Gazza fails to show up at court

[minestrone]

Is your point that he is an alcoholic, therefore addicted, therefore deserves sympathy?

I agree with this, but actually had an argument in the pub (coincidentally) on friday with a couple of mates, who's basic point (not about Gazza, but addiction to alcohol, drugs etc) is that it is NOT an addiction, but really a choice - they choose to do it.

Drugs are physically addictive, people who use at a high level are physically compelled to use again.

The "it is their choice" line is a load of cock when lay people prescribe it to addicts.

Gazza still is a cock though.

[Alf W]

Whatever he is now you can't tire of watching this though.....

[MarillionFan]

Whatever he is now you can't tire of watching this though.....

He'll be dead within 12 months IMO.

[RichardCranium]

Is your point that he is an alcoholic, therefore addicted, therefore deserves sympathy?

No. My point was that I can find some sympathy for him, especially since he has gone back to rehab.

a couple of mates, who's basic point is that it is NOT an addiction, but really a choice - they choose to do it.

Then they need to look up 'addiction' in the dictionary, in particular the 'dependent' bit.

I have no sympathy for his at all

That is because you are a child with little or no life experience. As you get a bit older and discover you are not perfect, you will learn how to sympathise.

People like Tony Adams were alcoholic and sorted themselves out.

Tony Adams' recovery was exceptional. Gazza still has the time to follow the same path. Or he may be another Georgie Best, fighting it all his life until it kills him. Who knows?

[kandr]

No. My point was that I can find some sympathy for him, especially since he has gone back to rehab.

Then they need to look up 'addiction' in the dictionary, in particular the 'dependent' bit.

That is because you are a child with little or no life experience. As you get a bit older and discover you are not perfect, you will learn how to sympathise.

Tony Adams' recovery was exceptional. Gazza still has the time to follow the same path. Or he may be another Georgie Best, fighting it all his life until it kills him. Who knows?

Twaddle, the guy beat his wife up, I have no sympathy for someone like that, and I have to wonder why someone else would.

[RichardCranium]

Twaddle, the guy beat his wife up

Did he? I didn't know that. Oh well, he's a Geordie and she's a WAG. What do you expect?

I have no sympathy for someone like that, and I have to wonder why someone else would.

Simple humanity.

[kandr]

Did he? I didn't know that. Oh well, he's a Geordie and she's a WAG. What do you expect?

Simple humanity.

Where do you draw the line though, surely there has to be some personal responsibility.

[RichardCranium]

Where do you draw the line though, surely there has to be some personal responsibility.

What line? And what happens to those one the other side of it?

[kandr]

What line? And what happens to those one the other side of it?

You don't have sympathy for them?

[RichardCranium]

You don't have sympathy for them?

Am I sad that the once-talented and popular Gazza, who was hobnobbing with celebrities, who could have maintained himself for life with a career as a sports celebrity, is destroying his life because he has a weaknesses for the drink? A lad who had not much going for him, finds he has a talent for sport, makes it to the top, then comes crashing down - possibly caused by that very success he achieved. Yes, that makes me sad.

It is a tragedy, a simple story demonstrating human frailty. That not only can we endure great suffering, we also have the ability to self-destruct.

And being able to see that, and consider how that could apply to one's self, is sympathy.

Personally, I manage to maintain my battle with alcohol by restricting what I drink because I know if I drink before the end of the working day, I will lose my source of income. But if I had £10m in the bank I would probably descend into hedonism and pickle my liver too - knowingly and unwillingly. That too makes me sad.

But such is life. We are weak, we are mortal, we are but imperfect flesh and blood.

At one time Gazza was worshipped as a hero. And it takes a big man to weep on a football pitch as he did. What are we now to do about that big man? Erase him from the history books? Scratch his name from the trophies? He's just a kid who had a talent for kicking a ball who was taken from his natural environment, given a huge responsibility in an alien world and then left to sink or swim. And he is sinking. Isn't he owed anything more by society? It certainly shows money is not everything.

And why must we demolish all our heroes? Instead of deluding ourselves that we are any better than those that have fallen from grace, should we not hold out a hand of support? Do we have to destroy them to maintain this falsehood that we are somehow better than them? Because that is the lie the media is selling us to make us feel better.

There but by the grace of God go us all.

Wouldn't you want someone to hold out a hand to you, if you were in the gutter?