold court. Then Franklin gets up, takes his cue and wipes his ball back and marks up Earl's second. CLASS MOVE. I don't believe Earl ever even knew this occurred as he was busy at the time.

The play is EXCELLENT. The match progresses. Franklin plays great, and stays quiet and is a total gentleman. He plays way better than many/most that I watched over 2 days.


Then... Around rack 9, Earl lifts his right leg up and "Ripppppp", a velcro strip goes off and what appears to be an ankle weight is taken off and he quickly wraps it around his left elbow. "WTF?" Someone says he wore a waist weight belt recently to "remind him to stay down". Play goes back and forth, and Earl maintains @ a 2-3 game lead. I step over to the other side of the center to check with a friend on the Robles/Souquet match.

I come back and here's Earl shooting with a set of massive headphones on. Not music, just noise buffeting headphones, similar to those worn by airport ground crew. WTF? He is now a sight to behold with one sleeve rolled up with a weight on, anf the other further down and these huge earmuffs on. He goes a couple racks, missing nothing, saying nothing. The stroke, the movement, the play ... was the best and most electric and WOW that I have EVER witnessed.

Then, after he polishes off a 9, he turns to the crowd and momentarily pulls the headphones away from the ears. "You guys are the loudest crowd I have EVER heard! I can hear you through these things and I can't even hear a 747 through these!!!" He breaks dry and takes a seat and removes them, "man these things are hot to wear!".

It's about 9-6 Earl when a most interesting thing happened. Earl gets hooked. The OB is the 7 and it's about 5 inches from the mouth of the side. The 9 is 18 inches away in direct line of the cue which is @ 12 inches from the 9. A basic jump shot.... Earl walks over to his break stick and looks at it (mind you it has an Elkmaster tip on it). He looks, and pauses a few seconds, and turns around. He mutters something, walks back to the table, and lightly kicks the cue off the opposite long rail and drops the 7 in, in perfect po for the 8. HUGE applause. Game over.

Last note for now... I believe it is Case game now. The 2 is in the corner jaws on the foot. The cue is frozen on the head rail. He jacks up over 45 degrees and hammers the 2 in, and whitey pulls back a foot or so without hitting a rail. Perfect shape.

UnF'g real play, unreal match. Love him or hate him, he is the match to watch. Thanks to both players for great play! :thumbup:

(My friend took a ton of pic's that I hope to nab today, I will try to post some soon!)

Great analysis here! I tried to give you rep but couldn't. So I'll do it on here. I was busy racking balls for another match, so I missed this one. Earl still has IMMENSE talent, just sometimes he fails to use it. Often he gives up during a match if he falls behind or something happens to bother him. He never used to do that.

 

[JB Cases]

Jump cues make it too easy IMO. In the old days, only people with pretty fair strokes could jump, control the cue ball and make the balls. Now, D players can jump a ball and never learn how to kick while improving. What really used to impress me about the pros was their kicking. Now, I see a jump shot and think to myself "Half the people in here could make that shot". It takes away the defense of the game alot because anyone with a $100 jump cue can get out of your safe.

We have been down this road many times before. Jump cues don't make the shot. You might as well say that chalked leather tips make spinning the cueball too easy.

It's a tool designed optimally for the task. How well it is used is completely up to the skill of the user.

In the "old" days we used slower cloth which made jumping easier with SOME cues. Also jumping is easier on thicker slate.

As to the strategy aspect jump cues ADD to the game because they force people to play tighter safeties thus increasing overall skill level.

The facts are that a jump cue in the hands of a master like Earl is a deadly weapon (in many ways). In the hands of an amateur it's a weak band-aid. For both it's a tool that must be practiced with to get any kind of consistent and good results. Just like a "regular" pool cue.

 

[sjm]

Should we go back to maces and grass bumpers for rails? Pool is a game of evolution. Those that seek to selectively ban certain innovations based on "tradition" are on thin ice with that argument. The only tradition pool has is that it's played with balls and a stick on a table.

Maybe we should just permit jump shots by scooping (very low hit with a level cue)? After all, by your assessment, there is nothing sacred in keeping our game comparable to the game played by players past, to make the accomplishments of today's pros somehow measurable against feats of players past. Perhaps one day a technological innovation in cuemaking will permit one to shoot right through an obstructing bal without jumping. Such an innovation, just like the advent of jump cues, would reduce the penalty for position poorly played. Any and every change might come along, but there will come a point where we should stop callking the game pool.

I don't think this matter as simple as you suggest. Innovations that compromise the basic skill set that ought to be required for success are a threat to our game.

 

[worldison2]

Innovations that compromise the basic skill set that ought to be required for success are a threat to our game.

SJM,
I respectfully disagree. I really don't think the jump cue has threatened the game of pool, just added a little power to the offense.

I love my safety game in 9-ball (when I play pool I play so much safety that people say "when he comes to the table the World is on 2")

When that jump cue comes out, (from my opponents), I know that I have snookered them so badly that they have no other choice but to use it. But I'm thinking, "next time I have to do a better safety so they can't use that damned thing". It has made my safety game so much better.

