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Saturday, November 26, 2005

I know I've been holding off on the whole analysis on Roy Keane's departure from United. It just so happens that something else equally big happened today.

George Best died.

Now let's get this straight, Bestie was only 59, he died in hospital while Charlton, Law and, I think, even Bill Foulkes are still alive. Long may they all live. Some say Bestie was done in by the alcohol, but they're mostly wrong. He's been in and out of hospital with, I think, some kind of 'itis'. That is, it all started from a liver infection, and the doctors took pains to state that this isn't directly linked to alcohol abuse, mostly because Bestie probably didn't drink much lately.

It's true that George Best had to undergo a liver transplant caused by his alcoholism, but the point is that organ transplants often run the risk of infection or rejections many years down the road, leading to a need to consume the relevant medication for the rest of your life. Even then, nothing's guaranteed, and in Bestie's case I guess it just didn't work out.

I've heard infinitely many stories about how great George Best was. Unfortunately, I never got to see him in action, even on video. That's how young I was. But I don't have reason to disbelieve what people tell me in terms of his skills and charm on the field (off it, it's another matter to me). United will mourn the loss of Bestie, who continued to be quite an institution. But Bestie is a player of the '60s, and we all learn to move on. The closest I came to witnessing similar genius was Eric Cantona in the '90s, and United too has learnt to move on from his abrupt retirement.

And I'm sure the same holds for Keano. No one man is bigger than the club, although Fergie, Cantona and many others all came close. Keano's up there among them too. And just as Cantona left behind the legacy of a determined work ethic to put in practice beyond the regular hours, so too Keano has burned into our minds the fierce dedication and lionheartedness we've come to associate with United. That's what puts it a class above Chelsea and even Arsenal, although Liverpool would take some beating.

Keano's departure will always be remembered for happening at the wrong time, but in a twisted way it could be just the thing to kick the rest of the lads into waking up. We'll have to see whether that plays out, of course. But if it does, no one will begrudge Keane his final contribution. Even in departure, Keane can inspire the lads. And I'm sure he will look at the club just the same way Cantona continues to look at the club - with fondness and affection.

Old Trafford should fly the Tricolores bearing the portraits of Cantona and Keane. And every legend before and after them.

gambitch [ 3:16 PM]

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Well, so the Weavers came in last in The Amazing Race but were not eliminated because it was another non-elimination leg. Is that supposed to be cool? I don't know. Just to say that, first of all, I saw the non-elimination coming, more or less. Second, notwithstanding, they probably deserved to be eliminated for messing up their driving and navigation this leg, not to mention the Yield play by the Linzes.

But rules are rules. Never mind, then.

gambitch [ 11:01 PM]