Brown out -- Or why psychological problems breed success
The Pistons finally agreed to terms of separation of with coach Larry Brown. Brown, who had three years and $21 million left on his deal, will get about $6 million and be free to coach anywhere immediately.
While unfortunate, it appears to be the best solution for all involved. Brown had made it clear that he wasn't really committed to staying in Detroit. The constant nomad, who just finished his tenth coaching job in the last 33 years, has never seen a fence lacking greener grass on the other side. Despite what Brown accomplished for the organization -- a championship and a seven-game loss in the finals in a two year span -- the team could no longer trust that Brown could give the team the stability it needed to make a run at another championship.
Financially, Detroit avoided having to pay Brown all of his remaining salary. In return, Brown can take another job as soon as it becomes available, which means he will probably be on the sidelines at Madison Square Garden soon.
The negative for all parties involved was that but for Brown's constant need to look at other teams, this was a perfect fit for everyone. Brown is a brilliant coach, and pushed Detroit to new heights of achievement. It is uncertain whether any coach that is hired (most likely Flip Saunders, the former Timberwolves skipper) will be able to coax the same level of performance from Detroit's unique mix of talent. As for Brown, he is never going to have a more complete, more talented, less ego-laden team to coach. It seemed to be a perfect situation for him -- a bunch of guys who all wanted to "play the right way."
All this made me start thinking about how psychological problems and insecurities can drive people to the highest levels of success.
Yesterday, Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom noted that everyone covering Larry Brown eventually becomes an armchair psychologist as they try to explain his behavior. It seems clear that Brown is desperate for love and attention. He constantly has the desire to feel wanted, and to have everyone telling him how wonderful he is. After a few years in one place, he starts feeling neglected and ends up looking for someone else to give him love.
I would have to guess that this pattern of behavior stems from something in his childhood, and feeling like he wasn't good enough or was not loved enough. While it is unfortunate that he has to deal with these issues of self-doubt, it is quite clear that these feelings push him to higher and higher levels of achievement, as he obsesses over perfection and reaches for elusive success at each stop in his career.
In the same way, I believe many of the most successful artists, athletes, politicians, and business leaders are driven by similar psychological problems. The reasoning is simple: success in these fields often demands single-minded pursuit of your craft, regardless of the costs to your health or the impact on those around you. fn1. In addition, in fields like art, I think psychological problems motivate most of the greatest art. fn2.
So unfortunately, I think most of the greatest achievements we enjoy are the product of incredible pain and psychological instability. Good for us, I suppose, but not good for anyone else.
1. I think this is why we have so many presidential scandals and see such terrible behavior by our leading politicians. Any person who is willing to make all the sacrifices and endure all the pain necessary to become President of the United States has to have some extreme desires for validation and unhealthy needs for power and control. Otherwise, it is just not worth the effort and the damage to your life that a run for President causes.
2. This is probably best summed up by Lester Bangs (played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman) in Almost Famous:
"Women will always be a problem for guys like us. Most of the great art in the world is about that very problem. Good-looking people have no spine! Their art never lasts! .... Great art is all about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex and sex disguised as love...."
The truth of this statement as it applies to music is so relevant when you look at a band like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their two best albums, Blood Sugar Sex Magik and One Hot Minute came as the bandmembers were experiencing incredible personal turmoil, drug addiction, and grief because of the heroin-OD death of guitarist Hillel Slovak. As time went on, the band members matured, got off drugs, and moved to a much happier (and healthier) place. And what happened? Their recent albums, like Californication and By the Way, are horrible pop-rock dreck with no originality, depth of feeling, or edge. It's like listening to Nickelback, but with much more talented musicians.
While unfortunate, it appears to be the best solution for all involved. Brown had made it clear that he wasn't really committed to staying in Detroit. The constant nomad, who just finished his tenth coaching job in the last 33 years, has never seen a fence lacking greener grass on the other side. Despite what Brown accomplished for the organization -- a championship and a seven-game loss in the finals in a two year span -- the team could no longer trust that Brown could give the team the stability it needed to make a run at another championship.
Financially, Detroit avoided having to pay Brown all of his remaining salary. In return, Brown can take another job as soon as it becomes available, which means he will probably be on the sidelines at Madison Square Garden soon.
The negative for all parties involved was that but for Brown's constant need to look at other teams, this was a perfect fit for everyone. Brown is a brilliant coach, and pushed Detroit to new heights of achievement. It is uncertain whether any coach that is hired (most likely Flip Saunders, the former Timberwolves skipper) will be able to coax the same level of performance from Detroit's unique mix of talent. As for Brown, he is never going to have a more complete, more talented, less ego-laden team to coach. It seemed to be a perfect situation for him -- a bunch of guys who all wanted to "play the right way."
All this made me start thinking about how psychological problems and insecurities can drive people to the highest levels of success.
Yesterday, Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom noted that everyone covering Larry Brown eventually becomes an armchair psychologist as they try to explain his behavior. It seems clear that Brown is desperate for love and attention. He constantly has the desire to feel wanted, and to have everyone telling him how wonderful he is. After a few years in one place, he starts feeling neglected and ends up looking for someone else to give him love.
I would have to guess that this pattern of behavior stems from something in his childhood, and feeling like he wasn't good enough or was not loved enough. While it is unfortunate that he has to deal with these issues of self-doubt, it is quite clear that these feelings push him to higher and higher levels of achievement, as he obsesses over perfection and reaches for elusive success at each stop in his career.
In the same way, I believe many of the most successful artists, athletes, politicians, and business leaders are driven by similar psychological problems. The reasoning is simple: success in these fields often demands single-minded pursuit of your craft, regardless of the costs to your health or the impact on those around you. fn1. In addition, in fields like art, I think psychological problems motivate most of the greatest art. fn2.
So unfortunately, I think most of the greatest achievements we enjoy are the product of incredible pain and psychological instability. Good for us, I suppose, but not good for anyone else.
1. I think this is why we have so many presidential scandals and see such terrible behavior by our leading politicians. Any person who is willing to make all the sacrifices and endure all the pain necessary to become President of the United States has to have some extreme desires for validation and unhealthy needs for power and control. Otherwise, it is just not worth the effort and the damage to your life that a run for President causes.
2. This is probably best summed up by Lester Bangs (played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman) in Almost Famous:
"Women will always be a problem for guys like us. Most of the great art in the world is about that very problem. Good-looking people have no spine! Their art never lasts! .... Great art is all about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex and sex disguised as love...."
The truth of this statement as it applies to music is so relevant when you look at a band like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their two best albums, Blood Sugar Sex Magik and One Hot Minute came as the bandmembers were experiencing incredible personal turmoil, drug addiction, and grief because of the heroin-OD death of guitarist Hillel Slovak. As time went on, the band members matured, got off drugs, and moved to a much happier (and healthier) place. And what happened? Their recent albums, like Californication and By the Way, are horrible pop-rock dreck with no originality, depth of feeling, or edge. It's like listening to Nickelback, but with much more talented musicians.
posted by N at 11:57 AM
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