Stickland and Jones fill out Team USA

Matchroom Sport can announce that the final two spots on the American side for the forthcoming PartyCasino.com Mosconi Cup will be filled by South Carolina’s Earl Strickland and Jeremy Jones (Texas).

Both players line up in an American team that is hoping to win the Mosconi Cup outright for the first time since 2005. Taking place at the Hilton Hotel, Portomaso, St Julians, Malta from December 11 – 14, the event features two five-man teams playing a series of singles and doubles matches over four days.

Strickland, 47, is playing in his 13th consecutive Mosconi Cup, a record for the event, and has won a fantastic 37 points from 56 matches. ‘The Pearl’ insists that he will be back to his imperious best come December, having put the health issues that dogged him a few years ago very much behind him.

“I’m not just a pool player, I’m an athlete,” said an ebullient Strickland.

“I’m running four miles every morning and doing 500 sit ups a day and I’m practicing seven to eight hours a day.

“I’m a more intelligent player than most of these guys, I’m working hard and I think I’m close to being back to my very best.

“The Mosconi Cup is my kind of tournament and I’m looking forward to doing my best for the USA in Malta.”

Despite his well-documented bust-ups at the Mosconi Cup, Strickland’s record in the event is the best of the 61 players who have participated in the competition in its 14 year history.

Joining Strickland, Archer, Van Boening and Morris will be Jeremy Jones, who at 36 will be making his seventh Mosconi Cup appearance. ‘Double J’ sports an impressive 16 wins from 28 starts and made his debut back in 1999 when the USA won 12-7 at the York Hall in London.

Jones has enjoyed a revival this year with a third place finish at the Predator International 10 Ball Championship back in May. Then in June, he followed that up with a long-awaited victory in the Generationpool.com Open in Charlotte.

These results and others were enough to propel the likable Texan up to fourth in the BCA Points List and secure his Mosconi Cup spot.

Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said, “In all the sports that I have promoted over the years, aside from the boxer Chris Eubank, there has been no other sportsman who has got the public going more than Earl Strickland.

“Some love him, plenty hate him but he is one of the greatest players to have ever held a cue stick and when it comes to entertainment, he has few rivals.

“The Mosconi Cup has always been Earl’s playground – he won MVP honours in Las Vegas in 2005 – and when he’s on form, the Europeans will know all about it.

“Jeremy Jones has a great record in the event and it is gratifying to see him play his way back into contention. He completes a very strong looking American side and I am expecting a fierce battle in December.”

This year will see the 15th running of pool’s answer to the Ryder Cup and the current score stands at 10 ½ - 3 ½ to the Americans.

The official sponsors of the 2008 Mosconi Cup are PartyCasino.com, Brunswick Tables, Simonis Cloth, Super Aramith Pro Balls and Predator Cues.

A range of superb value hotel and ticket packages are available from the Official Mosconi Cup Travel Agents www.alleventsmalta.com

The Peral on Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour

Viking National Championship Underway

The Viking Cue National Championship is underway with 110 players at Palace Billiards in Villa Park, IL.

Round one is underway with one major upset as Larry Nevel dropped his opening round match to Eric Lundgren. Top seeds Ronnie Wiseman, John Schmidt, Niels Feijen and Shawn Putnam all advanced relatively untested.

Troy Frank and Shannon Daulton advanced with first round byes, while defending champion Earl Strickland had yet to play this match at the time of this report.

Breakin’ Balls: WW intern learns from “The Pearl” and “The Scorpion”

Earl “The Pearl” Strickland is a five-time world champion billiards player and practices every day. I play a couple times a month and never without beer. Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer breaks an eight-ball rack like he is having savage, powerful sex. I break a rack like your baby sister.

Among the estimated 270,000 members of the American Poolplayers Association, Archer and Strickland are legends. Together, they have won six U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships since 1984. In the late ’90s, Billiards Digest named Archer its Player of the Decade. And Strickland once won $1 million at a professional cuesports tournament. I’m a barroom hack lucky to make two balls in a row.

But I got to play recently with Archer and Strickland, who are traveling the West Coast giving four-hour pool lessons to players willing to shell out $200 a pop. They say they can dramatically improve my game in one lesson.

I’m skeptical. What can they do in four hours? WW sent me to find out. Class was at Sam’s Hollywood Billiards in Northeast Portland, a pool hall gracious enough to pick up my $200 tab (consider things even with this mention). Even at 11 am, people other than the 12 of us here for lessons hover around the bar rail, their cigarette smoke wafting around the neon beer signs overhead.

There are no women is only one woman among the dozen students, which bar manager Jason Moore says is unusual because “pool is pretty universal.” We are split into two groups, getting two hours with each pro. My group gets Strickland first.