That being said, look at "recent" other sports changes (some more successful than biliards):

Baseball: The DH rule, so controversial that one league still won't go with it. (but it sucks to see a pitcher at the plate, unless you're the Phillies last night)
Football: The NFL just went to the 2-point conversion.
Basketball: The 3-point shot.

Every sport evolves (mostly for more offense hence more excitement), and the traditionalists hate it, but that's life.

I consider the jump-shot a minor evolution.

 

[JB Cases]

Maybe we should just permit jump shots by scooping (very low hit with a level cue)? After all, by your assessment, there is nothing sacred in keeping our game comparable to the game played by players past, to make the accomplishments of today's pros somehow measurable against feats of players past. Perhaps one day a technological innovation in cuemaking will permit one to shoot right through an obstructing bal without jumping. Such an innovation, just like the advent of jump cues, would reduce the penalty for position poorly played. Any and every change might come along, but there will come a point where we should stop callking the game pool.

I don't think this matter as simple as you suggest. Innovations that compromise the basic skill set that ought to be required for success are a threat to our game.

If you want to keep the game "sacred" then play only one game and go with the earliest set of rules. You like 14.1 don't you? That's a sacred game to many. Originally it was called Continuous pool because the way it was played was to rack all 15 balls and the blast it wide open and run out that way until you missed. Then the rules were changed to leave out the 15th ball and use it as a break ball. What a penalty for all those who worked so hard on their blast break. Now they had to learn a who new set of shots centered around the "break ball" and the new strategies that this brought with it. Now the game you cherish is called 14.1 Continuous and is a better game than the old Continuous Pool I think you would agree.

If the jump cue as we know it now had come into existence 50 years ago then it would be considered "traditional" today. There wouldn't be any debate on whether it belongs in the game or not.

How much did the leather tip change the "skillset"? Like the jump cue it added a vast range of shots to the game. A chalked leather tip by itself does not draw the cueball three rails for position. The person holding the cue does and could NEVER do it no matter how much stroke they possess WITHOUT a chalked leather tip on their cue. Without the tip that possibility is gone. With it they have the fullest possible range of ball interactions that their skill level can achieve.

The jump cue is nothing different. It is a particular construction that tackles one aspect of the game. But by itself it is inert and does nothing. In the hands of a skilled artist it allows amazing shots. In the hands of the inept it is nothing more than a sellout generator.

It's funny that it's not the jump shot itself that people take issue with but the cue. I can only imagine the anti-tip articles that must have come out in 1857 (or whenever) when "English" Jack Carr toured the country showing off the great things he could do with the cueball using a leather tipped cue. Or, it could have been that the best of the time couldn't wait to try the new "tip" and see what they could do with it.

The jump cue does increases the basic skill set by increasing the range of possible shots. To get to those shots though one needs a jump cue and the skill to achieve them. I can never do what Semih Sayginer, Mike Massey or Earl Strickland can do even if you hand me their cues. However if you hand them my jump cue they can more with it than I could dream of. Strickland is pissed for the wrong reasons. He is upset because someone invented a cue that makes jumping easier when he worked hard to learn to do it.

Yes he did develop a stroke and the technique to be able to jump better than most with a full cue. So have many others. But the thing is that as good as they are with a full cue they are still quite limited in the range of possible shots just as someone who has the greatest stroke in the world but no tip is limited in what they can do with the cueball. An APA 5 from 2008 would beat the 1800 world champion in any pocket billiards game because of the tip. However, give the 1800 World Champ a few months to practice with the same equipment and his natural ability would quickly surpass the APA 5's.

Lastly the jump shot and subsequently the jump cue are a product of rules that promote the need for such a shot. Again, going back to the tradition argument, the current rules of professional nine ball which not 30 years old themselves, have a clear need for the jump shot and as such, in my view, also the jump cue.

 

[JimGinPhx]

I think the game would be much more interesting if it was played strictly on the tables surface.Billiards shows such beautiful patterns ,angles and imagination, if you like the game for the way I think it was meant to be played.The jump shot brings a gimmick into the game.When you lock your opponent in jail,imagination is the only way out.The jump shot eliminates the imagination.The diamonds on the table are there for a reason,not just to keep score.

 

[JB Cases]

I think the game would be much more interesting if it was played strictly on the tables surface.Billiards shows such beautiful patterns ,angles and imagination, if you like the game for the way I think it was meant to be played.The jump shot brings a gimmick into the game.When you lock your opponent in jail,imagination is the only way out.The jump shot eliminates the imagination.The diamonds on the table are there for a reason,not just to keep score.

What is imaginative about using markers on the table to figure the angles. Wouldn't the game be more challenging without the diamonds and a plethora of "diamond systems" to make kicking easy?

You don't think it takes some imagination and physical dexterity to perform a jump shot? Let's compare then:

To make a shot with no blocking ball you have to find the corerct aiming line, you have to decide on the proper speed, you have to decide on the proper spin to use, then you have to execute it with a perfect stroke.

To make a shot that is blocked using a kick shot, you have to find the correct approach angle, decide on the proper speed, decide on the proper spin, then execute it with a straight stroke.

