Thanks for presenting this in a way we can grasp and understand. I've always felt from very early on how Sark spoke of his addiction tribulations that he was a better person for it, and thought that it might help him relate to others. This discussion helps me understand that feeling I had better.
I'm not certain that winning fixes everything. It might in the short term, but what kind of culture that spawns that winning is important. If they have to cheat or play dirty to win, then eventually that bites them in the ass eventually. I think A&M under Sherrill and RC, Baylor under Briles, Sooners under Switzer, etc. If they play like bullies and then run up against someone who bullies them back, they tend to shrink, to lose their confidence, I think. If you win but people by and large don't respect how you win, then it's not worth much.
It's still a sport and underneath all that runs sportsmanship and respect. That's where Sark's culture fits, since so much is based on respect for each other, their opponents, and their own self-respect.