My Apologies to Dan Hurley

[tzznandrew]

I look back and see I didn't get any likes when I stated two years ago "Hurley is way ahead of where JC was".

Because it's not a fair comparison. Calhoun started at a school with little history which was a doormat in the toughest conference in the country. Of course that took longer than Hurley taking a program with 4 national championships but had fallen on hard times back to a mountaintop no one had ever thought was climbable until JC showed everyone how.

Hurley is on his own trajectory. A title under his belt is usually the feather in a coaches' HOF hat: he has the feather now; he just needs to make the hat.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Top 25 coaches list

Good grief. That's the worst list (of anything) ive ever seen. I've had grocery lists worth more.

It's flawed, but decently reflective of the, "You are what your record says" school of thought, and thereby not nearly as bad as your claim.

Either way, consider that going into this season, Hurley had middling success in the past coaching victories over Boeheim (22), Sampson (5), and Cronin (9) before the 2021-2022 season.

In 2021-22, Dan Hurley went 1-5 against Pearl (8), Huggins (16) Cooley, and McDermott (25).

This past season, Hurley went 8-2 against Few (2), Musselman (10), Pitino (11), Cooley (21), Altman (23), Bennett (24), and McDermott (25).

Seems to be trending well.

 

[giddyup]

No he didn't and if losing a few tough Big East games, and one bad loss at home, is rock bottom then he did an amazing job all season.

We lost 6 of 7 games, I call that going off a cliff after starting 14-0.

 

[giddyup]

A lot more people should be willing to say this. I’d guess 0-3 people total on this board have even close to the experience or knowledge to discredit what he was doing as a coach. All they saw is results not being what they expected and determined he didn’t know how to coach. He does. Good on you for admitting it.

Here we go with revisionist history. There are plenty of people on the board with knowledge and sufficient experience to know what they were looking at, and many of criticisms were situational and valid. It hasn’t been 5 years of perfection. Not even close. Where he’s come to after 5 years is a really good coach that figured out how to win in the big moment and why that isn’t sufficient in itself is a curiosity,

 

[Waquoit]

Because it's not a fair comparison.

True, JC had NBA players leftover from the previous coach. I remember when Hurley took over more than one said he would never make it because he didn't run Whaley off the team.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Me too, I was down on all the fighting with the referees but I never said I wanted him fired, kinda wanted him to get ahold of his emotions and concentrate on coaching instead of turning all of the referees against UConn putting us at an unfair disadvantage. I didn’t think he could pull it off but he did it. I’m ecstatic to have been wrong about this. Hurley’s the man.

I'm really glad you're happy now and have changed your tune, but you had many many many more issues with Hurley than just fighting with the referees...for example:

All in the past, let's radiate positivity and win back-to-back

 

[Mr. French]

Here we go with revisionist history. There are plenty of people on the board with knowledge and sufficient experience to know what they were looking at, and many of criticisms were situational and valid. It hasn’t been 5 years of perfection. Not even close. Where he’s come to after 5 years is a really good coach that figured out how to win in the big moment and why that isn’t sufficient in itself is a curiosity,

This is wild, but you know that. I never said there were no valid criticisms.

People were saying he had no clue how to coach offense. That’s 2 vastly different things. And people were acting like they KNEW what to do and why things weren’t working, like he couldn’t see what they saw.

That’s insane and delusional, and more people should admit that.

 

[Kemba15]

Here we go with revisionist history. There are plenty of people on the board with knowledge and sufficient experience to know what they were looking at, and many of criticisms were situational and valid. It hasn’t been 5 years of perfection. Not even close. Where he’s come to after 5 years is a really good coach that figured out how to win in the big moment and why that isn’t sufficient in itself is a curiosity,

Criticisms are fine. There’s not a single person who believes Hurley is above criticism. But many, many people on here badly overreacted to a January swoon.

They said the program is being steered in the wrong direction and has gotten worse, that his seat should be warm, that he’s guaranteed to get bounced early again, that he plays the wrong guys, that he totally whiffed on point guard, that he can’t coach offense, that many other coaches can come in and do better, so on and so on.

Do not for one second act like that if we got bounced by Iona or St. Mary’s that all of these negative nancies would be shouting from the rooftops at the “Hurley stans.”

It works both ways, just own it.

 

[SubbaBub]

You are all confusing people who lost their minds because a bunch of practice players who they barely saw in games, if at all, transferred and people who saw a dominant team start losing a bunch of games due to obvious flaws in their approach. Those aren't similar criticisms.

The team that ripped through the non-league games including the NCAA like a hot knife through butter lost 7 games in conference play. Yes, the BE was good but we didn't fair well in close games because if they played well, the games weren't close. AJ got a lot of deserved heat, but there were other problems that Hurley should have corrected earlier than he did. Something he himself admitted.

People really wander around in their own little dream worlds, don't they? Also a newsflash, Jim Boeheim stayed too long at the fair and set his program back decades. We all saw it, but up in southern Canada, they were all orange lensflare. Don't be like them.

