UConn means something. This is how Dan Hurley made it matter again

[mussels]

LOL

“Following a recent practice in Hartford, he walked over to chat for a moment. Funny, chill, personable. Not the guy you see on TV. Then, heading back to rejoin his team, he put on sunglasses, a hat and pulled his hood up atop his head. Looked like the basketball Unabomber. “I’m one-part European soccer manager and one-part Dutton Ranch farmhand,” he said. We still have no idea what that means, but Hurley is undoubtedly a man of multiple identities.”

 

[ctkaiser]

Agree…but be careful on your renewal dates. I got some decent intro rate and then they hit me for 79 on the auto renewal. It’s worth 20/yr not 79 imo.

I have it. When it comes for renewal I have canceled and the renewal offer goes to half off. I like it very much but at over $70 I can live without it. At reduced price I'm in.

 

[PNolanFan]

Maybe my favorite quote I have seen here is Jackson talking about being a 4 year guy. If these guys were to come back next year we would be a pretty large favorite next year

 

[UConnSean]

I have no real problem with Dan Hurley except that he is related to Bobby. There are clearly people on this forum who may know basketball better than me and can have opinions on DHs decisions. That being said, the reasons why teams aren’t able to perform as required at times is so varied and sometimes intangible. If you play golf, you understand this phenomenon. There are days where you play like you’ve never played golf before and others where even bad shots work out well. Many days it’s mixed. Same with basketball. We have seen 3s fall like rain and others where nothing falls- even with perfect looks. My point is that putting everything on coaching and believing that there is a way to coach out of bad games is overblown. Too many factors at play that have little to do with coaching.

Players seem to respect Coach Hurley and to listen. That type of leadership-doing your best because you have fidelity and respect with your leaders is the factor that, IMO, enables performance and perseverance in times of challenge. If that were missing, he would be an ineffective coach. Players still need to play and make good split-second decisions. Some of that is coachable, some not.

No worries with Hurley.

Nice post - are you the Wheeler D who used to work for the football team ~ 2010-2014?

 

[OkaForPrez]

I said it before and I'll say it again after 2 losses in our last 3. This is my favorite team ever:
AJ's seemingly labgrown skillset and demeanor.
Dollar and a Dream Sanogo
Hawk understudying Rip

They owe us nothing, I hope they achieve their greatness for themselves.

 

[bigknight3]

Jackson's quote is like Boneyard :

“A lot of people expected me to be one- or two-and-done, an NBA Draft pick, maybe a lottery pick,” Jackson says. “But that’s not really what my purpose was here. Yes, I want to get (to the NBA), but I told Coach Hurley: I’ll stay four years, I’ll do whatever is needed, I just want to play, I want to win. You don’t come to UConn and see those banners on the wall — 11 on that side, four on this side — and say, oh, I’ll go there for a year or two and get mine. You might as well go somewhere else. This is a championship program.”

Came here to make sure this quote was shared. That was the most important part of the article!

 

[Luna]

Thanks for the quotes from the article all.

I like Coach Hurley and I don't even think he is all that nutty. He is not nearly as fiery as Coach Calhoun. Most successful coaches are intense, peculiar, a little outlandish. Opponents don't like Coach Hurley because they don't like UCONN. Heck, they bash him on the SU board and they're not even in our conference. Our old Big East opponents hated UCONN for its successes, wanted it to fail after the split, and more so when it joined the NBE. They thought they had beaten UCONN, but they had not.

Great Coach, great UCONN Program.

Just a great post!!!!…so true

 

[Rico444]

Jackson is probably the most likely of our big 3 to come back next year. After reading that quote I would guess it's probably better than 50-50 he's back.

 

[Luna]

I will keep saying this, Dan Hurley is far from perfect. All we need is to visit this website after a loss to understand why. But Dan Hurley was/is/will be the perfect hire for this job. I believe this is true for a multiple of reasons. First, Dan Hurley understands, respects, and appreciates what UConn means to the Northeast. He understands, respects, and appreciates are storied history and the man who singlehandedly built it. Danny will never lose site of that. Second, Danny's personality resonantes with our fanbase. As nutty as he is, as implusive as he gets at times, he is UConn and he wants it as bad as the fans and for the fans. Third, he is a player coach. He will defend his boys to the very end, and while he can get hard on them individually, they all know he would run through a wall for any of them. Actions speak louder than words, and his players know how much he values them. Finally, he recruits. He owns the Northeast and at UConn, his reach goes national. UConn helps him get top 50 kids, and he will consisently get the kids he wants. For UConn to thrive nationally, we need that chip on a shoulder. Danny brings that. He adds to that. Not the perfect coach, just the perfect coach for this school.

Great post!!!!

 

[Jbirdp5]

Didn’t know Hurley turned down a scholarship from duke, he really is meant to be out coach!

