Hurley vs. fans

[huskyinfl]

The coach should speak to fans at the press conference not live and direct

 

[Greedo]

I did notice he was drinking coffee during the game instead of his usual kombucha (or whatever he has in that bottle). Maybe he just got a little over-caffeinated and wound up.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The team is very talented, and Hurley is doing a lot right, but this is the big time and not screwing up is not good enough. I don't think the team was terrible last night, but Crieghton was just a little better, and losing a few games like last night is the difference between a 3 seed and a clear path to the Sweet 16, and a 6 seed and a second round battle.

Wanting to win is not enough. Hurley needs to adjust better, and he can't be so easy to game plan against. He has a lot of tools to work with. Mix things up.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I moderately object to the thread title. I don't like the idea that the fans and our coach are not on the same team.

I also couldn't imagine buying tickets and then screaming at the coach after the game. If I was that upset I just wouldn't go. Which is probably a better way to voice your opinion anyways. Hurt the squad with your wallet vs actually giving them the $$ so you can scream at the coach. I guess that's just me in my mid 40s.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I was commenting specifically on Marquette game #1, but on the season? you are 100% correct. RJ has given us everything on both ends. He's forced into this stuff. I was stating that its not a long term winning offensive option. Martin? I just don't get it. I initially loved his perceived toughness but (and Im going into netherworld controversy here just from game attendance) Im not sure he is as tough a matchup mentally as he is physically.

I'll let you in on my mind think. I would like Polley (or Hawkins preferably, but he just isn't ready) to start instead of .............someone? ............... just for floor balance and not being hampered offensively to start games. But when I really think about it, who are you going to pull for this? Whaley? nope. He's too important to defensive cohesion, AJ? nope he's too important as an RJ pressure release and guards pretty well. Martin? He would be the guy who could play the same minutes off the bench than he does as a starter but his floor countenance(again to me, it's just my read, I could be totally wrong) makes me think that he would be the least out of the 3 willing to accept it. Hard to get a read on this kid. He carries himself in a different way on the floor. This roster handcuffs Hurley a bit.

I'd absolutely put Martin on the bench and have him come in as an "energy" guy. His spot up shooting has gotten much better but he is still brutal finishing near the rim. That being said there's no guarantee Polley or Hawkins would be better around the rim.
What I do know is that Martin coming off the bench will be more aggressive on the boards and just being active more consistently than Polley or Hawkins are when they come off the bench.
Overall, I think I'd put Hawkins in the starting lineup. I mean if Tyler Olander can start as a frosh certainly Hawk can start.

 

[Kathy]

I moderately object to the thread title. I don't like the idea that the fans and our coach are not on the same team.

I also couldn't imagine buying tickets and then screaming at the coach after the game. If I was that upset I just wouldn't go. Which is probably a better way to voice your opinion anyways. Hurt the squad with your wallet vs actually giving them the $$ so you can scream at the coach. I guess that's just me in my mid 40s.

I hate it even more when fans yell at the kids

 

[Chin Diesel]

Nembhard pulled the old Kemba/Bazz "throw your head back to sell it" move last night (in the backcourt no less!) which according to the rulebook this year is a flop warning/subsequent technical. He got the call straight up.

He was doing it all game. Even when players were five feet away from him.

 

[UCFan1513]

He's a spaz. Does not carry himself with the maturity and composure of a high major coach. The pouty faces on the sideline, getting into it with fans, looking defeated in post-game interviews - it's starting to add up

 

[August_West]

What I do know is that Martin coming off the bench will be more aggressive on the boards and just being active more consistently than Polley or Hawkins are when they come off the bench.

I think maybe this could be right. But I dont know. Martin seems to have an internal switch that only he can light. That 2nd Butler game where he went nuts is a great example. He was REALLY flat that first half, and Im sure Dan got after him a bit, which triggered something, because almost every time Martin went beast in that game in 2nd half he'd turn and flex at bench. Other times I find him pretty passive on both ends.

 

[August_West]

I hate it even more when fans yell at the kids

It depends. Is the kid wearing a syracuse shirt?

 

[Kathy]

It depends. Is the kid wearing a syracuse shirt?

Lol

 

[Salty Dog]

Let's just win at Villanova and leave this all in the past. Time to rally guys.

