What Happened to Earls Game

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DrawtheRock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Earl has was a great player for a long time..there is no questioning that. Many titles and a higher gear than most have ever had. The one big question I always ask myself..is what has happened to his game. How did it slip so much? Nerves, voices in his head..dont know what it is but his game is nothing compared to what it was. All great players have their game decline but I can't understand why Earls has happened so early. He is only in his late 40's and Effren,Parica,Lassiter,Sigel,Buddy,and Nick still had a very strong game at the age Earl is today.

What does everybody think happened to Earl?
 
DrawtheRock said:
Earl has was a great player for a long time..there is no questioning that. Many titles and a higher gear than most have ever had. The one big question I always ask myself..is what has happened to his game. How did it slip so much? Nerves, voices in his head..dont know what it is but his game is nothing compared to what it was. All great players have their game decline but I can't understand why Earls has happened so early. He is only in his late 40's and Effren,Parica,Lassiter,Sigel,Buddy,and Nick still had a very strong game at the age Earl is today.

What does everybody think happened to Earl?
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The poor guy's got some serious mental problems. That's why he goes off on full tilt like he often does. It's amazing he played as well as he did for so long given those circumstances. He's still just about as talented as he ever was IMO, but he's mentally broken down.

When he and Archer were doing the pool school and exhibition, I asked him how come he hadn't won a tournament in so long. He was bragging about how good he was at the time. Anyway, he went on some crazy rant and said that he was "sick for 10 years," and that "Efren Reyes never sent [him] a get well card." I didn't want to ask him for clarification since I was signed up for the pool school the next day, so I didn't want to piss him off.

When he wasn't on some crazy rant, he was actually a pretty nice guy, and the guy can still play.
 
Without saying that Earl won't return to a higher level and win a few more, his current slide is not unique. One example would be golfer David Duval who was number one in the world for a year or two. Earl was so dominant for a number of years and today, too many times, one missed shot, or some other distraction, will lead him to absolutely quit participating in the middle of a match. It seems that maybe this way he doesn't have to admit to himself that he got beat, on the square. It's disappointing as a fan, but you can't take away all of his accomplishments and championships. I'm still a fan and wish him well.
 
I heard from a trusted source he had a condition for which he was prescribed med's. That he was diagnosed Bi-polar. That at times in the past he was "on" or off" his med's.

I suspect much of what made him the best, subsequently contributed to his decline in his mental game ('cause his stroke sure seems all there!).

But who really knows? Perhaps not even he, or his doc's. The mind is a funky sommanabeetch, and that I'm sure we can all agree upon.

I hope he can find that edge again. I'd love to see him tear it up again. Ain't but one Pearl!!!!
 
Younger players, burned out, ego. There are a lot of things that may be taking it's toll. He is not the only player that has "slid" in the last few years. All you have to do is look at the tournament results. Is it that they are getting older or is it that the young guys have more talent, skills, and are just better?

This happens not only in pool but in other sports. I was looking at the starting line up for the Daytona 500. The once young guns that were tearing up the track and predicted to break all of the win records are now the old seasoned veterans with wins getting harder to get.

Age is the main factor. Everything is there but sometimes the desire or drive is not. This leads to frustration and playing is just not that important because you are not winning anymore.

I was in Vegas and a young hooker was putting the move on me. I told her sweety "What I use to do all night now takes me all night." She said that doesn't make any sense you are saying the samething. She just didn't get it.
 
Earl's game seems to be slightly inconsistent, at least when compared to yesteryear. My sister if bi-polar and if Earl is, I wish him the very best as it appears to be a difficult illness to treat with any regular success.

One of the things that I think could move Earl's game back up a notch is not talking to the fans, his opponents or anyone else. While this can distract some opponents it can sometimes generate a little impetus for an opponent to bear down a little harder or to turn the distraction back to the originator. If Earl would accept the ups and downs of the game and simply play his best regardless of what the score is, I think you might see him back in the winner's circle. It is difficult I'm sure, when you have been as successful as Earl has been to see lesser players beating on you from time to time.

To me it looks like Earl wants to win at all costs, much like many of the rest of the "professional" players of today but his talking to the ceiling, the fans, the piss ants who go to his matches just to hear him wail, his opponents is a distraction to his own self.

I'd really like to see Earl play an entire tournament without talking to anyone during a match to see if it could make a difference in the final results and I wish the tournament directors would send his hecklers down the road, permanently.

JoeyA
 
There have been more than a few stories of fans heckling Earl during matches on AZ.....I kinda liken Earl to John McEnroe in tennis.....they are both a little over the top sometimes.....but, with that being said, a fan heckling John would be sent packing immediately, escorted off the property.....in pool, I get the impression that TD's have allowed a bit of this, and if that is true, then I personally don't blame Earl.....those that have competed at the top level and brought so much excitement to the game deserve respect, especially as they get older.....even the old guy at the pool hall that still has a sweet stroke but may not be the player he once was deserves to be treated well.......so he tells a few stories that sound a little far fetched.....I still listen, he's probably forgotten more than I will ever know, and he just might tell me something fun or interesting I never heard before.....
 
