George Best R.I.P.

[Will]

It's just been announced that he's died.

R.I.P. George Best :sad:

[dee]

Just seen on the news he has passed away. :tears:

[Lynn]

Heard today that they are expecting as many as 1/2 million to turn out to his funeral on Sat. That is a lot of people for NI! (Might have to change my plans as to when I get the room ready at the venue for a party I'm organising for a friend that night as its over in East Belfast and the funeral is at Stormont.)

[Donna]

R.I.P George Best. Went to Manchester yesterday to the memorial. I have never seen so many flowers in my life. Very touching.

[stewart38]

We cant of course say it was self inflicted or he was a wife beater until when ?

[TiggsTours]

We cant of course say it was self inflicted or he was a wife beater until when ?
I think etiquette in these matters say that you can't sleight the deceased's character, no matter how true, until at least 24 hours after he is buried.

[stewart38]

I think etiquette in these matters say that you can't sleight the deceased's character, no matter how true, until at least 24 hours after he is buried.

the Daily Mail has today :sad:

[WittyBird]

We cant of course say it was self inflicted or he was a wife beater until when ?

I now name comments like this ' doing a s38' :rofl: :worthy:

[David Bailey]

I now name comments like this ' doing a s38' :rofl: :worthy:
:clap: Brilliant!

We should add it to the dictionary, along with "HarperLink", and of course "being almost as wonderful as DavidJames".

[WittyBird]

:clap: Brilliant!
and of course "being almost as wonderful as DavidJames".

Delusions of adequacy again DJ? :whistle:

[David Bailey]

Delusions of adequacy again DJ? :whistle:
Actually, I'm sure you'll note that this is an entirely relative and comparative description - it does not say - or even mean - that "DavidJames is wonderful" :tears:

Now, "almost as pedantic as DavidJames" - ah, now you're talking.

[David Franklin]

Now, "almost as pedantic as DavidJames" - ah, now you're talking.Inconceivable...


You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[ducasi]

Just FYI...

pedantic |pɪˌdantɪk|
adjective
of or like a pedant : many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal.
DERIVATIVES pedantically adverb

pedant |ˌpɛd(ə)nt|
noun
a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
DERIVATIVES pedantry noun
ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French pédant, from Italian pedante, perhaps from the first element of Latin paedagogus (see pedagogue ).

[David Bailey]

Just FYI...

pedantic |pɪˌdantɪk|
adjective
of or like a pedant : many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal.
DERIVATIVES pedantically adverb

pedant |ˌpɛd(ə)nt|
noun
a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
DERIVATIVES pedantry noun
ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French pédant, from Italian pedante, perhaps from the first element of Latin paedagogus (see pedagogue ).
Source? :whistle:

From dictionary.com:


Pedantic:
adj : marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects [syn: academic, donnish]

[ducasi]

Source? The built-in dictionary in Mac OS X 10.4, which I think is the Oxford American Dictionary.

Before anyone says it... although the dictionary is "American", it does give British spellings and meanings when they differ.

[David Bailey]

The built-in dictionary in Mac OS X 10.4, which I think is the Oxford American Dictionary.

Before anyone says it... although the dictionary is "American", it does give British spellings and meanings when they differ.
So, about this George Best then... :innocent:

[ducasi]

So, about this George Best then... :innocent:
Yeah, sorry about the diversion... (Though the pedant in my wants to say that it was the New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd edition.)

My main memory of George Best was the wee rhyme we used to sing as kids to the music of "Jesus Christ Superstar", concerning his taste in clothing. :innocent:

Anyone else remember that one?

He clearly suffered from both his fame and his addiction to alcohol. And so while he wasn't perfect (who is?), he brought joy and admiration to football fans around the world.

The man deserves respect.

:worthy:

[Jive Brummie]

We cant of course say it was self inflicted or he was a wife beater until when ?

As Ducasi has already said everyone has problems and the only reason people like you know about them is because of the newspapers you read. I have no interest in what George Best has done during his darker days, but do realise that for many he was an icon, both as a celebrity but so much more as one of the worlds best footballers being compared to Maradonna and Pele. To some he's been a husband and also a father...

James.

[frodo]

As Ducasi has already said everyone has problems and the only reason people like you know about them is because of the newspapers you read. I have no interest in what George Best has done during his darker days, but do realise that for many he was an icon, both as a celebrity but so much more as one of the worlds best footballers being compared to Maradonna and Pele. To some he's been a husband and also a father...
IMO stewart38's comment was a reasonable point for discussion, added something to the thread, elicited some decent responses and gave it balance that might otherwise be missing.

Perhaps, precisely because this is a public forum, expressed diversity of opinion is important.


On the main thread topic most of the coverage I've seen about him has been on non footballing subjects.

He is talked about as a Maradona or Pele, but never really got from the coverage what it was he was particularly good at as a footballer.

[WittyBird]

Oh I'm sorry I thought we had the right to an opinion in this country? Not everyones opinion you will agree with.

[bigdjiver]

I have two family members that are alcoholics. Their characters on and off alcohol are completely different. On alcohol I am no longer dealing with a person, I am dealing with a condition, and I have to try and remember that somewhere inside that evil condition is a person that I love. The women that loved him, and the friends that stayed loyal, knew the man as well as the condition.


...He is talked about as a Maradona or Pele, but never really got from the coverage what it was he was particularly good at as a footballer.One clip that was shown more than once was of a goal that George scored against Sheffield United (if my memory serves me right.) They had been promoted that year and had done remarkably well, riding high, with their stalwart and well organised defence earning many plaudits. Man. Utd was to be their greatest test.

George received the ball on the left of the pitch, evaded a couple of defenders, and then set off on a run across the pitch to the right, eventually running around the end of the wall of defenders that gathered to stop him, and cracking the ball home. Basically George could run faster with the ball than they could run without it. Not only did Sheffield united lose the game, but they lost their confidence too, and they faded down the division. They had met real class, and had no answer to it.

To put it into dancing terms. George was the leader. His job was to indicate, clearly and unambiguously, in which direction he was going, whilst going in the other direction. Such was is skill as a leader that he could persuade his follower(s), often of the topmost class, to sit themselves upon the ground whilst he went about his business.

[David Bailey]

As Ducasi has already said everyone has problems and the only reason people like you know about them is because of the newspapers you read.
Good grief - anyone who didn't know GB was indeed both an alcoholic and a wifebeater must have been hiding in a hole for the past 25 years. Whether it's legitimate to discuss this aspect of his character so soon, that's a question - in fact, technically, that's all Stewart38 did, pose the question :whistle: OK, seriously, George Best was a deeply flawed human being. And frankly, that's part of what made him a celebrity. The boozing, the women, the temper tantrums, all contributed towards his fame and the bad-boy image.

So, if it's appropriate to discuss his "legacy" at this point (and yes, that's an open question), it must be appropriate to discuss all of it - the footballing genius combined with the, as you say, darker aspects.

[WittyBird]

Good grief - anyone who didn't know GB was indeed both an alcoholic and a wifebeater must have been hiding in a hole for the past 25 years.

Well said have some rep:D