NationStates Jolt Archive

Somehow it doesn't seem right. In the year when the Irish Football Association has been celebrating it's 125th anniversary, and that Northern Ireland finally managed to beat England at Windsor Park, we have been robbed of our football legend.

George Best was simply the most talented footballer the world has ever seen. The fact that he decided to walk away from the sport while he was still in his prime is secondary, it means that you can't call him great in the way that Beckenbauer, Pele, Cruyff and Maradona were great, but for sheer skill he has all of them beaten.

If George Best decided he was going to score, he was going to score and there was nothing you were going to do to stop him. The most memorable goal was one against Sheffield United when he picked the ball up just inside the oppositions half and simply strolled past the entire team to score. Or there was the day he scored 6 against Northampton in an FA Cup match. Or there was the goal that never stood when Gordon Banks threw the ball up to kick it up the pitch Best reached his foot out and simply flicked it over his head ran round and rolled it into the net. I still don't understand why that was disallowed other than the "it was against England" rule.

Best made mistakes in his life, he allowed himself to be swayed by the bright lights and went off the rails, but what should never be forgotten is the fact that he gave immense amounts of pleasure to a vast number of people, and gave a sense of pride to a wee country that at times needed it.

I'll finish with my favourite George Best story. Shortly after he left Man Utd George was back in Belfast staying at the Europa Hotel. He had ordered some Dom Perignon from room service, and the waiter who came up walked in and saw Best sitting on the edge of the bed with cash spread out over it, a Miss World walking out of the bathroom, and as he handed over the champagne he asked "Where did it all go wrong George?"

George Best, died aged 59. It's better to have lived 59 years as a wolf than 80 years as a sheep.

He made mistakes, but he also made legends. Ye shall live on, George, for as long as we who remember ye also do.

he would have my sympathy if he had of stopped drinking after his liver transplant.

The man was a ****: because of him, a bunch of smart-alec anti-alcohol types think they have a point. Damn shame he's died, though.

Well, he's have much longer career if he's stopped being a drunk.
At least everyone (interested in English soccer) knows who he was.

Linky
http://www.manutdzone.com/legends/GeorgeBest.htm

he would have my sympathy if he had of stopped drinking after his liver transplant.

That about sums it up

So he's finally gone? Last I heard he was just about to go.

He was an unrepentant alchoholic who wasted his first and second liver. A wife beater. A drink driver. I will truly miss him. Really.
Bonus - I had him in my Dead Pool.
Dead Best = £££
:D

So he's finally gone? Last I heard he was just about to go.

He is no longer. (http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3cca2a6c-5cde-11da-a749-0000779e2340.html)

he would have my sympathy if he had of stopped drinking after his liver transplant.Agreed. Someone else had to die to give him a second chance at life, and he wouldn't even respect that.

Agreed. Someone else had to die to give him a second chance at life, and he wouldn't even respect that.

The person whose liver he had didn't choose who to donate it to. Given such donations are - I believe - confidential, it's impossible to speak for them in any case. And, although his 'second life' may not have been long, he may well have been glad of the opportunity.

The person whose liver he had didn't choose who to donate it to. Given such donations are - I believe - confidential, it's impossible to speak for them in any case.Yeah, I know that. The point was that his life was saved by someone else's death, regardless of the lack of knowledge either side had in relation to identity.

And, although his 'second life' may not have been long, he may well have been glad of the opportunity.It doesn't seem that way. He was told if he drank again, he would seriously damage his chances. And he drank again. And again.

Alcoholism is a horrible disease, but the point is Best got help and broke free of it - then fucked it all up again. Had he forced himself not to drink, then he would not have redeveloped his problems, which left him susceptible to so many others. And yes, it is possible to force yourself not to drink. My father was an alcoholic himself, so I know just a wee bit about the condition.

Edit: To be fair, I do acknowledge that at his height, he was one of the most legendary footballers ever. And to think he came from here! Problem is, both he and Alex Higgins - one of the greatest snooker players ever, also from here - both went the same way. Is there something about Northern Ireland and sport that doesn't mix?!

he would have my sympathy if he had of stopped drinking after his liver transplant.


Same here. And if he wasnt a wife beater. Not only that, but plenty of regular people have to wait in line for a liver transplant for ages with the NHS, yet George Best is seen as a higher priority just because he played football? Not exactly fair, is it?


Also, I do wish people would stop referring to sports personalities as "legends". It's such a huge overstatement. Gandhi was a legend. Martin Luther King was a legend. George Best was a footballer and nothing more...

It doesn't seem that way. He was told if he drank again, he would seriously damage his chances. And he drank again. And again.

Alcoholism is a horrible disease, but the point is Best got help and broke free of it - then fucked it all up again. Had he forced himself not to drink, then he would not have redeveloped his problems, which left him susceptible to so many others. And yes, it is possible to force yourself not to drink. My father was an alcoholic himself, so I know just a wee bit about the condition.

I don't see the fact that he had poor self-control, and that he wasn't able to break free of his condition, as a reason to feel less sorry for him, at all, though. But, I suspect it's just a different perspective.

George Best was a footballer and nothing more...While I agree with your point, I think the term is OK if used in context. "He was a legendary footballer" is, for me, OK - to simply say "he was a legend" without making any qualification is not.

While I agree with your point, I think the term is OK if used in context. "He was a legendary footballer" is, for me, OK - to simply say "he was a legend" without making any qualification is not.

I was going to say that...

While I agree with your point, I think the term is OK if used in context. "He was a legendary footballer" is, for me, OK - to simply say "he was a legend" without making any qualification is not.


That's very true. I wouldn't have had any objection to it being used in that particular context...

That's very true. I wouldn't have had any objection to it being used in that particular context...

And hopefully you'll limit yourself to referring to MLK as a 'civil rights legend' too.

While I agree with what people are saying, non of us here are 100% perfect. I think we should just mourn the passing of one of the greatest footballers ever and not dwell on his distructive ways. In a way the things that made him the reckless playboy, also made him a great player, similar to Wayne Rooney now. Take it away and he would have been just another player.

So goodbye Georgie. Just wish you were English......

He was an unrepentant alchoholic who wasted his first and second liver. A wife beater. A drink driver. I will truly miss him.

I'm with this guy.

Legend, unequivocal legend. my father and grandfather saw him play against Benfica at Wembley in 1968, an absolutely marvelous player, utterly infallible, and the greatest player to grace the english game. How anyonecan countenance criticising george so soos following his death astounds me, all people make mistakes, he merely did so in the full and somewhat harsh perception of the public. Best, the legend lives on.

Greatest player ever to set foot on a football pitch.

I don't care about any of the other stuff. That was his private life; they were his own demons he battled with, and he never blamed anybody else for his problems.

I remember hearing from my Dad about how he went to see him play in the local park before he headed off to England for the first time (my Dad lived a couple of streets over from him). He said he just spent all afternoon dribling around anybody who tried to tackle him.

If he was playing today none of the overhyped stars would have a clue what had happened to them when he breezed by and knocked it in the back of the net.

He was simply the Best.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40954000/jpg/_40954022_best_7_pa.jpg

RIP Geordie.

Greatest player ever to set foot on a football pitch.

I don't care about any of the other stuff. That was his private life; they were his own demons he battled with, and he never blamed anybody else for his problems.

I remember hearing from my Dad about how he went to see him play in the local park before he headed off to England for the first time (my Dad lived a couple of streets over from him). He said he just spent all afternoon dribling around anybody who tried to tackle him.

He was simply the Best.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40954000/jpg/_40954022_best_7_pa.jpg

RIP Geordie.

I'm with you

I'm with this guy.

Seconded