Dan Hurley isn’t the first coach to rage against the referees, and he won’t be the last. Officials always make for a convenient scapegoat; when all else fails, blame them. It’s easier to point the finger than to look in the mirror. Hurley torching the refs after Connecticut’s 77-75 second-round exit against Florida wasn’t particularly surprising. What he said and where he said it, however, made it newsworthy. As he left the Lenovo Center court, Hurley told the Baylor Bears, who were preparing for their game against Duke, “I hope they don’t f*ck you like they f*cked us. I hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor.” Many coaches harbor similar thoughts, but not many voice them openly during the NCAA tournament.
The viral video captured by Joey Ellis of Queen City News starkly contrasts with the polished image Hurley portrayed at the postgame press conference, as the two-time defending national champions saw their dynasty come to an end.
Dan Hurley exiting the arena after UConn’s NCAA Tournament loss to Florida, presumably about the officiating:
“I hope they don’t f*ck you like they f*cked us. I hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor.” #MarchMadness
(via @Jellis1016) pic.twitter.com/LTtRkSCkpf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 23, 2025
So, which is the real Dan Hurley? Both. He’s an exceptional coach whose emotions can run high, and his behavior sometimes rubs people the wrong way. In his rawest moments, Hurley reveals his true self. Yet it seems someone sought to erase that from the official record. According to Gabe McDonald of Charlotte Sports Live, UConn’s director of communications Bobby Mullens allegedly threatened Ellis, claiming he would “ruin his life” if the video wasn’t taken down. If true, that’s not only disturbing but also a ridiculous response. UConn’s statement read: “The lasting image of Coach Hurley leaving the court should’ve been his walking off the court arm-in-arm with his seniors, overwhelmed with emotion. Instead, a reporter, who was in an area he shouldn’t have been, recorded on his cell phone a private comment made to members of another coaching staff.”
While it’s understandable for the university to want to present Hurley in the best light possible, this is Dan Hurley, and they know it. Attempting to hide or minimize his behavior will not eradicate it from the internet. This wasn’t a “private moment”; Hurley wasn’t whispering his complaints near the locker room to Baylor coach Scott Drew. The video clearly shows that several people were within earshot, and Hurley spoke loud enough for people in Waco to hear him.
Was the reporter in an “off-limits” area? Possibly. However, these areas aren’t always clearly marked. Typically, if media personnel are in a restricted spot, security will swiftly inform them. While not everything a coach says or does is for public consumption, it’s fair game when a coach is heard yelling about the referees immediately following a season-ending loss. UConn should have just let this go. Allegedly threatening Ellis reflects poorly on the university. There are more effective ways to support your coach. For better or worse, Hurley embodies authenticity, which has value. He is one of the sport’s biggest stars, and this outburst likely enhances his aura and makes him even more relatable to his fans, who often feel the referees are against them. Bullying the media for merely doing its job does not help UConn in this situation.
