"When Alexander of Macedon was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer. Eric Bristow is only 27"

At the heart of Sid Waddell's memorable assertion lies a profound commentary on greatness, aspiration, and the mythologizing of sporting achievement. By referencing Alexander of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great, Waddell anchors his praise in a universally recognized symbol of youthful accomplishment. Alexander, having created one of the largest empires in the ancient world by the age of 33, is depicted as a figure so triumphant that he lamented the absence of further conquests, his ambitions outstripping the possibilities of his era. The evocative image of "crying salt tears" for unassailable victory frames ambition as both a driver and a potential source of sorrow, suggesting that unparalleled success can breed a kind of ennui or dissatisfaction.

Turning to Eric Bristow, Waddell draws a direct and striking parallel between historical conquest and sporting dominance. Bristow, at just 27, is positioned as a contemporary Alexander, a young man whose mastery in darts has put him on the cusp of having nothing left to achieve. The comparison elevates Bristow’s sporting feats to the realm of legend, implying not only supreme skill but also a precociousness that intensifies his achievements. Waddell's brilliance lies in inflating the scope of Bristow’s success beyond the technical or statistical, transforming it into a saga worthy of classical antiquity.

Through this juxtaposition, deeper themes emerge. The briefness of youth, the fleeting window for glory, and the existential challenge faced by those who achieve early are all encapsulated in the flourish. The rhetoric is deliberately dramatic and hyperbolic, yet it captures the awe that sporting heroes can inspire, painting their journeys as analogous to those of kings and conquerors. Ultimately, Waddell’s phrase celebrates not only Bristow’s prodigious talent but also the universal human drive, the restless pursuit of ever-new challenges, and the bittersweet reality that, sometimes, the longing for more endures even at the pinnacle of achievement.