Against the Rules with Michael Lewis The Unfair Coach
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Jun 9, 2020 Coaching is evolving and changing the game across various fields, but not everyone has equal access. A professor tries to teach the art of humor to aspiring business leaders, sparking debates about privilege. Meanwhile, a cheating scandal in Major League Baseball raises ethical questions about data manipulation. The challenges of communication and conversation reveal the disparities faced by elite students, while the morality of test coaching highlights deeper issues in education. Humor and ethics weave together in this intriguing discourse on coaching and fairness.
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The Banned Coach
- In 1924, professional coaches were taboo in the Olympics, seen as a form of cheating.
- Harold Abrahams' coach was banned from the stadium, learning of his runner's victory only when he saw the British flag rise.
Origins of Coaching
- Early coaching was associated with lower-class sports like pedestrianism, involving walking races and wagers.
- The upper classes viewed coaching as an interference, believing their bodies were naturally superior and didn't require training.
Pedestrianism and Early Coaching
- Pedestrianism, a lower-class sport, involved various walking races, including backwards and jumping races, held in arenas with wagering.
- These athletes were among the first to employ coaches, experimenting with diets and training routines.
