Lets Talk Talent-2

This is a rejoinder to my previous post. I have decided to break the discussion into two parts so that I can concentrate and do justice to one of my favourite topic-the talented people of our world!

I spoke about examples close to my heart from the Cricketing world. Now I would like to bring to light two outrageous talents from the world of football. This may be tragic in many aspects and also a stark study in contrasts in terms of acheivements and fame.

1) Pele: Pele, who was born Edison "Edson" Arantes do Nascimento in 1940 is perhaps the best example of genuis to many. In fact even today all you need to do is send a letter in an envelop addressed to "Pele-Brazil" --and rest assured that it will reach the man. He wore the national jersey number 10 of Brazil in the world cup four times and scored some outrageous goals in addition to helping his team lift the cup. Pele has become a legend and his exploits on the field are the stuff that folk lores are made of. The fact that Pele was talented is beyond any conjecture. However, we have to admit that the fact that he was born at the right time just when Brazillian football was at its ascendance. Pele was fortunate to have been influenced by the legendary Garincha and to have played alongside Didi, Vava and a host of other gifted footballers.

2) George Best: The football world never quite got to appreciate the genius of Gorge Best. He was a truly outrageous talent, who was as gifted a player as one can possibly imagine. Blessed with movie star looks and a talent that surpassed the contemporary football yardstick by light years, he would rule the British Premire Leage for Man U like a collosus. Born in 1946, he led the most colorful of lives akin to those of Rockstars and left the world in 2005. George Best along with Alfredo Di Stefano was perhaps one of those few outliers who never dazzled the world cup arena.His country Northern Ireland never qualified for the world cup finals and therefore George Best never played in the world cup soccer tournaments. George Best was famous for making wisecracks and quotes that would be funny sarcastic and also caustic. He was a rebel, in the true sense of the term and a non conformist to the core. He died out of complications arising out of lifestyle disorders. But what a talent!! Truly.

Its therefore apt to say that talent is a good thing to have if it is harnessed properly. It is also apt to say that talent needs opportunities to express itself. With so many factors that determine the success of a talent-it is therefore best to conclude that outliers are enigmas that grace the world to show us how it looks when the light burns the brightest.