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Jim Harbaugh can quit looking over his shoulder - Printable Version

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After one has coached Notre Dame, life is empty - Redrum - 07-20-2010

and devoid of pleasure.  All Domers believe that.  Based on his experience at UDub,  Tyrone has no evidence to  contradict this myth.

Love this quote about why he\'d  coach, but never be an Athletic  Director, he noted that ADs have too many bosses to answer to.  " As a football coach you can kind of eliminate your bosses to a certain degree. "  

And he HAS.  The AD that hired him at Stanford?   Gone.  The AD that hired him at Notre Dame?  Gone.  And the AD that hired him at UDub?  Gone.  

But, he always wanted to be an Elder Statesman.  Seemingly,  from some of his utterances,  even when he was still coaching.   Now he gets to be one.

Re: Jim Harbaugh can quit looking over his shoulde - teejers1 - 07-20-2010

I wonder if, in his heart of hearts, Tyrone thinks he made a mistake leaving Stanford?

Naaaah.  The millions he banked from ND and then UW - all of which were made possible by the Rose Bowl run at Stanford - made those decisions good ones for TW.  Indeed, he probably couldn\'t retire now had he stayed at Stanford.

Re: Jim Harbaugh can quit looking over his shoulde - slide - 07-20-2010

in theory his golf game could have improved on the Farm as opposed to shorter seasons areas like USB and UMisty.  Tyrone might have been able to elevate his game enough to beat Barkley (before Sir Chuck started playing as a lefty)?

Re: Jim Harbaugh can quit looking over his shoulde - Mick - 07-20-2010

Quote:I wonder if, in his heart of hearts, Tyrone thinks he made a mistake leaving Stanford?

Naaaah.  The millions he banked from ND and then UW - all of which were made possible by the Rose Bowl run at Stanford - made those decisions good ones for His Royal Ungratefulness.  Indeed, he probably couldn\'t retire now had he stayed at Stanford.

ok, but...why does TW treat Stanford...who gave him his first big break...so shabbily?

Ummmm, because he\'s self-absorbed? - Redrum - 07-21-2010

My theory:  Tyrone really did have a tough childhood,  being the oldest kid helping to raise siblings in a fatherless family.   As an undersized football player he fought his way into a football scholarship, and then playing time at Michigan St.  And then he managed to build a coaching career.  I think he came to not only believe in himself,  he came to believe that he was owed everything he got because he worked hard.  Seems self-evident that hard working people have earned their rewards.  But that view completely ignores the influence of chance, good will and the influence of others in all our lives.  

Tyrone was a position coach on an NFL team after serving as a college assistant coach (some of that at Stanford).   Among all the possible candidates who could have been pursued, requested to interview or applied for the HC position,  Tyrone got the job.  Not a completely illogical choice,  but not a high probability win for him.   Now, people not named Tyrone can see how circumstance, chance, luck and the good will of others played a role in his getting The Big Career Break.   Tyrone was not unprepared, but no matter how hard he had worked,  people other than himself caused good things to happen for him,  things he alone could not make happen.   But his mindset and his history of willing his way through the difficulties of his life made him believe that he did this himself.  No need to be grateful.  Stanford merely made the only logical decision it could have made when it hired him.  No chance involved at all.  Stanford should be grateful,  not Tyrone.  

And his wild ride since leaving Stanford apparently hasn\'t changed his view.  Well, that\'s my somewhat baked theory.   Most people, as they grow older,  develop a sense of --and respect for-- the role that circumstance, luck and chance have played in their lives.  Based solely on observing his public pronouncements and behavior, it doesn\'t appear that Tyrone has developed that.  This proud man sees no need to be thankful to Stanford.  We were just another step on his inevitable climb to success.



Re: Ummmm, because he\'s self-absorbed? - CowboyIndian - 07-21-2010

Quote:This proud man sees no need to be thankful to Stanford, we were just another step on his inevitable climb to success.

And we continued the process of inevitability by kicking his ass at UW.

Re: Jim Harbaugh can quit looking over his shoulde - mark3k - 07-21-2010

Very well theorized (per usual), Redrum, though I too struggle with reconciling his apparent intelligence with what seems to be his perception that he ultimately achieved the "success" to which you referred at the end of your post (I don\'t know the man, but I\'ve yet to read a quote in which he really concedes his failures).

Inheriting stellar recruits from Green and Walsh undoubtedly contributed to his initial success at Stanford (as did a relatively injury-free year, playing against atypically weak Pac-10 competition in his Rose Bowl season).  Clearly consistent with a healthy dose of "chance, good will and the influence of others", as you postulate.

I  can\'t help wonder what role his race (and the discrimination that he undoubtedly faced at some points in his life -- albeit not at the hands of Stanford, as he reportedly told some ND recruits) may have played in the development of the entitlement/pride/lack-of-appreciation attributes you describe?  Perhaps he believes that overcoming discrimination negates the benefits of chance, etc.?