Comments
George Best and Martin McGuinness
2009-04-27 09:02:35
Terrific play on BBC2 last night about George Best's family. His mother was the main character, her descent into alcoholism a parallel to his rise to fame.
Mrs Best did not taste alcohol till the age of 44, and was dead ten years later. In an understated kind of way, the film captured the slow grip alcohol took on her, and the pain and confusion this caused her family.
Powerful too the theme of fame and the damage it can do to a family when one member of that family does something special. Best has close family still alive, and amid the pleasure I took at a well-made, well-acted Sunday night TV programme, part of me wondered whether the family were happy to see themselves portrayed so intimately in what was, no matter how much research was done, a fictionalised account.
There were a number of scenes where they were picked on because of their association with George, including one where his sister was phsycially set upon by a group of Catholics. 'They only know you're a Protestant because of me,' says a sad-looking George.
The politics of Northern Ireland formed part of the backdrop, George calling home from Manchester as the family try to absorb the horrrors of Bloody Sunday on the TV news.
Which brings me to Martin McGuinness, who has been warned by the Police Service of Northern Ireland that his life is in danger from Republican terrorists.
No stranger to death threats, the former IRA commander turned peacemaker and now Deputy First Minister has struck a defiant note, and is determined to go about his business as normally as possible.
I record in my diaries Tony Blair once saying of McGuinness and his Sinn Fein colleague Gerry Adams that we had to understand they went about their business with a modicum of fear that someone might come along and blow their brains out. Most of their lives, the assumption would be that any attack would come from Unionists. Now the fear would be dissident Republicans opposed to the role they have played in reaching a political settlement short of Northern Ireland being part of the Irish Republic here and now.
McGuinness was a regular feature of my time with TB, and I always liked him, not least for a shared love of football. I bet he was watching last night. There was certainly a hardness there, he could be a nightmare in negotiations, and you knew he had done some pretty dreadful things in his time. But Northern Ireland is a much better place than it was, and he is among the people who can take a fair share of the credit for that.
It would be an even better place if George Best was still around. Somewhow an airport named in his honour does not quite compensate for what the demon drink did to him, and the genius on display in the real football clips they showed last night.
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Going Fourth with JPPublish date: 2009-05-02 18:25:41
Journalism - print first, think laterPublish date: 2009-05-02 09:10:01
In praise of two poetsPublish date: 2009-05-01 10:26:36
JP hits the road againPublish date: 2009-04-29 18:52:11
My night with Eddie IzzardPublish date: 2009-04-29 10:53:25
Explaining the 50p top tax ratePublish date: 2009-04-28 09:22:53
Cameron confused over indepdendence and impartialityPublish date: 2009-04-26 12:20:56
Guide ro Marathon running part 2Publish date: 2009-04-25 11:01:34
Good signals on coal and the OlympicsPublish date: 2009-04-24 10:45:28
Tips for the London MarathonPublish date: 2009-04-23 17:29:27
Missed the Budget, saw why it matteredPublish date: 2009-04-22 23:09:31
Football good, politics bad. AllegedlyPublish date: 2009-04-22 00:00:24
The Great Wall gets greaterPublish date: 2009-04-21 09:55:22
Two sides to police storyPublish date: 2009-04-20 11:39:54
Budgets, Balls, billionaires and Susan BoylePublish date: 2009-04-19 12:31:45
Do muscles have memories?Publish date: 2009-04-18 09:44:44
Bring back standing at footballPublish date: 2009-04-17 14:50:22
When Facebook friends fall outPublish date: 2009-04-16 12:29:16
Guardian sightings and the email and bath plug agendaPublish date: 2009-04-15 11:32:16
The spin is all in the prismPublish date: 2009-04-14 09:22:41
A setback, not a crisisPublish date: 2009-04-13 12:55:19
The real lessons from Damian McBridePublish date: 2009-04-12 10:49:47
Will English always be the dominant language?Publish date: 2009-04-11 10:02:02
On the pipes and what makes a ScotPublish date: 2009-04-10 11:06:20
John Prescott lazy? NO WAYPublish date: 2009-04-09 09:11:31
David Frost is seventyPublish date: 2009-04-08 08:48:38
The Speaker, BBC2, tonight and tomorrow 8pmPublish date: 2009-04-07 14:25:31
