Tacitus
11-25-05, 03:19 PM
I'm going to ignore the slightly crass thread on the subject, I hope you'll understand. :)
A hero of mine died today.
I saw Georgie Best play just twice, both times were in the 80s. Once was at a packed Windsor Park with a host of World stars and once was in front of the proverbial 3 men and a dog at an Irish Cup match for tiny Tobermore United. He was 20 years past his peak and overweight but nobody could get the ball from him. We marvelled.
Me and my dad.
Best came from a working class Belfast family and was thrust into the limelight with Manchester United while still a teenager. Their Irish scout remarked to manager Matt Busby, “I think we’ve got a genius here”, and they had.
A host of websites have detailed his playing career with more detail than I could ever hope and a host more have catalogued his fall from grace. 130+ goals in 10 years from the wing for United says a lot. Two League titles, a European Cup, English and European Footballer Of The Year awards say plenty more.
Aside, of course, from being the most talented player this continent has produced George also had a disease. He was an alcoholic who battled in vain for over 30 years.
When I look back through old photo albums I see a lot of Georgie in my father, and a lot of my dad in George. In their youth they were blessed with dark-haired, blue-eyed good looks. They were from the same part of Belfast. They both had an eye for the ladies, and the ladies for them. They were both alcoholics.
Where they differ is that my dad has kept himself reasonably clean for 20 years, though it wrecked two marriages, his job and the respect of his son for a long time. George could never vanquish his demons and that saddens me greatly but I hope to God that the man will be given the dignity of being remembered as one of the greatest footballers ever to have kicked a ball and the most loved sportsman to have come from Ireland in my lifetime.
http://www.wembleystadium.com/NR/rdonlyres/3DEE189D-CED3-4109-A142-5166DFE72833/45008/GeorgeBest158x158.jpg http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38565000/jpg/_38565873_best150_220.jpg
I'll leave it to the man himself:
If I'd been born ugly, nobody would have heard of Pele.
Bye George.
A hero of mine died today.
I saw Georgie Best play just twice, both times were in the 80s. Once was at a packed Windsor Park with a host of World stars and once was in front of the proverbial 3 men and a dog at an Irish Cup match for tiny Tobermore United. He was 20 years past his peak and overweight but nobody could get the ball from him. We marvelled.
Me and my dad.
Best came from a working class Belfast family and was thrust into the limelight with Manchester United while still a teenager. Their Irish scout remarked to manager Matt Busby, “I think we’ve got a genius here”, and they had.
A host of websites have detailed his playing career with more detail than I could ever hope and a host more have catalogued his fall from grace. 130+ goals in 10 years from the wing for United says a lot. Two League titles, a European Cup, English and European Footballer Of The Year awards say plenty more.
Aside, of course, from being the most talented player this continent has produced George also had a disease. He was an alcoholic who battled in vain for over 30 years.
When I look back through old photo albums I see a lot of Georgie in my father, and a lot of my dad in George. In their youth they were blessed with dark-haired, blue-eyed good looks. They were from the same part of Belfast. They both had an eye for the ladies, and the ladies for them. They were both alcoholics.
Where they differ is that my dad has kept himself reasonably clean for 20 years, though it wrecked two marriages, his job and the respect of his son for a long time. George could never vanquish his demons and that saddens me greatly but I hope to God that the man will be given the dignity of being remembered as one of the greatest footballers ever to have kicked a ball and the most loved sportsman to have come from Ireland in my lifetime.
http://www.wembleystadium.com/NR/rdonlyres/3DEE189D-CED3-4109-A142-5166DFE72833/45008/GeorgeBest158x158.jpg http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38565000/jpg/_38565873_best150_220.jpg
I'll leave it to the man himself:
If I'd been born ugly, nobody would have heard of Pele.
Bye George.