 

[NJHusky]

The Marquette game was a strong road win for the resume. Marquette wasn't yet the team they are now, but that's not our fault or our problem; you win the games in front of you. But I don't remember looking particularly great. What I remember distinctly about that Marquette game was RJ making insane circus shot after circus shot and winning the game for us. I also remember thinking and then posting the next day that it was cool but absolutely not a sustainable model for our offense. And it's not. If we are going to be relying on that, then over time you will get a ton more of last nights results rather than the Marquette ones. RJ was great against depaul, but taking good shots. RJ played last night like the Marquette game with only difference being those bad shot prayers didn't go in.

And as someone mentioned above. Marquette was without their second leading scorer. We excuse losses when one of our guys is out but don’t apply that same logic to the other team.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I hate it even more when fans yell at the kids

Those type of fans need to move to Philadelphia

 

[NJHusky]

Bad look on both ends. I get it, I think I'm the same way as Hurley particularly when frustrated after a tough loss. It's a tough dichotomy because his passion and fire is what can make him great, so tough to say "stop being yourself" but at the same time you have to have awareness of the situation. That isn't going to help. But that's more frustration not being contained.


I kinda agree, but then overall I also agree that it’s a bad look and it could indicate a reason why the team isn’t locked in. When that’s your personality I think you don’t realize how that can affect your players/coaching as well.

Overall I don’t think this incident is a huge deal but I get why people would worry it’s symptomatic of other issues (being cool and poised under pressure).

Good leaders IMO aren’t a one trick pony. They know how to use different tools at the appropriate time. He’s done a great job getting us to this point. Does he need to/Will he evolve enough to get us to the next level? We shall see

 

[dennismenace]

Disagree with the use of the word neurotic, but otherwise spot on. You made a post earlier talking about, in essence, that players are not machines and they each have their strengths and weaknesses. I think you can say the same thing about Dan Hurley. He is an absolute nutcase with the sage burning stuff or whatever, but he’s also a high energy passionate guy who has lifted this program from a slow decline into irrelevancy into a team that is, normally, a lot of fun to watch. He is an incredibly passionate coach and, usually, that energy transfers to the players.

You have to accept the good with the bad and the bad is he’s wrapped a little too tight. Personally, I hate it when he goes full Mick Cronin and shows that toddler pouty face. But you have to accept the good with the bad and I’d much rather have a coach who is too passionate than a Randy Edsall who is phoning it in.

high energy passionate guy who has lifted this program from a slow decline into irrelevancy into a team that is, normally, a lot of fun to watch. He is an incredibly passionate coach and, usually, that energy transfers to the players.

JIm Calhoun was the epitomy of a coach with an explosive temper. But he directed it at his players when they were out of line (to benefit the team) and refs (to protect the team) not the fans!
It was his job to discipline players and stand up to refs for the sake of the team against bad calls. Personal heckling from fans were ignored as they should be. It was about the game and the team; not the fans. Jim Calhoun had a thick skin as any coach should when personal attacks from fans come at them. Now if the fans are behind the bench and start insulting your wife; that's another story.

 

[dennismenace]

Again tough look saying this and then acting like a child:

When people say they don't care what other people think about them I usually believe it's just the opposite. In game situations it is more important to stay focused on your job which is to act like a coach. I am sure the players hear opposing fans especially and have to ignore and stay focused so DH is supposed to set an example for the team.

 

[UCfor3]

Relax, we'll be fine. The board gets like this after every loss and I don't get it

