Not wanting to be morbid...

rts · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 14.38

Just seen flashed up on Sky that George Best, who is now in his last hours, is to donate his organs.

But isn't it the failure of pretty much all his organs which has caused his premature demise?

Dr Lobster* · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 15.37

i'm sure his diseased ridden liver and f*cked up flabby face skin will come in most useful.

the fecking moron should never have had the transplant in the first place, all he did was abuse it.

rot in your own filth, besty.

Pete · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 16.23

my thoughts exactly mark

Gavin Scott · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 16.32

Alcoholism is an illness, and shouldn't be easily dismissed.

But I tend to beleive that with the support he has received - not least from the sackloads of mail from fans - he should have tried harder.

Too bad for him, really.

Dr Lobster* · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 18.14

Gavin Scott wrote:Alcoholism is an illness, and shouldn't be easily dismissed.

But I tend to beleive that with the support he has received - not least from the sackloads of mail from fans - he should have tried harder.

Too bad for him, really.

i think any sort of addiction is an illness: i used to be a quite a heavy smoker, smoking between 20-30 cigarettes a day - i was highly dependant on the drug, craving a smoke every half-hour or so.

it took me about a year to quit, but with the support of my friends and family i was able to stop. i admit i had a few slip ups along the way and that it wasn't easy. in the early days the craving was tormenting and i would feel amost sick because i hadn't had a cigarette (i was using nrt too)

most studies cite nicotine as significantly more addictive than alcohol (some studies claming that nicotine is more addictive than heroin). having never tried anything more than a joint i can't comment on the latter but i have never felt that alcohol is as easy to get addicted to because of the intoxicating effects.

but what made me give up was knowing somebody who was not much older than me had died of a smoking related cancer - this was my cue to stop. the thought of being dead in my thirties because of smoking was a real eye opener.

i think best's problem is that deep down he didn't want to give up, you have to be in that frame of mind otherwise you'll fail.

Gavin Scott · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 18.30

Dr Lobster* wrote:i think best's problem is that deep down he didn't want to give up, you have to be in that frame of mind otherwise you'll fail.

No question.

A very large aspect of addicition is the social conditioning. An ex-footballer who enjoyed a very active social life is surely in a difficult scenario.

I'm not making excuses for him, but when one has enough money to live on, no job to worry about and a penchant for propping up a bar regaling others with classic football stories, then one has to wonder about the drastic change of habits he would have been forced to undergo.

Again, it's unfortunate. I won't condem him, but I can appreciate others feeling he was a "waste of a transplant".

As for the media saturation - well, he'll be dead soon and the stories will stop. That will be the end of it, really.

Lorns · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 18.45

I lost any respect i had for George Best the day he took the first swig of an alcoholic drink after his liver transplant.
I feel for the family of his donor, who've had to watch their sons liver be abused, when it could have gone to someone who would have appreciated the chance that George was given.

I'm getting fed up with the constant updates on his health. He is not worthy of this much news coverage.

Nick Harvey · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 19.14

'Er indoors saw a vaguely amusing caption on Sky News during the afternoon, which probably sums up most people's boredom with the subject.

"Breaking News - George Best - No Change".

Brad · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 20.55

Oh well... spare a thought for the poor butcher who has to put a new sign up in his window tomorrow...

BEST LIVER FOR SALE

chinajan · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 22.30

This all begs a question. Is a life of excess ultimately more satisfying than a life of, err, the opposite of excess?

George had talent. Did he waste it? He bedded Miss World. He made the most of the money that came his way. He enjoyed the champagne lifestyle engendered by his footballing acumen. I would endorse the view that there were more deserving liver transplant recipients. I'd hate to think children were deprived of that liver but I don't know if that was the case.

Is it better to die at 59 [or whatever it is] having lived life to its potential, or to live a sober existence sans excitement until one is 90? I don't know.

Nick Harvey · Thu 24 Nov, 2005 22.39

Probably best to go on till ninety AND have all the enjoyment, eh, Dusty?