07-21-2010, 07:04 AM
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.
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.