And after every win. Highs are too high, lows are too low on here. We go from worldbeaters to a horror show in one game. With our roster and lack of offensively versatile perimeter players, we are going to be wildly inconsistent offensively from game to game. Even individual players are wildly inconsistent. Polley and Hawkins are all or nothing shooting from game to game(more nothing) and our so callled depth have shown to be fools gold. We can beat good teams if we shoot well and execute extremely well on the offensive end(which can be challenging with one guard), and we can lose or get pushed to the brink by lesser teams because of our lack of backcourt, creating, offensive personel, and inconsistent shooting. We basically play a forward who struggles to be a scoring threat at 2G. We are a backup point guard and a two guard away from being a team that would be really good this year. Gaff struggling and Hawkins being talented, but not entirely ready to contribute in a consistent manner have really hindered the teams offensive development. Some of our best offensive games are games when Polley is unconscious like against Auburn or when Martin goes supernova like he did that one game. Those performances are outliers though and happen few and far between so the onus is falling on a double teamed Sanogo or an overloaded Cole. Opposing coaches know that and have an easy blueprint on how to defend us, especially at end of game situations. Sometimes you need guys who can just make plays and we are a little short in that area. Most solid teams we play this year simply score the ball much easier than us. They have more ways to score. Because of that, any lead other than a blowout can feel flimsy, and any deficet more than a few points can feel borderline insurmountable. Knowing all this is why I don't get delusional about us when we win a few, and also why I don't lose my mind when we have a clunker. Last night can and will happen again, possibly sooner that you think. Auburn and Marquette can happen too. We have a very large performance variance. It's just the way it is with this roster. If you expect the same version of UConn every game, you will be disappointed.

 

[Mr. French]

Good leaders IMO aren’t a one trick pony. They know how to use different tools at the appropriate time. He’s done a great job getting us to this point. Does he need to/Will he evolve enough to get us to the next level? We shall see

Agreed. I can absolutely see myself doing what he did, which is why I'm wavering and can relate ... but I agree it's best not to and it shows much more leadership NOT doing that. All great men and coaches (myself included ) have flaws though.

 

[CL82]

high energy passionate guy who has lifted this program from a slow decline into irrelevancy into a team that is, normally, a lot of fun to watch. He is an incredibly passionate coach and, usually, that energy transfers to the players.

JIm Calhoun was the epitomy of a coach with an explosive temper. But he directed it at his players when they were out of line (to benefit the team) and refs (to protect the team) not the fans!
It was his job to discipline players and stand up to refs for the sake of the team against bad calls. Personal heckling from fans were ignored as they should be. It was about the game and the team; not the fans. Jim Calhoun had a thick skin as any coach should when personal attacks from fans come at them. Now if the fans are behind the bench and start insulting your wife; that's another story.

My point remains unchanged. Coaches are people and accordingly have warts. You have to accept them, or reject them, in their totality. By the same token you could argue that Jim Calhoun shouldn’t have engaged with reporters and should just have maintained the highroad. That’s not an argument totally devoid of reason, but it is somewhat unrealistic.

For what it’s worth, I will note that Hurley didn’t run up into the stands and attack a fan not does he threaten to. He didn’t key their car; or leave a bag of flaming poop on their doorstep. What he did do is tell a guy to come down closer to him to talk to him. The fact that “the fan” didn’t take him up on it speaks volume, but it speaks it about the fan and not about Hurley.

 

[F101Voodoo]

I hate it even more when fans yell at the kids

Agree. Hurly is the adult here and he is paid good money. He should it engage with people who behave like DH’s. That does not mean that DH’s have any right to throw insults at Hurly. The DH’s who yelled at oath Hurly are indirectly insulting the kids.

 

[coachn]

Hurley is not missing 30 wide open 3s its the players.
They better be working on how to make the open shot.
Bill Bradley Rashod Anderson.

 

[Ctedgeman]

It's a little bit embarrassing on both sides. To yell "*$&@ you Hurley you suck" at a coach who brought your team back from sub .500 dumpster fire to top 20 team, is silly. Maybe it was just the booze and an abysmal shooting performance talking, but sad nonetheless.

It's also embarrassing that Hurley would engage them with a "come and say it to my face" response. I imagine him saying that with the kid who doesn't want to eat his broccoli face on, as someone perfectly described it in the chat. I'd like to see a tad more class than that.

 

[CL82]

Yes, coach was just trying to have a civil conversation with the fan.

This take is as delusional as the people saying Hurley is on the hot seat. Good grief. He didn't just want to "talk to him." He was trying to get in a dick measuring contest and scream with a fan like a child. Do you seriously think if that fan walked down Hurley would have had a reasonable discourse? Do you lack this much sense?

Actually, I do. It’s easy to scream and yell from across a wide expanse. It’s much harder to do close up.

But I could be wrong. Some people can discuss things civilly and and unemotionally, and other people devolve to ad hominem attacks. We see that all to frequently right here on The Boneyard. It usually is a pretty clear sign they are either uncomfortable with the position they have taken, or are just insecure about themselves.