George Best RIP

[El Gordo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/672852.stm

http://s58.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0PZGC...YDOPZI4G72


The best footballer I ever saw in the flesh, in 38 years of watching the game.

[Tim]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/672852.stm

http://s58.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0PZGC...YDOPZI4G72


The best footballer I ever saw in the flesh, in 38 years of watching the game.

I was seriously wondering about starting a thread with the subject: "George Best; RIP or RIH (rot in hell)".

As a child, I hated football, as an adult, I've graduated to ambivalent. Considering the hurt he cased to so many folk around him, does he really deserve all the adulation?

[Sweder]

I think I know what you mean, Tim. But you have to separate the footballer from the drunkard. You could take a moral view of many great figures in history and very few would stand even a cursory glance into their private life.

George Best was a wizard on the football pitch.
You only have to listen to the accolades pouring into 5 Live on Friday from fellow professionals to know what a positive impact he had on people who knew him. They all speak of genuine human warmth. Pat Murphy, the acerbic journo who works for the beeb and does not suffer fools lightly, spoke in hushed, reverant tones about watching Best perform at Old Trafford, riding the scything assaults from Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter and Ron Harris. Best was kicked from pillar to post (when they could catch him), and yet he remained top scorer at United, alongside Law, Charlton, Kidd et al, for four seasons.

These days a defender only has to look at Thierry Henri or Ruud van Nistelroy and the ref blows up. To paraphrase, they are not fit to lace Bests drinks, never mind his boots.

For me, as a young lad going to Highbury, Stamford Bridge, Whitehart Lane and Upton Park with my Uncles, Best was sensational. Through the skills of this one man my passion for football, so often dissappointed by todays' prima donnas, was born.

One piece of international magic (rather like Ryan Giggs, a player damned by comparison with Best, George was destined to miss out on the major international tournaments) sticks in the memory. A fantastic raid on Gordon Banks in a home international match where, as Banks tossed the ball up to launch it down field, Best stole in, flicked the ball over the 'keepers head and into the net. The ref dissallowed it. When asked about the decision some weeks later, the ref explained that he had 'never seen anything like it. I just didn't know what else to do.'

Rest in peace, Georgie the Belfast Boy.

[El Gordo]

Considering the hurt he cased to so many folk around him, does he really deserve all the adulation?

I don't think he caused "hurt" to that many people really. But if we are to evaluate him in this way, then we have to put on the other side of the scales the extraordinary pleasure and inspiration he generated for many millions of people, including those who wouldn't count themselves as supporters of Manchester United.

But it goes beyond that. Best was more than a footballer; he was the man who dragged the game from the old world to the new. He bestrode the tectonic plates of Game and Fan, and he realigned them.

If you aren't a football fan, and if you've no memories of his presence as a player, there's no reason why you should understand this.

[Tim]

If you aren't a football fan, and if you've no memories of his presence as a player, there's no reason why you should understand this.

Well that's the nub of it really. I would quite like to know what I missed though so I might perhaps search out a DVD compilation of his greatest moments. Any suggestions? I assume such compiilations must exist?

[El Gordo]

Tim, that's a good, open-minded response. Click on the links in my first post.

To answer your direct question -- yes, there will certainly be DVD collections of his moments on the pitch, but do take a look at the links I posted.

The BBC report has a video link to a good summary report by a BBC correspondent of Best's life. Well worth watching. (Click on "VIDEO: Footballing Legend", underneath his picture.)

The other link is a 17mb download that'll take just a couple of minutes if you have broadband. A more amateur effort, but is 4 or 5 minutes of televised Best football footage at his best. Fantastic stuff.

I'm just about to write something about the bloke that I'll post later.

[Nigel]

Thanks, Andy. I enjoyed that 5 minute video link, very much. Even if an undue number of those feats of genius seemed to be against the Hammers, with at least one Billy Bonds crashing tackle deftly side-stepped.

The turn from 60s into 70s was a difficult time at Upton Park, when I first started going. Just at the birth of the Brooking years, still too early to offset the long and graceful decline of the great side with Hurst, Peters and Moore (always in that order for me, since I loved goals. I just closed my eyes when the Irons' goal was threatened and so I missed too much of Bobby Moore's skill).