Obama, colds and being woken by Korean missilesPublish date: 2009-04-06 11:59:24
When a call matters more than protocolPublish date: 2009-04-05 11:33:42
Green Cities Champions LeaguePublish date: 2009-04-04 10:19:53
Could Cameron have delivered the G20 deal?Publish date: 2009-04-03 10:11:59
Of Benn and BonoPublish date: 2009-04-02 08:21:16
Memo to Sarko - allez vite a LondresPublish date: 2009-04-01 08:46:17
Happy April Fool's DayPublish date: 2009-04-01 01:44:05
Eurostar, Le Monde and a thought for the G20 sherpasPublish date: 2009-03-31 09:17:22
Why Kevin Rudd made an impactPublish date: 2009-03-30 10:24:41
Pre-G20 hype matters less than post-G20 processPublish date: 2009-03-29 13:17:28
The Damned UnitedPublish date: 2009-03-28 10:37:04
A hobby horse, a plug and a bit of sportPublish date: 2009-03-27 10:22:23
Cloughie - he had a lot to be big-headed aboutPublish date: 2009-03-26 09:38:36
A sad sight of the old fearing the youngPublish date: 2009-03-25 17:03:07
Post-modern, post-structural, or bullshit?Publish date: 2009-03-25 08:18:02
Learning the right lessons from ObamaPublish date: 2009-03-24 08:53:15
Lazy Dave needs to keep an eye on lazy KenPublish date: 2009-03-23 11:16:14
Farewell favourite restaurant, hello hometownPublish date: 2009-03-22 08:18:09
Dave, Danny and have the Tories really changed?Publish date: 2009-03-21 08:55:13
Life beyond Dover ...Publish date: 2009-03-20 10:11:21
My friends in The New Statesman - Fergie, Fiona, Tony, Sarah, Kevin, 'Dacre,' and a great GB idea for the G20Publish date: 2009-03-18 10:38:22
Iraq, Iran, GB, Obama and diplomatic chessPublish date: 2009-03-17 10:07:13
The Age of StupidPublish date: 2009-03-16 08:27:13
Is all change good?Publish date: 2009-03-15 10:00:06
The pressure of being a post-modern sex godPublish date: 2009-03-14 10:00:55
Cameron still hasn't sealed the deal with businessPublish date: 2009-03-13 09:21:49
Stand up for social workersPublish date: 2009-03-12 08:31:17
Surely Malcolm Tucker could have told Armando Ianucci ... You can't spin a spinnerPublish date: 2009-03-11 10:58:25
Start of a new approach from Labour?Publish date: 2009-03-10 09:54:12
A peace process still strongPublish date: 2009-03-09 08:21:05
Day of destiny for the real footballer of the yearPublish date: 2009-03-08 09:21:06
Private advice to Peggy Mitchell - the leaked note in fullPublish date: 2009-03-07 08:17:21
Boris, the Tories and the tummy-tickling poodle pressPublish date: 2009-03-06 09:49:37
A day in the life of the self-obsessed TV reporterPublish date: 2009-03-05 07:55:47
GB - good speech, well deliveredPublish date: 2009-03-04 19:31:05
Notes on the environment, a role in EastEndersPublish date: 2009-03-04 10:58:56
She may be my 'wife' but it is time to rebut!Publish date: 2009-03-03 10:52:59
Some speeches matter more than othersPublish date: 2009-03-02 12:04:45
Mental health and the Carling Cup FinalPublish date: 2009-03-01 09:08:17
Inside the chocolate factoryPublish date: 2009-02-28 10:23:59
GB on the G20, JP on Jeremy KylePublish date: 2009-02-27 09:14:36
Charity and the credit crunch, please give generously!Publish date: 2009-02-26 08:55:12
Why oh why are the Tories not home and dry?Publish date: 2009-02-24 09:44:59
Me, Dermot and ten top songsPublish date: 2009-02-23 10:02:19
Names round-upPublish date: 2009-02-22 08:43:39
What's in a name?Publish date: 2009-02-21 09:58:14
Editing the New StatesmanPublish date: 2009-02-20 11:42:36
Salute Peter M’s proper use of the F wordPublish date: 2009-02-19 09:58:58
Labour's communications challenge for the NHSPublish date: 2009-02-18 10:34:39
In praise of KeighleyPublish date: 2009-02-17 14:33:57
A night at the EmiratesPublish date: 2009-02-17 00:06:51
When marriage is testedPublish date: 2009-02-16 13:36:35
Spare me the myths and the whiningPublish date: 2009-02-15 13:29:50
Dave Cameron - is that all there is?Publish date: 2009-02-14 11:11:55
Boris Johnson: F is for ...Publish date: 2009-02-13 07:55:10
The Cameron vacuumPublish date: 2009-02-12 14:48:33
Lincoln, Obama, Blair and the 24 hour media culturePublish date: 2009-02-11 10:28:47
Eighteen interviews later ...Publish date: 2009-02-10 19:24:45
Time to talk about Time to Change on NewsnightPublish date: 2009-02-09 22:47:49
So that’s what they mean by online community?Publish date: 2009-02-08 12:12:51
First blogPublish date: 2009-02-05 15:23:57
Jane A
2009-04-27 21:49:55Whatever people's views about how George Best (and his mother's) life was damaged by alcoholism, it remains the case that alcoholism at that level is an addiction, and addictions fall into the realms of conditions treated by mental health services.