Everybody can put racks together now. Fu#$ing everybody. Earl can still play, it's just that so can everyone else.
 
crawfish said:
Everybody can put racks together now. Fu#$ing everybody. Earl can still play, it's just that so can everyone else.
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You're right and if Earl can learn to accept this, he will again find himself in the sunshine once again. I can only hope he reads this thread and learns something to help him win again and even more important I hope he finds happiness in his life.
JoeyA
 
Maybe Earl needs a Bagger Vance to come along to help him remember his stroke. Changed for scene.........and action!!

Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic stroke... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that stroke... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their stroke was like...

End Scene *bows*
 
As a rule, the forty somethings and the fifty somethings of today are achieving less than those of yesteryear. I believe much of it is because they are competing less than their counterparts of a generation ago.

Earl is 47, and he hardly ever competes. Why should he be expected to regain the form, or anything close to the form, he exhibited when he did? He didn't stay the competitive course the way guys like Buddy and Jose did.

Buddy Hall
Cecil "Buddy" Hall was 47 in 1992.

In 1992, Buddy was competing full-time on the men's tour and he won each of the following events:

MPBA Bicycle Club Invitational
International Challenge of Champions
MPBA Rakm Up Classic

In 1998, at age 53, Buddy was still competing full-time on the men's tour and he won:

Camel Shooters Nine-ball Open
U.S. Open Nine-ball Championship

Jose Parica
Jose Parica was 47 in 1996. He sure was racking up titles then, but he was also competing on a full-time men's tour. He won each of the following back then:

1996 PBT Darafeev Pro 9-Ball Classic
1997 Camel Boston Open
1997 Camel South Jersey Open
1997 PCA Sharky's Challenge
1997 PBT Legends of 9-Ball

He has continued to compete regularly since, managing some very high finishes in some very elite events, including, but not limited to:

1st place 2001 DCC 9-ball banks
1st Place 2002 DCC Master of the Table
1st place 2003 DCC One Pocket
2nd place 2005 US Open
3rd place 2009 DCC One Pocket

About to turn 60, Jose is still very competitive, because he still seems to play in everything.

Conclusion
While there may be some truth that part of the reason Earl has fallen form the highest ranks of the game is psychological, Buddy and Jose were far more persistent in continuing to compete than Earl once they passed the age of 40. That's how they continued to compete at the highest level, while Earl has struggled to do the same.
 
Distractions, either from within or outside. You try to play high level pool while talking to the crowd, it's not easy. It seems like he looks for reasons to talk to the crowd or they give him reasons, either way it's a big distraction and takes away from your game.

In fact he does more to delete distractions/excuses than anyone but it seems his inner demons get the best of him.
 
My guess is confidence....or a lack thereof.
That's why he is doing all that crap with the gimmicks...Pool glove, baseball glove, shooting glasses, changing cues, etc..
Obviously he has "issues" which probably contribute as well.
 
TheBook said:
I was in Vegas and a young hooker was putting the move on me. I told her sweety "What I use to do all night now takes me all night." She said that doesn't make any sense you are saying the samething. She just didn't get it.
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Could it be... hookers aren't the sharpest crayons in the box? :groucho:
 
I think its all the harrassment he takes from the two "Earl" demons that perch on each of his shoulders during matches. One of them looks like Tony Drago and keeps harping on Earl to shoot faster, and the other one looks like a Cuetec with eyes and tells Earl to blame stuff on his equipment.
 
The one thing i have noticed over the years as players get older is they can't make that long 8-foot shot anymore with any cosistancy. I doesn't happen to all players at 45 yo, but when it does the only thing that can keep them close to what they were is great QB control. Even then when the other player has to play safe all he has to do is leave him long and it's almost like a hard kick. Some players ascept this and others don't. Earl don't. Johnnyt
 
I think its because in his prime, besides Efren,,, Earl was the man to beat.

Now, you have probably 50-100 guys (maybe more) who can win a major tournament at any time. back then it was probably more like 10 to 20? idk

I dont doubt that Earl can snap off a tourny probably at will but, his mental game / demons are getting the best of him.

I do remember seeing a Video on Propoolvideo of earl playing in a 10ball tourny and just playing top notch and i think it was right after him getting the boot from Cuetec, and I thought wow, maybe this is Earl's second wind in his career....

I think another thing is how the equipment has changed, and made the game easier for some.. IE tables that play perfect, and not having to need a monster break, the sardo and being able to make the wing ball... Phenolic tips....
 
StormHotRod300 said:
I think its because in his prime, besides Efren,,, Earl was the man to beat.

Now, you have probably 50-100 guys (maybe more) who can win a major tournament at any time. back then it was probably more like 10 to 20? idk

I dont doubt that Earl can snap off a tourny probably at will but, his mental game / demons are getting the best of him.

I do remember seeing a Video on Propoolvideo of earl playing in a 10ball tourny and just playing top notch and i think it was right after him getting the boot from Cuetec, and I thought wow, maybe this is Earl's second wind in his career....

I think another thing is how the equipment has changed, and made the game easier for some.. IE tables that play perfect, and not having to need a monster break, the sardo and being able to make the wing ball... Phenolic tips....
Click to expand...

Aieeeeh!!!! You forgot the dreaded JUMP CUE. lol
JoeyA
 
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