Best the Hero?

croyboy · 28-11-2005, 04:46 AM

From The Guardian: “Top liver specialist treated bankrupt hero free of charge”
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_ne...651788,00.html

Hero? …Another excellent example of unconsciously-used (I hope!) language reflecting the utter muddled thinking and corrupt values of the present-day and its celebrity sickness. Hero? Why? Because he ‘earned’ large amounts of money for kicking a ball around? Or perhaps because he ‘fought bravely’ occasionally while in the process of boozing himself to death?
I’m not being especially hard on Best himself here - he was merely weak, as we can all be in certain circumstances - but I wanted to bring attention to the fawning and sycophantic reaction of the media and – pass the sick-bag – politicians.
I’m sorry, but that’s one ‘hero’ we don’t need!

Captain Apathy · 28-11-2005, 08:40 AM

hero maybe not

legend with a football though made him a school boy hero probably for many of the newspaper editors and such.

my condonences to his family.

Lafayette · 28-11-2005, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Apathy

hero maybe not

legend with a football though made him a school boy hero probably for many of the newspaper editors and such.

my condonences to his family.

I agree. He wasn't a hero in the traditional sense, but his athletic skill earned him many admirers. It was the same way when Mickey Mantle died in 1995. Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players of the 1950's and alcoholism led to his death too. I dug this up from his eulogy. It could probably be applied to George Best just as well:

"In the last years of his life, Mickey Mantle, always so hard on himself, finally began to appreciate the difference between a role model and a hero. The first, he often was not. The last, he forever will be. And, in the end, people got it."

No, Best didn't live a model life, but just as Captain Apathy said, he was probably the childhood idol of many many many people. And if they are getting a little too carried away now it is more nostalgia than an attempt to place a soccer star on the same level as Churchill or Kitchener.

IceDragon · 28-11-2005, 04:43 PM

Story of humanity from time immemorial. Born with/developed a talent which gave him fame and fortune. Yet a weakness undid everything. It's a sort of universal story really.

Captain Apathy · 28-11-2005, 05:22 PM

wow i found my weekenss.. all i need now is to find my tallent !!!

28-11-2005, 04:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
croyboy Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 405	Best the Hero? From The Guardian: “Top liver specialist treated bankrupt hero free of charge” http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_ne...651788,00.html Hero? …Another excellent example of unconsciously-used (I hope!) language reflecting the utter muddled thinking and corrupt values of the present-day and its celebrity sickness. Hero? Why? Because he ‘earned’ large amounts of money for kicking a ball around? Or perhaps because he ‘fought bravely’ occasionally while in the process of boozing himself to death? I’m not being especially hard on Best himself here - he was merely weak, as we can all be in certain circumstances - but I wanted to bring attention to the fawning and sycophantic reaction of the media and – pass the sick-bag – politicians. I’m sorry, but that’s one ‘hero’ we *don’t* need!

28-11-2005, 08:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
Captain Apathy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Somerset Posts: 520	hero maybe not legend with a football though made him a school boy hero probably for many of the newspaper editors and such. my condonences to his family. __________________ www.insanefaith.com

28-11-2005, 05:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
Captain Apathy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: North Somerset Posts: 520	wow i found my weekenss.. all i need now is to find my tallent !!! __________________ www.insanefaith.com

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28-11-2005, 04:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
IceDragon Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,048	Story of humanity from time immemorial. Born with/developed a talent which gave him fame and fortune. Yet a weakness undid everything. It's a sort of universal story really.