But if I can't remember seeing Georgie play it was for another reason, certainly because my Grandad must have arranged his Saturday shifts so that he never missed Best and Manchester United. I only got to go on those Saturdays when my Grandad was at work, you see.

Best as a flawed hero - yes, he may have been. A lesson to us all - certainly. But we expect so much from genius.

To plod along gamely into undistinguished old age, or to fizzle out before your time in a blaze of unbridled glory with a beautiful model coming back to your bedside to stare dolefully into your eyes and forgive you everything ? Now that is a question.

And if it was a hell of a ride, somehow I don't think George would have traded that for anything.

I've never been a fan of the Reds, but two players always made me glad to see them play - George Best, and a certain Eric Cantona. More flaws, more genius, and I wouldn't have missed either of them for the world.

[Nigel]

Thanks, Andy. I enjoyed that 5 minute video link, very much. Even if an undue number of those feats of genius seemed to be against the Hammers, with at least one Billy Bonds crashing tackle deftly side-stepped.

The turn from 60s into 70s was a difficult time at Upton Park, when I first started going. Just at the birth of the Brooking years, still too early to offset the long and graceful decline of the great side with Hurst, Peters and Moore (always in that order for me, since I loved goals. I just closed my eyes when the Irons' goal was threatened and so I missed too much of Bobby Moore's skill).

But if I can't remember seeing Georgie play it was for another reason, certainly because my Grandad must have arranged his Saturday shifts so that he never missed Best and Manchester United. I only got to go on those Saturdays when my Grandad was at work, you see.

Best as a flawed hero - yes, he may have been. A lesson to us all - certainly. But we expect so much from genius.

To plod along gamely into undistinguished old age, or to fizzle out before your time in a blaze of unbridled glory with a beautiful model coming back to your bedside to stare dolefully into your eyes and forgive you everything ? Now that is a question.

And if it was a hell of a ride, somehow I don't think George would have traded that for anything.

I've never been a fan of the Reds, but two players always made me glad to see them play - George Best, and a certain Eric Cantona. More flaws, more genius, and I wouldn't have missed either of them for the world.

[El Gordo]

So good, you had to say it twice!

Nice one, Nigel.

[stillwaddler]

Was the Best, the most natural footballer ever.

[Tim]

The other link is a 17mb download that'll take just a couple of minutes if you have broadband. A more amateur effort, but is 4 or 5 minutes of televised Best football footage at his best. Fantastic stuff.

Just got round to watching the clip. I have to say, if there was more football like that I might even start watching it. ;-)

He appeared truly balletic in the way he dodged tackles and even a football hater like myself has to admit that he really was special.

If only they hadn't forced me to play football at school I might have enjoyed it as a spectator sport. Alas, it left me with a loathing of team sports in general.

[Sweder]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
I used to curl my lip at such chrulish newspaper stories as 'who was the greatest?' Comparing players from different generations is like comparing wines from different parts of the world; each, of its time and in its setting, is unique and outstanding.

Food for thought: compare the playing records of George Best and Ryan Giggs.
Both exciting talents, crowd-pleasers, dazzling dribblers.
Both scored exceptional goals.
Both missed out on top international honours, playing for smaller nations.
(the suggestion that Giggs, who played for England Schoolboys, could and should have played for England is complete rubbish).
Best won top honours with United - a European Cup, two championships, player of the year accolades, top scorer for the club four seasons running.
Giggs? A European Cup, a Cup Winners Cup, Four FA Cups and Eight - count 'em, Eight - championships, inlcuding one amazing treble.

Best blew up, hit the booze, lived the high life, ended his career long before time was due.
Giggs, protected by Ferguson almost certainly because of the Best legacy, struggled with injuries yet remains the consumate professional.

I've recently read their respective autobiographies - 'Blessed' and 'Giggs' - and I have to say much as I loved Georgie as I was growing up, the Welshman has him beat hands down when it comes to being a thoroughly decent human being.

Why all this nonesense about Giggs?
Why, it's his birthday today!
And from one celebrating sagi to another, happy birthday old son -
and thanks for that miraculous goal against the Gooners in '99