[Cantona07]

Originally Posted by Venetian

I wasn't referring to his drinking only, he walked away from relationships, wives, even his son. I get this from it being reported at the relevant times, and if I am wrong here it was because the reporting was incorrect?

I would not wish for anyone to be denied the chance of a transplant, on this occasion based on George's history I just feel it wasn't going to be successful and sadly I was not wrong.

TBH Ven i think its one of these things that looks obvious after the event. I would stand behind Bests right to have got his transplant. He had many relationships fall apart, i genuinely don't believe he was guilty of "walking away" though. His relationship with Calum was very complex and indeed has continued to be complex even after his death.

Its probably not a hugely correct thing to say but id swap 100 years of decent health and living right for the life George Best had, warts and all. I still believe he died because there was nothing left to do, although i accept i am romanticising it somewhat.

[The_Sleeper]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

. I would stand behind Bests right to have got his transplant. .

Would you say the same thing about Jim Baxter's second one tho ?

Spoiler

Although he gained a reputation as a womaniser when he moved to Glasgow, he married in 1965 and had two sons. The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. After retiring from football he became manager of a pub, and his continued heavy drinking damaged his liver so badly that he needed two transplants at the age of 55, after which he swore off alcohol. Baxter was also addicted to gambling, and is estimated to have lost between £250,000 and £500,000. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium. In 2003, a statue was erected in his honour at his hometown, Hill of Beath.

[swansea steve]

i think that which club we support can colour our views about the ex players. for example, i'd never expect man utd fans to criticise Best as he was rightly viewed as a legend at their club.

[Cantona07]

Originally Posted by The_Sleeper

Would you say the same thing about Jim Baxter's second one tho ?

Spoiler

Although he gained a reputation as a womaniser when he moved to Glasgow, he married in 1965 and had two sons. The marriage broke up in 1981, and in 1983 he formed another relationship that lasted the rest of his life. After retiring from football he became manager of a pub, and his continued heavy drinking damaged his liver so badly that he needed two transplants at the age of 55, after which he swore off alcohol. Baxter was also addicted to gambling, and is estimated to have lost between £250,000 and £500,000. After he died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, his funeral was held in Glasgow Cathedral and his ashes were buried at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium. In 2003, a statue was erected in his honour at his hometown, Hill of Beath.

Im not sure about the second one really but i don't know the criteria that gave him two shots at it.

Fundamentally i don't believe that heroes like him and Gazza and Best choose to live the way they did(do).

Having said that id have kept Baxter alive to watch the Rangers die!

[swansea steve]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

Im not sure about the second one really but i don't know the criteria that gave him two shots at it.

Fundamentally i don't believe that heroes like him and Gazza and Best choose to live the way they did(do).

Having said that id have kept Baxter alive to watch the Rangers die!

lol harsh but funny.

[Billy244]

Originally Posted by Cantona07

TBH Ven i think its one of these things that looks obvious after the event. I would stand behind Bests right to have got his transplant. He had many relationships fall apart, i genuinely don't believe he was guilty of "walking away" though. His relationship with Calum was very complex and indeed has continued to be complex even after his death.

Its probably not a hugely correct thing to say but id swap 100 years of decent health and living right for the life George Best had, warts and all. I still believe he died because there was nothing left to do, although i accept i am romanticising it somewhat.

I have to say although it might sound terribly wrong to some I too would swap living to 100 to have had George Best's 59 years, what a life!. To play football at the top level, to be the best in the world, to be loved by millions, to have the looks, the lifestyle, THE WOMEN!!! ..... my god I'd have swapped him any time.

[Billy244]

Just a little point I want to raise with Jack, I apologise if I'm wrong but I am almost completely sure George Best started drinking again about a year after his liver transplant. I haven't done a Ronnie and googled it but I seem to remember his new liver also packed up through alcohol abuse and this is why he died.

Please put me wrong if I am Jack.

[jackyork]

Originally Posted by Billy244

Just a little point I want to raise with Jack, I apologise if I'm wrong but I am almost completely sure George Best started drinking again about a year after his liver transplant. I haven't done a Ronnie and googled it but I seem to remember his new liver also packed up through alcohol abuse and this is why he died.

Please put me wrong if I am Jack.

Billy I thought the same as you until I read more into how he died.

Having a new liver is starting fresh again, it would take a lot of abuse over many years for that to fail again.

Best died of a kidney infection which is common because of medicines he needed after a 2002 liver transplant, the medicines suppress the immune system to stop your body rejecting the new liver.

As far as i'm aware this is true.

