Thoughts on Ego and head coaches

[buffsblg]

With the recent coaching changes here in Colorado, I have been thinking about the role of ego in head coaching. Embree right now seems a refreshing change from the past administration. He deliberately chose for his staff men who competed with him for the job. He acknowledges who he has learned from and seems to want to be judged fairly on his results. So far he says all the right things and says them in the right way. Results have to be the bottom line, but I think his demeanor will get him some room to work. He is not humble, but he also appears to have a vision of his own abilities and weaknesses that fans can relate to.

Understanding that a certain belief in yourself is vital to being a head coach, one of the problems with Hawkins was that his ego crossed over into delusional megalomania. (see the "look in the mirror" quote from the booster in todays story in the Post). Guys like Saben or Belichick or Knight certainly love themselves too, but they have the results to back them up. Others like the recent and unlamented Broncos ex coach have gone down at least in part due to ego. So do you need to be a megalomaniac to be a successful coach? And if you do, is the ability to cover that up important?

 

[Buffnik]

Good post.

Don't doubt for a second that Embree has a big ego. When asked about recruiting to CU: "I can sell me." But it's a healthy ego. Belief in himself that's authentic and secure enough that he doesn't feel threatened by having strong personalities and coaches working for him.

 

[buffalo30]

A healthy self-interest is a good thing as opposed to an unhealthy self-interest. So far I read Embree as having the former and not the latter.