To make shot that is blocked using a jump shot you have to find the correct aiming line, you have to find the correct elevation, decide on the proper force to use, decide on the proper spin to apply, and then execute it from an uncomfortable position.

Seems to me that in both jumping and kicking there are extra elements. And in Kicking there are plenty of systems to help you figure them out. In jumping the only thing that helps you to becoming proficient at it is practice. I know plenty of folks who suck at jump shots even though they have great jump cues. They miss the object ball, jump the cueball off the table, or completely sell out more often than they succeed.

If the jump shot itself is a gimmick then blame Earl Strickland for making young pool players like me want to be able to do it. Blame the people who made the rules for making it a necessity.

If you truly understand the game the game then you appreciate the difficulty and beauty of a well played jump shot as much as you would any other shot.

 

[ribdoner]

IMO we've seen a kinder, gentler EARL the last year or so

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Blame the people who made the rules for making it a necessity.

I blame the world. Seems to work for me.

If you truly understand the game the game then you appreciate the difficulty and beauty of a well played jump shot as much as you would any other shot.

I do appreciate a great jump shot. I go "OMG" every time someone knocks down a nice jump. It is a learned skill and an art. I watched The Truth practicing some jumps that were awe inspiring.

We all know this specific advent meets different people differently. My viewpoint is currently a selfish one. As someone that just got back into the game last year (after a whopping 2 year career at age 16-17), and discovered the necessity of jumping, I am slow to embrace it. I lost ground. I have made @ 4 jump shots in small money matches, and never one in competition.

I may be resistant, but I'm not stupid. Today's practice will include jumping. It's a skill that I can't do without at my level.

 

[Rick S.]

That's not entirely true. Earl had a "jump cue" that was much shorter than his playing cue. We all know that a shorter cue makes jumping easier.

Everyone is fond of pointing out that he jumps with a full cue and he does some shots. But on other shots, at least through the Cuetec years, he had a shorter cue to jump with. I have seen him use it many times.

I don't know if he still has a cue like this, I'd presume so since he employed so much.

So please don't spread the falsehood that Earl Strickland doesn't use jump cues because he certainly did and probably still does.

Just got off the phone with Earl....he said he's NEVER had a 'short' shaft that's used for jumping. And that 'someone was full of $#%#.

He uses his break stick, with a full length shaft, for full cue jumps.

However, he does carry a jumpstick now. You can count the amount of times he's used it on one hand.

He came down with the Flu halfway thru the tourny, and still sounds terrible.

He attributes one his losses to the jumpstick. He said Cory made a wild shot with it, at a crucial time in the match.

The jump stick is purely a gimmick, and degrades the game. Plain, and simple.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Just got off the phone with Earl....he said he's NEVER had a 'short' shaft that's used for jumping. And that 'someone was full of $#%#.

He uses his break stick, with a full length shaft, for full cue jumps.

However, he does carry a jumpstick now. You can count the amount of times he's used it on one hand.

He came down with the Flu halfway thru the tourny, and still sounds terrible.

He attributes one his losses to the jumpstick. He said Cory made a wild shot with it, at a crucial time in the match.

The jump stick is purely a gimmick, and degrades the game. Plain, and simple.

Thanks for getting up with Earl and sharing it straight on. I know you guys are long, long time friends and I trust this info as solid. Vouched.

 

[Bigtruck]

Mayday,mayday......we've got ourselves a jumper!

I think the game would be much more interesting if it was played strictly on the tables surface.Billiards shows such beautiful patterns ,angles and imagination, if you like the game for the way I think it was meant to be played.The jump shot brings a gimmick into the game.When you lock your opponent in jail,imagination is the only way out.The jump shot eliminates the imagination.The diamonds on the table are there for a reason,not just to keep score.

Welcome to posting on the forum Jim!!

Well.....I differ with you Jim. This type thinking only limits your "outside the box" jump shots. I have used the diamonds on numerous occasion on a jump shot. The "jump kick"...ahhhh what a beauty.. 1,2,3 rail kick or shape off a ball. Jump cut.....Mmmmmm......tasty. Let's not forget the jump draw!!


Ray
(I'm going to go do some jump shots right now!)

ps. I'm also good at kicking!

 

[Hail Mary Shot]

since some people pointed out that pool is an evolving game, thus the influx of new innovative cue products and stuff came into the picture, then I guess the rules and nature of some pool games have to evolve as well.

such evolution and prohibition in some rules that will maintain the competitive and challenging nature of pool itself, thus separating highly competitive or professional pool from that of recreational or amateur pool.

if people could find or make a way to make pool a simple game, thus people could also find some way of making it more fun and challenging.

we already had seen rules such as no softbreaks, no breakcues beyond such limit, no jumpcues, shotclock, etc...etc... so it's just a matter of time when the organizers feel that jumping would be banned or have some form of restrictions or limit as to it's use. but for the moment, all those people could enjoy their jump cues til it's days are numbered.
this is as far as competitive pool is concerned.

as far a recreational pool is concerned, I dont care if they use it shot after shot, thus creating a new game of AIR POOL. lol.