[The_Sleeper]

///////////////

[The_Sleeper]

[quote=jackyork;58900597]
Having a new liver is starting fresh again, it would take a lot of abuse over many years for that to fail again.
/QUOTE]

Slim Jim, got 2 chance's ..........& it didn't do him any good !

But we all wot tae, slate boozie ..............Why ?

Ps
Sorry 4 making a mess of the Quotes !

[Billy244]

[quote=The_Sleeper;58908083]

Originally Posted by jackyork

Having a new liver is starting fresh again, it would take a lot of abuse over many years for that to fail again.
/QUOTE]

Slim Jim, got 2 chance's ..........& it didn't do him any good !

But we all wot tae, slate boozie ..............Why ?

Ps
Sorry 4 making a mess of the Quotes !

Big Al's got a good deal and still moans about his lot and brags about all his freebies on air, to me that puts him in the spotlight for a bit of incoming basically that's all there is to it Sleeper Deeper.

[jackyork]

Originally Posted by The_Sleeper;58908083
/QUOTE

But we all wot tae, slate boozie ..............Why ?

Ps
Sorry 4 making a mess of the Quotes !

Ha ha messing them up !!!! they are unrepairable.

[Billy244]

Originally Posted by jackyork

Billy I thought the same as you until I read more into how he died.

Having a new liver is starting fresh again, it would take a lot of abuse over many years for that to fail again.

Best died of a kidney infection which is common because of medicines he needed after a 2002 liver transplant, the medicines suppress the immune system to stop your body rejecting the new liver.

As far as i'm aware this is true.

Always being a George Best fan and remembering all the times I actually saw in person the great man play I really needed to know the actual truth for George's early passing Jack so I checked out a BBC website where I knew I could rely on the facts written.
What I read confirmed exactly what you had told me, George was admitted into hospital with "flu like symptoms" caused by drugs intended to aid his newly transplanted liver, I really think this should have been made even more public at the time for there must be many people like me included that wrongly believed he'd drank himself to an early end, I hope people read this and if they didn't know it before they might know now.
What a player he was, the complete player, I will never forget some of his displays and I thank god I was around at the right time to see him in his pomp.
For me the greatest player to ever to play the game.

[pakokelso93]

My once in a blue moon post here...

Have to say sadly overnights feel as if they have been there for years now. Mike doing a solid if unspectacular job. What has happened to Forde and Bovil? That guy Hunt and the American chap are awful...

[jackyork]

Originally Posted by pakokelso93

My once in a blue moon post here...

Have to say sadly overnights feel as if they have been there for years now. Mike doing a solid if unspectacular job. What has happened to Forde and Bovil? That guy Hunt and the American chap are awful...

Mike Graham should have no problem with material to fill the overnight as there is no end of sport content to talk about, There is Euro 2012, Cricket, Rugby Union test matches, Golf US Open (come on Westwood) and the funniest I have seen for a long time was the Tennis final at Queens where David Nalbandian was disqualified for kicking the line judge.

[jackyork]

Originally Posted by Billy244

Always being a George Best fan and remembering all the times I actually saw in person the great man play I really needed to know the actual truth for George's early passing Jack so I checked out a BBC website where I knew I could rely on the facts written.
What I read confirmed exactly what you had told me, George was admitted into hospital with "flu like symptoms" caused by drugs intended to aid his newly transplanted liver, I really think this should have been made even more public at the time for there must be many people like me included that wrongly believed he'd drank himself to an early end, I hope people read this and if they didn't know it before they might know now.
What a player he was, the complete player, I will never forget some of his displays and I thank god I was around at the right time to see him in his pomp.
For me the greatest player to ever to play the game.

I agree with you Billy, the facts about his death should be made more public. Potential organ donors may have been put off because of inaccurate stories about George Best.

I doubt Alan Brazil is concerned because he does not think it will happen to him.

[The Difference]

Finally got round to listening to the last edition of My Sporting Life before it went on a summer break to make way for Euro 2012 coverage, the guest being John Hartson, on a long train journey earlier today.

As I was expecting it was a fantastic show. They had so much to cram into the two hours - John's start at Luton, his years at Arsenal, West Ham and the Eyal Berkovic incident, Wimbledon and Coventry, his five years at Celtic plus his battles with cancer and a gambling addiction - so much so that they actually cut it short without a proper sign-off after an interview with one of his mentors from Swansea. Not a second of the 1 hour 40 minutes after commercials they used was wasted.

