We never got to honor George here at I Dislike Your Favorite Team, because George was dead and gone for several months before we went online. But we loved George, drunken lout that he was.
In Belfast they say, "Maradona Good, Pele Better, George Best." And yes, the louts of Belfast love a bad pun as much as anyone, and I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that George Best was the best player of all time. But he was electrifying, and I have a feeling that most young soccer fans have no idea who he was. He didn't have the luxury for playing for a great National team, like Maradona and Pele did. Northern Ireland never got to ply its wares in the World Cup 5 straight times, or even 3 straight times, or ever.
But when George was 15, the scout from Manchester United sent a wire, that says everything: "I found a genius."
So quite belatedly, and fairly randomly, we celebrate George Best! You kids watch!
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