Nobody holds himself in higher regard than Dan Hurley, and as back-to-back National Champion head coach, he has ample reason. Undoubtedly, he is the next best villain in sports, although longtime college basketball insider Jeff Goodman believes he needs to mature.
The UConn Huskies head coach has little love for referees; in fact, he reacts to them the opposite of how a Husky reacts to snow. He believes that people like him are beneficial for sports, even if that means being condescending and demeaning. During UConn’s 80-78 overtime victory over Butler, Hurley infamously mouthed off at a referee who ignored him, declaring, “Don’t turn your back on me. I’m the best coach in the f*cking sport.”
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However, Goodman, who once was close to Hurley but has become one of his staunchest critics regarding his behavior, found this conduct unacceptable. “I did this a few months ago with Hurley and we haven’t talked since,” Goodman stated during the Tuesday night episode of The Field of 68 After Dark. “I have a hard time liking him at times on the court. No matter how angry you are about a call, there’s a way to address referees. They’re human beings and they miss calls. If you’re constantly yelling at them, it makes their job significantly harder.”
Goodman elaborated that Hurley’s approach to officials is particularly troubling: “The way he talks to these guys is sometimes disgusting. It needs to stop. They’re human beings and deserve to be treated as such.”
“The way Dan Hurley talks to some of these refs, sometimes, is disgusting. It’s disgusting. It’s not right. They’re human beings. And he’s making their jobs harder” – @GoodmanHoops
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Despite his criticisms, Goodman acknowledges Hurley’s charm, stating, “If you get him off the court, you would absolutely love him.” However, he struggles with Hurley’s interactions with officials, suggesting that referees are hesitant to penalize him because they fear backlash and being removed from games due to his reputation.
Thus, although Dan Hurley may crown himself the best coach in the sport, to referees, he is the storm they must endure. Love him or hate him, college basketball’s ultimate antihero is here to stay, and his outbursts likely won’t be fading anytime soon.