Given that mental illness in some form affects one in four of us, that means over five people on the field in a football match. Multiply that by all the teams who play in all the leagues on a Saturday, and you get some idea of the numbers. Take a guess at the numbers affected standing in the stands (or sitting) on top of that.
But that knowledge, the sensitivity, the awareness and the support weren't in place in the 60s & I would guess, often by the time the need for support was identified, it may have been too late. George's is a sad story.
Alan Quinn
2009-04-27 20:13:50Regarding Besty, you can get his family's side by reading Barbara Best's book, "Our George" written by his sister.
George was a genius, he faced real hatchet men like Ron Harris, Norman Hunter and Tommy Smith but still took them on because he was fearless. If you fart near a player today you get a yellow yard but George took all the knocks, gave some out himself and got on with it. He also played on mudbath pitches, not the bowling greens of today.
He made his league debut aged 17 v WBA in 1963 and toremented their right back, Graham Williams so much that Matt Busby made him play on the left in the 2nd half because he thought Williams might lose it and try to injure George.
Williams would later, off pitch ask Besty to "stand still". When Best asked Williams "Why?" he replied "I've played against you several times but all I've ever seen of you is your arse going down the touch line when you roasted me..."
Besty came on the scene by scoring two goals to destroy Benfica away 5-1 in 1966, they had never been beaten at home in the european cup. He would later win the european cup in 1968 with United and be named european footballer of the year.
George was threatened several times by the IRA. He once played against City in the Manchester derby and was asked by his best mate, the city player, Mike Summerbee if the threat had been lifted? "No" said George, "Well I hope the bastard hasn't got a machine gun because I'm marking you this afternoon...."
If you want to see him at his best go on You Tube and find the clip using Duran Duran's "Ordinary World". The goal against Chelsea is magnificent, Chopper Harris nearly scythes him in two but George recovers when many would have gone down for a penalty to go around the 'keeper to score.
He finished the game 27 yrs old due to the bottle and his inability to handle fame. Managers like Alex Ferguson can prepare young players for living in a goldfish bowl because George was the first genuine superstar.
gary enefer
2009-04-27 15:38:11V.nice to discover your official website through Twitter - which i have just joined. We all have 'previous' as in Martin McGuinness and I am a huge believer in never judging someone-even if you have walked in their shoes.-just took me to my mid 40s to realise this. I have just given up drinking - due to weight, it's a bad habit and general lethargicness.
Will follow you on this blog and twitter
with thanks
gary enefer,Sussex
Martin Greene
2009-04-27 13:53:50Best was a wife-beater. McGuinness was a terrorist. But you don't seem to mind
Michael Mills
2009-04-27 11:59:46Are you sure you should be saying you 'like' a man who ran the IRA?
Sally Pearce
2009-04-27 11:03:55According to The Guardian, you are right to be concerned the family was not happy about it - Best's sister is quoted as saying so. She says it is one dimensional about the mother and not understanding enough of the damage done to families. I also agree with you it was a good programme though, and whatever else the Best family should still be very proud of their most famous member
james
2009-04-27 10:36:33Alastair,
As a statement of the bleedin' obvious - this is your blog and you can write about whatever you want.
However on the evening after the Budget last week you said there would be "lots of time to debate the Budget, and lots of things to say in future blogs" - have you had a chance to formulate your thoughts yet, beyond feeling a bit down about it?
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