In a vivid story Coach Gene Chizik reveals his secret intention to make a mess of things. He points to the powerful emotions behind his success sabotage: fear, guilt, and self-idealization.
Infamous bank-robber Willie Sutton was once asked why he targeted banks. “Because that’s where the money is,” he answered.
So why do we look deeper into the mind of Gene Chizik in light of his team’s unmatched calamitous decline? Because that’s where the real answers are. There lays the power of hidden motivation — why success itself totally blind-sided him.
Chizik’s decisions reflecting one retreat after another reveal his blind spots.
Auburn star Michael Dyer–MVP of the 2010 national championship game as a freshman running back — reveals how difficult and overwhelming the burden of early success can be. Dyer struggled through his sophomore year before completely caving into the pressure with his behavior resulting in being kicked off of two teams. He serves as a proxy for Auburn coach Gene Chizik who likewise could not handle his own early unexpected success, winning the championship in his second year as an SEC coach.
@2023 Andrew G. Hodges
