Daily Human – Flawed Genius

I haven’t read Sachin Tendulkar’s biography. Or Donald Bradman’s. Or Pele’s.

But I have now read two biographies of George Best. I have read two biographies of Diego Maradona. Also read the books on Socrates ( the footballer ), Javed Miandad, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Ayrton Senna.

There is something about the flawed genius that really appeals to me. I somehow find these people more human. I think it has to do with the fact that there is always a little tragedy in their lives.

For some reason I place their feats – lots of brilliance interspersed with phases of being absolutely rubbish also – on a higher pedestal than the consistent, unwavering excellence of a Bradman. Because they managed these feats, inspite of all the other stuff that was usually going on in their life. All the distractions. There was never calmness and serenity. Yet they showed their genius every now and then.

There is also the inevitable case of what-if with them. Many of them had their careers curtailed or disrupted. So the fan ( like me ) always wonders about the alternate scenarios that could have played out. Had they not been so self destructive.

But then again would they have been so lovable ?