Hurley got it together and won big. Up until that point, nobody really knew if he had it in him. Well, he does. Remember that next season, but the criticism was valid at the time it was given. There is no need to suck up with self-serving apologies. It's pathetic, and no one cares.

 

[giddyup]

Criticisms are fine. There’s not a single person who believes Hurley is above criticism. But many, many people on here badly overreacted to a January swoon.

They said the program is being steered in the wrong direction and has gotten worse, that his seat should be warm, that he’s guaranteed to get bounced early again, that he plays the wrong guys, that he totally whiffed on point guard, that he can’t coach offense, that many other coaches can come in and do better, so on and so on.

Do not for one second act like that if we got bounced by Iona or St. Mary’s that all of these negative nancies would be shouting from the rooftops at the “Hurley stans.”

It works both ways, just own it.

There were a few outliers calling for his head from what I recall, and they were summarily pounded.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

There were a few outliers calling for his head from what I recall, and they were summarily pounded.

I'm not particularly invested in this debate because it is 100% certain that the same cast of characters - cough, cough - are going to be melting down in the chat next year when they're down 8-4 at the first media timeout and ripping Hurley for whatever anodyne comment he makes at a press conference but you're soft-pedaling just how unbearable this board was this season.

 

[XLCenterFan]

I appreciate your honesty @60'sfan. I too must man up.

There were points in the season where I said "Dan Hurley is great recruiter....a great motivator...but he's not good with X's and O's."

I said "if we lose round 1, put him on the hot seat."

I said "Alleyne should be benched and Joey C and Diarra should take all his minutes."

I said "Joey C hasn't hit a meaningful shot since Georgetown, bench him."

I said "play Sanogo with Big Don."

I said "Luke will win tonight," when Dan Hurley had covid.

I said "I guess we aren't the best team in the country after all."

I said "Ajax is going to cost us down the stretch."

I stayed home the from the XL Butler game (the ONLY home game I did not attend) because I was sad, angry, and furious and it was my form of "benching" them.

All of this being said, I showed up to every home game and I brought it. I went to MSG, went to Albany. Bought the gear, and talked the talk. Bet us to win it all and bet almost every game. This was the funnest I have ever had in any season, and I'm a 40 year old who's mom went to UConn and my father has had season tix my whole life, and now I have my own. I dressed up like Dan Hurley for the SH Gampel game. My wife says I act like we are a cult. No other season compares. This was so fun I can't even explain. I am ready to do it all over again next year...I am all in.

I am a complete fool. I will never doubt Dan Hurley or these players again.

 

[UCan3]

A lot of us questioned about Hurley, especially coming from URI. But he had a clear vision for the program and the massive ability to achieve it. Hope Jim Mora can achieve his vision for the football team within a couple of years.

JIm Mora, what he did with our Football program last year, is not far off from the awesome job Hurley did.

Obviously not a national championship but what Mora started with and where he got us to, it was coach of the year stuff IMO.

Yes, he’s got a ways to go but it was awesome what he did and should not be overlooked.

 

[giddyup]

I'm not particularly invested in this debate because it is 100% certain that the same cast of characters - cough, cough - are going to be melting down in the chat next year when they're down 8-4 at the first media timeout and ripping Hurley for whatever anodyne comment he makes at a press conference but you're soft-pedaling just how unbearable this board was this season.

Dude, whatever. It’s a sports board with people that have opinions.

 

[tzznandrew]

I'm really glad you're happy now and have changed your tune, but you had many many many more issues with Hurley than just fighting with the referees...for example:


View attachment 86980View attachment 86981

All in the past, let's radiate positivity and win back-to-back

lol. The double big. The sign of someone who has no ******** clue about modern basketball.

We won a title precisely because we did not use a double big. I hope most people see that, though I do not have faith that they do.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Dude, whatever. It’s a sports board with people that have opinions.

No doubt. Goes in both directions. When hysterics melt down at every opportunity there’s another cohort that’s going to comment on it.

No one’s telling you you can’t start fresh again next year. I’m sure you will.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

There is no need to suck up with self-serving apologies. It's pathetic, and no one cares.

This coda of sorts strikes me as a needless attempt to control the conversation beyond any person's capability...and for no apparent reason.

Each of its 4 assertions is questionable, and all are presented as though they are the only way. At best, you are unpersuasive.

 

[Woof 101]

That is not a good look. I am all for honesty, candor and authenticity. And I get the whole New Jersey don't take any bull spit attitude.

But "jerk off" and "arse hat" need to be removed from her vocabulary because it really doesn't help. It lowers the conversation to vulgarity. It reflects on her husband and the university. And it will turn off as many people as it pleases. It's a net loser.

I get your turn the other cheek opinion, but don't think for a NY minute people from CT cannot stand up for themselves. This is not a New Jersey bull spit attitude. Its a pizzed off wife of a D1 head coach that was assaulted at a basketball game. This while attending a game at a parochial school. That and nothing done about it. I have always had respect for PC's basketball program but much of that is lost now.

