[Husker] Fwd: Out Coached

[David Strong]

Yeah...you were kind of between a rock and a hard place.  Ragging on me for
saying Pelini's got some personality problems, but then unable to dispute
it without blowing up your own credibility.

Dave

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Scott Stewart <scottjay.stewart at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 5:17 PM
Subject: Out Coached (Off List)
To: gobigredlist at gmail.com


Sorry for the delay, I sent that last post as I was getting on a plane.


I am sending this back channel, as I see things got ugly after I left (A
little before I left).

My response was you seemed to attack my credentials rather address my
concerns about throwing around an analysis of BP's psyche. Yes, I am a
clinical neuropsychologist. I make my living diagnosing psychological and
cognitive problems.

I am answering this back channel because I don't want
to accidentally re-start the fire on the list (though it is sometimes fun
to watch). But, I did think your question deserved an answer. Also, as
noted above, I don't think this is an appropriate area for me to discuss in
detail publicly.

To answer, or not answer, your question. I can't give a "yes" or "no"
answer unless you want the answer to be "yes" he is "well adjusted."

"Well adjusted" is not really a term we use. If you mean by "well adjusted"
as an absence of pathology, I can speak to that.

He does display some problematic behavior, but to label that as
pathological would be inappropriate and unprofessional. We, including me,
have very little data of Bo's behavior outside of this very narrow
(interacting with the media and officials, football) area. When I look at
pathology it must occur across differing environments (he gets arrested for
assaulting someone in a bar and beats his wife). Additionally, it requires
more symptoms than losing his temper (Unless it occurs across multiple
environments like the example above).

My "assessment" of BP is he is very passionate and believes he knows a lot
about what he does. I think both of these contribute to some of the things
he does on the sidelines and with the press. He wears his emotions on his
sleeve, and when he is disappointed or irritated by play or questions, you
know it.

I don't think he is well polished interpersonally. But people who excel at
a high level in a field frequently are not "well rounded." They tend to
focus like a laser on one particular thing, for BP that is football. So his
interpersonal skills are based on that environment. I think that is why
most of his responses to anything are either "rude" (he doesn't know how to
respond) or "Coach Speak."  When that happens to an extreme degree you get
an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (don't interpret this as BP has this).

The epitome of this in sports for me is Rick Majerus (College Basketball
Coach). He never married, never had a girlfriend. He had no friends outside
of the program. He never owned a home, or an apartment. It was in his
contract that he lived in a hotel, and they paid for him to eat
at restaurants. He was fired at Utah because he couldn't get along with the
players. He also has almost killed himself with his lifestyle (very
sedentary), which is also likely related to his obsession with basketball.

Regarding BP, one of my favorite sayings is "In time, the river wears down
the sharpest rocks." Being in the public eye will, and has, shaped his
behavior. He has gotten better over time. He backslides, but that is
normal. If he stays a head coach for 20 years he might be as polished as BC
was (ignoring the f'ing hillbillies comment). LOL.

Sorry for the long email. I welcome any comments or debate.

Scott