Strickland, 47, is not a good teacher. He reminds me of Will Ferrell’s film persona Ron Burgundy, if Burgundy played nine-ball. Strickland wears faded black pants, a golf polo and worn white sneakers. He has blond hair and a thin mustache. He tells us he will “fix our bridges.”

Translation: He will adjust our anchor hands the ones on the table. After about 20 minutes, he concludes of my group: “You all cannot excel at this sport. You’re just not talented enough.” Strickland and I clash. I botch my first few shots and he sends me to play at a corner table, a billiards timeout. As I practice alone, I hear him compare himself to Tiger Woods.

I quickly realize I am dealing with a rare breed of human, a narcissist with an affinity for verbal abuse. My favorite one-liner of the day: “My cue is like a Cadillac and y’all are driving Volkswagens.” Turning to me, he adds, “Your cue isn’t worth 10 cents.”

Earl’s Pearl Necklace of Wisdom

Ok, if you didn’t get to see this article about Johnny Archer and Earl Strickland in the Wilamette Week paper, you seriously have to click over and read it.  This is some seriously funny stuff.  For those who don’t trust me (isn’t that just about everyone?) here are a few snips from the article:

“Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer breaks an eight-ball rack like he is having savage, powerful sex. I break a rack like your baby sister.”

“Strickland, 47, is not a good teacher. He reminds me of Will Ferrell’s film persona Ron Burgundy, if Burgundy played nine-ball.”

“I quickly realize I am dealing with a rare breed of human, a narcissist with an affinity for verbal abuse. My favorite one-liner of the day: ‘My cue is like a Cadillac and y’all are driving Volkswagens.” Turning to me, he adds, “Your cue isn’t worth 10 cents.’”

The closing quotes from the article are beyond priceless:

“Archer turns to me and says, “What is it with Portland women?” He is wearing a black T-shirt that says “The Scorpion” on the front and back, and he is drinking a Bud Light.

“What do you mean?” I say.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind hefty women, but I would say 95 percent of the girls in this town have bellies that are too close to the dinner table.”

“Careful, motherfucker, he’s writing a story on you,” says Cantrill.

“Think I give a fuck? What’s he gonna say, ‘Johnny don’t like hefty women?’”

Johnny don’t like hefty women.”

Legends and Champions Pool Tour Texas Bound

Today, Mark Cantrill (AKA T-Wheels) announced the next leg of the Legends and Champions Pool Tour.  “We have had great successes in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington so far. So due to popular demand we will be taking the Pool School and exhibition tour to the Lone Star State in September, said Cantrill.

Both Johnny, Earl are as excited as ever to come to Texas. “We know there is a great pool and billiards community in Texas and we really want to be a part of it” said Strickland.

The pool schools will be limited to a maximum of 12 students per class, these 12 students will be divided into two groups of six. Each group of six will spend 2 hours with Johnny (The Scorpion) Archer and 2 hours with Earl (The Peal) Strickland. This format gives the students of all levels the one on one instruction they deserve from each of the pros. The fee for this four hour school is only $200.00 per person. If you would like to attend any of the pool schools in your area please contact Mark Cantrill at cantrillmark@yahoo.com please be sure to add your direct phone or cell number for confirmation and the location of the school you wish to attend.

There will also be Exhibitions in the evening performed by both Johnny and Earl in most locations, our exhibitions consists of Trick shots ( not the ones you see on TV), a stroke shot exhibition (something you just have to see to appreciate) fun stories from the road, a chance for spectators to pair up with either Johnny or Earl in a Scotch Doubles Challenge match (usually 8 drawings) , a race to 6 against a local house pro or champion and of course pictures and autographs with the pros to end the night. Please  look out for more information on these exhibitions.

Archer vs Strickland in IPT challenge match

The International Pool Tour presents a live challenge match between two of the greatest pocket billiards in the history of the sport. On December 19th, 2007, Johnny Archer will face Earl Strickland in an 8-Ball race to 15, streaming live on the internet absolutely free for all viewers. Archer has numerous World Championship Titles to his name along with Player of the Year honors; he was even chosen as the Player of the Decade for the 1990s.

Strickland has also had an impressive career including multiple World Championship Titles as well as the most U.S. Open victories of any player ever. Strickland is also a recent inductee of the Hall of Fame. Both players continue to compete at the highest professional levels. Fans often debate about who is the better player, and now these two titans of the sport will battle it out, live, at www.internationalpooltour.com, absolutely free for the viewer!

Professional commentary will include Mike Sigel and Grady Mathews. Sigel is one of the most accomplished players in the history of the sport and is a member of the Hall of Fame. Mathews has had a successful and diverse career in the billiards world. He is a champion player, a promoter of some of the finest events in the industry, a room owner, and a popular analyst/commentator.

