Donahue’s Problem Could Be That He Just Isn’t Worried Enough

Terry Donahue is a masochist’s delight: a man who can succeed only as an overachiever.

He was meant to coach only the team he played for--the legendary Gutty Little Bruins. Given public favor, good leads and great athletes, he compulsively focuses on loss avoidance and margin protection rather than the martial imperative of football--weaken and destroy.

Able to surpass expectations when they are modest but never to merely meet them when they are great, the Bruins and their collectively furrowed brow simply cannot bear the honor of high regard.

HOLLIS LENDERKING

San Francisco