Many years ago when I was in publishing I edited a fascinating book called Apprentice to Genius by Robert Kanigel, which looked at a chain of mentor-protege relationships among scientists at John Hopkins University. The book analyzed both the positives about such relationships (passing along lessons learned and professional expertise in a way only possible through close personal contact), as well the negatives (difficulties in sharing credit, psychological toll when the protege finally leaves the mentor). The break-up usually follows a script that has the mentor looking uncharitable and petty. That book came to mind as I watched the end of Sunday's Patriot-Jet game and witnessed the frosty Bill Belichick-Eric Mangini handshake. I love the Pats and have always bought into the conventional wisdom that Belichick is a genius, so I hate to see him acting like such an a-hole towards a guy who toiled for him loyally for 10+ years. Good coverage here, with some additional background and analysis here.
Update: I may have been overanalyzing the whole mentor-protege angle. Read this for a good simple explanation.
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