Encounters with Earl

It seems everyone backstage at the World Pool Championship has a personal story to tell about the great Earl Strickland and his bizarre rants and raves. Earl’s always looking for a sympathetic ear in order to unload a litany of complaints about the world in general. If you’re a player, a guest, or working the event, it’s only a matter of time before you will stumble upon Earl and receive an earful about his sorry life, how he can’t win this tournament, he’s past his prime, the table conditions suck, the Taiwanese are hogging the practice tables, etc. Sometimes it’s Earl who corners people into listening. Most times, though, I believe it’s people who seek out Earl. We humans are easily entertained and the sights and sounds of a grown man in the stages of psychological meltdown seem to be especially appealing.

I always make sure to say hello to Earl when I see him at a tournament because, well, I actually like Earl. I’ve talked privately with him on many occasions and found him to be a nice guy. It’s obvious he’s troubled about the world so, in my feel sorry mode, I lend him an ear. Though I’m not sure if he really cares about me. I sense he simply wants to vent and rant on anyone within earshot and doesn’t care who’s standing in front of him. And truth be told, his tirades can be fun to listen to. For a few moments, anyway.

My encounter with Earl happened on day one just inside the south gate to the Araneta as players, guests, media and officials were waiting in a reasonably short security line.

“Hey Earl, how ya doin?,” I said when I saw him.

“Hey, good to see you,” he said shaking my hand.

“How’s everything?” I asked him, knowing that it wouldn’t be more than a few seconds before he would go off.

“Not good, not good,” he said.

“Why what’s the problem?”

“Well, I’ve got gall stones this big,” he shouted in that semi-angry, high-pitched whine of his as he held up his thumb and forefinger in a circle the size of a golf ball. “Do you know how hard it is to play with gall stones? I just got rid of one a few weeks ago and I have another one now. Man these things are painful. And my eyes are starting to go. I can’t see the balls anymore.”

As several other people gathered around to listen, I tried to give him a little friendly advice. “Come on Earl, get it together. You’ve got the talent. You can win this thing. Why don’t you just go out there and play and stop thinking so much?”

“I can’t,” he said loudly. “I got to earn a living.” He went on and on for a few more minutes. When I finally slipped off Earl had already turned his ire on the others standing nearby.

One conclusion going around is that Earl has lost it mentally, he’s nuts, he’s in total psychological meltdown, he needs professional help. The other conclusion from pool insiders is that Earl simply no longer has the ability to win at the highest levels of pool and that he uses this anger as a way to set up future losses, so he has ready made excuses.

Earl certainly makes it easy for people to conclude that he’s lost it. From the minute he showed up he didn’t seem to want to be here. His first few matches in the group stage offered clear evidence that he doesn’t seem to even care about pool anymore. In his first match he lost 9-1 on the main TV table and it was ugly. Throughout, Earl talked and cursed at himself, hung his head in his hands in utter disgust and glared at the audience about perceived sharking. He swatted at balls and often missed on purpose.

Earl had his usual share of bizarre gadgets with him. He started one match wearing a large bandage around his left arm. Later in another match, he took off the bandage, but then played a few racks with a jacket on. He wore a glove on both his right and left hand. He dressed like a street bum, with disheveled shirts that looked like something he bought off the rack at the local Goodwill store for the poor. (He changed his shirt three times on the day he played.) He played with something large tucked in his back pocket under his shirt which protruded out, which, somebody suggested, made him look like he had a tail.

But then came his late night match against Li He Wen of China on the TV table. A decent crowd stayed around and all were sure Earl was going down to defeat. Probably most stayed because they wanted to see a meltdown they were sure was coming. Earl didn’t disappoint. From the beginning he seemed to talk himself out of everything. At one point he didn’t like the layout of the balls and he swung his stick wildly, nearly hitting referee Nigel Reese in the head. A few racks later he did just that.

But then down 5-0, Earl found a gear. Using the soft break, he ran 9 straight racks, pocketing balls on the break, quickly potting the remaining balls and running out. He stopped the antics and just played. It was the Earl of old, showing all the fantastic and otherworldly skills that have put him in the hall of fame. He was absolutely fantastic. The crowd, which included several players, cheered him on, enthralled at witnessing a glimpse of the greatness he used to exhibit on a daily basis.

The win put Earl into the round of 64 and suddenly people were suggesting that if can hold his emotions in check, he could win this thing. Others who have known Earl for a long time said it wasn’t possible, that the demons would soon come calling, that he was a ticking time bomb, and it surely wouldn’t last through the week.

Earl did lose to Vietnam’s Luong Chi Dung in the round of 64. But those who saw his late-night victory over Li of China were witness to something special. A glimpse of the Earl Strickland of old. Yes he can still play. With Earl, though, you’ve got to enjoy it while you can.