Flawed Geniuses! Self Destructing

[oscarina]

The sad and lonely death of Alex Higgins has highlighted self destruction, among great sportsmen musicians etc, George Best footballing genius, immortalised, airport named after him but he wasn't a great role model! Watch out Paul Gascoigne, Amy Whinehouse Etc.

[ummmm]

Things are different now. The press made sure of that.....they are no longer looked up to as role models.

My Dad died at 59....so Alex didn't do so bad.

[joko]

genius? ...he was good at snooker...thats all

[Mamyalynne]

joko has a very good point, in what way do you define the above as genius? Sad when anyone dies earlier than we would hope, my husband ,my father... all heroes in my eyes and far above any mentioned in your post.

[ummmm]

He can be credited with changing snooker.

[joko]

he may have changed the 'televised competitive' world of snooker...mainly because he was one of the first to be well known...there was nothing much else going on before him...he could have been any player really...

even so, he was still just pretty good at playing a game...

[sandyRoe]

He was a great snooker player but hardly any sort of role model. His drinking, drug taking, and gambling, just go to prove the old adage; You can take the boy out of the slum, but you can't take the slum out of the boy.

[ummmm]

There was plenty of good players back then. He just made it more exciting.

[Bobbisox]

sandy, this is the case with Gazza too..

[sandyRoe]

I should also have mentioned his violence, and threats of violence, to other players and officials.

[Bobbisox]

PG wasn't like that on the field, but the enviroment he grew up in would be where men drank, smoked and hung out with the 'lads' then they had a England footballer in their midst...was like oil and water!