Monday, August 1st, 2005...4:50 am
Weah to Run for Liberian Presidency
One of the two greatest soccer players never to reach the World Cup (the other being Northern Ireland’s George Best), George Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah, has put his name in to run for the presidency of Liberia.
This man has long been a hero of mine. Here in the US, our sports stars get testy just because someone points a camera at them or their per diem checks come five minutes late. This guy actually had his house burned down and members of his family assaulted because his popularity and outspokenness made him a threat to the government. Despite this, he still managed his country’s national team, because, as he said, it gave “a suffering people joy.”
Given the threats to him and his family, I think no one would have blamed him if he abandoned his native country. He, however, believed that a “man who burns the bridge to his past is lost.” He continued to return to his country, even though his family lived in New York for safety reasons.
His “stardom” off of the field has been recognized for years. He has been praised by no less than Nelson Mandela for his activities, and UNICEF appointed him a goodwill ambassador working on the issues of child soldiers and HIV/AIDS. He also was envolved in negotiating a cease fire between rebel factions in his home country.
Weah played for a dozen teams over his career, and won numerous awards, even winning the ESPN Arthur Ashe award. ESPN hardly ever recognizes sports achievements by non-Americans (the ESPN 100 didn’t include Pelé), so there is a some knowledge even among the normally jingoistic American sports media that this guy is special.
He already has a campaign site up, but there will not be anything on there for another couple of weeks.
PS - Yes, this is the second post in the row where I put a picture of a soccer player up. But, dude, it’s King George!
3 Comments
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:10 pm
I think this is your first soccer player post I enjoyed.
Keep up the good work!
September 7th, 2005 at 11:14 am
Mr George Weah will be a the best President ever in the history of Liberia. He has the commitment,the nationalism, the patriotism/ the love for his people and of his people.He has the passion and determination imbued with the sense of nation building for Liberia and Liberians. He is the best thing that has ever happen to liberia in 158years of our existence. Let me be proven wrong.
September 7th, 2005 at 11:21 am
Give George the chance, He took himself from rags to riches in 15 years with all the trillions of odds with no lives lost, without people being murdered,and raped.he can do the same for liberia.