George Best in intensive care

[Big_Spark]

Gord, your comments are all well and good, but should not resources and efforts be focued on those who will help themselves first?

Geoarge Best was a parasite who had no respect for those around him, so why should anyone respect him?

 

[gord55]

FWL, my gut feeling is to agree with you, but that's precisely my point - the guy has a problem that's somewhere near the top on a sliding scale of problems... ours (we all have them) are lower down the scale. Where will the mark be put on that scale? Whether we respect him & people like him should (MUST) be irrelevant. It's the hardest thing in the world to do, and everybody fails at it sometimes, which is why we have such sadness everywhere.
To deny someone else in favour of a self-abuser like Best seems the worst sort of madness, and makes sensible people everywhere wild with frustration, but there's no way out of the dilemma: we must help everyone, no matter what they do to themselves. That's why doctors take the Hippocratic oath.
George Best appears to be a parasite, but he has reasons that he can't overcome. I get depressed sometimes, for reasons I can't overcome. Compassion is what we all need, and though deep down I agree with you, I must wish him well.

 

[petewood]

Compassion is what we all need, and though deep down I agree with you, I must wish him well.

stop it you're making me cry.

 

[Richardp]

too much beer!

 

[kendor]

he may have been a good player but he was never a professional player.

Now, now, I saw Besty play, live, twice, when at the height of his powers. Watched a 'tough guy' Ar se(nal) full back kick him up in the air twice, undeterred, Georgie boy ran rings around him thereafter, brilliant and brave.
Besty like Greavesy, gave immense value for money in a professional manner.. they did not derive fame from kicking lumps out of people .. They, initially were great artists of the 'beautiful game' exciting, goal scoring, players.
Both fell prey to the bottle ... Jim made it all the way back from the brink, many have not.

no denying he was a great player but to be the best you need discipline aswell which he never had and that's why he wasn't professional, he let his gift go too easily and too fast to really be called a legend.
When you look at players like Pele and what they achieved during their careers then you can't include bestie, Yes i enjoyed watching his skills he'd run rings round defenders, i almost started supporting united because of him(shame on myself) but he shattered a lot of supporters dreams with his shennanigans.

 

[Richardp]

No! sorry but your wrong, totally wrong, Best had that bit of magic it doesn't need discipline or any of the baggage most of us ordinary mortals have to carry around.

 

[kendor]

No! sorry but your wrong, totally wrong, Best had that bit of magic it doesn't need discipline or any of the baggage most of us ordinary mortals have to carry around.

i'm not denying he had magic but he wasn't disciplined enough to keep it and rapidly(in football career lifespans) became just a hasbeen, such a waste!

 

[Richardp]

Butterflys only live for a couple of weeks, what a waste.?

 

[kendor]

Butterflys only live for a couple of weeks, what a waste.?

ah but they can be preserved and mounted.(ooer matron!)

 

[Big_Spark]

Listen, when it comes to alcoholics I may, though not confirmed, be the most qualified here to discuss this issue..

Have I ever been one...no thankfully, however both my genetic parents were alcoholics when I was a child, my step-father was one and I have a friend at the moment who is one. Over the years I have known several people with serious to severe Alcohol problems.

Alcohol, unless controlled, can easilly take over ones life, it is not unusual for the most joyful person to become mildly depressed when under the influence of alcohol. Do I have sympathy for alcoholics...Of course I do, so long as they are prepared to acknowledge they have a problem and are willing to take steps to address it.

My friend has had a hard life, he was forced to fight a war he disagreed with, had to fight neighbours and former friends and saw many killed. He has seen his home country turn it's back on him and his family and now it is tearing itself apart. His mothers grave has been destroyed yet he and his brothers have been barred entry to the country to make repairs, his daughter has turned her back on him due to disagreements with his ex-wife and his alcohol problems.

He worked in an environment were alcohol was prevelent and hard drinking the norm, it's how we met over 10 years ago, and as a result he lost the fight to control his alcohol intake until now he is chemically dependant upon it.

However, he has acknowledged he has a serious problem, that his life could be in danger if he does not address it and unless he does something he will never be able to hold down a Job..which is why I have him working with me. He is actively addressing his problems, it is far from easy and far from painless, but he is slowly overcoming the problem.

Now if He can overcome some serious psychological problems that caused the problem, then george best could have overcome his. George Bests adult life was one of privelege, he had money and adoring fans, he had the support of family and friends, yet chose to throw it all away.

So forgive me for having no sympathy for him, if normal people can overcome their problems, then he too could have done so..

 

[Freddie]

When it comes to how gifted a football player was you are not qualified to comment either because you werent born or old enough to remember him or see him play as some of us here did.

I think he left Man Utd in 1972 you must have been 5 maximum then, by that time his football carear had all but finished and his great days were long gone.

I can remember him wow'ing us with his skills in the 60's when i was a kid and saw him once around 1971----he was a brilliant player and nobody could touch him just chop him down.

Drink was his problem as with most Irish but that doesnt lessen the brillience he once had

 

[gord55]

All points taken FWL... all I would say is that George Best's problems are (for him) bigger than he can cope with. If he'd seriously wanted to die, he'd have done it long ago. I struggled for years with an alcoholic father-in-law who tried very hard to change but it was simply too much for him, and I never got to the bottom of what it was that was bothering him.

The whole point of my replies is that some people can't or won't be helped, but it's wrong to abandon them.

I think it's brilliant you have your friend working with you - it's the right way to help... best of luck!

 

[kendor]

talking of sportsmen, how brilliant would Ali's boxing career had been had he not been locked up over vietnam? to me he seemed to be half the man he was when he returned to the ring, ok half a man achieved what he did against foreman and frazier but think what he would have achieved as the real deal!

 

[Moz]

Can I just break the code of my earlier stella Post,
I met Mr Best in Manchester on his last book launch , he close up is still a Handsome man , charming blue eyes ,a charasmatic figure.....if I were a lady I would ...! LOL
anyway he had the usually hanger ons around him the bimbo girl friend , PR staff , manager , all taking a piece of him ...
I feel sorry that he has no real friends an is just a product of the 70s excessess,where he wasnt protected or managed properly an found solace in the Drink ...

 

[empip]

Georgie gave total value for money whilst playing, he produced the goods, at times he carried Man U whilst established stars did their disappearing acts on pitch ... Who could forget the European Cup final when Bestie put the sword to the opposition, even walking the ball around the keeper to score. Matt Busby, his 'babes' and the emotional fans had their dreams fulfilled, Bestie was the best and the doubters saw it.
George is / was an ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation, his short lived mercurial career afforded him 'celebrity' status beyond the dreams of most young athletes ... Thus money, and living probably came far too easily after ditching the soccer training treadmill .. Chat shows, appearance dosh ... No drive for anything bar soccer and the good life, it all became critically unbalanced .. He fell victim to the media celeb' circus no doubt.
Like it or not the guy is an icon.