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#FACT: Great Talent Runs Freaking Hot - Deal With It...

Here's the big thought for a Monday:  If you really want to save your business, sometimes you're going to have to hire talent that comes with some baggage.   When you really need a change agent, sometimes they come with.... issues...

Translation:  Great talent runs hot.  There are going to be some broken eggs.  Please put on your helmet, because while they're engaged in saving your #$$, the same passion that drives them to run your business makes them make incredibly poor decisions elsewhere. Kevin o'neill

Case in point.  USC basketball coach Kevin O'Neill.  O'Neill was brought in after USC went through the NCAA wringer with the OJ Mayo/Tim Floyd issues.  USC needed a change agent and a big talent to prevent them from falling into obscurity.  They hired O'Neill.  

He runs hot and stuff happens as a result.  Here's more on what happened at the Pac-10 Conference Tourney last weekend from pointguardu:

"Kevin O'Neill went on a drunken tirade along with his wife after beating Cal yesterday. In fact, he didn't even change his suit and went straight to the JW Marriott lobby bar.

O'Neill and his wife were in a hotel lobby of the JW Marriott and visibly intoxicated when they exchanged words with a group of Arizona fans. O'Neill reportedly threatened the fan that USC was going to “beat the hell out of Arizona.” Words were exchanged and our sources say that O'Neill's wife struck one of the Arizona fans. O'Neill and his wife were escorted out of the hotel, and Arizona fans were left wondering what just happened. 

The fan was UA booster Paul Weitman and they ran into each other at the elevators. KO believes Weitman is responsible for his firing at the UA (O'Neill used to coach at Arizona) and obviously still holds a heavy grudge. Mind you Weitman is 70+ years old. 

Apparently KO's wife, Roberta, started the melee by roughing up Wetiman with one of her rings. KO then got involved and when hotel security intervened the things got even uglier."

O'Neill is known as a great coach.  He's also known to be a hot head.  See the picture to the right above for all you need to know about great talent running hot.  That's a picture at the hotel before the incident.  Check out the drink.  Check out the position of the shirt related to the suit belt line.

Great talent runs hot.  If your business has to be saved, what type of downside risk are you willing to take?

That, my friends, is the question.

Comments

Brandon

You hire someone with values consistent with your company values. If you're hiring for the UFC or a bar on the rough side of town, O'Neill may be the man for the job; however, if you're hiring someone to represent an institution of higher learning, you hire someone who can represent with dignity. Past performance is the best indicator of future performance. No way I hire someone with proven baggage like this cat. I'm a Utah fan and there is absolutely no way I would hire Rick Majerus to bring our ball program back on track. He was a train wreck and did not represent the school well. Nobody would deny his coaching ability. Take a risk on someone who doesn't have baggage.

Lance Haun

O'Neill isn't talented enough to get away with the level of hotheadness he displays. His head is continuously red, even when he isn't drunk off his rocker.

One good tourney run with Marquette in the 90's doesn't give a person a license to be a jerk.

Joel Kimball

There's Bob Knight, Jerry Tarkanian...and then there's everyone else. O'Neill is NOT Bob Knight. I'd fire the dude...

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