At the Lenovo Center On Sunday, March 23, after UConn’s 77-75 loss to Florida that ended the Huskies participation in the NCAA tournament this season, Dan Hurley, UConn’s head coach, screamed inappropriate words about the referees to Baylor’s coaching staff on his way out off the court:
“I hope they don’t f*** you like they f***ed us, Baylor,” Hurley said. “I really hope they don’t.”
How Fans Reacted to the Danny Hurley Incident
This outburst was a result of the fact that the referees in the game weren’t buying Hurley’s flopping strategy on the inbounds in the last few seconds of the game.
Meanwhile, Joey Ellis, a reporter at the scene, captured and posted this moment of rage, eliciting immediate and public threats from the UConn Director of Communications, Bobby Mullen.
Amongst other reporters and staff at the scene, McDonald, a reporter of Charlotte Sports, bore witness to Mullen’s words:
“The lasting image of coach Hurley leaving the court should have been his talking off the court arm-in-arm with his seniors, overwhelmed emotion,” Mullen said. “Instead, a reporter was in an area he should not have been, recorded on his cell phone a private comment made to members of another coaching staff”
Mullen, in addition to these words, threatened to ruin Ellis’ life if he did not take down his recording, one that has become viral across lots of social media platforms.
Fans reactions to the incident has been nothing short of outrageous. Some have commented that “the UConn reputation downfall has been immaculate”.
Some have said that Hurley’s outburst is not the first time it has happened, and Mullen’s reaction made it seem as if Hurley’s reputation has been irreversibly damaged.
Others have said that Mullen needs to be fired for trying to stifle the press’ freedom and blowing up a regular occurrence. A fan summarized the truth this way:
“They get to tell the story however they want! If you don’t want reporters sharing videos of your colleague saying bad things, maybe ask your colleague to stop saying those things”
Another fan said: ‘Wasn’t even that bad a video. This (referring to Mullen’s reaction) is a thousand times worse”
Fans’ reactions to Mullen’s threats have underscored the need to safeguard reporters’ rights to cover the news without fear of retribution or intimidation.
However, officials in tournaments should prioritize recognizing reporters’ efforts in interviewing coaches, and players post-games because it gives everyone an insight into how they feel after each game.
Was the UConn Reaction a One-Off?
What made Mullen’s threats ridiculous is the fact that everyone who knows Hurley knows that he is known for profanities and outbursts. Besides his passion and enthusiasm on the sidelines during games, Hurley is known for berating and literally pointing fingers at officials and being held back by his assistant coach numerous times.
Hurley has been found engaging in heated arguments with referees, like one that occurred a few weeks back when he said the quoted words:
“I’m the best f***ing coach in the sport, don’t turn your back on me”
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The Huskies team is also known for outbursts and violence. Just a couple of days ago, in a game against Hassan Diarra was involved in a face-off against Neal for a dunk that wasn’t supposed to be a big deal.
These instances highlight the negative publicity the team currently has and the importance of controlling emotions in games.
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