Danny Kelly was on top form as usual and he handled the more sensitive aspects of their conversation with the care it required. It was quite difficult to listen to John pausing while audibly getting choked up about having to break the news of him contracting cancer to his wife and family, it was very moving. Definitely an edition of My Sporting Life I'd recommend to those who enjoy the series and are thinking of downloading one they've not yet listened to, a great way to end the series and hopefully they'll be many more MSLs of this calibre when it returns (touch wood) next month.

[jackyork]

Originally Posted by The Difference

Finally got round to listening to the last edition of My Sporting Life before it went on a summer break to make way for Euro 2012 coverage, the guest being John Hartson, on a long train journey earlier today.

As I was expecting it was a fantastic show. They had so much to cram into the two hours - John's start at Luton, his years at Arsenal, West Ham and the Eyal Berkovic incident, Wimbledon and Coventry, his five years at Celtic plus his battles with cancer and a gambling addiction - so much so that they actually cut it short without a proper sign-off after an interview with one of his mentors from Swansea. Not a second of the 1 hour 40 minutes after commercials they used was wasted.

Danny Kelly was on top form as usual and he handled the more sensitive aspects of their conversation with the care it required. It was quite difficult to listen to John pausing while audibly getting choked up about having to break the news of him contracting cancer to his wife and family, it was very moving. Definitely an edition of My Sporting Life I'd recommend to those who enjoy the series and are thinking of downloading one they've not yet listened to, a great way to end the series and hopefully they'll be many more MSLs of this calibre when it returns (touch wood) next month.

I agree Diff, John Hartson MSL was an excellent end to the present series.

Hartson is desperate to get into management and he's been linked to Swansea (the team he supports) and Wales on a few occasions, I don't think it's going to happen for him until he stamps his mark on a club in the lower leagues.

[swansea steve]

Originally Posted by jackyork

I agree Diff, John Hartson MSL was an excellent end to the present series.

Hartson is desperate to get into management and he's been linked to Swansea (the team he supports) and Wales on a few occasions, I don't think it's going to happen for him until he stamps his mark on a club in the lower leagues.

the few times i've heard him as a co-commentator on 5live I've been impressed. think he'd make a good manager.

[Mark F]

Originally Posted by jackyork

I agree Diff, John Hartson MSL was an excellent end to the present series.

Hartson is desperate to get into management and he's been linked to Swansea (the team he supports) and Wales on a few occasions, I don't think it's going to happen for him until he stamps his mark on a club in the lower leagues.

Agreed...not a high profile enough name for a Premiership job and I knnw he was quite keen on the Wales job but seems to be waiting for a call rather than apply in person.

[Joe19]

I'd like to praise Stan for his phone-in show last night.

Switched on to 606 only to hear Alan Green being negative straight away, so moved to TalkSport. And was greeted with positivity but realism, Stan was balanced and the callers, some were positive, some negative, were well treated and not cut off early from airing their views.

Well played Stanley V.

[m4rk1]

Originally Posted by Joe19

I'd like to praise Stan for his phone-in show last night.

Switched on to 606 only to hear Alan Green being negative straight away, so moved to TalkSport. And was greeted with positivity but realism, Stan was balanced and the callers, some were positive, some negative, were well treated and not cut off early from airing their views.

Well played Stanley V.

I'd echo that. Stan sounded positive and enthusiastic.Green on the other hand is someone I now avoid like the plague.

In general Talksports approach to the Euros has been enjoyable, professional and better than anything else I've heard elsewhere. The only thing that is really annoying me is Matterface's pre-contrived soundbite statements he keeps throwing in.

Last night's "Mad moment in Montenegro" was so obviously written on his crib sheet all night in the hope of bleating it out somewhere. He should stop this now as it's getting embarrassing and ask Stan to loosen the zip on his fly to stop his voice from squeaking with all his orgasmic excitement at the scoring of a goal.

[Electric_blue]

Would have to agree that Talksport's coverage on EURO 2012 has been excellent, it is pretty much the only time I listen to TS throughout the day when they are covering a major football tournament as they are the only broadcaster that does it. Only sky sports would be able to dedicate as much time, but not having the rights, means it's not in their interest.
Have enjoyed Keys&Gray, H&J & even drivetime, which i don't normally listen too. They all offer a slightly different take on events & as there are games every day there are enough stories to discuss without it getting repetitive. The Danny Kelly shows at the weekend have been good too.

As a fan of a one of the top Premier league teams I find myself not listening a lot during the season as TS are just going over stories already covered in depth by Sky, local radio etc.

[old oak]

Does anyone really still listen to this excuse of a sports radio station ?even Brazill has realised the games up,

[m4rk1]

Has Gab Marcotti been on the beer tonight?

When talking about whether Italy fear England in the next game, he just said "My opinion is in the top three in the world"