The Beauty of Roy Keane

I ask this question today, on the player's acquital of "assault"
charges: Is Roy Keane a "beautiful" player?

Opponents will think not. Alfie Haaland comes to mind. Patrick Veira
after his recent tunnel encounter will think not.

But what is beauty then?

Is it necessarily pretty?

Is it necessarily morally "good"?

Those who know art will say not: beauty is not all sunshine and roses.

United fans, even the legendary United manager Ferguson,  would perhaps
agree that yes, if you were to put the inspiring, courageous, loyal
champion Roy Keane up for examination, he could be "beautiful".

But how so?

How so when he is also unstable, viscious and perhaps without
conscience?

He will do anything to win for United. He will challenge officials,
intimidate opponents with threats, punish opponents physically, he will
fight anyone any time.

Including a kid on a bike outside his home--so the kid says.

And yet. And yet. What a fighter he is. What a player he is. What a
winner he is. Marshalling his beloved team. Central to it all: the talk,
the tackles, the build up of play, the decisive pass, the timely if
infrequent goal.

He is brave. He is a hero. He is beautiful in most he does. And yet
there is a dark side.

Perhaps that is the truth about true beauty.

Perhaps that is the real reality of what it means to be human.

Roy Keane encompasses a good deal of the virtues and vices of all
footballers.

And all you really need to do is watch him move about the middle of the
park: wearing his red jersey and that fierce face.



He's a sight to behold...