[Other Sport] Eric Bristow RIP

Tooting Gull · Apr 6, 2018

Very sad to hear that news. Bristow was your classic 'larger than life', not afraid to ruffle feathers but good enough to back it up.

A bit like Steve Davis in that era, he had the world titles, but even his big losses became instant classics because they were so unexpected.

The darts players who are earning a decent living today owe a lot to Bristow.

Durlston · Apr 6, 2018

Tooting Gull said:
Very sad to hear that news. Bristow was your classic 'larger than life', not afraid to ruffle feathers but good enough to back it up.

A bit like Steve Davis in that era, he had the world titles, but even his big losses became instant classics because they were so unexpected.

The darts players who are earning a decent living today owe a lot to Bristow.

And Jocky Wilson was the Alex Higgins of darts - very unhealthy and alcoholic but a flawed genius.

Sad for someone to go that brought so much to the sport although I can't forget his comments about 'wimps'. The press may well have twisted things though.

Iggle Piggle · Apr 6, 2018

RIP Eric. Author of this classic tweet

Simster · Apr 6, 2018

Iggle Piggle said:
RIP Eric. Author of this classic tweet View attachment 95803

He got absolutely slaughtered for that exchange - a little bit unfairly IMO. Ultimately most people who knew him had nothing but good words to say about him, so on that basis he's a sad loss to the world. RIP Crafty Cockney.

Iggle Piggle · Apr 6, 2018

Simster said:
He got absolutely slaughtered for that exchange - a little bit unfairly IMO. Ultimately most people who knew him had nothing but good words to say about him, so on that basis he's a sad loss to the world. RIP Crafty Cockney.

Indeed he did as well as daily grief about his penchant for the daily lunchtime 49s from the gambling fraternity all of which was an entertaining read.

Personally, I see him from a different era. There are very few people in the public eye without media training who say what they think, Lewis Hamilton will thank the fans at the Bahrain Gp and your average footballer talks in 110%s. Bristol and Wilson were from an era where blowing cigarette smoke over your opponent to put him off was fair game and he said what he thought not what he was told. Is it any wonder he didn't get some of the victim mentality which exists today?

Durlston · Apr 6, 2018

Time to let go..........of the dart. Oops!

Dartitis destroyed his career. I never understood it. I mean snooker players used to let go of their cue. A shot was more vital than a single dart but nobody's ever had that problem in snooker.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 6, 2018

Iggle Piggle said:
Indeed he did as well as daily grief about his penchant for the daily lunchtime 49s from the gambling fraternity all of which was an entertaining read.

Personally, I see him from a different era. There are very few people in the public eye without media training who say what they think, Lewis Hamilton will thank the fans at the Bahrain Gp and your average footballer talks in 110%s. Bristol and Wilson were from an era where blowing cigarette smoke over your opponent to put him off was fair game and he said what he thought not what he was told. Is it any wonder he didn't get some of the victim mentality which exists today?

There’s a big difference between not having media training and being a gob-shite though. Not having media training is not an excuse and one can “say what they think” without impunity. He’s said some pretty despicable and cruel things on Twitter and television. RIP

Nathan · Apr 6, 2018

Sad news. A great character of British sport has passed away too soon.

Brovion · Apr 6, 2018

Jeez. In the same week as Ray Wilkins. I'm 61 in June so I'm feeling these deaths a bit (especially when you add in Cyrille Regis as well). As others have said he was a character, and I always admired him for saying what he thought - even when I didn't agree with it. Too few people dare to stick their heads above the parapet in these intolerant days.

RIP Eric.

ManOfSussex · Apr 6, 2018

I remember as a kid growing up in the 80's, Shredded Wheat cereal did a sticker promotion of British Sporting icons/stars, which our elderly neighbour kindly passed on to me as we didn't eat Shredded Wheat in our house. I pretty much had all of them and stuck them on the inside desk I had in my bedroom. I remember that the icons/stars I had were:

Daley Thompson
Seb Coe
Steve Davis
Bryan Robson
Ian Botham
Eric Bristow

I appreciate his physical athleticism is behind most of his compatriots there in that list etc, but his overall stature at the time wasn't - he was huge back then.

RIP.

KZNSeagull · Apr 6, 2018

Good grief, another one gone. Watched Bullseyes and Beer on BBC 4 earlier in the week which charts the rise of darts in the 70's and 80's and ends with the classic Bristow/Taylor final with them sledging each other throughout. I had forgotten he was Taylor's sponsor. An interesting watch. RIP Eric.

Stumpy Tim · Apr 6, 2018

I was watching the Darts Mavericks documentary on Netflix yesterday on a flight, which heavily featured Bristow. Got off the plane to discover he had died. Tragic. It's hard to describe just what affect he had on that sport

rocker959 · Apr 6, 2018

RIP Eric . One of my sporting heroes . Old school . Very sad news .

OzMike · Apr 6, 2018

Sad news, I used to love the old school darts and Indoor League, they used to be real characters in those days.
Not many of them left now, RIP Eric.

Arthur · Apr 6, 2018

Herr Tubthumper said:
There’s a big difference between not having media training and being a gob-shite though. Not having media training is not an excuse and one can “say what they think” without impunity. He’s said some pretty despicable and cruel things on Twitter and television. RIP

He didn't get away with it though. He lost his job!

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 6, 2018

Arthur said:
He didn't get away with it though. He lost his job!

Fair point.

southstandandy · Apr 6, 2018

Blimey - Glad I retired at 47

Is it PotG? · Apr 6, 2018

southstandandy said:
Blimey - Glad I retired at 47

From Darts?

southstandandy · Apr 6, 2018

Is it PotG? said:
From Darts?

. No, work. Fortunate enough to have made a few investments over the years which have come good.

mejonaNO12 aka riskit · Apr 6, 2018

As I'm 31 I will mostly remember him for offensive twitter rants about abuse victims and "poofs" and also getting his fine chest out on I'm A Celebrity. I also enjoyed the time on I'm a celeb where he mocked someone for their bad skin and told her to just squeeze her head and 'get all the pus out in one go"

RIP.

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