Alcohol claims life of footballer George Best, 59

[BillVol]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051125/ap_ ... MlJVRPUCUl

The track and field tie here is that soccer and track are both the most international of sports, along with basketball.

[az2004]

Best belongs in the top 5 ever...

pele and cryff I'd take over him, but after that maradona is in the same mention, and I'd take zico to round out the top 5...

beckham is more myth than reality...

[tafnut]

beckham is more myth than reality...

perhaps Beckham is over-hyped, but I saw an interview with members of the Brazilian team last year, and several of them said he was the most dangerous winger in the game today (ever?) because of his smarts and his lethal services. Then they showed some of his pin-point laser crosses that would 'just clear' the defender and be right on the forehead of the opposite winger at a dead run. Made me a believer.

[Daisy]

Beckham's a winger?

Johan Cruyff was easily in the top five. I never saw Best but he certainly sounded gifted. Considering he was a N.Ireland international, there is no doubt he never had the chance to shine at the international level.

I always thought Kenny Dalglish was exceptional, although probably not top five material, it would have been interesting to see him in a stronger international squad. Although at the time that was Scotlands strongest ever squad.

How would you rate Platini Vern?

edit, Bill any chance you can fix that link? Possibly using tinyurl.com?

[tafnut]

Beckham's a winger?

Wing midfielder. There aren't any wing forwards anymore since everyone has gone to the 4-4-2.

Do you remember back when everyone ran a 2-3-5?! THAT was the day of true wingers!

[Per Andersen]

I sometimes wished that George Best was 6 year older.
Then he could have played on the great Northen Ireland team who played in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
That team had Harry Gregg, Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Mcilroy.

[Vern]

I saw Best live a couple of times live in his later Man U days, but was obviously well past his peak. All earlier TV footage shows a one-off genius though....

I'd put him a notch behind Pele, Maradonna and Cruyff, alongside Zico, Mattheus, Johnny Giles (so underrated!) and Charlton, but ahead of Platini, Gullitt and Rooney (for now).

It should be mentioned - although it hasn't been in the British press due to Di-like hagiography - that Best's political views leaned FAR over to the right. My brother was at a speech he made in 95 when an intensely drunk Best remarked that "£7 million is a lot to pay for a nigger" wrt Andy Cole's transfer to Man U.

I also have difficulty respecting anyone who drinks themselves to death following liver transplant surgery.


EDIT - Forgot Magnificent van Basten....