 

[husky429]

Jackson's quote is like Boneyard :

“A lot of people expected me to be one- or two-and-done, an NBA Draft pick, maybe a lottery pick,” Jackson says. “But that’s not really what my purpose was here. Yes, I want to get (to the NBA), but I told Coach Hurley: I’ll stay four years, I’ll do whatever is needed, I just want to play, I want to win. You don’t come to UConn and see those banners on the wall — 11 on that side, four on this side — and say, oh, I’ll go there for a year or two and get mine. You might as well go somewhere else. This is a championship program.”

It's a cute quote, but I think we know the real reason he isn't in the NBA is because he wasn't remotely close to being drafted in the first round. If he is back next year, it's also because he wasn't going to be drafted in the first round.

Regardless, it's awesome to see the kid so invested in the program. He's a winner.

 

[HailUConn]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, If Andre can work on turning those 10+ floater into pull up mid range jumper and/or attacking the rim more often this upcoming summer off season, he is lottery bound after junior year.

 

[bendm]

just one correction needed- AK wasnt outside the top 100 in the recruiting rankings

 

[Waquoit]

Didn’t realize he spent time with Rip this off-season.

I didn't realize this but you can see it in his game.

 

[Waquoit]

Agree…but be careful on your renewal dates. I got some decent intro rate and then they hit me for 79 on the auto renewal. It’s worth 20/yr not 79 imo.

Luckily I had it on my calendar and cancelled in time. In time to sign up again, I guess.

 

[bigknight3]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, If Andre can work on turning those 10+ floater into pull up mid range jumper and/or attacking the rim more often this upcoming summer off season, he is lottery bound after junior year.

He's currently a junior...

 

[Edward Sargent]

Didn’t realize he spent time with Rip this off-season. What a great mentor for him to have

it shows in how good he has become running defenders off single double and sometimes triple screens

 

[ClifSpliffy]

LOL

“Following a recent practice in Hartford, he walked over to chat for a moment. Funny, chill, personable. Not the guy you see on TV. Then, heading back to rejoin his team, he put on sunglasses, a hat and pulled his hood up atop his head. Looked like the basketball Unabomber. “I’m one-part European soccer manager and one-part Dutton Ranch farmhand,” he said. We still have no idea what that means, but Hurley is undoubtedly a man of multiple identities.”

Looked like the basketball Unabomber. “I’m one-part European soccer manager and one-part Dutton Ranch farmhand,” he said. We still have no idea what that means, but Hurley is undoubtedly a man of multiple identities.”
multiple identities? that's like pro football. if u have 2, or more, starting qb's, u typically end up with having zero, and may just end up on the couch, wondering what does it all mean.
i really, really, really, do not enjoy my hoops pals across the land hanging that 'why is ur coach so whiny? what's he so mad aboot? why does he always see things that are not there?' label on me.
i have no clue what an 'european soccer manager' does, or even is.
as i understand it, dutton ranch has something to do with a fictional tv show.
he should have gone with bonanza. that's real and ben cartwright owns it all.
day by day, work or play,
ready side by side.
come on friend, welcome in,
the gate is open wide.

no brain hurting, constant emotional make believe trauma, in this show.
just real life, typical for the time and place, hassles.
get 'em, hoss! whip out the glock, and flat blast the bad guys!

 

[HailUConn]

 

[aburks41]

It's a cute quote, but I think we know the real reason he isn't in the NBA is because he wasn't remotely close to being drafted in the first round. If he is back next year, it's also because he wasn't going to be drafted in the first round.

Regardless, it's awesome to see the kid so invested in the program. He's a winner.

Jackson can do what Jalen Wilson is doing right now for KU.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Jackson can do what Jalen Wilson is doing right now for KU.

No he can’t.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I didn't realize this but you can see it in his game.

Agreed. That's the biggest change this year, he is coming around screens, getting the ball and elevating with incredible speed. It's why he keeps drawing fouls on 3's. Those chasing defenders can't get there in time.

Have seen no indication of his ball handling woes from early last year either.

 

[Waquoit]

FYI, It's $1.99 for a month. Let me add my highest endorsement to the rest here.

 

[husky429]

Jackson can do what Jalen Wilson is doing right now for KU.

Certainly possible, though I'm not sure Andre ever showed the scoring prowess Wilson showed the last couple years before the breakout season. I imagine a successful senior season for Andre would involve him getting a bit more comfortable taking 3s, and adding some finishing at the rim with confidence.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Certainly possible, though I'm not sure Andre ever showed the scoring prowess Wilson showed the last couple years before the breakout season. I imagine a successful senior season for Andre would involve him getting a bit more comfortable taking 3s, and adding some finishing at the rim with confidence.

Wilson is taking 17 shots a game this year. Andre will never be close to that.