I am one of the "near superstars" that left academia. It was an obnoxious environment fully of egos and professors who work with graduate students only to mentor the next superstar. Ick.

Me, too. I taught for a while, and had one or two of my superstars leave. Strange business. I couldn't have done it for a lifetime - and yet I loved it.
Now I've been a pastor for twenty years.