I don’t think anyone truly cares. Maybe shift the conversation to a member of our coaches family getting spit on. She can call them whatever she pleases

Botta bing, botta boom! Our society has gotten to the point that a coaches family has to have professional security to watch a game. Sad.

 

[temery]

 

[mauconnfan]

I look back and see I didn't get any likes when I stated two years ago "Hurley is way ahead of where JC was". I thinks it's OK to enjoy the Championship with over doing the JC love. Yes, he brought us into this world. But he also almost took us out of it.

This take is strange at best. Two different worlds to compare and your take two years ago still isn’t correct. But you can think what you want lol.

 

[mauconnfan]

View attachment 87000

Love this pic!!

 

[Kathy]

I get your turn the other cheek opinion, but don't think for a NY minute people from CT cannot stand up for themselves. This is not a New Jersey bull spit attitude. Its a pizzed off wife of a D1 head coach that was assaulted at a basketball game. This while attending a game at a parochial school. That and nothing done about it. I have always had respect for PC's basketball program but much of that is lost now.


Botta bing, botta boom! Our society has gotten to the point that a coaches family has to have professional security to watch a game. Sad.

As I recall this is not a new 'societal' issue - Calhoun didn't allow his family to attend games at Providence either.

 

[XLCenterFan]

lol. The double big. The sign of someone who has no ******** clue about modern basketball.

We won a title precisely because we did not use a double big. I hope most people see that, though I do not have faith that they do.

I think most people were yelling for double big in our rough stretch to shake things up and show teams a different look than what they scouted for.

 

[Waquoit]

This take is strange at best. Two different worlds to compare and your take two years ago still isn’t correct. But you can think what you want lol.

Me right, you wrong. Never gets old.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Here we go with revisionist history. There are plenty of people on the board with knowledge and sufficient experience to know what they were looking at, and many of criticisms were situational and valid. It hasn’t been 5 years of perfection. Not even close. Where he’s come to after 5 years is a really good coach that figured out how to win in the big moment and why that isn’t sufficient in itself is a curiosity,

Honestly, there were some people who were on the money with the adjustments that needed to be made (and they were) and we were much better for it. There’s literally receipts of it.

I’m not sure why some folks don’t like to acknowledge that there are people who aren’t coaches who understand basketball well too.

Hurley changed A LOT this year, something he admitted. He also leaned A LOT on all the resources around the program at his disposal as he should. All those things lead to great success for us that we’re all happy to see. Now that Hurley has gotten over that hump and sees what works I’m excited about where we go from here.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Here’s actually a couple of pat on the back receipts.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

One thing I'm pretty sure of, the haters didn't enjoy the ride as much as the rest of us. They're still waiting to play the "I told you so" card on the next close loss.

It's funny. Throughout the title run, i sporadically thought about a particular poster who i only remember seeing after the first loss of the season. The team was 14-1, #4 in the country, and he didn't even wait for loss #2 to ask if we (the BY i assume) were still "with Hurley".

He spelled "cardiac" wrong. Although, in his defense, even Dan Hurley thought the phrase was "party at Kemba". He said it in one of the press conferences, i believe after iona or st marys when talking about how this team didn't rely on 1 on 1 play.

Back to the poster, i don't think his objections had much to do with actual basketball. I don't begrudge people their biases. I certainly have them, but at 14-1, the argument didn't make much sense, and i suspect we wont see him for a while now since Dan Hurley has as many titles as the coach he preferred.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think most people were yelling for double big in our rough stretch to shake things up and show teams a different look than what they scouted for.

People were calling for the double big even during the 14-0 stretch. It got louder because those dopes thought it justified their position. But it's not hard to find this stuff from November-December.

 

[auggie22]

I didn’t melt but I definitely had moments that in my own head wondered if this staff would put it all together. Which is crazy now to think because this team was constructed perfectly, motivated, coached, everything, in a way where it reminded me of the best Calhoun teams. Hurley is the real deal. Even with down seasons that will surely follow we should remember he knows how to pull it all together. Feels like we are set from a coaching standpoint for some time.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

It's flawed, but decently reflective of the, "You are what your record says" school of thought, and thereby not nearly as bad as your claim.

Either way, consider that going into this season, Hurley had middling success in the past coaching victories over Boeheim (22), Sampson (5), and Cronin (9) before the 2021-2022 season.

In 2021-22, Dan Hurley went 1-5 against Pearl (8), Huggins (16) Cooley, and McDermott (25).

This past season, Hurley went 8-2 against Few (2), Musselman (10), Pitino (11), Cooley (21), Altman (23), Bennett (24), and McDermott (25).

Seems to be trending well.

We will agree to disagree on some of this. "You are what your record says you are" doesn't take into account a lot of nuance.

For instance: looking just by the numbers (a blind comparison without lots of context), anyone would take Boehiem over Hurley. The same may be said for Painter, Barnes, and Underwood. Even before last week I would have probably disagreed.

But you're right, our guy is trending up (trends being one of the nuanced criteria I would use)